Une Nouvelle Recette

For those of you, like me, who didn't take 4 years of French in high school, that says "a new recipe". Why French? No, I'm not getting "fancy schmancy" on you, but technically today's recipe is French. According to Wikipedia, cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole containing meat and white beans. Well, isn't it a coincidence then that I found this on one of my favorite blogs, A Year of Slow Cooking--the go to place for all things crockpot/slow cooker. The first time I ever saw a cassoulet was on The Next Food Network Star a couple years ago when Lisa Garza competed. She was one of my favorite contestants of all time, and although she didn't win, I've always remembered her making this amazing looking bean dish. Alex loves the lima beans at Cracker Barrel and this reminded me so much of those, I knew I just had to try it. With baby back ribs on the grill, and beans cooking all day in the crockpot, my house is going to stay nice and cool even though supper will be warm and tasty! Plus, I've just increased your vocabulary and the next time you have a dinner party you can impress your guests w/ all of your fancy French knowledge:)

Lima Bean Cassoulet

1 lb. dried lima beans (soaked over night)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups diced ham
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS dried mustard
1 c. water

Soak the beans in enough water to cover them 4 inches, b/c they will expand. Drain and rinse beans. Put into crockpot. Add fresh cup of water. Add ham. Pour in whole can of tomatoes. Add onions and garlic. Stir in spices. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until beans are tender.

All Time Favorite

That's a pretty bold statement, huh?? Knowing how much I love food, to be labeled the best ever is a huge deal coming out of my mouth! But of all the "side" salads in the world, potato, pea, tossed, coleslaw, etc. this is the one I enjoy the most, hands down. This is another one I found on a wrinkled recipe card as I was going through my huge box the other day. It's funny b/c as much as I love it, I don't make it as often as you think I would. Strange, huh?? I'm not sure why either. Well, that's not totally true, I know one reason. B/c I will never make it as good as Grammy does. (You notice a pattern here, don't you?? She is mentioned a lot on this blog b/c she is the source of many of our family's recipes!) Hers is the original, and the best. My mom has made it before, and it was very tasty. I've made it and it was good too. But for whatever reason, Grammy's is always better. Maybe it's that whole thing of when someone you love makes something you love, theirs always tastes different, and usually much better, than your own. But I've made a vow, not that this poor recipe card (seriously, it looks like it went through the war) has been saved, to make it more often and start to enjoy my version, so that someday my grandchildren can think mine is the best!!

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch fresh broccoli, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. bacon, fried crisp

Dressing:
1 c. Miracle Whip
1/2 c. sugar
2 TBS vinegar

Mix all together. Add dressing and mix to coat. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Broccoli

Menu Plan June 5- 10

* New Recipe
(Where to find on blog)

Sunday
BBQ Ribs (For Rub May 29, 2011)
Lima Bean Cassoulet*
Sliced Cucumbers

Monday (left over from previous week due to scheduling conflicts)
Angel Hair w/ White Clam Sauce (June 3, 2011)

Tuesday (Alex's pick)
Fish Sandwiches
Mac n Cheese
Broccoli

Wednesday
Steak
Roasted Potatoes (July 3, 2010)
Wedge Salads (January 26, 2011)

Thursday
Chicken w/ Rice (January 18, 2011)
Peas

Friday
Egg Rolls
Lo Mein*
Sliced Pears

My Turn

Back in April I shared w/ you a really easy recipe for Linguine w/ Red Clam Sauce and it was very good, but here's my secret. You ready? Red sauced pastas aren't my favorite. Yes I know, "Krista, you make so many of them". And I do, but if I had my choice, white sauces would be more prevalent on our table. I have a few of those too, but red just seems to be what I come across when I'm looking for recipes. Don't get me wrong. I love the ziti (Oh, I found my recipe for ziti and I've never posted it, so be looking for that one soon!) and the mostacolli and the spaghetti. But whites will also be held closest to my heart. So I figure, if I could make the red clam sauce for Adam, then it was my turn to find a white one for me, and this time I'm even taking some help (ok, more than some) from the store, so even better and easier for me. Yay! Progresso makes a canned White Clam Sauce that looked really good, and was on sale so I figured why not try it. But me, being me, I can't just dump something from the can and say "soups on", or in this case I guess, "pastas on". In that spirit I am going to be adding a little veg, and a little zing, and making it a little more my own. After all, even this everyday mom deserves to cook something for herself once in a while:)

Angel Hair w/ White Clam Sauce

1 lb. angel hair pasta
2 cans Progresso White Clam Sauce
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. While cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Saute mushrooms and garlic until brown, about 5-6 minutes. Season w/ salt and pepper. (Do not salt mushrooms until brown. Salt draws out moisture and they will never reach that deep brown color). Add in 2 cans of sauce and lower to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until flavors develop. Drain pasta and combine w/ sauce. Before serving, add in 1-2 TBS lemon juice. Add more if flavor isn't intense enough.

Manila Clams

For My Daddy

Yes, I'm 30 and my dad is still my Daddy. Always will be. While my mom is my best friend, I'm a daddy's girl too. This is another recipe I found buried in the back of my newly organized recipe box and the second I saw it, I thought of him, and knew it had to be shared. Ham was always one of those "special occasion" meats in our house growing up. Special Sunday dinners, holidays--that's when ham was worth the trouble. And in our house ham didn't go on the table w/o a very special sauce on the side. A sauce my dad grew up having w/ ham and has a true LOVE for :) When I was little I never cared for it, but now as my palate has changed, I can understand why--I might not know why--but I understand it. It is just the perfect pairing. The flavor combination w/ the salty ham is a match made in heaven. I know there are a million glazes out there for ham, some I've used myself, and while this is used more as a dipping sauce, the orange flavor is very common in a variety of glazes, so maybe that's why--orange and ham are a happy marriage. But that still doesn't explain why the raisins work so perfectly. Oh well, some of the best things in life remain a mystery. But if you enjoy a glazed ham, try this for a change, and think of me, and my Daddy:)

Orange Raisin Sauce

1 c. water
1 c. orange juice
1 c. raisins
4 TBS sugar
2 TBS flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cloves

In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 c. water, juice and raisins to a boil. Dissolve the flour in other 1/2 c. of water and add to mixture. Add sugar, salt and cloves. Cook until thick.

*NOTE* If you half the recipe, still use full 2 TBS flour