Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk

Lunch
Barbecued pork sandwich (see 4/27)

Dinner
Fried chicken
Corn on the cob
Strawberry pie

Recipes:

FRIED CHICKEN
peanut or vegetable oil for frying
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
pinch or two of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crushed to a powder
1 cut-up chicken

Start heating about two inches of oil in a large cast-iron frying pan. When it's hot enough, a drop of water flung into the oil should sizzle and spit immediately.
Combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large, deep bowl.
Wash chicken pieces thoroughly under running tap water. Squeeze them out but don't dry them. Take each piece and toss it around in the bowl, using your fingers to make sure the coating gets in all the crevices.
Take two or three pieces at a time (whatever your pan will accommodate) and gently slide them into the hot oil. Every time the sizzling sound dies down a bit, turn the pieces. You should turn each piece approximately three times. Remove chicken from the pan when it's a dark golden-brown.
If you find the chicken is scorching, turn the heat down a little bit. But make sure you keep it hot enough or the chicken will be greasy and undercooked.

STRAWBERRY PIE
1 1/2 qts. strawberries
1 c. sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 9-inch baked pie shell

Hull and slice all the strawberries. Crush 1 cup's worth.
In a saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch together. Add crushed strawberries and water. Cook over a medium flame, stirring constantly, until clear and thick. Remove from heat and mix in lemon juice. Cool until lukewarm.
Place remaining sliced berries in baked pie shell and pour the glaze on top. Chill before serving.

Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk
Grapefruit

Lunch
Barbecued pork sandwich (see 4/27)

Dinner
Thin spaghetti with Cabernet meat sauce

Recipes:

CABERNET MEAT SAUCE
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. ground round
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fennel seed, chopped to break up the seeds
1 zucchini, diced
2 Tbs. fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
an 8-oz. can tomato sauce
a 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

Saute the meat in the olive oil until fully cooked. Pour off excess fat, if any. Add onion and garlic and continue sauteing until onion is translucent. Add fennel seed, zucchini, and fresh herbs, and continue cooking until zucchini begins to soften.
Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, and sugar. Simmer until vegetables are quite soft and flavors have blended.
In the last fifteen minutes before serving (while you boil and drain the pasta), add the wine and pepper to the sauce and let simmer.
Serve on pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.

Lunch
Leftover chicken (see 4/25)

Dinner
Chopped pork with barbecue sauce
Mixed greens
White beans

Recipes:

CHOPPED PORK WITH BARBECUE SAUCE
3 lbs. roast pork, chopped (left over from 4/26)
Barbecue sauce (below)
1 Tbs. white vinegar
2 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. peanut oil
a twist of freshly-ground black pepper

Put the chopped pork in a saucepan with just enough sauce to moisten it. Add white vinegar, water, oil, and pepper, put the lid on, and heat through, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning or sticking. Serve with extra sauce for dipping, if desired.

BARBECUE SAUCE
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs. water
3/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. peanut oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 bay leaf
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 lemon wedge

Combine all ingredients except lemon wedge in a saucepan. Squeeze in the juice from the wedge, then add the wedge. Heat thoroughly without boiling.

MIXED GREENS
8 c. raw chopped mixed greens (collards, turnip greens, kale, and any arugula that's gotten too old and tough to eat uncooked)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbs. peanut oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Texas Pete hot sauce to taste

Place greens and garlic in a stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer, covered, until greens are very soft and tender. Drain water off.
Add oil, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook at a low sizzle for several minutes. As the greens cook, stir the mixture and smash the garlic in with a wooden spoon.
Serve with hot sauce.

WHITE BEANS
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
1 can of Great Northern beans (the kind with a little bit of salt pork in it)
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
thin slices of raw onion (optional)

Saute the onion in the olive oil until completely soft and translucent. Add the beans and the pepper and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with raw onion, if desired.

Dinner
Roast pork with vegetables
Sweet potato biscuits

Recipes:

ROAST PORK WITH VEGETABLES
1 4-lb. pork butt roast (a loin would probably be even better, but we try to economize)
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves pulled from the stems
a small handful of sage leaves, minced
1 medium turnip, cut into eighths
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2" chunks
2 medium carrots, cut into 1-2" chunks
1 large onion, cut into eighths
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil or bacon grease

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Rub the pork roast well with the herbs and place in an 11-by-14" pan. Surround the roast with the vegetables, then salt and pepper everything. Drizzle the vegetables with the oil or grease and toss them a bit with a fork.
Bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until fully cooked through, basting the vegetables in the drippings every half hour or so.

