Menu for the week of 1/27

Sun
tacos

Mon
black beans and rice- the black beans were made on Sunday using a recipe from the Columbia Restaurant Cookbook
salad

Tues
leftover Potatoes and Chard with Green Curry Sauce- we'll see how this dish freezes

Wed
Wilted Red Cabbage Salad with Tangerines and Almonds-from the Wine Lovers Cookbook- this is only if I get my report cards written- most likely I'll make this next week and we'll just have take out tonight

Thurs
leftover Peas and Rice from CL

Menu for the week of 1/20

Sun
Black Bean Soup with Chile, Coconut Milk, and Lime- for lunch on Tues
dinner out

Mon
Singapore Curry Noodles- The Curry Book- caught my eye last week

Tues
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice- AYIAVK using Rancho Gordo's Rio Zape beans
kale

Wed
take out Chinese

Thurs
pasta for DH
large salad for me

An excellent Tuscan cooking class

Carol, co-owner of Lost Creek Winery in Leesburg, had a great idea. She hosted a cooking class at the winery last Saturday night. The instruction was geared to those than can cook and those that are just learning. Maria, from http://www.tuscancookingclasses.com/, was enthusiastic, very knowledgeable and fun. The night was hands-on- we made or assembled everything. The menu included an antipasta platter, bruschetta (ours had an herbed white bean topping), grilled pizza with a variety of toppings to choose from, and a salad with a balsamic/olive oil dressing. The available wines included Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Cabernert Sauvignon, and Merlot. YUM! The food tasted so good and it was fun to match the wines with each dish.

Menu for the week of 1/13

Sunday
Red Bean Chili with Ancho Chiles and Coffee- AYIAVK- made with Rancho Gordo's Anasazi beans
cornbread- I love the whole wheat recipe from veganlunchbox.com
steamed kale

Tuesday
Vegetable Ravioli with Toasted Walnuts in Curry Cream Sauce- The Curry Book
broccoli
salad

Wednesday
Rice and Peas- Jan/Feb 08 CL
buschetta- from Maria Canora's Tuscan cooking class- I took a class from her last night at the winery where I work during the summers- excellent class and excellent food!

Thursday
tacos- DH likes Lightlife taco filling
I'll make mine with chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, onion, and maybe try a new cheese sauce from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook

Menu for week of Jan 6

Sunday
big salad and veggie sandwich for me
ravioli lasagna for DH

Monday
black beans and rice
steamed kale
salad

Tuesday
grilled cheese sandwich for DH
hummus pita for me
balsmic glazed carrots with garlic
spicy broccoli rabe with garlic

Wednesday
Pasta with Muffalata Olive Salad and Italian Meats- leaving out the Italian meats for me ;)

Thursday
leftover Spinach and Chickpea Curry

December's New Recipes- Hits and Misses

Hits
Pom Martinis- Oprah- found on this on the cookinglight board- I liked both the tequila and vodka versions
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar and Pine Nuts- Vegetables Every Day
Soy-Braised Mustard Greens- Vegetables Every Day
Lima Parmigiana- How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
Chickpeas in their own broth- How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
Lo Mein- with adaptaions- World of the East Vegetarian Cooking
Red Lentils with Cumin-Onion Butter- Sur la Table cooking class
Beginners Curry- Great Curries of India
Roasted Mushroom, Lentil, and Walnut Pate- CL
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies- Eat Drink and Be Vegan
Polenta with Tomato-Braised Beans- CL Jan/Feb 08

Ok/Not a repeater
Black-eyed Peas in a Crockpot- clbb
Brown Rice 'n' Beans "Jumble-aya" - Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan- just a bit too sweet for me- I may play with this.

Potatoes and Chard with Green Curry Sauce

I realized that there are quite a few recipes that I didn't get around to posting last year. This is one of my faves. DH will actually eat greens so this recipe is a keeper. He rec doubling the sauce- that way there is enough to spoon over some steamed broccoli. I doubled everything for the sauce but only used a heavy 3 tablespoons of the green curry paste instead of 4 mostly because that was all there was in the jar. There is a nice heat to this dish and lots of flavor. I use regular, not light, coconut milk, rainbow chard (it's so pretty), and baby Yukon or gold potatoes. I've tried to find roasted peanut oil but haven't so I use just peanut oil. The last time I made this, I had a bit of extra chard but instead of adding it to the curry and risk turning DH off this recipe, I put it in my bowl and then topped the extra chard with the hot rice and curry. It added a nice extra texture to the dish and I'll probably always add a bit from now on.

Potatoes and Chard with Green Curry Sauce
Adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen
Serves 4 as a main course
1 1/2 tablespoon roasted or reg peanut oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 14-ounce cans unsweeten coconut milk, with 1 cup thickened coconut cream spooned off the top and reserved
3 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 short cup water
2 pounds small potatoes, halved, halved again and then halved one last time
salt
4 ounces chard, thinly sliced (discard thick center stems) (about 3 cups)
1 short cup fresh cilantro leaves- loose and slightly cut
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, no more than 1 minute. Add the cup of thickened coconut cream and the curry paste. Simmer briskly until the liquid in the coconut cream evaporates and the mixture forms a very thick paste that sizzles in the pan, 2-3 minutes.

Add the remaining coconut milk, water, potatoes, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chard, cover, and cook, stirring once, until the potatoes and chard are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste, and serve.