Potato, Ham, Spinach-Purslane Solar Strata

What I love the most about frittatas and stratas is that, even though they are filled with other meats and vegetables, they make wonderful main dinner courses, yet, are still light enough for brunches. And, of course, the ingredients are whatever you want them to be, which means they can be as fresh as today or part of a week's menu planning. So delicious.

I'm giving two methods of preparing the potatoes so that all the vegetables will finish at the same time. Using a microwave to bring up the internal temperature and start the cooking process for dense vegetables will do this -- and, the skins almost fall off.
Potato, Ham, Spinach-Purslane Solar Strata
4 medium potatoes, barely precooked*, very thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 slices cooked ham, cross-sliced in strips
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup fresh purslane, chopped
1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
1-5oz can evaporated milk + 1 can of water
5 eggs
1 teaspoon each: fresh oregano, parsley,
1/2 teaspon each: fresh thyme, rosemary, mint, stevia
1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cream or tartar
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese(s), your choice, added in last 20 minutes of baking
1/2 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1. *Potatoes,  Method 1: Cook whole potatoes on half power in microwave for 4-1/2 minutes;  place in cold water for 10 seconds, slide/peel off jackets and slice thinly. Method 2: Pare potatoes, place in covered dish, cook in microwave for 4-1/2 minutes; let cool and slice thinly.
2.  Pre-slice and chop all other vegetables and place in the order you will be layering in your lightly-greased 6-quart casserole. My order was: greens on bottom (first layer only), ham, potatoes, onions, apple, cabbage, spinach, purslane, ham, for three layers.

3. *Saute the spinach, purslane, and cabbage, for a minute or two to prevent the natural water in these vegetables from making your strata too wet. Drain before adding to casserole.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, water, herbs and spices, plus 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Carefully pour over layered ingredients. Cover and bake in solar oven for at least 70 minutes.

5. Remove cover, distribute cheese and butter evenly over top and return to oven, uncovered, to bake until cheese has melted and turned a delicate brown.

Serve with fresh fruit or on a trio of fresh spinach leaves for an elegant brunch.

*Leafy vegetables contain natural water that they release during cooking. When making egg dishes, this liquid can overwhelm and prevent the eggs from rising, so it is suggested that you first lightly saute, then cool and drain them before adding to your strata. As I'm not a professional chef, when I'm just cooking for myself and sister, it doesn't really matter to me and I'm happy to simply remove the excess liquid with a turkey baster  to use it for soups.  But, for guests, I would saute, cool and drain all leafy vegetables for a better presentation. As you can see, I did not do that for this recipe and ended up with almost two cups of delicious broth for my laziness!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Solar Baked

The poblano peppers were so pretty at the market, I couldn't resist getting a bagful. Well, every time I opened the vegetable bin in the refrigerator, they would scream at me to do something that didn't include being chopped up and hidden in some other recipe. But, what to do?!?! Well, there I was, watching some bar scene in a movie and I flash-backed to the '90s and Raleigh's now-closed Darryl's and their Dinosaur Eggs we used to get served in egg cartons -- "Eureka!" I exclaimed, to no one in particular, and slapped my forehead in joy. I had a mission and leftovers needing attention.

One should never be afraid of creating new meals from leftovers that have been well-sealed and just a day or two old. Throwing them out, to me, is no different from throwing money out the window. But, I do try to make my leftovers into totally new meals that belie their beginnings by adding in some new fresh ingredients, as well. 

Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Solar Baked

1-1/4 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

2 center stalks celery, with leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup purslane, finely chopped

1 tablespoon herb blend of rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, oregano, mint, stevia

salt and black pepper to taste

4 ozs shredded Mexican four-cheese mix

paprika

1. To remove seeds, let pepper find its own natural base, slice along top center of pepper and across the top near stem to form a "T"; gently pry open and remove seeds. The peppers will be quite firm, so take your time. Then, WASH your hands, immediately, so you don't forget and touch your face or eyes with hot pepper juice -- at least, not when there's a recipe to finish.

2. Prepare and combine all other ingredients with 1 Tablespoon of shredded cheeses in a mixing bowl; divide mixture by number of peppers (I filled 10 peppers), stuff and place on lightly-greased or foil-lined baking pan.

3. Distribute remaining shredded cheeses over peppers and sprinkle top with paprika for color. Cover and bake in preheated solar oven for approximately 45 minutes.