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS
This recipe is adapted from Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking, which I found for 50 cents at a thrift store over the weekend. This is going to sound really strange, but here it is: These are really addictive with grape jelly.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
12 Tbs. cold unsalted butter
1 c. mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 medium sweet potatoes, microwaved for approx. 8 minutes and slipped from their skins)
about 1/4 to 1/3 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Start sifting the flour into the bowl. When the sifter is half-empty, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar to the sifter. Continue sifting so the dry ingredients are sifted together.
Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring. Add only enough to make a soft dough.
Roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick squarish shape on a lightly floured countertop. With a sharp-edged scraper, cut into about 24 squares. Place close, but not touching, on a nonstick cookie sheet.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yesterday was a blur of leftover scones, carry-out lattes, and Mexican-restaurant food, so let's skip it and get back on track with today's cookout...

Dinner
Fajita chicken (see 3/26--I doubled the marinade recipe this time and used one cut-up chicken plus several extra legs)
Quick foil-packet potatoes
Green salad with vinaigrette

QUICK FOIL-PACKET POTATOES
3 medium russet potatoes
olive oil
onion powder
garlic powder
dried oregano
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Slice potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. In a double-walled foil packet, combine the potato slices with a good drizzle of olive oil and a couple of shakes of each of the seasonings, then seal tightly. Grill over hot coals until tender and a little bit browned, turning halfway through cooking time.

GREEN SALAD WITH VINAIGRETTE
Several handfuls of red, speckled, and green leaf lettuces, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c. baby mache and spinach leaves
1/2 c. small tender arugula leaves
a few leaves of lemon balm, julienned
1 medium tomato, cut into eight wedges
1 medium carrot, cut into shavings with a peeler
1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 to 4 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Wash and chill the greens.
Combine the greens with the tomato and carrot in a large bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, and seasonings, and toss with salad utensils or clean hands until ingredients are very well mixed.

Breakfast
Oat scones
Pear-citrus marmalade (see 3/14)

Lunch
Turkey sandwich

Dinner
Ziti with arugula and onions

Recipes:

OAT SCONES
This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. These scones are perfect. The original recipe is Deborah Madison's.

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats, plus extra for the counter
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
7 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbs. 1% milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Add the wet ingredients, beating the egg a bit with the milk, and then stir the dough together with a fork. Mix just enough to moisten the dry ingredients evenly. The dough will be sticky.
Scatter some oats and a little bit of flour on the counter, and with floured hands, turn the dough out onto it. Pat into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Scatter a few more oats on top.
With a scraper, cut into eight wedges and lift onto a cookie sheet. Bake until nicely browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

ZITI WITH ARUGULA AND ONIONS
1/2 lb. ziti or similar pasta
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 or 6 handfuls arugula leaves, washed and chopped
a handful of lightly toasted pine nuts
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for the table

Boil water for the ziti and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and red pepper flakes. After 5 minutes, add the garlic and continue sauteing for another 3 minutes or so.
Add the arugula, with the water still clinging to it, to the pan. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture for several minutes until the arugula is completely wilted and all water is evaporated. Add the pine nuts and season to taste.
Mix the cooked pasta with the onion and arugula mixture. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve with additional Parmesan at the table.

Breakfast
The last of the waffles (see 4/4 and 4/17)
Maple syrup

Lunch
Leftover pork, slaw, and Brunswick stew

Dinner in town

Breakfast
Mango and tangerine fruit salad

Lunch
Leftover soup (see 4/20)
Cheese and crackers

Dinner
Pork shoulder sandwiches, slaw, and Brunswick stew from Jackson's BBQ Corner

Breakfast
Apple slices with peanut butter

Lunch
Vegetarian nachos

Dinner
Spring chicken-vegetable soup

Recipes:

VEGETARIAN NACHOS
one-third to half a bag of large white-corn tortilla chips
about 10 oz. refried beans
several oz. shredded cheddar cheese
half an onion, minced
half a large jalapeño, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
a handful of arugula, chopped
salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Arrange chips on a jelly-roll pan; they should cover about half or three-quarters of it. With a teaspoon and your finger, dollop the refried beans onto the chips as if you were making small drop cookies. Scatter cheese on top, then sprinkle with onion, jalapeño, and tomato.
Bake until cheese is melted and just barely beginning to bubble and brown.
Scatter arugula on top and serve with salsa.

