Meal Type: Main-dish

Sweet Potato-Southwestern Style

Sweet potatoes are a great vehicle for creative combinations. This stuffed version is easily customizable. Swap out black beans for kidney beans or garbanzos, add some bell peppers or mushrooms, and go crazy with whatever toppings you have on hand! Cilantro, hot sauce, a squeeze of lime… whatever floats your sweet potato boat!

2 sweet potatoes
⅓ cup onion
¾ cup black beans
¾ cup corn
¾ cup diced tomatoes or salsa
Spices to taste (Salt, pepper, cumin, paprika)

Optional toppings:

Avocado/guacamole
Cilantro
Lime
Hot sauce
Shredded cheese
Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork and bake on foil-lined baking sheet for approximately 45 minutes, until soft.
Once sweet potatoes are almost done cooking, it’s time to begin preparing the stuffing. Saute onion and garlic on medium heat, until translucent. Add black beans, corn, and any additional veggies of choice. Spice up the flavor to your liking with a dash of salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika and continue to cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and mash insides gently with a fork to create a “boat” for the mixture. Divide filling evenly between the sweet potatoes.
Top with avocado/guacamole, diced tomatoes or salsa, and any additional toppings of choice.
Tip: Bake a batch of sweet potatoes ahead of time and simply reheat when it’s time to eat. Minus the baking time, this recipe can be thrown together in minutes!

Oven-Fried Latkes

Recipe by Anna Meyer (Gorman) – Children’s Program and Extra Helpings Administrator

Latkes, probably the most well-known food served for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, are what hash browns wish they could be. These crispy-on-the outside and fluffy-on-the-inside morsels of potato goodness can be enjoyed any time of year! They’re traditionally fried on the stovetop (a daunting task for many of us), but this version is easier, safer and uses less oil.

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes
1 yellow onion (peeled)
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel potatoes. Grate the onion and potatoes on a box grater or in a food processor.

Place the potato and onion in the center of a large dish towel (preferably one you don’t mind staining). Over the sink, twist the dish towel to wring out the excess moisture from the onion and potato. You may have to do this in two batches.

Transfer the potato-onion mixture to a bowl and mix in the eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Fill 2 NON-STICK rimmed baking sheets with 1/2 cup of oil each. Place the two baking sheets in the oven for 10 minutes to preheat the oil.

Carefully remove the sheet pans using oven mitts. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, drop the latke mixture onto the sheet pan about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of the measuring cup or a spatula, flatten the latke mixture slightly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans again and flip the latkes using tongs (you can use a spatula if you want, but there may be more oil splatter). Return to the oven for about 10 minutes more, or until crisp and a deep golden brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

It’s very important that you use non-stick pans, otherwise the latkes will stick and you won’t be able to flip them. Using non-stick also ensures easy cleanup.

Make sure you wring out as much moisture as possible using your dish towel – this is the key to getting the latkes crispy.

Half the Russet potatoes can be replaced with another root vegetable (sweet potato, parsnip, yam, etc.), but keep it at 50:50 because the Russets provide the best crispy-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside results. Taking them out entirely might impair the texture.

Serving plain with sour cream and applesauce is traditional if you’re eating these latkes for Hanukkah. Add fresh or dried herbs to the initial potato-onion mixture (such as rosemary, thyme, or sage) for a delicious side dish to any holiday dinner.

Mom’s Tomato Soup

Thanks to Anna Gorman, Child Programs and Extra Helpings Administrator for the recipe and photo

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter OR neutral oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup flour
2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped OR 2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained OR equal amount of fresh tomatoes, peeled.
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL SPICES: 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions

Heat the butter or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, and carrot and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add tomatoes, sugar, basil, bay leaf, and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf after 30 minutes.
Puree 1/3 of the soup at a time in a blender until smooth (if you have an immersion blender, you can do this directly in the pot).
Add milk and any optional spices. Stir to blend.

