18th Century Chicken Timbale to Modern Day Pastina Timbales – johanna
April 27th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

A few years ago I went on a quest to dig up recipes from the early 1900′s. I was curious to know what types of meals they prepared at the time while living on a strict budget with limited convinences. Timbale was one of the few that intriqued me the most. Surprisingly I discovered that by mid-18thC people were becoming concerned about the added calorie count of baking in crusts and were looking for alternative ways of cooking without having to eat the container.

A timbale is sort of like an eggy souffle or custard that can be made using a variety of ingredients, including the classic timbale of spinach, mushrooms, onions, and breadcrumbs in addition to other types of meats, grains and vegetables. Timbale is usually prepared in individual ramekins cooked partially submerged in a tray of water. The steam created by the water aids in helping the custard to set. Timbale may be served hot or cold in individual ramekins or plated and dressed with a sauce.

I thought I would include the classic version of a Timbale in addition to a more modern flavorful recipe from one of my favorite chef’s Michael Chiarello of Napa Valley.

Chicken Timbale
Source: Unknown – Budget saver meal from the late 1930’s
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp finely diced onion
1 tsp salt
ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Divide mixture among custard cups or individual baking dishes.

Place cups in pan of very hot water and bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of timbale comes out clean.

Variations:
Cooked macaroni, spaghetti, or noodles may be substituted for the cooked rice,
Cooked ham, pork, turkey, fish, or rabbit may be used in place of the chicken. If you have less than the 1 1/2 cups of chicken (or other meat) the recipe calls for, stretch the meat with sliced hard cooked eggs and cooked peas.

**When serving to little kids limit the heat by using mild Italian Sausage in the filling and 1 jalapeno pepper in the sauce.
Pastina Timbale
Source: Michael Chiarello
Salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound spicy Italian sausage links, boiled for 6 minutes and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound pastina (tiny pasta)
Pastina Timbale Sauce, recipe follows

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Brush 8 (12-ounce) ramekins or 1 large oven-safe bowl with butter and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute sausage until browned.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the minced garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir them every minute for 3 to 5 minutes until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 30 seconds. Pour the bread crumb mixture into the prepared ramekins or bowl and press around the sides to line with the bread crumb mixture, using your fingers to evenly distribute it along the bottom and up the sides.

While the Pastina Timbale Sauce is simmering, cook the pastina in the boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pastina in a colander. Reheat the sauce, if needed, and add the drained pastina and then the browned sausage. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley, and remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the pastina mixture to the lined ramekins (1 1/4 cups per ramekin) or large bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the molded pastina timbale onto warmed individual serving plates, and serve.

Pastina Timbale Sauce:
3 pounds canned diced tomatoes, drained
2 jalapeno chiles
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup minced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Gorgonzola
1 small jar roasted peppers, julienned (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss tomatoes and whole jalapeno chiles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place tomato mixture on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15 or 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from heat and finely chop the tomatoes. Transfer tomato pulp and any juices from the cutting board to a bowl. Chop the chiles and taste to determine their heat.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the chiles and simmer for another minute, only adding as much jalapeno as you want for spice. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir in the Gorgonzola. Stir in the roasted peppers and the parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Technorati Tags: 18th century recipes, budget, chicken timbale, family, food, great depression recipes, michael chiarello, pastina timbale

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Glazed Salmon on Green and Orange Salad – johanna
April 25th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

Good Seasons used to make a nice make-it-yourself Asian salad dressing. Sadly I can never find the Asian flavor or Cesar at any of the grocery stores in the area. I used the dressing from an Asian spinach salad recipe and omitted the OJ.

Source: unknown
4 (5oz) cooked salmon fillets
1/3 cup Asian Ginger salad dressing
2 tbsp clementine or orange juice
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
8 cups mixed salad greens
4 clementines, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup chopped unsalted toasted almonds

Heat broiler. Place salmon on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon on or brush salmon with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Let sit 15 minutes. Broil salmon 8-10 minutes or until just cooked through.

Meanwhile, put the remaining dressing and the juice in a large bowl; add onions and toss to coat.

To serve, add salad greens and clementines to the bowl with the onion; toss to mix and coat. Arrange salad on serving plates. Place salmon on salad and sprinkle with almonds.

