The Queer Hipster Kitchen

After various adventures, we've finally had a nice, quiet weekend that allowed us time to "nest" - to spend time together, at home, doing stuff around the house.  And while today is warm (and wet!), this week is scheduled to be crisp and fall-like, and the veggies have gone from lettuce and tomatoes to root veggies of various kinds. We do most of our cooking on the weekend, and this week was definitely no exception.  But since we had time, we used it! The week's menu includes: a roasted local chicken with creamed greens (a new recipe for me) and roasted root veg; a butternut squash, kale, and goat cheese skillet pie; and pressure cooker aloo gobi. And then there's breakfast and lunch.  It's finally soup time!  There's Ukrainian ancestry in my family, and we had some beets to use up, so I made a batch of crock pot borscht (which I will share once it's officially dad-approved, though regardless, it's delicious).  And for breakfast: well, for brea

This is one of those recipes I don't make the same way twice.  I've included below three possible options to mix up your mornings. The basic ingredients: 4 cups rolled oats (the normal kind, not quick-cooking oats) 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 3 cups milk (dairy or any non-dairy work equally well) 1 cup pumpkin/applesauce/veggie oil (see "possible mix-ins" below!) spices to suit your mix-ins: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves are winners here 2 T maple syrup 2 eggs *optional: 2 tsp vanilla extract Possible mix-ins: Combination 1: 1 cup pumpkin 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts 1/2 cup dried cranberries Combination 2: 1 cup applesauce 1 cup diced apples optional 1/2 cup nuts Combination 3: 1 cup applesauce 1 cup blueberries 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans The process: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan and pour oatmeal into the pan.  Then pour the oatmeal mix into the pan.  (You w

So, we've been on a short hiatus, partly because I was away on research.  (Karen did an admirable job of keeping the Queer Hipster Kitchen moving - there were doughnuts and a vegetarian shepherd's pie waiting when I got home!)  But we're back and the kitchen has been busy this week. When we travel, we are able to put a "vacation hold" on our amazing CSA, which lets us schedule a double share for a future week.  (This is an amazing feature and part of why we love this CSA.  Besides, you know, the incredible veggies.)  Due to unexpected travel, we had a forthcoming double.  I *thought* I'd scheduled it for the last week of the fall CSA, before we transition to the winter one.  But it turns out that, nope, I scheduled it for this past week. Surprise!  A double! I love a double, but it does take some planning.  Yes, that is five medium eggplant, two butternut squash, two cauliflower, two bundles of cooking greens, two bundles of kale, two batches of carro

A New England classic made in proper New England style.  This one is an inherited recipe: I used to help my mom make huge pans of it for church dinners and special events. If your crisp topping doesn't contain oats, it's wrong.  Sorry, I don't make the rules. Ingredients:  4-6 apples, depending on size cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (at least 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 of nutmeg) 1 cup oats 2/3 cup brown sugar 5 T butter (or butter alternative) 1/2 c flour The Process: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the apples and cut into fairly thin slices.  Lay these out in a lightly greased pan.  (We recommend a 9x9: see the Pro Tips, below.) In a mixing bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour, and spices.  (The recipe includes what I consider the low end of the spices.) Add butter and combine using two butter knives OR a pastry cutter.  Or your fingers.  You want the topping to come together in crumbly pieces, but it won't form a dough.  Spread topping over the apples. 

This soup is a house favorite because it's simple, quick, and easy - the kind of fix-it-and-forget-it meal that the slow cooker is designed for.  Ingredients: about 6 cups of chopped butternut squash 4 cups veggie stock 2 cups cooked white beans (cannellini are great - something that will fall apart!) spices to your preference (we like garlic, onion powder, and a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes) The process: Combine squash, beans, and stock in crock pot.  Cook on low heat for 8 hours - or longer, if need be.  The contents should be easily mashable. Using either an immersion blender or a plain old potato masher, mush up the remaining chunks until soup is at a consistency you find appropriate.  (We tend to use the immersion blender and go smooth.) Add spices to your taste. Dish into bowls and add any toppings you'd like: croutons are always a good option. Pro Tips: This freezes beautifully.  The yield will vary depending on just how much squash you