SPRING CHICKEN-VEGETABLE SOUP
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium turnip, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
leftover chicken breastbones with a little meat still on them
several cups of water
greens from the above turnip, chopped
a handful of frozen baby lima beans
15-oz. can tomatoes
a bay leaf
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
a sprinkling of dried parsley and marjoram
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 stalks asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

Saute the onion, celery, and carrot in the oil for about five minutes. Continue sauteing as you chop the garlic, turnip, potato, and zucchini (in that order). Add each of them to the pot as you finish chopping them. Saute a few minutes more.
Add the chicken breastbones and cover with water. Add the greens and baby limas. Simmer half an hour. Remove the bones, pull the meat off them, and return the meat to the pot.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are soft and flavors are melded.

Breakfast
Vanilla yogurt with quick strawberry-rhubarb sauce (just like 4/8, but substitute a few unsweetened frozen strawberries for part of the rhubarb)

Lunch
Tuna and egg salad
A few early peas from the garden

Dinner
Italian dinner salad

Recipes:

TUNA AND EGG SALAD
1 can water-packed tuna, drained
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 Tbs. Miracle Whip Light
a few grinds of pepper

Combine in a bowl and mix well. Serve on its own or use as a sandwich filling.

ITALIAN DINNER SALAD
about 4 handfuls young leaf lettuce
a few young spinach leaves
2 radishes, sliced
half a cucumber, peeled and sliced
Italian baked chicken (below), sliced and cooled slightly
Tomato vinaigrette (below)

Arrange lettuce, spinach, radishes, and cucumber on plates or in large bowls. Top with chicken. Serve with vinaigrette.

ITALIAN BAKED CHICKEN
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 large bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
half a roasted green pepper, skin removed, sliced
coarsely ground kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
a sprinkle of dried oregano
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Pour the vegetable oil in a baking pan, then roll the chicken breasts around in it so that they're well coated. Place chicken meaty side up, then arrange green pepper slices on chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cut into the meat to see how much longer it'll take, and drizzle with olive oil. Return to oven and bake until cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes).

TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 of a small onion, minced
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
4 Tbs. olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir briskly.

Lunch
Grilled turkey hotdogs with radish relish (see 4/14) and yellow mustard
Grilled artichokes with lemon butter

Dinner
Cheese ravioli
Marinara sauce with fennel and zucchini
Arugula and fennel salad

Recipes:

GRILLED ARTICHOKES
artichokes
olive oil
cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
coarsely-ground or crushed black pepper to taste
salt to taste

Trim the stems and the spiny leaf-ends off the artichokes. Place each artichoke in the middle of a large square of aluminum foil.
Drizzle artichokes with olive oil and place one smashed garlic clove on each artichoke. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Wrap foil securely around artichokes and grill over hot coals, turning occasionally, about half an hour. Serve with lemon butter.

LEMON BUTTER
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
sprinkle of kosher salt

Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and serve immediately.

MARINARA SAUCE WITH FENNEL AND ZUCCHINI
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
half a large onion, diced
most of a small bulb of Florence fennel, diced (save out some thin slices for the salad, below)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
a shake or two of red pepper flakes
1 small to medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
8-oz. can tomato sauce
15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar

Saute the onion, fennel, and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add red pepper flakes and zucchini and saute another 5 minutes or so.
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, about half an hour, until flavors are melded and zucchini slices are tender.

ARUGULA AND FENNEL SALAD
Makes two servings.

2 large handfuls arugula leaves
1/4 c. Florence fennel, in thin slices
2 small strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
2 tsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil

Divide the arugula, fennel, bacon, and cheese into two bowls. Drizzle each bowl with half of the vinegar and oil.

Breakfast
Whole-wheat waffles (see 4/4--these were leftovers from the same batch, thawed and popped into the toaster oven)
Unsweetened frozen strawberries, heated and mashed into a sauce

Dinner
Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store
Raw broccoli florets with "Greek goddess" dressing (see 4/16)

Dessert
Apple crisp

Recipes:

APPLE CRISP
2 to 2 1/2 lbs. sweet-tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
handful of walnuts
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
heaping 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter
3/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 Tbs. flour. Pile this mixture in a large glass pie plate or similar baking dish.
Combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly until they are blended and even-textured. Cover the apple mixture with this topping.
Bake about 35 minutes, until apples are simmering and topping is crisp and brown.