Technorati Tags: asian glazed salmon, dinner party, food, greens, orange salad, salad, salmon, seafood, spring

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Ham Egg and Cheese English Muffins – johanna
April 24th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breakfast

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. I just love breakfast food. My mom used to make these for us all the time even on camping trips. I love my egg with a slightly runny center. It must be a Southern thing like grits.

English muffins
Butter
Cheddar cheese slices
Scrambled, poached or fried eggs
Ham deli slices

Toast English muffins. Spread with a little butter and top with scrambled eggs, a slice of cheese and ham.

Variations:
Add a slice of tomato.
Replace ham with bacon.

Technorati Tags: camping, egg ham and cheese muffins, family, food, kids, RECIPES - Breakfast, summer

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Scott’s Cajun Pasta and Beef – johanna
April 16th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

When I was in college I rented a room from a friend of mine. There was another tenant named Scott. He was the brother of my friend’s boss. Down on luck and trying to piece his life back together Renea was obliged to help him out. I can’t say that it was like a rerun of Three’s Company. In fact Scott and I were at odds with one another from day one. So I am hard pressed to admit that I actually liked something he created. It is like surrendering to my arch nemesis. Defeated.

Scott was a body builder. His version of cajun pasta and meat was a core staple in his diet. I think he took pitty on me when he realized my diet consisted of yogurt and cereal. I added more vegetables to make it a balanced meal. His version was just tri-colored pasta, ground beef and cajun spices all mixed together in a huge orange Tupperware bowl. Sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes.

1 box Tri-color Ritoni Pasta
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1-2 tbsp Cajun spices or season salt
Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Cook noodles to your preference. Add butter and toss.

Meanwhile, saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until slightly tender. Add beef. Cook until no longer pink. Add spices. Let simmer 10 minutes. Serve beef mixture over noodles. Top with cheese.

Technorati Tags: budget, cajun, food, ground beef, pasta, quick meals, under $10, winter

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Grandmother Jepson’s Cracker Jacks – johanna
April 15th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Snacks

It is Spring Break week. I decided to adopt the preschool schedule to keep the kids busy and me sane; discovery, snacks, story time, music time and crafts. Today for snack we made my grandmother’s cracker jacks. It is a very simple recipe that kids will enjoy being a part of.

1 1/2 quarts popped corn
3/4 cups peanuts
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey

Mix popcorn and nuts together in a bowl. Melt the butter and honey in a small pan over low heat, pour over popcorn and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let completely cool.

Technorati Tags: cooking, cracker jacks, family, food, kids, RECIPES - Snacks

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Meatballs with Cream Sauce – johanna
April 13th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

Whenever the air is heavy with rain and the chill winds come blowing through I crave soup or a comforting hot dish similar to meatballs with cream sauce. It has that northern woodsy feel to it. Still elegant and refined. The perfect recipe to serve when friends come to dinner. The kids go nuts over meatballs in cream sauce. They especially love the sauce. The ingredients list looks long but it is so easy to make that the kids could help out.

Source: Unknown
Meatballs:
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup oats
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 lb ground turkey
3 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place 3 tablespoons flour in a shallow bowl. In a medium sized bowl, mix the egg, milk, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oats, onion, parsley, sat and pepper. Add the beef mixing until just combined. Shape into balls. Roll meatballs in the flour. Place on a cookie sheet and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Turn meatballs, bake 8-10 minutes longer or until no longer pink. Place meatballs in cream sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes. Serve over pasta, egg noodles or rice with a sprinkle of parsley.

Cream sauce:
2 tbsp butter
3 1/2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour, thyme, salt and pepper whisking until smooth. Gradually add broth and milk, whisking vigorously to remove any lumps; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Technorati Tags: cream sauce, egg noodles, meatballs

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Homemade Egg Noodles – johanna
April 11th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides

My mom used to make egg noodles for her chicken soup. I thought making egg noodles would be a great project for the kids and I to try. I remember watching my mom roll out the dough and make the long effortless slices. I have also seen some people fold the dough over lengthwise to a 2-inch width and then cut. Just make sure to dust with flour before each fold.