4. Remove from solar oven, arrange on a platter, and serve.

These really are quite filling and two per person should satisfy most appetites. These also freeze, very well, and you might consider making batches to have ready for large get-togethers. Sliced into quarters, they are the perfect bite-sized appetizer. What's yours?

Pork Neck Soup - Solar Baked

I'm not alone. I can't be. If that were true, why would there be so many choices at the market? Choices of what? Well, lower-cut (cheap) meats. Walk past the steaks, fat-removed chops, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins, roasts, and, lo!, you find meaty necks, bones for marrow, organs, etc., just waiting for you to discover their delectable tastes, versatility, and savings. A $2.15 package of pork neck bones will give you enough meat to feed a family of 10 in a soup so thick it borders on being a stew -- but, believe me, no one leaves the table hungry. Do you use a slow cooker? Is there sun or partial sun, today? No difference. That's my 2012 approach to solar cooking for all of you. If you use a slow cooker to its fullest extent, you're a step (outside) away from solar cooking. The biggest difference (aside from the sun being FREE) is that you have even more recipe choices with a solar oven. Today's solar-baked Pork Neck Soup is no exception. This is best when treated as a two-day process to get the full benefit of slow cooking the meat and beans. It would be the same for conventional cooking, so you're not really doing anything not normally done for a really good stock.

Pork Neck Soup

1 lb. pork neck bones

2 cups mixed cooked beans, or see below for dried beans

2 medium carrots, chopped medium

2 stalks celery, chopped medium

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup purslane* (greens), chopped

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 tspsns fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tspn fresh spearmint, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh stevia, finely chopped

1 Tbspn corn starch

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

*If using dried beans and not leftovers or canned beans: The night before, soak dried beans under triple the water to allow full expansion. The next morning, drain water, put beans in pot, cover with boiling water to an inch above beans; add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 chopped onion; cover, bake in preheated solar oven until tender. (They will continue to cook in soup.)

1. Over medium-high heat, brown pork pieces in heavy skillet; remove to stock pot. Add enough  boiling water to reach 1/2 inch above meat; add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook in solar oven until meat is falling off bone, approximately 3-1/2 to 4 hours. (Can be done at same time as beans are baking.)

2. Prepare and chop vegetables and herbs; place in large mixing bowl and add corn starch, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. 

3. When meat is done, remove from oven, drain liquid into large bowl; set aside. Let pork necks cool until you can separate the meat from the bones with your fingers (or, use a knife and fork -- my favorite method). Discard bones and cartilage.

4.  Return liquid to stock pot, add shredded pork and rest of ingredients. Bring to boil on top of stove. Place pot in solar oven and let cook for approximately 2 to 3 hours, until veggies are soft and soup has thickened.

Serve to well-behaved guests who are not elbowing others out of the way. Make sure there's plenty of bread for sopping and cleaning the plate, too!

*A word about purslane (portulaca oleracea).

I don't know whether it's the weather we're having, or what, but about a month ago, I discovered a very large patch of purslane growing on the southern side of my house in the fern bed. Knowing it to be very high in Omega 3 fatty acids (one could almost do without fish, on a regular diet of this, I suppose), and Vitamins A, C, and E, even high-end restaurants are beginning to offer it on their menus, for those in the know. Check out your local farmer's markets, too -- but, it's FREE in your own (or, neighbors') back yard.  I generally chop the whole plant above the part of the stem near the roots that seems to be too firm. These are very succulent stems and adapt to all recipes. CAUTION: Don't harvest any purslane where you have used pesticides. Try to locate it in areas you know are pesticide-free. There seems to be quite the large bed here and I'm looking forward to some great salads and a great French Purslane and Sorrel soup, this spring.

Got a great soup recipe? Share with us!

Solar Bologna Brie Pesto Rolls

Isn't this pretty? This Bologna Brie Pesto Roll (dare I call it, Beef Bologna Wellington?) raises the lowly bologna to a whole new level. What I love, more than anything else, is that it's a meal anyone can afford, yet, looks as though you've spent hours putting it together, and it's absolutely delicious.

I used packaged crescent rolls, and that little bit of sweetness offset the pesto and hot mustard, perfectly. Scoring the underside of the thick bologna made it very easy to roll, too.  

Ingredients:  In large bowl, mix together 1Tablespoon pesto, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 egg, 1/2 cup shredded Mexican four cheeses mix. Butter is optional. One-half package Brie cheese, cut into six logs. Separate crescent rolls and remove tip of triangle to reverse to make a rectangle. Score one side of thick-sliced bologna.