Lunch
Leftover spring rolls (see 4/15)

Dinner
Brats
Salad of mache and baby lettuce with "Greek goddess" dressing

Recipes:

BRATS
1 package of Johnsonville bratwursts
1 can cheap beer (e.g., Busch, Bud, Milwaukee's Best, etc.)
Hotdog buns
Radish relish (see 4/14--this stuff turned out great)
Yellow mustard

Soak the uncooked brats in the beer while you light the grill and wait for the coals to ash over. When the coals are ready, grill the brats first on one side, then on the other, until lightly charred, bubbling, and completely cooked through.
Serve in hotdog buns with relish and mustard.

"GREEK GODDESS" DRESSING
3/4 c. yogurt
1/3 c. feta cheese
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
a couple large sprigs of fresh oregano, chopped
a couple large sprigs of fresh mint, chopped
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Whirl all the ingredients in a blender until fully blended.

Breakfast
Tangerine

Lunch
Leftover spaghetti and pepperoni bread

Dinner
Spring rolls (slightly different than what I made 3/2, so I've included the recipe again below)
Fish sauce dressing (the Vietnamese salad dressing from 4/3 instead of the peanut dipping sauce we used on 3/2)

Snack
Chocolate malted milkshake

Recipes:

SPRING ROLLS
Large circular rice-paper spring roll wrappers
--plus some or all of the following--
Half a package of rice noodles, boiled 3 minutes, then plunged into ice water and drained well
Small cubes of firm tofu
Medium-sized cooked shrimp, chilled, with shells and tails removed
Chopped water chestnuts
Bean sprouts
Cucumber cut into matchsticks
Coarsely chopped cilantro
Chopped green onions

Soak wrappers in warm water until soft but not waterlogged. Carefully drain each wrapper and transfer to a plate.
Arrange fillings in a line in the middle of wrapper, then fold like a burrito.

CHOCOLATE MALTED MILKSHAKE
1 1/2 c. Breyers 98% Fat Free Vanilla ice cream
2 Tbs. Hershey's chocolate syrup
1/2 c. 1% milk
1 Tbs. malted milk powder

Combine in a pint glass with the malted milk powder on top. Mash together vigorously with a fork, scraping the sides well, then stir until smooth.

Breakfast
Oatmeal
Grapefruit

Dinner
Spaghetti
Marinara sauce with roasted red peppers and turkey Italian sausage
Pepperoni bread (homemade by the s.o. a while ago and brought out of the deep freeze)
Radish and sugar-snap pea salad

Put up for later
Radish relish

Recipes:

Our garden turned out a bunch of radishes last week and this week. They're gorgeous--ruby-red and perfect and delicious--but they have to be used up right now! So today we got down to business...

RADISH AND SUGAR-SNAP PEA SALAD
2 to 3 c. fresh sugar-snap peas
2/3 c. radishes
1 tsp. fresh herbs (anything that sounds good...parsley, oregano, tarragon, chives, etc.), chopped fine
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp. white vinegar
red leaf lettuce

Steam the sugar-snap peas for a few minutes until they're bright green but still have plenty of crunch. Drain and plunge into ice water to cool.
Slice the radishes, then combine them in a bowl with the herbs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Mix well. Stir in the chilled sugar-snap peas.
Serve mounded on beds of red leaf lettuce.

RADISH RELISH
This is hot-pink and begs to be eaten on hot dogs. Really cool stuff. This recipe makes one pint, but you can double it.

1/2 lb. radishes
1/2 medium onion, quartered
1 small carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. water
1/2 tsp. brown mustard seed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. whole allspice
1/4 tsp. whole cloves

In the food processor, combine half the radishes, half the onion, and half the carrot. Process until finely chopped. Remove to a saucepan and repeat with the remaining vegetables. Add them to the saucepan, too.
Add vinegar, sugar, water, mustard seed, and salt to the saucepan. Combine the allspice and cloves in a tea ball and drop it into the mixture.
Bring to a boil, cover, and boil 7 to 9 minutes. Remove tea ball and spoon mixture into a pint Mason jar. Will keep several weeks in the refrigerator or can be preserved by sealing and processing 15 minutes in a hot-water bath.