Tips

Make a double batch of this soup and put half of it in the freezer before you add the milk. When you want to have a super quick dinner, defrost the remaining soup and add 1 cup of milk.
My mom’s original recipe for this soup called for cream; you’ll see here it’s been slimmed it down to whole milk. Feel free to go even leaner if you want, but using a low-fat or non-dairy milk will definitely make this soup thinner and not as creamy.
Toppings for this soup include, but are not limited to: crushed Saltine or Ritz crackers, feta or goat cheese, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, croutons, a sprinkle of Parmesan, a drizzle of pesto, or chopped herbs like rosemary, basil, or thyme.

Broccoli-Cheddar-Spinach Frittata

INGREDIENTS

6 large eggs
1/3 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated and split evenly between 2 bowls
½ a yellow onion, chopped
1 head broccoli, separated into florets and sliced
3 tbsp water
1 ½ cups spinach, roughly chopped
1/3 cup green onions, chopped (OPTIONAL)
Salt and Pepper
Cooking Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, and half the cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add a couple tablespoons of oil to an 8-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown around the edges, about 3-5 minutes.
Add broccoli and spread it out evenly over the surface of the pan. Add the water and quickly cover the pan with a lid (if your pan doesn’t have a lid, a cookie sheet also works). Allow broccoli to steam for about 2 minutes. Broccoli should be a much brighter green and easily pierced with a fork.
Add spinach and green onions (if using). Cook for about a minute or until the spinach is wilted.
Spread vegetables in an even layer around the surface of the pan. Give egg mixture a quick whisk before pouring it over the vegetables. Tilt the pan or use a spatula to make sure the egg mixture is in an even layer.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over the egg mixture and place pan into the preheated oven.
Cook for 7-8 minutes until you can gently shake the pan handle (using an oven mitt) and the middle of the frittata just barely moves.
Take the frittata out of the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. Frittata keeps very well in the refrigerator and will keep for at least a few days.

NOTE: Frittata is incredibly adaptable! Leave out the spinach if it’s not your favorite. Make it dairy-free by using unsweetened non-dairy milk and omitting the cheese. If you don’t have broccoli, thinly sliced Brussels sprouts or asparagus would also work. Add ham, bacon, or sausage for an even heartier breakfast.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Herb Butter Sauce

This Italian classic (pronounced nyo-kee) is a great dinner for when you have a bit more time and want something more exciting than plain pasta with butter. It also provides a fun opportunity to get kids involved with dinner; let them help knead the dough and roll it out into a snake. Even misshapen gnocchi is delicious gnocchi!

1 large sweet potato
1 medium russet potato
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 teaspoon salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 3/4 cups (or more) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried herbs (sage, rosemary, and thyme all work great)

INSTRUCTIONS

Poke about 10 sets of holes in the sweet potato using a fork. Place the sweet potato in a microwave and cook on high for 4-5 minutes. Repeat with the Russet potato.
While potatoes are still warm, remove the flesh and place in two separate bowls. Mash using a fork or a potato masher. Measure out 1 cup of sweet potato and 2 cups of Russet potato.
Mix potatoes, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time.
Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead briefly, just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope, like you’re making a Play-Doh snake.
Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces (they will look like little pillows). Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets.
Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook gnocchi until very tender, 5-7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same lined baking sheets. Cool.
Cook butter in large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add herbs; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve with additional Parmesan.

Pantry Pasta

Photo and Recipe: Anna Gorman – Child Programs and Extra Helpings Administrator

The perfect dinner for sheltering in place: warm, familiar, comforting, and can be made with ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. In fact, pasta and sauce are included in emergency food boxes going out through some partner agencies and community sites.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp oil
1 yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (or use whole tomatoes and crush them yourself)
2 tsp dried thyme or dried basil
1 lb dried pasta (long pasta like spaghetti or large tubes like rigatoni work best)
Salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: 1 lb ground meat or 1c cooked lentils (turkey, beef, chicken)

INSTRUCTIONS

IF USING MEAT: Brown the meat over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan, about 6-8 minutes. It may be gray in spots and still slightly pink in the center. Transfer to a bowl or plate.