Using cling wrap to roll out the crescent rolls, my first step was to cut off the end triangle and reverse it along one side, overlapping edges to create a solid seam.

Cover with another piece of cling wrap and roll the pieces together. Remove top piece of cling wrap to begin building the roll.

I spread a thin layer of butter over the dough and then placed one bologna slice, scored side down, at the edge of one long side. Spread a 1/6th portion of the pesto mixture over bologna. Add one brie log to right of center. and, using bottom cling wrap, begin to roll towards free end of dough. Then, because this is a very bulky roll, to make sure it sealed the way I wanted it to, I used the cling wrap to raise the free end of dough up over roll about 1/4 inch and hand-pressed it against the roll, then pinch-sealed the ends.

Place rolls, seam side down, on baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

Place in preheated solar oven and bake for approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is browned and cheeses have melted.

Dinner was rounded out with parsleyed potatoes and some home-made sweet mixed pickels on a cabbage leaf. What a difference a little baking does to a slice of bologna. I hope you try this because you're going to love it.

NOTE:  So many comments have gone missing since switching to Disqus that I have reverted back to the old Blogger comment section. I may have lost the few that are registering but I think this will be much better -- especially, since they now allow replies to individual comments. Hate that I've missed you all.
NOTE 2: Oh, I'm adding a new feature, too! Why not link up and let my visitors discover your great recipes, too? It's very simple. Just click and link.

Solar Rutabagas and Onions and My Sous Vide Steak

Sometimes, you just want something different for a side dish with your steak and what better root vegetable to use than the rutabaga? They're delicious mashed and make a great substitute for potatoes -- and, they're low in carbs. Best news, yet, they have a wonderful thick waxy coat that makes them last almost forever in your fridge, so take advantage of sales and stock up. The downside? They are probably the densest of the root crops and that means you have to plan your solar cooking times and do your best to take advantage of peak winter solar hours (10am thru 2pm). The upside? Well worth it. A fix-it-forget-it dish that will also cook up within two hours, if the rutabagas are sliced thinly.

One of my Christmas presents was a Gordon Ramsay Square Grill pan and I just had to try it out. (My link takes you to a QVC ad but there are many other places to find one. This link included a picture of the press, as well.), so I decided to add some steaks to the meal and use my sous vide adaptation for the pre-cooking.  I'd been using a regular skillet for final searing and wanted the grill marks without having to fire up the grill to complete a process. The press is cast iron and promised to do a fine job with the markings.

Rutabagas and Onions

2 medium rutabagas, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Juice of one orange
Hot water to cover
1 tablespoon butter

While solar oven is preheating, prepare rutabagas and onions. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except water, and mix until all vegetables are coated. Pour into baking dish and cover with hot water.

Cover with baking dish cover or use tin foil to seal. Place in solar oven and bake for 2.5 hours or until rutabagas are fork tender.  Remove excess water, add butter, mash, and serve.

Solar Sous Vide Adaptation for Steaks

I had steaks in the freezer that had been defrosting overnight in the refrigerator. They were ready for my solar sous vide baking adaptation and all I did was add the "X" to the outside of the bag at the thickest part of the meat for the meat thermometers. Since the thermometers leave a tiny hole when removed, I added the clear-tape tab for sealing the bag before plunging it into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. It's far easier and more efficient to do this before baking because those steaks come out hot and you want fast-action when they're done.

I added them to the solar oven when I checked on the rutabagas. They reached 145F (medium-rare) in 25 minutes. Dinner was at least seven hours away but the steaks would be ready for searing. After plunging into the ice-cold water, they were returned to the refrigerator until dinnertime. When ready for searing, each steak was removed from the bag, dried with a paper towel and coated with a salt-and-pepper mix, then placed onto the preheated Gordon Ramsay Grilling Pan for 2.5 minutes on each side. I am happy to say that the pan was a success. Did I mention that the press was HEAVY?

Dinner was rounded out with sweet peas and acclaimed a success. The steak, when sliced, was a perfect texture from side to side and top to bottom, just like your favorite restaurants! Doesn't that looks plump and juicy? Yum.

