Free Range Cooking at Fort SCollins

There are many variations to orzo pasta salad that are pretty similar in their basic idea, they contain a green, a dried fruit, a nut, possibly a cheese, oil, and then some sort of acid, be it  vinegar or lemon juice or something to the like.  I have made several different combinations of these items and still not come to one that I am absolutely dead set on being “the one”. One of our friends Kim, had originally made a version of this salad and brought it to a get together and hers, I think has still been my favorite.  They’re all good, some just stand out more than others, I will post some other variations later on.  But even with this recipe, feel free to switch it up a bit if you like.  You can do dried cherries instead of cranberries, almonds instead of walnuts, whatever you like.  The original recipe calls for toasted pine nuts, now I like pine nuts, but a lot of people don’t.  Pine nuts are also very expensive, so a lot of times when a recipe calls for pine nuts, I substitute walnuts.  This can not be done in all cases, sometimes the pine nut flavor is really necessary, but many times a walnut will fill in just fine.  The recipe also calls for arugula, I have only used arugula a couple times in the past, and this was good, but it does have kind of a bitter, peppery flavor, so if you’re wanting to serve this to anyone that’s at all “picky” about their food, a safer bet would be to replace the arugula with something milder, such as spinach. One thing that I struggle with in making orzo salads is my desire to cook the orzo too long.  Orzo is a tiny pasta, it only needs like 8 minutes, but that never seems like enough to me, so I always do it “for just a little extra” and it becomes overcooked, now this doesn’t ruin the dish, but it’s better with properly cooked orzo.  It should be just a little al dente.

1 lb orzo pasta
3 -4 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 c fresh arugula, roughly chopped
3/4 c crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/4 c toasted walnuts
3 TB lemon juice
1 1/2 ts salt
1 ts freshly ground black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain pasta and mix in 1 TB of the olive oil to coat and spread it out on a cookie sheet so the pasta doesn’t stick together as much. (I don’t always do this, btw, and it’s always fine, yeah some stick together a bit, but it’s not a big deal)

In a large bowl, combine pasta and remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine.  I think this salad is best if it has time to “rest” a bit before serving, the flavors blend together a little more.  You can serve it at room temperature or chilled.

Obviously this isn’t one of the healthiest dishes I’m going to post about, but it was delicious.  Even though I’m focusing on going meatless, I still indulge in a meat item from time to time, this one was worth it! It’s a decent amount of time to prepare it, but a lot of it is just idle time so it’s not too bad.  There isn’t a lot that can be done with this recipe as far as to improve on it’s nutritional value except to change the cut  of meat, pork shoulder are definitely not a lean pork cut.  I have made pulled pork with a pork loin before, which is a pretty lean cut of pork, and it just doesn’t turn out the same.  You really need the “fat” in a recipe like this to get the flavors and textures of the pulled pork.  So make this recipe when you feel like splurging on some calories and enjoy it, just remember, it’s all about moderation!  This recipe requires that you brine the pork before it is cooked.  Brining causes the meat to gain saltiness and flavor while pumping it up with water so that after cooking it still retains a lot juices. Brining can be used for many cuts of meat, I think it is beneficial to brine meats  such as boneless chicken breast and pork chops before you grill them as it seals in the juices and they are less likely to get dried out. You can brine almost any cut of meat though, and it’s a simple step that can really make a difference in the end result of the dish.  I’ve brined turkeys and it makes for a moist, delicious end product.  I’ve grilled turkey a time or two and the brining makes a big difference when grilling a turkey.  So for this recipe you’ll need to make a dry rub first.  Some of it will be included in the brining process.  Next you will brine the pork.  After the brining is complete you will prepare the meat with the rub and then bake it for several hours, the  final step will actually be the “pulling of the pork” and if it’s cooked properly, this will take no effort at all.  When I served mine, I had bbq sauce available for anyone that wanted it, it did  not need it at all though.  I also served it with coleslaw and baked beans.  It was delicious and I will be venturing into using this recipe again!

