Pregnancy Posts: The Recipes

(The new blogger has some formatting issues. My apologies if this is funky and hard to read!)

 As requested, here's a link breakdown to the recipes we used to stock the freezer in preparation for the baby.

1. Bagels

2. Cauliflower Cake . I adapted Smitten Kitchen's adaptation a little further, adding blanched kale/collard greens. This baby is g.o.o.d.

3. Cream of Spinach. Yeaaaah, I didn't watch, but I think the cook said it was basically sauteed onions/garlic with Parmesan cheese, creme de leite/cream and lots of wilted spinach thrown into the blender.

4. Tomato Sauce. I know she used skinned fresh tomatoes, along with a can or two of tomato "pelati," lots of fresh rosemary and garlic and onions...are you starting to see a theme here? My poor father could NEVER eat at our house-he's allergic to onions!!!

5. Zucchini-cheese patties. These are pretty versatile, and I didn't give the cook a recipe as they're something she makes for my friend on a regular basis. Basically, you shred zucchini, salt it and let the water
leach out a bit before squeezing it dry. Then add sauteed onion, garlic and herbs (fresh dill and mint are nice), along with some bread crumbs or flour, a couple of eggs, and some cheese (Parmesan, gorgonzola or feta are all phenomenal). Pine nuts or other nuts are optional. You can pan fry or bake the patties and they are just wonderful for a snack or a light lunch, but also go nicely inside an omelet...

 6. Chicken Pot Pie . I alter this by poaching the chicken, leaving out the whole onions and subbing in plenty of parsley, celery and green onions (along with anything else languishing in the kitchen) for more veggie goodness.

7. Bestest Chocolate Chip Cookies. My recipe, at this point, from much trial and error.

180 grams butter
1 generous cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 generous cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt (1/2 teaspoon regular Brazilian table salt, if sea salt isn't available)
1/2 bag of chocolate chips, semi-sweet

Cream butter, sugar and molasses well. Add in everything else but flour and chocolate chips. Mix flour in gently, then chips. Drop spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet (baking stone is even better) and sprinkle tops with a bit more sea salt. Bake at a decent oven temperature (gas heat is SO unreliable!) until just BARELY golden on the bottom. Remove and allow to sink slightly (3-5 minutes) before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

8. Homemade pasta (1 kilo of flour, 10 whole eggs) which made three separate dishes, plus enough leftover pasta (shaped into spaghetti/fettuccine shapes) for 2 extra meals.

8a. Spinach/ricotta/pine nut ravioli

8b. Pumpkin/ricotta/sage ravioli. Basically just pureed, seasoned pumpkin with ricotta. Pretty simple. Tastes divine.

9. Pumpkin/spinach/goat and cream cheese lasagna. I can't find this recipe...it's gone missing. Will keep looking.

10. Beef and bean enchiladas, sauce-free. The cook mixed the sauce in with the filling, but they turned out just fine and probably froze better for not having anything on top to make them soggy. Here's the recipe, as she made it:

1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
2 t sugar
2 cans tomato sauce or some combination of fresh or canned tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
2 T jalapeños (canned)
2 cups or more of shredded cheese (reserve some for sprinkling on top)
300 g cooked ground beef, salted to taste
1 cup cooked beans
1 can green chilies cream cheese

Brown onion and garlic in olive oil, then add spices, tomato sauce and water until flavors combine, about 10-15 minutes. (If serving right away, reserve sauce). Add other ingredients (except reserved cheese) and simmer for a little longer. When ready to assemble, fill tortillas or wraps with mixture and serve with salsa or chili sauce over top. Freeze assembled enchiladas well-wrapped in plastic.

11. Seafood patties. There are so many recipes out there, I think I just played around with this one from Martha Stewart as a base recipe. I use a combo of shrimp, fake crab, and fish; use plenty of garlic, onion and celery, and a combo of breadcrumbs and cracker crumbs. Works for us!

Have I forgotten anything??? There's nary a free inch left in the freezer...:)