Breakfast
Homemade yogurt (see 4/10) with banana slices and cinnamon

Lunch
Deviled eggs
Carrot sticks and pickle wedges

Dinner
Root vegetable gratin
Turnip greens

Recipes:

DEVILED EGGS
Time to use up some of those Easter eggs. This recipe is for 16 halves, because my deviled-egg plate has 15 egg-shaped divots in it and the extra half goes to the chef. ;-) I always fill the center of the plate with crudites.

8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 c. Miracle Whip (Lite is fine--in fact, I prefer it)
1 tsp. ground dry mustard
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 Tbs. dill pickle relish (sweet pickle relish is absolutely fine, but is a whole different thing)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch cayenne pepper
sweet Hungarian paprika for sprinkling

Slice the eggs in half, longitudinally, and gently pop the yolks out into a bowl. Reserve the whites.
Add Miracle Whip, dry mustard, vinegar, pickle relish, salt, and cayenne to the bowl. Mix well with a fork, breaking up the yolks, until creamy.
With a spoon, mound the mixture into the middles of the egg whites. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and serve.

ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN
butter for the dish
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbs. butter
1 lb. young garden turnips (about 4 small to medium roots), peeled where necessary and julienned
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
1 small potato, peeled and julienned
bechamel sauce (below)
3/4 c. fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 1 1/2- to 2-quart gratin dish.
In a small skillet, cook the onion in the butter over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Combine with other vegetables, mix, and transfer to the gratin dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top and bake 30 minutes, covered.
Remove gratin from oven, stir thoroughly, cover with breadcrumbs, and return to oven. Bake, uncovered, 30 more minutes or until vegetables are soft and topping is browned.

BECHAMEL SAUCE
2 c. lowfat milk
3 stems of thyme
1 clove garlic, smashed lightly
1 bay leaf
4 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
a pinch grated nutmeg

Combine the milk with the thyme, garlic, and bay leaf in a Pyrex container. Heat to the boiling point in the microwave.
Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture. Cook until thickened, then cook 4 or 5 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and garlic. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

TURNIP GREENS
4 medium bunches turnip greens (about 1/2 to 1 lb.)
1 large clove garlic, smashed lightly
1 Tbs. peanut oil
salt, freshly-ground black pepper to taste
red pepper sauce

Wash turnip greens, cut them from their stems, and chop coarsely. Place them in a stockpot with garlic and water to barely cover them. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat so that when pot is covered, water remains at a low boil or brisk simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour. Taste for doneness; the greens should be completely tender.
Turn off the heat, drain the water from the stockpot, and add the oil. With a wooden spoon, smash the cooked garlic completely so it blends in with the greens. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat back on and bring to a low sizzle. Toss for about 3 minutes.
Serve with red pepper sauce.

Lunch
Leftovers from Easter dinner (see 4/11)

Dinner (courtesy of the Green Garden)
Hot & sour soup
General Tso's Chicken

Easter dinner
Curried split pea soup
Tandoori chicken
Creamy mashed eggplant with peas

Recipes:

CURRIED SPLIT PEA SOUP
dried split green peas (not sure exactly how much--the s.o. cooked this part--but it looked like maybe 1/3 lb.?)
1 c. water
1 c. plain yogurt (see 4/10 food prep)
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 small onion, chopped coarsely
1 roasted peeled red bell pepper (see 4/10 food prep)
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 to 2 Tbs. peanut oil
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
5 to 6 c. water
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper at the table

Cook split peas until tender according to package directions. Let cool, then food-process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Again in the food processor, blend together the yogurt, cornstarch, and 1 cup of water. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Once more in the food processor, process together the onion, bell pepper, ginger, and garlic until smooth. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat, add the onion mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden.
Add the remaining water, coriander, cumin, pureed peas, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes.
Mix in the yogurt mixture, raise the heat, and boil until the soup is smooth, about 3 minutes. Serve, garnishing with pepper.

TANDOORI CHICKEN
Obviously this can't be exactly tandoori chicken, since we don't have a tandoor oven. But the rest of the recipe is authentic. And cooking the chicken in a kettle grill over hot coals makes it as good as any restaurant tandoori chicken we've ever had...maybe better.

1 chicken, cut up and skinned
2 Tbs. lime and/or lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. garlic, minced very finely
1 Tbs. ginger, minced very finely
1/3 c. yogurt
2 Tbs. heavy cream
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. turmeric
several drops red food coloring (optional, but authentic)
1 Tbs. melted butter for basting

With a sharp knife, make two or three deep cuts on each piece of chicken. Place in a nonreactive dish and rub thoroughly with salt and lime juice. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 1 to 2 hours.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients except for the butter. Rub this mixture thoroughly all over the pieces of chicken. Cover again and marinate 4 to 24 hours (more is better).
Transfer to a hot grill, making sure chicken is well coated with marinade. Grill on one side until charred but still tender. Turn, baste with butter, and grill until fully opaque inside.

