Quick Remake of Acorn Squash with Chickpeas

 

Winter squash are beginning to appear in the markets! What's that mean for Cheap not Frugal Eats? Winter squash obsession begins! 

I used my recipe Acorn Squash with Chickpeas and Adobo as inspiration for a quick dinner. I sauteed delicata squash that I then simmered in a spicy, peppery tomato sauce (Z.'s red sauce he made with New Mexico chilies) with chickpeas and a few spices. I served my squash and chickpeas over couscous. If you can measure and boil water, you can make couscous. 

I sauteed 1 cup of delicata squash about 5 minutes in a large, high-sided pan. I then toasted 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for 30 seconds then added 1 cup tomato sauce and about 1/2 can of rinsed and drained chickpeas. I put a lid on the pan and let simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash was tender. Meanwhile, I prepared my couscous. This meal was spicy, flavorful, and just right for a dark, overcast evening. 

What are your favorite leftover quick meal ideas?

Almost Migas

 Migas, especially migas of Tex-Mex origin, features eggs scrambled with onions, peppers, tomatoes or salsa, and...corn tortillas. Migas can be a great way to use up corn tortillas. In my case, I had a brand new package of corn tortillas, so I layered some scrambled eggs I made with onion, sweet Italian pepper, greens, and some basil. Delicious! Migas is a much better name than scrambled egg taco, don't you think?

 My Almost Migas were so good that I had to have them again. This time I topped them with a bit of leftover Cuban red sauce. Enjoy!

Leftover Power: Harira-Style Stew

 

My obsession is back! I have soup on the brain. The temperatures drop slightly, we have a serious rain storm, and look what happens. Three soup posts in a row! Let me try to explain. This blog documents new recipes I come up with (or try creating, in some cases), as well as provide a place for me to share whatever I'm cooking lately.

Z. made his delicious chana masala and even after enjoying some the next day, we still had some chana masala left but no rice. What to do?

Well...in my case, I create soup.

• Leftover dal but no rice? I thin out the curry to my liking and have a delicious, spicy soup. Here's my recipe for brown lentil and yellow split pea dal that tastes great as is but would also make a great soup.
• Leftover stir-fry vegetables? How about hot and sour miso soup?
• You know I love leftover tomato sauce. Here's a tortilla soup I made from leftover red sauce and fajita fixings.
• One of my favorites: barley risotto, in this case, barley risotto with pumpkin (a great recipe idea as pumpkins will be coming into season soon!). Risotto provides a fantastic base for soup.

Z.'s chana masala provided the perfect foundation for this soup, providing a flavorful tomato and onion base. What I love about harira (here's my version) is the combination of chickpeas with lentils and the spices. I include ginger, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg, and harissa paste.

I transformed my leftovers adding as many of the same vegetables from the original recipe as I had on hand and the same spices, just scaled down. Delicious!

I began by heating a few teaspoons of oil in large sauce pan and sauteed garlic, carrots, and zucchini, until tender. Then I toasted two tablespoons of all-purpose flour for about 1 minute before toasting the spices. I added 3 cups broth, 1 generous cup leftover chana masala, 1/2 cup cooked brown lentils. I brought this to a boil, reduced the heat, let simmer for 15 minutes, and tasted. I added a dash more salt and a generous dollop of harissa paste.  Enjoy!

Leftover Power: Cuban Minestrone

A good tomato sauce provides the basis of many meals in the Cheap not Frugal Eats household. I was trying to think of the reasons why:

• canned tomatoes and tomato products are a great deal (when on sale, of course) for how much flavor and substance they provide
• I love tomato based sauces. With a little attention and time, I can create something special.
• Most importantly, I travel the globe through tomato sauce.

Z.'s red sauce takes me to Italy. A few peppers and some heat takes me to Louisiana while some turmeric, garam masala, and chickpeas brings the Punjab region to mind. Who knew that I could go on an adventure to western Africa by including a bit of peanut butter and yams?