Solar Chicken Noodle Soup - Crazy Cooking Challenge

January's Crazy Cooking Challenge is Chicken Noodle Soup. What I found was an absolutely delicious, scrumptidiliumptuous, chicken noodle soup made by Joyce at Octoberfarm Never mind the length of the process. The end result is so worth it. T Ath is, you may never fix your chicken noodle soup any other way, ever again. Fortunately, we had consecutive sunny days, this week, and I was able to do it all with the solar oven. Wasn't that fortuitous? But I am going to send you her way for the ingredients and beautiful step-by-step instructions. Don't forget to visit the other recipes in the Challenge, too, and build up your repertoire. Would love your vote.

Solar Roasted Orange Chicken Quarters

Chicken fixed in the solar oven is extra scrumptuous, in my opinion. So, whenever I have a chance to try out some new idea, I jump at it. This vegetable-herb mixture is gently absorbed into the chicken and good enough for company -- if you're in the mood for sharing! Easy to prepare and cooked by the sun, I'm sure this is what Little Tommy Tucker wanted when the singing stopped. 


Solar Roasted Orange Chicken Quarters

4 chicken leg quarters
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped up to six inches above bulb
1 celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
1 hot pepper, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1 tsp Chinese spices
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp stevia

While solar oven is preheating, finely chop all vegetables. Wash chicken quarters and arrange in baking dish, skin side down. In medium bowl, combine butter with spices, orange juice, salt and stevia. When thoroughly blended, add chopped vegetables.  Divide mixture in quarters and spread evenly over each leg quarter.

Cover and bake in solar oven for 70 minutes. Remove cover and turn leg quarters over; baste with sauce, leave uncovered, and continue to bake for another 35-40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 170F. 

I've served this with yellow rice and green beans with some sauce drizzled over the chicken and beans; but, I hope you'll try it and share your side dishes with us.

Solar Turkey Burritos and Gravy - Holiday Leftovers

When you're gifted with a holiday turkey carcass that still has plenty of meat on it, you can do more than just make stock and soup. You can create another meal. And, for my Turkey Burritos, I did start with making the stock to get all that luscious turkey meat off the bone. Broken in half, placed in a 4-qt stock pot  along with rough-chopped celery, carrots, and onions, 1 tsp salt, a mixture of chopped rosemary, parsley, thyme, and oregano from my garden, it was covered with at least an inch of hot water. Popped on the cover and, then, into the solar oven at 10:30 am for a day of slow simmering. By 4:30 pm, it was time to bring the stock inside to cool. I used the turkey schmaltz to make the gravy.

Solar Turkey Burritos

2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

3 green onions, finely chopped (bulb and 3/4 of green stems)

7 medium fresh mushrooms, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 hot pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh finely chopped ginger

1/2 tsp mild curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1 beaten egg

4 10" flour tortillas

2 cups turkey gravy

While solar oven is preheating, finely chop above ingredients and place them into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, salt, pepper, and corn starch, with beaten egg; add to ingredients in large mixing bowl and thoroughly blend together. Divide mixture into quarters.

Place 1/4 mix just right of center of tortilla, shaping into long roll.

Fold over short sides and then bring down short edge over top of mixture; then, roll toward longer edge and place seam side down in 8x8x2 pan. See alternate directions on folding a burrito.

Pour turkey gravy over burritos. Cover with tin foil and place in solar oven for 1.5 hours or until burritos have plumped up and gravy is bubbling.

  From the doubled-recipe of solar butternut squash, I had the perfect accompaniment for the turkey burrito, and cool celery sticks offset the hot pepper. A great ending for holiday leftovers, don't you think?

Best of all, there was enough turkey meat for some hearty turkey soup and stock to freeze for future meals. What did you do with your leftovers?

Solar Brownie Cake With Fig-Raspberry Filling

Company coming and you need something sweet to end the meal? Dress up a brownie mix with a cheese-jam filling and your guests will be delighted with the result. This super-easy dessert was made possible by using two eggs in a brownie mix to achieve a more cake-like texture and then pouring it all into a 9"x13" pan for thin layers.

Cheese Filling: 8oz of Neufchatel cheese, 4 Tablespoons of Fig-Raspberry Jam (or jam of your choice), 1/4 cup of saltine crumbs and 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans.

Bake in a solar oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, let cool for ten or fifteen minutes, then cut in half.  Spread filling on one section and place other section on top. Cut in small squares because this is a very rich and delicious treat! And, soooooo easy.