You will need a 4-7lb pork shoulder roast (also known as a Whole Boston Butt)

Dry Rub
1 TB ground cumin
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB onion powder
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cayenne pepper
1 TB salt
1 TB ground pepper
1 TB paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

Brine Solution

1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts cold water
2 bay leaves
3 TB dry rub mix

Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub, and bay leaves and stir well to combine.

Pork shoulder preparation:
Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Then remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree oven on the middle rack. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees. When the shoulder has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily. Typically it should take 1 1/2 - 2 hours per pound to cook.  When I did mine, I actually did two roasts and it took quite a bit longer.  So just make sure you have enough time to check on it, or set an alarm clock and check on it in the middle of the night like I did:)

Another delicious dish with one of my favorite new ingredients, quinoa!  I seriously have a line up of 7 or 8 dishes involving quinoa just waiting to be tried.  It’s good for breakfast, it’s good for lunch, dinner, whenever. I really don’t know what my obsession really is with this quinoa is, I think it’s the health benefits and the versatility, whatever it is, I’m out of control with it!  The following recipe calls for chicory, I could not find chicory.  I had looked up some substitutions in case I couldn’t as I know I’ve only seen it a few times around.   A suggestion was radicchio, I thought yeah, that will be good, and the color will be a nice contrast in the dish (radicchio is bright purple/red in color).  Well, it doesn’t cook up that well, I think it’s best as a salad item, not cooked, it turned brown. The taste was ok, a little too bitter, and the brown just wasn’t as pretty as bright red or purple, or even the green that was supposed to be used in the recipe. In the future if I had to substitute it would be spinach or kale (another one of my new obsessions).  I actually haven’t cooked with chicory yet, and hope to find some to try this recipe with.  Maybe it will become another favorite ingredient, who knows?  The dish was still good, despite being a touch on the bitter side.

1/2 cup quinoa
1 large bunch chicory (1 to 1 1/4 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces (bottom 1 1/2″ of hard stems removed)
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 medium onions thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup grated  Swiss cheese
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Cook quinoa as directed on the package.

Heat large pot over medium heat. Add chicory, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until wilted, stirring frequently or tossing with tongs. Add romaine, and wilt 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer greens to strainer, and squeeze out excess moisture. Transfer to cutting board, and chop into small pieces. Stir into quinoa.

Preheat oven to 350

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté 10 minutes, or until browned. Add cooked onions, green onions, dill, feta cheese, and swiss cheese to quinoa mixture. Stir in eggs; season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Spray a 9inch pie pan or casserole dish with cooking spray.  Spread quinoa and greens mixture evenly into pan. Bake 20 minutes. Drizzle pie with remaining 1 Tbs. oil, and bake 20 to 30 minutes more, or until golden brown.

This recipe was adapted from Vegetarian times.

This soup was very good, but maybe a little intense!  The hubby had a hard time with it and couldn’t finish his, he said it was too rich. He also wasn’t sure if he added too much pesto or not.  I did need to add more vegetable broth to it, I did this while it was cooking, and also after it was blended.  Now, I’m really starting to sound like I botched this whole recipe up, but I did use less artichokes because I knew I had some in the cupboard and didn’t bother to check if it was the correct amount or anything, I just assumed it was.  I used a 12oz jar.  Mine were also marinated, not in water, which could have contributed to the “intense” flavor as well.   I actually prefer to use the frozen artichokes but can’t always find them.  Kroger has them, but not every Kroger, and I swear not all the time.  I do think this recipe is worth another shot, I will just make some slight adjustments to it, such as adding even more vegetable broth,(it was still really thick) and the correct artichokes and hopefully it will turn out better.   It was good though, despite all this.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium leeks, white parts chopped (2 cups)
9 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 10-oz. package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed OR 2 9.9-oz. jars water-packed artichokes hearts, rinsed and drained
2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup)
6 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add leeks and garlic, and saute 5 minutes, or until leeks are softened and translucent.  Add broth, artichokes, potatoes, thyme and 2 cups water; cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low; season with salt and pepper and simmer, partially covered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes and garlic are very tender.