With a few additions to Z.'s red sauce, I can visit Cuba in my mind. For my Cuban adventures I add peppers, such as bell peppers or mild, flavorful chile peppers. This time of year, I am able to get a variety of chile peppers from my local farmer's market, like pimento but use what you enjoy and what is available. I add plenty of oregano and a generous handful of chopped pimento-stuffed olives. If you are feeling extra adventurous, try including 1/4 cup raisins. 

I have enjoyed this delicious sauce two different ways. The most simple meal Z. and I had was pasta with this Cuban tomato sauce. The olives provide a mildly bright yet briny counterpoint to the slow-simmered tomatoes and onions.

Then, I used about 1 cup of leftover sauce as the base of what I'm calling Cuban minestrone. Since my Cuban tomato sauce is so hearty, I only added a few additional ingredients:

• zucchini
• dark greens (in my case, beet greens)
• black beans
• small pasta
• water or broth
• sherry vinegar, to garnish

I just heated up some olive oil in a soup pot, and sauteed the zucchini and greens. Then I added the tomato sauce, about 4 cups of water (I was only making a meal for myself), and 1/2 can of black beans. Meanwhile, I cooked the amount of pasta I wanted separately. After letting the soup simmer for about 15 minutes, I combined the soup and pasta. I garnished the bowl with a few splashes of a good-quality sherry vinegar.

What other ways do you use tomato sauce? I would love to know!

Leftover Power: Eggs Simmered in Tomato Sauce

Yes, I overcooked my eggs by a small amount! Please don't judge...too harshly.

After creating Mexican Casserole with diced tomatoes, I tried a variation with tomato sauce. I purposefully kept some of the sauce to the side to see if I could do something interesting with the leftovers.

I have to admit this isn't quite a full recipe yet. I used leftovers because I wasn't convinced that going to all the trouble of creating tomato sauce just to cook some eggs in would be worth the time. Read on to uncover my verdict.

One recipe that I had never tried before was eggs baked in tomato sauce. I cooked my in the skillet since I was just cooking for one. Since I couldn't stir the sauce while the eggs were cooking, the eggs of the sauce did get a little brown. Maybe I had the heat a little too high?

This was still a great meal! I had previously thought that eggs and tomatoes would not really go to together. Turns out, all those recipes for eggs and tomato sauce that I have seen in tons of cookbooks are there for a reason.

My tomato sauce had lots of onions and garlic. The other vegetables were jalapeno, bell pepper, corn, and black beans. I spiced this version with smoked paprika and cumin.

I put the sauce in a small non-stick skillet, heated it up over medium until bubbling, stirring occasionally. Once bubbling, I cracked two eggs over the top and placed a lid on the pan. I have no idea how long the eggs cooked. I cooked them until they looked how I like them. For someone who has tried again and again to poach eggs unsuccessfully, this technique is a great alternative to poaching.

This is what I started with.

If you feel like you need some proportions or would like to see some recipes, here are a few that I found that I thought looked yummy:

• Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce from Knife Fork Swoon
• Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce from Good Thymes and Good Food
• Here is a version cooked in a skillet: Eggs Simmered in Tomato Sauce from The Splendid Table
• I wouldn't have thought of using polenta! Baked Eggs in Creamy Polenta and Pepperoni Tomato Sauce from Megan Palmer for Cooking Channel

Enjoy!

Left Over Power: Barley Risotto Soup

My Barley Risotto-Style makes a lot of food. After making soup the next day, I froze the remaining risotto. Just a few days ago, I ate the risotto from the freezer. I have been so proud of my Pumpkin Barley Risotto-Style that I have been bragging about it for weeks but eating it again inspired a few thoughts (or more likely, in my case, repetitive musings):

• this is one of those recipes that turned out even better than I could imagine when coming up with the idea; of course, squash risotto sounds yummy but this is spectacular;
• there are no fancy ingredients or special techniques at work in this recipe but it tastes expensive and luxurious;
• after having the leftovers, I am 100% convinced this would be a perfect entertaining recipe. I will duly report my results if 
1. I ever have guests over again
2. I have friends that would eat pumpkin (Z. is not interested)
3. Z. lets me cook for guests. Cooking Indian food for friends is either of his favorite pastimes (he does cook like an Indian grandmother, after all) or is so socially awkward that he feels better having a job to do while hanging out. I think the truth lies somewhere between the two
• and finally, no wonder barley is so popular in soup. It's delicious!