CREAMY MASHED EGGPLANT WITH PEAS
A.k.a. Baingan ka Shahi Bhartha. I like this better than almost anything. I would choose it over ice cream any day.

1 1-lb. eggplant, flame-charred, peeled, and mashed (see 4/10 food prep)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 large clove garlic, minced
half a large jalapeno pepper, minced
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 large or two small tomatoes, chopped
1 c. chopped cilantro
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4 c. heavy or light cream

Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic, jalapeno, coriander, cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, and stir about 3 minutes.
Add the tomato and cilantro and cook, stirring, until all the tomato's juices evaporate. Mix in the mashed eggplant and peas. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Mix in the cream and cook 1 minute.

Dinner
Grilled hamburgers
Baked beans

Food prep for tomorrow
An eggplant, grilled until charred on the outside and completely soft and juicy on the inside
Red and green peppers, roasted on the grill
Homemade yogurt

Recipes:

HOMEMADE YOGURT
1 quart 1% milk
2 Tbs. yogurt with active cultures

Bring milk to a boil in a large saucepan and boil gently 1 minute. Cool to between 100 and 115 degrees F.
In a crockery bowl, mix milk with yogurt. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for 5 to 8 hours. (If your oven has a pilot light, leave the mixture in the unheated oven. If there's no pilot light, fire up the oven once just long enough to warm the environment up a little bit. The ideal temperature is 110 degrees. Do not overheat.)
The yogurt is ready when it holds together. Chill it for 3 hours in the fridge and it will hold together even more firmly.

Breakfast
Leftover pineapple pie (see 4/8)

Lunch
Ham sandwich
Tangerine

Snack
White beans with baby greens

Dinner
Tapas at a restaurant in town!

Recipes:

WHITE BEANS WITH BABY GREENS
1/2 lb. small tender kale and turnip greens
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
a pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp. chopped dried rosemary
1/2 c. dry sherry
1 can cooked Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and stem the greens. Simmer them in a couple inches of salted water until tender. Drain and reserve.
In a large skillet, saute the onion, garlic, pepper flakes, and rosemary in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until it's reduced to a sauce.
Add beans and greens. Stir to combine, season to taste, and stir in the cheese.

Breakfast
Vanilla yogurt with quick rhubarb sauce

Lunch
Asparagus and ham frittata

Dessert
Pineapple pie

Recipes:

VANILLA YOGURT WITH QUICK RHUBARB SAUCE
3/4 c. frozen sliced rhubarb
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. water
6 oz. thick vanilla yogurt, such as Yoplait Custard-Style

Place the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a Pyrex container and microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir again at the end of the cooking time to make sure rhubarb is fully cooked and broken-up.
Transfer rhubarb to a bowl and mound the yogurt into the center of the sauce.

ASPARAGUS AND HAM FRITTATA
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 an onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 to 8 stalks asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 to 1 c. cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
a few sprigs of fresh oregano and thyme, minced
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
4 eggs, beaten

Heat the olive oil over a medium flame in a large seasoned cast-iron skillet. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler to 500 degrees.
Saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the asparagus and continue sauteing until the asparagus is almost cooked the way you like it. At that point, add the ham and saute it for a minute or so to heat it through.
Whisk the herbs and shredded cheese with the eggs, then pour the mixture into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until most of the egg mixture is set and there's just a little bit of wetness left on the top.
Slide the pan under the broiler for a couple minutes to lightly brown the top. Cool slightly, cut into wedges, and serve.

PINEAPPLE PIE
You may have noticed that I don't give away pie crust recipes. I have two; one is a family secret and the other is my personal adaptation of something published in a Penzey's catalog a while back. Anyhow, for this pie I'd suggest a very rich, buttery crust (as opposed to a flaky shortening crust, which is my usual m.o.). Experiment with recipes until you find one you like.

