Garlic + arugula + gorgonzola + roasted tomato sandwich

You know what I cooked on this lusciously lazy Thursday night?  Not a damn thing. (Well, I guess I did brownify the garlic in some olive oil before tossing it over the arugula–but that hardly counts.)

And now, having licked my fingers, I’m wondering why we don’t have sandwiches more often.  Why is my imagination a barren tundra when it comes to thinking of scrumptious, non-traditional things to squeeze between two chunks of bread?  Dear reader, please help me out.  What must I try?

Goat cheese with capers and roasted tomatoes

Why do I even bother with multi-step dishes when something this simple makes people swoon?

• goat cheese
• capers
• roasted tomatoes

1. Tomatoes go on top of the cheese.
2. Capers go on top of the tomatoes.
3. Everything goes into the oven: 10 minutes at 375F.

Orzo with roasted tomatoes and eggplant

How about something a whole lot prettier than that ugly pie?  Here, try this:

Orzo with roasted tomatoes and eggplant

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 Chinese eggplant, diced
• 1/2 box orzo, cooked for 9-10 minutes
• a couple of glugs of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh herbs and cheese (optional)

1. Toss the onions and eggplant with salt, pepper, vinegar.
2. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and bake for another 15 minutes.
4. Serve over orzo with herbs and cheese.

Ugly pie

Reader, I made an ugly pie.  Tasty as all get-out, but indisputably ugly.  You know: the kind that causes your colleagues to exclaim “What’s that?” when you pull it out for lunch–and not in a good way?

Baby portabella + butternut squash pie

• 1 pie crust (yours or Pilsbury’s; I’m not going to judge)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1lb baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 butternut squash, microwaved (like this) and disemboweled
• 1 14oz can roasted, diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon chipotle pepper (or more, if you’re like me and like FIRE)
• salt to taste
• a toss of shredded cheese

1. Sautee the onion, garlic, and mushrooms for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the squash innards, tomatoes, salt, and chipotle pepper; stir well to combine.
3. Pour the vegetable mixture into the pie crust, throw some cheese on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F.

So, there you have it: my delicious, homely pie.  But what’s missing?  Perhaps a sturdy leafy vegetable to add a pop of color?  Or maybe a coarsely chopped fennel bulb for some texture contrast?  Or should it all just go straight into the Bass-O-Matic?

Yam gnocchi with roasted tomato sauce

That blissful holiday weekend of near-hibernation made me realize that my attitude toward the Dark Season has been totally misguided.  Instead of putting up a fight, I should just succumb to it!

Between now and March, then, I will answer the call of the me-shaped dent in the sofa as soon as each day’s duties are over, getting up only occasionally to knead some dough, and stir a pot, and get more wine.

So, to kick off this Dark Season Management project, how about a dish that involves kneading and stirring and wine?…

Yam gnocchi

• 2 roasted yams
• 1 egg
• 2.5 cups whole wheat flour

1. Combine everything in a mixing bowl.
2. Knead!
3. Shape the dough into two long logs on a flat surface.
4. Cut it into bite-sized gnocchi.
5. Cook gnocchi in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain and serve.

+

Chunky roasted tomato sauce with kale and carrots

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2 14.5 oz cans roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 carrots, shaved into strips (use a vegetable peeler)
• 1 glug of red wine (+ 1 glug for the cook, while you’re at it)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add a splash of wine and let it deglaze for another minute or so.
3. Add the tomato sauce, kale, carrots.
4. Cook on low for ~20 minutes.
5. Serve over the gnocchi–with some feta crumbles, perhaps?