Solar-Baked Holiday Butternut Squash

Winter squashes are so good, it's hard to wait through the summer for their bounty. Butternut squash, in my opinion, belongs at the very top of the winter squash list for the most delicious to the pound. And, as much as I love it with little more than some butter and salt and pepper, the holidays seem to require a more adventurous approach. Adding apples, raisins, pecans, onions, and peppers will pop it up a notch and then the herbs and spices bring it all together.

Solar-Baked Holiday Butternut Squash

2 med butternut squashes, whole or split in half lengthwise, seeded, and baked until soft
1 large onion, chopped
1 large apple, chopped
1 large banana pepper, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 Tbsps fresh basil, chopped fine
1 tsp fresh stevia, chopped fine
1 tsp Chinese spices
1 tsp corn starch
3/4 tsps salt
Juice of two oranges
2 Tbsps unsalted butter

Preheat solar oven to 225F  Lightly greased casserole dish

Bake squashes whole in solar oven, or, split in half, lengthwise and bake cut side down in lightly greased casserole dish, until soft but not mushy -- approximately 2 hours. For my whole squashes, I've used two SolarWear(tm) quart-sized carriers for easy placement and removal.

1. While squashes are baking, prepare the filling by chopping onions, banana pepper, and apples.

2. Over medium high heat, melt butter in large heavy skillet; add onions and banana pepper and saute until both are translucent.

3. In small bowl, combine all herbs, spices, and corn starch, and mix thoroughly.

4. Add orange juice to skillet; When juices start bubbling, add herb and spice mix and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Add chopped apples, raisins, and pecans; mix thoroughly, and set aside to cool.

5. When squash is ready, remove flesh from shell with small butter scoop or use paring knife to cut into small cubes. Don't worry if squash bits aren't perfect -- they'll all blend together!

6. Add squash to skillet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Scoop squash mixture back into squash shells and place in lightly-greased casserole dish. Cover and bake for approximately 55 minutes.

7. The butternut squash shell is edible, too, so the squash can be cut as shown above or left in the shell for serving -- it's luscious, either way!

Solar Baked Fudge - an Easy Holiday Treat

December's Crazy Cooking Challenge is fudge! Yup, fudge. Now, that may not seem like a difficult task, taken on its face, but to someone who likes to exhibit the joys of solar cooking, it brought quite a challenge. A thousand years ago, when I was a pup, my sister-in-law gave me a no-fail baked fudge recipe. Really. This was fudge -- not one of those pudding brownie thingies -- real fudge. And, after discovering how great it was, I foolishly managed to lose the recipe during my many moves. Since the Crazy Cooking Challenge requires using a recipe from another food blogger, imagine my joy to discover something so close to that old recipe that with a little tweak here and there, I couldn't wait to share it with you.

Remember, participants are supposed to find bloggers who are NOT professional chefs or commercial recipe blogs, so I was delighted to discover Kathy Maister's blog, Start Cooking.com . She falls somewhere in between the guidelines because she was a Home Ec teacher and has decided to help new cooks, online. There's everything your heart desires to learn, there, including this great baked fudge recipe! While visiting, say hello from the Challenge and check out all her other recipes, as well.

With just five ingredients: 1/4 tsp salt, 14 oz condensed milk, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 pound of fine quality milk chocolate (I used dark), and 1/2 tsp vanilla, plopped into the bowl, it was ready for the oven. The beauty of baked fudge is that you don't have to worry constant stirring or spillover with hot fudge rising up the sides of the pot. You just have to check it, once or twice, during the next hour and a half and gave it a stir. Then, it's just a matter of waiting for the mixture to melt enough to be stirred smooth.

What I did do differently, of course, was use the solar oven to make my fudge. I put all the ingredients in a 2-quart glass pyrex measuring cup with handle and then placed it inside my 3-quart roaster that had approximately 1.5 inches of hot water in the bottom. This would be baked without a cover, so using a wooden spoon to hold the 'handles' of my SolarWear(R) base made it very easy to transport and place inside the oven and not have the handles fall into the fudge onto the floor of the solar oven.

Yes, my condensed milk is caramelly. I like to do that with condensed milk to have caramel on hand for other recipes -- and, when I was ready to try this recipe, that was all that was left on the pantry shelf. Brought a whole new dimension to the flavoring and didn't mess up the recipe, at all. Once it was done, I brought it inside and gave it a thorough mixing; then, poured the fudge into an 8x8x2 pan, lined with parchment paper. As you can see, I took Kathy's suggestion and let the parchment paper come up the sides. A couple of mini drops onto my counter to even out the mix and, then, into the refrigerator for the next 3-4 hours. What could be easier?

