Tasty meals using fresh vegetables plus lurking left-overs! Add yours!

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi everyone!

December greetings from the UK!

I found this recipe in my inbox this morning. It comes from one of my favourite UK blogs, belonging to two people trying to get along on a small income (I guess we can all identify with that)...!!

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/d...h-smoked-duck-breast-and-tomatoes-recipe-6355

They are using smoked duck breast because they happened to have one in their freezer but you could substitute other meat, or even fish. I for instance have some left-over boiled smoked pork which would be very tasty. I might also put in broccoli instead of the cauliflower or both together. ****Just remember these are UK measurements.

At this time of the year we need comforting & quick food. I'm sure a lot of you have bits of cooked meat lurking in the freezer that need using up.

By the way this cottagesmallholder blog is just packed with wonderful economic recipes so have a poke around ; it is well worth the effort!

***** I have just edited to add their recipe for Chilli Sherry which they use in the recipe. This would make great gifts******
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=98

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[HiDelight]

awesome Hattie thank you so much I just made a meal from all kinds of lurking and leftover garden vegeatables

want to know what I made ..it changed my mood and direction in a moment and kept me from doing a face plant in a loaf of cinnamon toast

 

[desertcat]

Thank you for the link to that blog, Hattie! Except now I'm going to have to go find a cauliflower. Nothing like food cravings, is there?

Cauliflower cheese is something that is forever linked to my memories of the UK. The closest I'd come to having it before I lived there was the frozen stuff from the grocery store...and I absolutely hated it. (Maybe hate is too mild a term, though.) Then I had the real stuff and fell forever in love.

 

[HiDelight]

I was just given a wild goose last night I wonder could I do this dish with a wild one or too lean you think?

 

[Hattie the Hen]

HiDelight,

Please feel free to add good recipes for using up leftovers so we have a good selection for after the holidays & the months following when we are suffering from spending too much!

Yes, desertcat Caulflower cheese is a very popular here in the UK but I think we probably got the idea from Italy originally,maybe via France. Have you ever had celery, part-cooked then wrapped in cooked ham or proscuitto) in a bechamel sauce with cheese & breadcrumbs on top. It is wonderful. You can even slip extra slices of the cooked ham underneath the wrapped celery -- useful when feeding the men in our lives who often want more meat with their meals. I love this dish with a wonderful crusty loaf to mop up the sauce. This sauce I make with cream & the stock from cooking the ham & I add a big handful of chopped parsely

Now I have made myself very hungry.....!!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[PunkinPeep]

When it comes to after the holidays, don't forget to save all those ham bones and turkey carcasses and what have you to boil them down for stock or soup base. We got someone's leftover honey bee ham and boiled it down for a fantastic base for a very simple split pea soup. The sweetness and saltiness in the ham were pretty much enough seasoning on their own - though i did add a little.

 

[desertcat]

Haven't tried the celery...yet! Sounds really yummy.

 

[HiDelight]

Good morning again!!! OMG we need comfort food and I almost did a faceplant in a loaf of white bread made into buttery cinnamon toast ..but you know when you feel stressed out ..grumpy ..depressed or that gritchy feeling of being a cat pulled through a key hole the wrong way?

eatinga pile of sugar fat and white flour makes me into a really cranky monster of a woman I must confess ..so again the garden saved me and the people around me!!!

step away from the cookies ..I did ..phew and when you feel your teeth griding it is not always easy to do ...

1 . go the heck out the door ..nothing like a blasting faceful of cold air to set your mind straight ...the sun maybe almost not even there but hands and face in the light of day 15 min even is on bare hands and face is good and gives your D a boost

2. make a green smoothie ..I just did and between that and the brisk slap in the face ..I feel my body validated and my mind is at ease ..also really grateful for long underwear and heat

the one I made today was all leftover bits and pieces of garden produce either frozen solid from the garden or from my freezer
the avocado was almost a loss

if you like green this drink is for you ..I am ready go take on the day right now

Green Smoothie
in the blender puree until smooth whatever you want in the form of vegetables
couple of handfuls of a mix what I had on hand in the freezer and in the yard kale, parsley, mint, fennel, a couple of carrots
handful of frozen cranberries drizzle of honey
1/2 cup full fat yogurt culturally active (I like to use coconut milk more but did not have any)
if I had a fresh egg it would have gone in but none
enough water to get it all to blend together and dash of pandan flavoring pinch of salt and a vit C tab crushed for good measure

this is so easy because everything but the carrots were already cleaned and frozen so I just grabbed and tossed

and comforting because it was so green and healthy!

please enjoy and commune this season

 

[HiDelight]

OH MAKE AN ENSALADA!!!
I almost forgot I love this drink ..left over undressed no onion salad with lots of cabbage carrots ect

dice it all up and mix with fresh fruit juice ..this time of year make it with apple or pear cider and a squeeze of lemon

very very good use of left over salad! or make a salad and make a Salvadoran Ensalada

 

[HiDelight]

I know i am nuts for talking about cold drinks in this freezing cold weather but it is part of my efforts to slap the cold back int he face and really did give me a badly needed boost today

but that duck recipe talk about suck your thumb twirl your hair good sounding ..omg I am going to try it I do have a duck and and the goose so I may just smoke both then make one into the dish ..I have to have my husband dress that goose today though I am not up for it myself go figure


I found out my pitbull is afraid of dead geese