#Moosewood2022, part 2 - January and February

I'm not certain if I'll end up posting all of the Moosewood Recipes I make this year here, but I am posting them on Twitter as I make them.

January:

Recipe #2: Puffy Green Onion-Quinoa Cakes (new)

These were delicious topped with Sweet&Hot Relish from our friends at Hilltop Berry Farm (New Milford, PA) and a side salad of raw veggies.

If I make this again, I would like to add more salt, pepper, and other spices to make it more savory.... perhaps Garam Masala, or something else to give it more "warmth."

Recipe #3: Swiss Green Beans (new)

Cleaning Green Beans always reminds me of sitting on my Grandmother's front porch, after helping Grandpa pick them in their giant garden.

This recipe requires a bit of marinade time, but the beans were quite delicious next to a Hubba-smoked Turkey Sandwich topped with his Mother's Cranberry Relish recipe.  

I should remember these beans for the summer.  Since they are served cold, they would be refreshing on a hot day.

February:

I found my copy of Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook (the inspiration for this 2022 Challenge) and formally liberated it from it's moving box.

It was difficult to decide what to make next... and narrowing it to only recipes I had the ingredients for didn't help much.  lol.

Recipe #4: Spicy Tomato Soup (new), page 4

I had been trying to use up the tomatoes I purchased when Hubba wanted them for the above Turkey Sandwiches.... but he decided that "Life is too short to eat winter tomatoes" and I do not disagree.  :-)  Enter this Tomato Soup recipe...

I don't know if there is much better than a good Tomato Soup with a Grilled Cheese or Quesadilla.

This version is with canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste to increase depth of flavor, and a few "fresh" winter tomatoes.

I paired it with a grown-up Grilled Cheese Sandwich.... "grown-up" because it has Caramelized Onions and Roasted Green Chile.

I definitely need to remember this recipe for the summer glut of home-grown tomatoes and plan to use a stick blender to smooth it a bit next time.... but still, this recipe is extremely delicious and easy to make.

Recipe #5: Lentil Soup (new), page 25

Several people participating in the Challenge have been talking about the Lentil Soup, so I decided to make some for us.

This version was augmented with a box of commercial chicken broth, fresh herbs, and a small amount of left-over Country Ham.

It is quite hearty and satisfying, and the splash of (balsamic) vinegar makes it special.  Definitely recommended, especially since it's even better on the second day.

Recipe #6: Arabian Squash Casserole (new), page 140

I love (LOVE!) Winter Squash... and making pumpkin things from whole pumpkins is absolutely worth the (very little) effort.  So whenever I see pie pumpkins at the store, I buy a couple.

I've made two batches of pumpkin muffins already this season.  So I was wanting to do something more savory...

Like most of the recipes I've tried in this challenge so far, the ingredients are things that I typically have in stock.... you have to love hearty, delicious, foods that don't require a special trip to the store (although in this case, we did need to pick up a little Feta).   :-)

Stats:

• 0 + 5 = 5 (new) = new-to-me recipe...  ie, one I have not made before
• 1 + 0 = 1 (standard) = recipes I have made frequently over the years, because we love it so much
• 0 + 0 = 0 (repeat) = previously made in the #Moosewood2022 challenge

As of this posting, we are at the end of Week #8 and I have made six Moosewood/Mollie Katzen recipes.  All but one are new-to-me recipes.

Since I am continually trying to increase the variety of foods we eat and my goal was 1-2 recipes per month, I think I'm doing pretty well so far.  ;-)

What are you making for dinner these days?