This was just a plain fudge recipe, with a great fudge texture, and soooooo easy. Next time, I'll be adding walnuts or pecans. I'll hope you'll give it a try.

Now, I have to hide it from my sister... heh heh heh...

Thanksgiving 2011 - Vegan/Omnivore Style

How the time's have changed. With my daughter's family choosing a vegan lifestyle, Thanksgiving was a challenge, this year. When asked what I could bring to the table, the response was turkey, dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes (guess who's the omnivore!)... She would be providing the vegan portion of vegetables, truffled potatoes, salads, cru de te, and faux turkey. I was anxious to try it all.

See that beautiful salad? It's the Salad of Shaved Fennel, Oranges, and Candied Pecans over at Vegetarian Times, except the greens are not arugula but some grown from her very own step "garden!" She's surrounded by trees with just a bit of sun, allowing her to make a beautiful (and, tasty), entryway garden of decorative and edible plants. Very clever, my girl. It was absolutely delicious and well worth your trying. A great way to start a holiday meal. The Vegetarian Times site is chock full of wonderful recipes, so plan on taking your time, there.

I'm not going to post pictures of everything we had because I'm sure most of you have seen cooked turkeys, etc. I did taste the vegan faux turkey and, while it was tasty, I prefer more texture when eating meats. It seemed very close to the pressed turkey rolls but with less biting resistance. The truffled potatoes were lip-smacking delicious and her green bean casserole (made with homemade vegan mushroom creamed soup) was right on target. Couldn't tell the difference. Dessert was scrumptuous apple pie.

The solar sweet potatoes were delicious and something different from my usual side dish/dessert-type offering. Decided to use pomegranate seeds instead of cranberries for the acidity/sweet combo and rosemary, too, and they were fantastic!

Solar Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Seeds and Rosemary
2 cans 40oz sweet potatoes
2 large apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup sweet potato liquor
1/2 cup blackberry merlot
4 tablespoons butter blended with 2 tsps of corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese orange sauce, (or, equal parts soy sauce, distilled vinegar, sugar, and juice from one large orange) [NOTE: you can substitute 1 tsp Tang, in a pinch]

Preheat solar oven to 225F. Use a 3-4 quart covered casserole dish or 3 eight-inch square foil pans.
In large bowl, mix all ingredients together, fill each dish to 1" below top. Place in solar oven and bake for approximately 60-90 minutes or until apples are soft but not mushy.

With changing traditions, I pre-sliced my turkey at home and, for the first time in my life, cut the breast restaurant-style across the breast rather than slicing really big pieces. Duh... (smacking head!). We had plenty of sun to cook the dressing, so I used foil pans and stacked them, for easy transporting and/or freezing the extra. Time became thisclose toward the end, so I didn't take any photos. But, for those of you who enjoy new recipes, here's my solar turkey dressing for 2011. I used fresh herbs still producing proudly on the sunny side of the fence and saw that rosemary...

Solar Turkey Dressing
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large celery rib, finely chopped
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup giblets, finely chopped
1 stick butter
2.5 cups turkey stock
1 14oz bag of herb-seasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh sweet basil, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh pineapple sage/sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 8" sprig rosemary, needles only, chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat solar oven to 225F. Use a 3-4 quart casserole dish or 3 eight-inch foil pans.
In heavy saucepan over medium high heat, saute first five ingredients in melted butter until onions become translucent; add stock and let simmer three to five minutes.

In large mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, pecans, giblets, salt, pepper, baking powder. Finely chop all herbs; add herbs and eggs to bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. Pour hot stock carefully over bread crumb mixture and lightly toss to moisten completely. You can add more stock for a softer texture to your dressing. 

Fill baking pans a little over half full; cover, then, bake in solar oven for approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until tester comes out clean from center. If you want a crustier top, remove cover after an hour of baking and then return to solar oven to bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.

Now, back to the Elf Shop for more holiday creations!

Tuna Casserole - Solar Comfort Food - Variation 89

When it's the busiest time of the year for holiday baking, gift buying, crafting, and craft fairs, nothing keeps the old motor going like fast and easy comfort foods. Tuna casseroles have done the job for centuries and solar cooking means you can focus on what has to be done, while the sun takes care of business.  I prefer the canned tuna in water, rather than the oil, but will still rinse it in a colander before adding to my casserole. (I'm not looking for a tuna taste so much as a fast meal!) The variation number comes from the many times we cook casseroles and do our best to make them distinguishable down through the years. (Maybe I should write a cookbook of just my tuna casseroles?!?! Hmm?)