Source: This is the recipe my mom always used. She got it from her friend Eunice Johnson.
(Serves 4)
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 an egg shell of milk
Place flour in a small bowl, make a dent in the center. Carefully crack the egg shell pouring the egg in the center of the flour. Fill 1/2 of the egg shell with milk and stir into the flour and egg mixture using a fork. If needed add just a touch more milk until moist enough that the dough holds together.

On a well floured bread board or surface, carefully roll out the dough until very, very thin (almost paper thin for thin noodles or as thick as you like for dumplings). Using a Pizza cutter, cut the dough into thin noodles -length of your choice. The noodles do not have to be perfect nor is it necessary to dry the noodles.

Slowly drop the cut noodles one by one into rapidly boiling water (chicken or beef broth) stirring constantly so they do not stick together in a lump. Turn down the heat and simmer at a low boil until tender (approx. 1/2 hour or less). Stir frequently while cooking to prevent sticking.

Technorati Tags: crafts, egg noodles, family, food, kids, pasta, RECIPES

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Chicken Vegetable Nachos – johanna
April 9th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Snacks

One of our favorite indulgences is nachos. I love nachos. The crispy salty texture of the nacho chips dipped in the cool spicy flavorful salsa makes it hard to stop at seven measly chips. When we first got married we would frequent this amazing hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. The place has since changed owners and unfortunately the food is no longer as fresh and flavorful but we relish the fond memories of eating nachos together.

Source: Adapted from Rachael Ray magazine
Nacho Chips
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small floret, stems peeled and thinly sliced
1 (15-oz) can cannellini or black beans, rinsed
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2-3 cups cheddar cheese
Salsa
Plain yogurt or sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread a layer of chips on a baking sheet.Sprinkle with some cheese.

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned. Remove the onions and scatter over chips. Add the broccoli and 1/2 cup of water. Continue to cook until the broccoli is slightly tender, not mushy, and the water has evaporated.

Sprinkle the broccoli, cooked chicken, beans and cheese over the chips evenly. Bake until cheese has melted.

Technorati Tags: after school, cinco de mayo, food, nachos, rachael ray, RECIPES - Snacks, superbowl, vegetarian nachos

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A Fancy Pudding Pie – johanna
March 29th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Treats

A couple weeks ago, I took Mason and Adelin to a kids workshop where they learned to make dirt referring to the dessert known as, Dirt. The kids helped measure the milk and stir the pudding. Each child was given a cup and bag with oreos (to go with the chocolate pudding) or vanilla sandwich cookies (to go with the vanilla pudding) to smash. Then, they mixed their cookies with the pudding in the cup, added a few worms and stuck them in the refrigerator to set.

I went to the store yesterday to pick up a few things one of the items being eggs. Guess what I found in the front seat of my car this morning? Since we were without eggs, I opted to make pudding for the kids’ afternoon snack. As I was stirring the cook and serve boxed pudding, I thought about the Dirt the kids made and how much fun they had putting it together. While the pudding cooled, I put a variety of ingredients on the table to give the kids the opportunity to make their own fanciful pudding concoctions.

We used sliced strawberries, a sliced banana, coconut, chocolate chips, graham crackers, walnuts and nutella. I think the best part was piling on the toppings.

Technorati Tags: activities for kids, BBQ, birthday party, Dirt pudding, pudding, summer

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Spinach and Grape Salad – johanna
March 24th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today, a perfect day for a picnic. We ran around the backyard with Police Officer Mason in hot pursuit. Mason is a no-nonsense cop. Forget the ticket for speeding, we had to go straight to jail on the trampoline, where I jumped until I had to leave to start dinner. As I cooked, the kids took advantage of the warm weather spraying themselves with the water hose. I did not have the heart to make them come inside and so decided we would have a picnic. A perfect meal for a perfect day.

I know this salad may seem a little weird, but it tastes phenomenal. It is super quick, healthy and goes well with seasoned pork chops and roasted potatoes.

Source: Rachael Ray
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
4 oz baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a skillet, cook red onion over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the grapes and 1/4 cup water and remove from heat. Stir the spinach, almonds and balsamic vinegar into the onion mixture, season with salt and pepper. Serves 4

Technorati Tags: food, grape salad, picnic, spinach

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