Harvest Time is Here!

Finally, harvest time is here....

While in the borderland of eastern Europe, I had the privilege of seeing the harvest come in and get stored up. A covered up hole in the kitchen floor was for immediate use of potatoes and apples while the larger root cellar was outside containing the whole hoard. On cold fall or wintry nights, its a comfort to have good food readily available.

If you do have a garden, you know what I am talking about when I say its harvest time. The things I enjoy the most are squash, apples, potatoes and tomatoes. You can preserve by canning or freezing. And, if you have a root or cold storage cellar, you can take advantage of storing for longer periods using clean oak 'wooden' crates staked up high and dry.

If you don't have a garden to harvest or root cellar to store in then you can buy at the local farmer's market or supermarket and store in the pantry. Many canned items and dried items keep well in the pantry for longer periods of time... keeping in mind the expiration date. Consider this 'pantry time' if not a harvest time.

Be brainy and check your stock today, buy what you are lacking and restock. In this way, you are better prepared to whip something up on short notice and you will not likely be caught off guard if there wasn't time to shop before getting home with the kids.

Be Brainy and Enjoy the Harvest Season!

Yesterday's Tomato Soup ~ Today's Minestrone!

...what's waiting for you?

Yes, its been a soup week... and for a purpose which was to demonstrate that from one pot of chicken stock, at least three different kinds of soup can evolve. Yesterday, we made tomato soup and today we are making Minestrone. Begin by taking the left over tomato soup from the fridge and reintroducing any vegges or pasta that you had strained off left over from the chicken broth, including any left over chicken.

If there is just a tad of tomato soup left over, you can add one small can of diced tomatoes and 1 cup of chicken stock that is if you were able to hold any back from the original stock product. If not, a cube of bouillon in 1 cup of water will do, adding it to the improvised Minestrone.

For a little extra zing, I happen to have half of a whole zucchini in the crisper and diced that up, pan fried it in olive oil and then added it to the evolving soup ...soon to be Minestrone. This sounds a bit strange today for most home cooks but my great-grandma Nona would cook like this. She was very frugal... she had seven mouths to feed besides herself and her husband.

Put some grated Parmesan cheese and toasted Italian bread on the table and get ready to eat what's been waiting for you!

~ Tutti a Tavola

Yesterday's Chicken Stock ~ Today's Tomato Soup!

What can be done with chicken stock? Rather what can't be done...what's waiting for you?

If you followed the brainy gourmet advice and kept only the stock in the purest form possible then yesterday's chicken soup can become today's tomato soup. Why do I say chicken soup when we are talking about and working with stock?

I say it because the original stock became chicken soup by adding carrots and onion, leaving out any pasta or rice which can be added to individual bowls. But, even if you do or did... let's say by accident or by choice added the pasta... you can always strain it out along with any vegetables to regain your stock which should now be called a broth.

Regardless, if you have chicken stock or a strained chicken broth, you should add one small can of tomato paste and cook for 20 min on med heat until you have a red rich tomato soup. Pasta or rice can be cooked on the side and added to individual bowls. Another side which my sweetie loves to have with tomato soup is a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Now that's not only frugal but brainy delicious!

Reminding Ourselves What Can be Done with Chicken Stock...

The Brainy Gourmet is about frugality and good food. Being frugal means getting the most out of something. The number one food in my opinion that you can get the most from is chicken stock. So, what can you get from chicken stock?

1- Chicken Soup
2- Tomato Soup
3- Minestrone Soup
4- Cream of Broccoli
5- Cream of Asparagus
6- Cream of Butternut Squash

Not only soups...

Chicken stock can be used for all kinds of cooking: Italian, Chinese, Mexican, French and many more. How/Why? It is a flavor builder and liquid provider to any cooking. The key to changing things up using stock is not to add 10 different ingredients. Stock can become any soup at any time if you keep it stock.

So, put a chicken in a pot and get cooking!

The Best of the Brainy Gourmet

Forget going into the city... stay home and cook!

And even more...


Here are some of my Favorites!

Farfalle with Red Sauce
Chicken Marsala
Chicken Piccata
Lemony Greek Fish
Spaghetti Bolognse
Spaghetti with Meatballs
Greek Mediterranean Chicken
Salomon with Fettuccine Alfredo
Pork Medallions with Butternut Squash

Go to the Brainy Gourmet Webpage and click on Brainy Archives to find your favorites!

The Brainy Gourmet's Hearty Beef Stew!

Another favorite comfort food besides mashed potatoes with Swiss steak is Beef stew. It is so simple and yet so full of flavor... one that takes you home. This is the kind of meal that you can do in the crockpot or on the stove in a heavy lidded pot. The basic ingredients are: 1 lb. of cubed sirloin or round steak, baby carrots, onion, green pepper and fresh or canned tomatoes. For best results, tenderize the beef for one hr. before cooking.

To begin, with the lid off, saute one whole onion and green pepper on med heat in olive oil. Then, add your cubed beef, stir drizzling in over the top balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, no more than 1 and 1/2 half tsp each. After the meat is nicely browned, give a generous shake of fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint, oregano and sage. Dice 2 red ripe tomatoes or use one med. can of diced tomatoes and pour it in. Add half a bag of baby carrots and cover.

Let this mixture cook on med heat for 10 min stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and let simmer on low for 45 min. If needed, add a tbs or two of water to keep the liquid content for cooking the carrots. This stew will not produce a thick pasty sauce; unless, you add flour. As mentioned in a recent post, flour is not necessary for sauce, gravy yes. However, if you are cutting back on gluten and or carbs in general, then don't bother with flour. The sauce without 'flour' is delicious!

Prepare boiled yellow gold potatoes for your side!

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Delicious Greek Mediterranean Chicken ~ The Secret!

The secret to really great Greek Mediterranean chicken is not only the olives in the sauce but in the way you cook the chicken. To begin: use bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Pan fry in a large skillet as many thighs as you need skin side down on high heat in olive oil with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and fresh dried herbs: rosemary, oregano, sage and mint. Once the skin side is nicely browned, turn over and reduce heat to med.; cover for 5-6 min, adding a bit more olive oil if needed.

Move the chicken aside or remove temporarily while you add one whole chopped onion and one whole chopped roasted red pepper. Brown together, then add one med. can of diced tomatoes or fresh about 2 cups along with either 1-2 cups of diced zucchini or eggplant. Bring the chicken back in and for extra flavor, toss in fresh sprig of rosemary. Cover and let simmer for about 35 min on low heat.

In the meantime, prepare spinach infused Tagliatelle or Fettuccine pasta.


~ Tutti a Tavola!