Steam Vegetables

Steamed broccoli is one of my personal favorites. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Steam Vegetables

This may come as a shock to you but steamed vegetables are very easy to make. The biggest challenge is knowing how long each vegetable takes to cook. Broccoli, for example, takes more time than cauliflower.

Once steamed, these vegetables can also be spread on a cookie sheet; frozen and then stored for later use. You may never look at a bag of frozen vegetables the same way again.

Steamer baskets make steaming vegetables easy work. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To steam you need a simple steamer basket. If you don’t have one, you can make one with a simple basket that fits inside your cooking pot.

To steam, wash the vegetables. Cut up into smaller pieces. Add water to your pot; I usually add 3 inches of water and keep more handy in case it evaporates before the vegetables are steamed. Add cut up vegetable s to your steamer basket.

Set the timer for 5 minutes and check the vegetables with a fork. If the vegetables are done, the fork will easily go in.

Remove from heat. Drain. Spread on a cookie sheet. Freeze. Store in plastic bag in freezer.

Cut up cauliflower ready to be steamed. Some vegetables take longer than others. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I steam the vegetables separately and then store a few in bags by themselves, others in a mixed bag.

To serve, remove from freezer. Allow to come to room temperature or microwave for a minute.

I don’t put anything on my steamed vegetables. Some people like a little butter, salad dressing or olive oil so season to taste.

That’s it!

Charlotte

Leftover Omelet Waffle

Egg omelet right out of the waffle iron and ready to eat. I freeze half for another meal.

Leftover Waffle Egg Omelet

One of these days I should make this with fresh ingredients but this is one of my go-to recipes when I have leftovers to use, especially vegetables. I have yet to make these the same way twice in a row so know this is very flexible and easy to do, I would add this to your collection of basic recipes if you don't already have it.

This serving was made with four egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of water added since I used the egg whites in another recipe. You can also use regular eggs with a yolk and egg white, I just had the yolks available from another project.

Then I minced a few cherry tomatoes that had seen better days and drained the juice off before adding to the eggs. If you add the juice it makes the mixture too runny.

I also added a dash of minced yellow onions, cut up fresh cilantro and some fresh rosemary sprigs from a rosemary plant growing in one of my bay windows. Fresh herbs make everything taste better!

Eggs can have a lot of things added included old cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.

You can add grated cheese if you have some, or leftover additional protein like baked chicken or salmon but I didn't have any available.

You can mix all of the ingredients in the same container, then add seasonings. I like garlic salt and a dash of regular salt. Other options are black pepper, chili seasoning and cumin.

Here's the egg omelet mixture ready to use, add something green to brighten up the mixture.

Spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray on both sides, heat it to the recommended temperature and pour the mixture in to cook.

Let the mixture stand in the waffle iron for a few seconds before removing so you don't tear it.

Cooking in my mother's old waffle iron almost ready to remove. Let it sit for a few seconds first.

You can also make these and freeze them for breakfast, I used to do that when I was going to an office every day to work.

For those of you who like a specific recipe, here it is:

Leftover Waffle Egg Omelet Recipe

3 eggs

Cut up vegetables to taste: a dash each (that's about 1/8th of a cup) of yellow or red onions; green peppers; tomatoes; broccoli.

Optional: another dash of shredded cheese, a medium cheddar would be nice

Added protein: baked chicken, salmon, leftover sausage or bacon*

*you can add these in the mixture or sprinkle on the mixture once it's in the waffle iron to make sure it's evenly spread through the eggs

Seasonings to taste: salt/pepper/garlic salt

Non-stick cooking spray

I frankly don't add additional protein unless I have something that has no future in my cooking except to be added to these eggs. Or I need the container for something else. I can get pretty attached to a particular container!

To freeze, cut up into quarters and place on a small cookie sheet in freezer for about an hour, then store in a freezer bag for later use.

Have you made these before?

Charlotte

How to Keep Track of Garlic

Not that garlic is all that hard to track but, in my garden, where I sometimes mix vegetables with flowers, it's good to have a system.

I was given 7 different kinds of garlic to plant this year. To keep track of what and where I planted them, I sunk old plastic flower pots and planted the garlic in them.

I also made stakes from popsicle sticks to keep track of varieties but Cousin George the raccoon had other plans for those sticks.

I'm only sure now of where the elephant garlic is blooming. With the help of pots, I can at least find the other garlics.

Humm, looks like a mole hole next to that pot...

Charlotte

How to Refresh Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is delicious as long as the spears don't get tough.

To make sure I am serving the freshest part of the spears, I pop off the bottom of the stem with my hands. By applying gentle pressure, the less fresh part will easily break off.

Wash in cold water; pat dry with a clean dish towel. Then prepare in your favorite recipe. With the hard ends broken off, the asparagus will taste fresh-picked.

Charlotte

Winter Squash, Peppers and Onions

This is an easy side dish to use up winter squash and green peppers.

Start by cutting onions - as few or as many as you like - I use two medium ones - and sauté until brown around the edges in a couple of squirts of extra virgin olive oil. When translucent, add cut-up winter squash and green peppers, washed and patted dry with clean dish towels:

1/2 cup of either water, chicken broth or wine, and cover.

Cook on low for about 20 minutes. Add 1 tsp garlic powder or regular salt.

You can serve either hot or cold.

I prefer this dish cold but it's also wonderful warm right out of the pan.

Makes about 4 servings.

You can serve this with almost any protein or main dish.

Charlotte