To make enough soup for my dinner, in a small pan, I just added enough water to 1 cup of risotto to create the consistency I wanted and heated until just simmering. I threw in a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach in at the end and let it wilt simply because I had it and that sounded good. I wonder what other variations are possible? Enjoy!

Ace's Adventures with. . . Leftover Polenta Loaf

Yesterday, I shared my first adventure cooking with cornmeal. Today, I will share some ideas for leftover Polenta Loaf.

I seem to have the same conversation repeatedly with folks who cook just for themselves: they hardly cook because it is only them. Of course, always at the ready to dispense cooking advice, I shared some of my thoughts for successful cooking for one. I have probably shared all these tips before but they are important enough to share again.

First, just do it! I have needed a little practice to get to this point but the food I cook now tastes better to me and is generally healthier than most restaurant food and anything prepared, unless it is Reser Macaroni Salad for $0.99 per pound (that has a special place in my heart).

Second, keep in mind you will have leftovers. The leftovers of some dishes are yummier than the original dish. Take Indian food for instance. Z.'s dal or chana masala (I have nothing to do with cooking Indian cuisine in our household because Z. is so incredibly good at it) tastes great when he makes it but tastes amazing the next day, too.

Third, make meals that freeze well. When I make soup, as soon as the soup is cool, I make sure to freeze a portion. I always have a yummy meal waiting for me when I am too lazy or unimaginative to cook. Leftover pizza freezes very well, too. When we go out for pizza, we try to freeze a few slices. Recipes that we freeze frequently besides soup are Indian food and marinara sauce. We make a pot of marinara sauce, when it is cool we portion it, and freeze. I find freezing my leftovers is freezer bags works the best, even liquids. Carefully, spoon the leftovers into the bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze it laying down flat. If they are flat, they stack very nicely.

Fourth, get creative with the leftovers. Create dishes where you can transform the leftovers into a completely new dish. Get creative!

The first time I cooked my Polenta Loaf on the stove-top, I was not pleased with how golden I was able to get it; I wanted something a little crustier. I think I was impatient. When I tried frying the loaf a second time, I changed a few small details. Instead of taking the loaf directly from the refrigerator to the hot pan, I let it warm up a little first. I forgot to take it out, so after I made my slices, I microwaved the Polenta Loaf slices for about 25 seconds, enough until the refrigerator chill was removed. This time, I knew that it would take some time for the slices to develop a nice golden crust. I let them sit in the hot pan until they were nice and crusty, it probably took almost 15 minutes over medium heat. I have no idea if this is unusual and I am doing something wrong but that is how long my Polenta Loaf needed to get the crust I wanted.

The first night I had Polenta Loaf, I topped it with marinara sauce with red beans. I knew tomatoes were traditional with polenta so I thought this was a safe route.

My next adventure with Polenta Loaf involved adding a little smoked paprika to my sauce and topping everything with a little cheese. Basically, I had chili on top of my Polenta Loaf.

Z. came up with this third variation: Polenta Loaf Sloppy Joes. Okay, Mr. Bacon-Eating-Vegetarian had no idea what a Sloppy Joe was; he did inspire the idea. We were chatting about what I could top my Polenta Loaf with for that evening's dinner. Z. asked if bbq sauce would be good on top of Polenta Loaf. Sure, probably but what else am I going to have with it. I have ground turkey in the freezer! I can make sloppy joes using spiced up bbq sauce. I must say, this was very tasty.

Ideas for Polenta Loaf that I have not tried:

• Top the browned slices of Polenta Loaf like a pizza. To melt the cheese, place in an oven safe dish, and broil for a couple of minutes until melted and bubbly.
• When first cooking the cornmeal/polenta, before pouring the mixture into the loaf pan, mix in cheese.
• Instead of cutting the Polenta Loaf into slices, use a cookie cutter for fun shapes.
• Top with sauteed vegetables.
• Do not fry the Polenta Loaf slices; rather, turn into a baked dish by placing slices in a baking dish and topping it with your favorite toppings, and bake it.