1 medium ripe pineapple
pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie
1 c. sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 eggs
1 tsp. grated lime peel
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
milk and sugar for the top

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut the pineapple into bite-sized chunks. Place them in a colander over a bowl and let drain well.
Prepare your crust and roll out half of it. Line a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate.
Mix sugar and cornstarch. Beat with eggs until thick and lemon-colored. Stir in lime peel, lime juice, and drained pineapple. Pour mixture into the lined pie plate.
Roll out the other half of the pastry and place it over the filling. Trim the edges of the pastry so there's about half an inch extra hanging over the side of the plate. Then roll the edges over and flute them. Cut a vent in the top.
Brush the top of the pastry with milk, then sprinkle liberally with sugar. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 35 minutes more, until the crust is golden-brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the vent.
Cool for a few hours before serving.

Breakfast
Half a ham sandwich
Tangerine

Lunch
Slice of leftover pizza (see 4/6)
Frozen yogurt

Dinner
Another pizza (hey, the recipe *does* make two, after all)
Salad of baby greens, radishes, and tomatoes with lemon balm vinaigrette (see 4/5)

Nothing very interesting today, but bear with me...I feel a pie coming on...

Breakfast
Peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich on homemade wheat bread

Lunch
Ham sandwich on homemade wheat bread

Dinner
Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pineapple, and ham

Recipes:

QUICK SESAME WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD
2 1/2 to 3 c. bread flour
3 Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp. salt
3 pkg. active dry yeast
2 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. plus 1 tsp. honey
3 Tbs. butter
3 c. whole-wheat flour
1 egg white, beaten

In bowl of KitchenAid mixer, combine 2 c. bread flour, 3 Tbs. sesame seed, salt, and yeast. Stir together well.
In a small saucepan, heat water, honey, and butter until 120 to 130 degrees F. Add warm liquid to flour mixture and mix on low speed until moistened. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
By hand, stir in whole-wheat flour and an additional 1/4 to 1/2 c. bread flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
On a floured surface, knead in 1/4 to 1/2 c. bread flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel, and place bowl in a pan of 95-degree water. Let rise 15 minutes.
Grease a large cookie sheet. Punch dough down several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into two parts and shape into balls. Place 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
With a sharp knife, make three 1/8-inch slashes in each loaf. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Uncover dough. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Immediately remove to wire cooling racks.

PIZZA DOUGH
1 1/2 c. warm water
2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. whole-wheat flour
3 c. all-purpose flour

Pour 1/2 c. of the water into a mixing bowl, stir in the yeast, and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining water, olive oil, and salt, then beat in the whole wheat flour, followed by enough all-purpose flour to make a rough dough.
Turn out onto the counter and knead until smooth, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Dough should remain slightly tacky.
Put the dough into an oiled bowl, turn it once to coat it, and cover it with a damp towel. Set it aside to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Turn the dough onto the counter and divide it in two. Shape each piece into a ball, set them on a slightly floured counter, cover with a towel, and let rise another half hour.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. For a thin, crispy crust, roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin and curl edges under themselves. Add toppings and bake until golden-brown.

Breakfast
Yogurt

Lunch
Leftover salmon (see 4/3) with a squeeze of lemon
Tomato basil soup (Progresso)

Dinner
Smithfield spiral-sliced ham with glaze
Mashed potatoes
Salad of baby greens and radishes with lemon balm vinaigrette

Recipes:

LEMON BALM VINAIGRETTE
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. coarse Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
a couple sprigs of fresh oregano, chopped
a couple sprigs of fresh lemon balm, chopped

Combine ingredients in a jar or cruet and whisk well.

Brunch
Whole-wheat waffles with real maple syrup

Dinner
Leftover turkey soup and cornbread (see 4/2)
Steamed asparagus

Recipes:

WHOLE-WHEAT WAFFLES
2 c. Hodgson Mill Insta-Bake baking mix
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Whisk together thoroughly and cook in hot waffle iron. Makes about 4 large waffles.