Using egg noodles meant no pre-cooking and so I could play with my fresh herbs and spices to make it special. Even though we've been experiencing some very cold days with a lower sun trajectory, there has been little change in how long it takes to cook a dish. After just a little over an hour, I was able to add the cheesy topping, pop the casserole back into the solar oven, and dinner was ready in just another twenty minutes. I'm embarrassed to say that there was much uuummphin', rollin' eyes, and little table conversation with this variation.

Solar Tuna Casserole - Variation 89

2 tbspns olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, grated
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large stalk celery, cut in 3 lengthwise, then finely chopped
  (if there are some celery leaves, chop and add them, too)
2 reg. cans tuna in water
1 12oz can evaporated milk
1 12oz can chicken stock/water
1/2 tsp ground anise
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp chopped fresh chervil
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 package egg noodles
1 tsp chopped fresh stevia
Panko crumbs (or half a sleeve of crushed saltines)
8 oz of mixed grated cheeses

Preheat solar oven and use a four-quart covered casserole dish.

Over medium heat, in a heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then saute onions, pepper, garlic, carrot, and celery, until onions are translucent. Add rest of ingredients (except crumbs and cheeses) and stir to blend thoroughly. Pour into casserole dish and add additional liquid, if necessary, so that it looks like this:

Cover and bake in solar oven for approximately an hour or until liquid is absorbed and noodles are al dente. (You can steal one to taste, because it will all be covered with the cheeses!)

Remove from oven and distribute crumbs evenly over top, then evenly distribute the grated cheeses.

Return to solar oven and bake until cheeses are melted and lightly browned. Sprinkle paprika for an added touch or taste and color.

Plop you some of this on a plate, add a glass of your favorite beverage, thank the cook, and get back to your holiday preparations!

Saturday was our last vendor day at the North Hills Midtown Market and I just want to thank everyone for making it a great success. Even though we were dealing with cold weather, the sun gave us some warmth and business was good. We plan on re-opening full time around the 1st of April, 2012, but will be available for receiving and delivering orders on Saturdays from 10am until 11am during the winter. Y'all come back now, hear!

Peppers and Solar Herbal First Aid Salve

Peppers for Winter

Been busier than a one-armed paperhanger, finishing up the garden harvests and playing Christmas elf in my craft shop. You saw the pepper bounty in last week's post, right? Well, something had to be done with both the bell peppers and the banana peppers. As you can see, I've strung up the best banana peppers to dry naturally. They'll become bright red, as they dry, and will also make a colorful kitchen display through the winter.

The bell peppers were diced and placed in a single layer on cookie sheets and then frozen for a couple of hours. Then, it was time to separate any pieces that had stuck together and put portions of 1/2 cup each into small freezable bags. The whole process took less than two hours and, now, I'm ready for spicy winter meals.

Solar Herbal First Aid Salve
Remember, the lasagna herb gardens I put in last year? Well, they have done themselves proud, this year, and it was time to do more than dry the herbs for cooking. Time to make some healing salves.  My binders would be lard, because the skin absorbs animal fats so much faster than mineral (liquid petrolatum) and vegetable oils, and beeswax for its antibacteriant and emollient benefits. And, don't worry. By the time it's done, you can only smell the wonderful blend of herbs.

There's a bit of the alchemist in me, I think, because I so thoroughly enjoy creating my own organic salves and cough remedies (think hot toddy with homemade brandy!). So, into my old recipe files I went and found this all-round first aid mix that we loved and decided to try the magic in my solar oven, this time 'round.

The herbs are chosen specifically to blend their particular benefits together to handle most cuts and bruises, muscle aches and pains, and insect bites. Definitely an all-purpose non-toxic salve for most injuries. And, if your pet or small child should decide they want a taste, they'll discover soon enough that it tastes terrible and will leave it alone.