Remove thyme sprigs, and strip remaining thyme leaves into soup pot.  Transfer soup to blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Return to pot and stir in lemon juice.  Taste again for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed.  Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish each with 1 tablespoon pesto.

This recipe is from Vegetarian times.

This is a simple recipe that’s easy to throw together and tastes great! The vinaigrette could easily be used for a salad, pasta salad, grilled or roasted vegetables, you name it! I didn’t actually have the chicken in this recipe, but I was told it was good:) The vinaigrette was for sure though! I considered trying to incorporate the vinaigrette with a portobella or grilled tofu, but haven’t yet.  This recipe was used for the first grilling of the season!

For the vinaigrette:

8 cloves roasted garlic

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

Combine garlic, vinegar, oregano, parsley, honey and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Stir in the red chile flakes.

For the chicken:

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast  (depending on the size)

Season the chicken breast as you wish.  I used salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic, oregano, and some onion powder.  Just a light sprinkling of each.  You could use a marinade of some sort if you wanted to as well.  The original recipe used 4 8oz bone in chicken breast  and they were only brushed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I wanted to spruce mine up a bit, so I add some extra zing! I didn’t use bone in chicken breast because it is so much easier to do boneless breast on the grill, in my opinion.

This recipe was adapted from Bobby Flay, A Boy Meets Grill.

I LOVE this dish, I’ve made it 3 or 4 times in the past month or so. I am a huge sweet potato fan too, so I’m sure that helps.   The recipe contains millet, another ingredient that I haven’t had a lot of experience cooking with, but am wanting to try to use in more recipes.  Millet is rich in B Vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium.  It is also gluten free. Now I just need to incorporate some quinoa in it, and it will be perfect!  Here I go on with my quinoa kick again!

4 sweet potatoes
1 TB sweet white miso
1 ts red wine vinegar
2 ts ground cinnamon
1 16oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
1 ts cumin
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 cups of millet

Preheat oven to 350

Bake the sweet potatoes for one hour or until a fork goes in smoothly, I actually bake mine in the microwave to speed up the process.  Remove the skins and mash until smooth.  Mix the miso, vinegar, and cinnamon into the potatoes until thoroughly blended.

While the potatoes are baking, mix the garlic, onion, cumin, red pepper, and salt with the beans and simmer for about 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

In the meantime, put the millet in a large pot with 4 cups of well salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over low for 40-45 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Set aside.  *Warning, do not overcook the millet, I have done this and still used it in the dish, and it’s just not good. It’s crunchy and fairly unedible.*

Generously spray a 9×13 pan or casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer the millet into the bottom of the pan evenly.  Next, spread the black bean mixture over the millet, and finally spread the sweet potatoes over the top of the black beans.

Bake for 45mins and remove from oven.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.  This goes wonderfully over some sauted kale.  I think it completes the dish.  The kale is simple, just add a tablespoon or so to a pan and heat, saute a clove of garlic and a dash of salt, then add about a pound of chopped kale.  Cook until wilted and soft.

This recipe was adapted from Cooking Books, from the Candle Cafe Cookbook.