Brunch
Vietnamese-style baby arugula salad with tofu

Dinner
Grilled orange-sage salmon
Grilled foil-packet apples (see 3/30; I accidentally forgot the butter this time, but it turned out the apples didn't stick anyway, and it was just as good)
Steamed broccoli

Recipes:

VIETNAMESE-STYLE BABY ARUGULA SALAD WITH TOFU
A flash of inspiration as I was thinning the arugula bed in the garden. Sometimes I get cravings for Hmong-style Vietnamese salads and nothing else will do. It's left over from having lived in Minneapolis-St. Paul for 12 years. Living in the Twin Cities and not liking Vietnamese food is very much like living in London and not liking Indian food--it's enough to make a true lover of the cuisine secretly believe that perhaps your spot in the city ought to be given up to some more deserving person who's marooned in, say, rural Georgia, and can't get nuoc mam to save his or her life.
This recipe makes 2 servings.

peanut oil for frying
1/2 block of extra-firm tofu
cornstarch for dusting
a couple handfuls of baby arugula
1 carrot, shredded coarsely
half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchsticks
a handful of cilantro, chopped coarsely
fish sauce dressing (below)

Heat oil until small ripples appear on its surface. While it's coming up to temperature, blot the tofu with a couple changes of paper towel, then cut it into 1-inch cubes and blot it again, being careful not to break the cubes. Dust the tofu cubes lightly with cornstarch.
Fry the tofu cubes in the oil until golden. Drain on a few layers of paper towel.
While the tofu is cooling, prepare the dressing. Then, when you're ready to eat, divide the arugula, carrot, cucumber, and cilantro between two bowls. Pile the tofu cubes on top.
Serve with ample spoonfuls of dressing--this is one salad where overdressing is a virtue.

FISH SAUCE DRESSING
5 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. water
1/3 c. Vietnamese fish sauce (a.k.a. nuoc mam; Three Crabs brand, with the pink label, is the best)
1/2 c. lime and/or lemon juice (a 2:1 ratio of lime to lemon is optimal)
1 large clove garlic, minced
a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
1/8 c. onion, minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and let it sit for at least half an hour before using. This recipe makes enough for about six or eight salads. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a week or so.

GRILLED ORANGE-SAGE SALMON
Thanks to Babs for the orange juice suggestion!
a large, thick salmon fillet (about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs.)
juice of 1 orange
1 Tbs. canola oil
a few leaves fresh sage, minced

Marinate the salmon in the orange juice, oil, and sage for about an hour. Grill over hot coals, skin side first, turning when the skin side is charred. We threw some damp hickory chips in the coals this time, which added a great flavor.

Lunch
Bean burrito

Dinner
Turkey soup
Cornbread

Recipes:

TURKEY SOUP
I'm guessing on this. The s.o. made this soup while I was in town, and he won't tell me exactly what went into it. But as best I can determine...
1 or 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion
a few cloves garlic
1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
a couple stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 lb. leftover dark-meat turkey, shredded into bite-size pieces
1 handful of frozen corn
1 can of cut green beans, drained
several c. water
almost certainly some Worcestershire sauce
herbs he won't reveal

CORNBREAD
He also made this while I was away, but I know he was using the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking. :-)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2 Tbs. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Grease a seasoned 8-inch cast-iron skillet (this is what he did; in retrospect, he says he wishes he had used our 10-inch skillet, because he likes his cornbread thinner).
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth.
Pour batter into greased skillet. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Breakfast
Yogurt

Lunch
Grilled cheese
An orange

Dinner
Pot stickers
Chinese meatballs

Recipes:

CHINESE MEATBALL MIX/POT STICKER FILLING
1 lb. lean ground pork
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. dry sherry
2 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 a small onion, minced
1 c. baby greens (kale, arugula, and/or cabbage...we just thinned the rows of our garden a little), chopped fine
1 egg white
1 Tbs. cornstarch
4 Tbs. water chestnuts, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

POT STICKERS
1 package ready-made gyoza/pot sticker wrappers
about 2/3 batch pot sticker filling (above)
peanut oil for frying
chicken stock
water

Place a teaspoon or so of the filling in the middle of each wrapper. Use your finger to moisten the edge of the wrapper with a little water, then seal into a half-moon, pressing out any air. Repeat until all the wrappers are filled.
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of peanut oil over medium heat. Place a single layer of potstickers in the pan and fry them until they're golden-brown on the bottom.
Mix 1/4 c. chicken stock with 1/4 c. water and add to the pan. Cover and steam until the potstickers have absorbed all the liquid. Remove potstickers to a plate.
Repeat the frying and steaming process until all your potstickers are cooked. Serve with soy sauce or the dipping sauce of your choice.
Extra uncooked potstickers can be frozen between sheets of parchment paper for cooking at a later date.

CHINESE MEATBALLS
A great use for leftover filling...
potsticker filling
flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a cookie sheet.
With floured hands, shape potsticker filling into 1-inch balls. Place them on the cookie sheet and bake until bottom side is browned, then turn and bake until browned on second side and cooked through.