My herbs of choice: Pineapple sage, Rosemary, Spearmint, Lavender, and Thyme.  Since it's so easy to Google these herbs for their benefits, I'll just give a brief summary of why I chose them for my healing salve. If you do your own search, you'll discover multiple benefits, but mine were for their more specific elements. Pineapple sage as an antioxidant, antibacterial herb; rosemary for its pain relief; spearmint as an analgesic to reduce itching; lavender as an astringent to reduce inflammation and help the skin heal itself; and, thyme, as an antiseptic to destroy disease-causing bacteria. The lard binder to help my healing herbs be readily absorbed into the skin and beeswax that is naturally absorbed into the skin to help solidify the salve. The ratio is approximately 8oz. of lard to 2oz. of beeswax. You won't improve it by adding more beeswax, you'll just make it too hard to use.

Step One: Clean and dry all herbs, thoroughly, before preparing your salve. Using a dehydrator or your solar oven to dehydrate them won't take more than a day. By letting the door of the oven rest on top of the side latches and keeping the oven turned just enough away from the sun that it doesn't get above 175F, you can dehydrate most anything. In fact, Sun Oven International now offers a dehydrating kit specifically designed for their oven that makes the whole process very easy. My next post will tell you all about it. But, for a quick peek, go here!

Rinse all herbs to remove any protein (bugs) hiding midst the foliage. You can choose to remove all the leaves from the stems before dehydrating or just wait until they're done. You're going to be chopping this all up to add to the lard, so it doesn't matter. But, if you do remove the leaves, the drying time is less. Now, that you have thoroughly dried herbs, you can move to...

Step Two: You'll need to liquify the lard, first, by placing it in a pan/glass jar that will fit inside another pot. Then, add at least three or four inches of water and heat over very low heat until the lard is totally melted. I do this inside and prepare the herbs whilst the lard is melting.

Step Three: Finely chop all your herbs. I take a gallon-sized plastic bag and simply use a rolling pin to crush the herbs, then give it a serious shaking to combine them. Snip off a corner to create a funnel that will let you slowly pour the herbs into the melted lard. Stir it with a wooden spoon and keep adding herbs till you can barely move your spoon. You want the dried herbs totally submerged in the lard, so stop when there is about 1/4" of liquid above the herbs.

Step Four: Preheat your solar oven so that the temperature doesn't get above 100F. This means you'll have to NOT face it directly into the sun but at an angle that will maintain the low temperature. Help your oven by resting the door ON the latches. Now, comes the hard part -- the waiting.  Whether inside or outside, the best salve is allowed to do its thing for at least nine to ten hours. If it can't be done in one day, simply reliquify in the morning on your stovetop and then return to the solar oven to finish. For once, I don't suggest using your microwave to reliquify the herbal mix. I think it's too intense and can change the finished product. You want a slow, gentle, extraction that removes all the beneficial oils from your herbs.

Step Five: Assuming that you have all your containers ready, it's time to strain that wonderful salve over a bowl with a spout. Line your strainer with at least four layers of fine cheesecloth, an old t-shirt, or two layers of paper towels. You'll be able to really squeeze the cheesecloth/t-shirt for those last drops but not the paper towels. They'll just disintegrate. Let it slowly drain so that you don't force any debris into your liquid. Move the herbs around to help it along so that it doesn't thicken during the process. [NOTE: Just thought of this! Not too late for the next batch, though. If it does thicken up, you can always use your hair dryer to liquify the herb-lard mix. Tada!]  Isn't the green a beautiful shade for the salve!

Step Six: Discard the drained herbs. NOW, you can use your microwave! This is when you'll add the beeswax and give it short spurts of 20 seconds on med-high (6-7) in the microwave untill all the beeswax has melted. Don't think adding lots of beeswax is better. It will simply make your salve impossible to use. Keep with the ratio.  This will take some adjustments because you DON'T want to add any water to the mix. Ever! Get your containers ready and fill each to 1/4 inch of the top. I've used 1.5oz screw-top jars and a larger one for my medicine cabinet.

Step Seven: Cover when salve is totally cooled from top to bottom.

Finish: Now, you can make your labels and share with loved ones.

And, here's my Solar Granny Grumbles' Herbal First Aid Salve. The label gives ingredients and will include a mini description of each ingredient on a separate gift tag.

To prevent introducing any bacteria into the salve during use, I like to use either a craft stick or cosmetic spatula to remove what I need. Kept in a cool place, this salve will last up to two years. This is such a great thing to know that I've also linked to the following great blogs: It's a Keeper Thursday: Recipe & Project Linky and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways. Check out all the other great blogs, recipes, and crafts -- and, don't forget to leave some comment love.