Playing catch up on this damn thing again!  Hopefully I will eventually become better at updating on a regular basis.  I have really been diving into some different recipes and ingredients then I normally have in the past and I would really like to be able to share some of the tasty recipes I’ve made.   A few of the upcoming recipes are going to include an ingredient that I have gotten really excited about.  It’s tasty, versatile, and very nutritional as well.  So far I really like it!  Initially when I set out to buy this ingredient I was a little discouraged by the price, depending on where you purchase it, the price ranges from $4.50-$6+ for a 12oz box.  Luckily a little goes a long way with this so the price isn’t actually too bad on it.  I know that everyone is on the edge of their seats just waiting to hear what this glorious mystery ingredient is!  It’s quinoa! From what I understand, quinoa is pronounced either of two ways, “kee-NO-wah” or “KEEN-wah”. No matter how I try to pronounce it, I always manage to fudge it up one way another.  At first I had assumed that it was a grain, it is not.  It is a relative of things like beets, spinach, and tumbleweed.  Although, the greens of the plant are edible, it is rare to find them for commercial availability, the part of the plant commonly consumed is the seeds from the flowers.   Nutritionally, quinoa is very high in protein and contains a balanced set of amino acids.  It is gluten free and a good source of fiber, magnesium, phosphorous, and iron.   Another thing I learned is that you want to try and find it pre-rinsed, as it save some steps that must be completed to ensure it doesn’t turn out bitter.  I really could go on about this ingredient forever! But I will stop rambling and continue with some ideas on what to do with this wonderful ingredient!

The following recipe was adapted from a post on The Lonely Bean.

Couscous and Quinoa Gratin

1/2 c quinoa

1/2 c couscous

3 c kale

1/2 c feta

3-4 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tb olive oil

1 egg, beaten

3-4 Tb milk

1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook the quinoa and couscous according to the directions, set aside.  Saute  garlic and onion until soft and translucent.  Add kale in batches and cook until wilted. Add onions and kale to the quinoa and couscous and stir.  Add the egg, milk, and feta cheese, mix well.  Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and spread the mixture into the dish. Arrange the tomatoes over the top and then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 mins.  Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil, return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes until a crust forms over  the top.

Last night I made some manicotti that turned out very tasty.  The mushrooms in it gave it a nice hearty replacement for the meat.  They are pretty simple to make as well.

1 8 0z box of manicotti shells

2 eggs

1 1/2 c ricotta cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

2-3 cloves garlic

6 0z button mushrooms, chopped ( I used baby bellas)

6 oz fresh baby spinach

1/4c chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1  32 oz jar pasta sauce of your choice, or homemade is even better!

1- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese, or a combination of both

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil 1 8oz box of manicotti shells for about 6-7 min (I might try to mix water with the sauce next time and skip the step of boiling the pasta. I would say about a cup or so of water mixed in to the tomato sauce should work, I haven’t tried this yet though, so no promises!)

Saute mushrooms for about 4-5 minutes until they are getting soft, then add the spinach and saute another 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for about a minute or two.  Then add the parsely and basil.  Set aside.

Beat eggs until well mixed, add ricotta and cottage cheeses.   Next add the mushroom and spinach mixture into the cheeses until thoroughly combined.

Next pour about 1/2 of the tomato sauce into the bottom a 9X13 glass pan.  Fill each shell with the cheese and mushroom mixture. Carefully place each one into the pan.  When all are filled cover the shells with the remaining sauce.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese and put in oven until it melts.  Remove from oven and let sit 3-5 minutes before serving.

I served mine with salad and garlic bread.

Saturday afternoon Steven and some of our good friends went snowboarding. Afterwards several people were coming over for dinner, dinner wasn’t served until like 9pm, but hey, it was still dinner right? I figured that some hearty dishes would be suitable after a day out on the slopes. So I made some soup, chicken, roasted root vegetables, and a waldorf salad. I think everything turned out pretty well.The soup was hearty and comforting, and actually really easy to make.

Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Green Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
15oz can diced tomatoes
5 cups collard greens (kale will work too)
15oz can black-eyed peas

Heat oil in pan (I think a dutch oven is perfect for this)over medium heat, add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until tender, about 5-7 min. Add garlic, thyme, and red pepper. Cook for about 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add broth, tomatoes, and their juice. Bring to a boil, stir frequently, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower heat and stir in collard greens, cook for about 5-10 minutes until greens are softened. Add black-eyed peas. It’s ready to serve!
A nice crusty bread would go great with this hearty soup!