– Wipe out the pot.

IF NOT USING MEAT, START HERE: Heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are becoming translucent, about 5 minutes.

– Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

– Add tomato paste and mix into the garlic and onions so that no big clumps of tomato paste remain. Cook until tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 3 minutes.

– Add the can of tomatoes and herbs (and meat/lentils, if using) back to the pot.

– Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste

– While the sauce is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the instructions on the bag or box.

– When the pasta is cooked, use a pair of tongs, a slotted spoon, or a fine mesh sieve to move the pasta into the sauce (don’t worry about draining the pasta super well, the starch in the pasta water actually improves the sauce!).

– Combine the pasta and sauce well until there is no extra sauce in the bottom of the pot.

– Serve immediately.

Comforting 15-Bean Soup

Fall is officially here (even though the Bay Area weather doesn’t always reflect it)! As the days get shorter, we start turning to warm comfort foods. Many people attending our Empty Bowls events throughout the years might be familiar with this month’s featured soup. It comes to us from James Porter, Kitchen Manager and Chef at one of our partner agencies –Loaves and Fishes Contra Costa. We are tremendously thankful he volunteers to make this crowd favorite at our sell-out events.

This is a hearty and flexible soup which is great for filling bellies on a budget. To make it vgetarian, leave out the meat. The quantities listed below feed 15-20 people!

Ingredients:

Bag of 15-bean soup (or other available beans)
2 Cups diced ham (optional)
2 Cups diced mild sausage links (optional)
2 Cups diced chicken (optional)
2 Cups diced onions
2 Cups diced bell peppers
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Cook beans until tender according to directions. Save the liquid the beans were cooked in.
Combine rest of ingredients-saute until ham, chicken, and mild links are done and veggies are tender
Combine meat/veggies with beans
Warm together and enjoy!

Best Carrot Soup by Haley Lindberg

Best Carrot Soup by Haley Lindberg was created as part of her Girl Scout Gold Project.

Ingredients:
12 large carrots, peeled, chopped
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
4 C. water or chicken broth
1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 C. orange juice
1 Tbsp. ginger powder
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Melt butter/oil in saucepan; add onions and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes).
Place chopped carrots, sautéed onions, garlic and water (or broth) in large pot. Bring to boil, then simmer until carrots are tender (about 30 minutes).
Add orange juice and stir off heat.
Blend in a blender in batches. If needed, add additional water/broth.
Add ginger powder, salt and pepper seasoning to taste.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
• 3 C. reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes.
• 1 (15 ounce) can beans, drained
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stock, chopped
• Bay leaves, sage, thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 C. cooked whole wheat pasta
• 1 medium squash, chopped
• 1 C.cauliflower, chopped
• Examples of other vegetables you can add: broccoli, green beans, potato, bell pepper.

Directions:
In a pot, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, cauliflower, bay leaves and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add pasta and squash. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season to taste. Serves 4.

Microwave Broccoli Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:
• 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 2 tablespoons chopped Roasted walnuts or other nut
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 Slices bread

Directions:
Finely chop the broccoli and place in a microwave-safe baking dish with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high (power level 10) until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Uncover immediately. Let cool and drain. In a medium bowl, add the nuts, 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss gently. Spread the Greek yogurt or mayonnaise on the bread. Divide the broccoli filling between the two sandwiches.

Grilled Cheese with Pears

Ingredients:
• 4 slices of bread
• 4 slices of cheese
• 1 medium pear, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons of butter or no-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Butter two slices of bread on one side; place buttered side down onto the pan. Top the bread with 1 slice of cheese, 3-4 pear slices, and another slice of cheese. Cook until bottom of sandwich is browned, 3-5 minutes. Flip over and cook 3-5 more minutes.

Tuna Pasta Salad (Pasta de Ajo y Mantequilla)

Ingredients:
• 1/2 pound pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups broccoli or zucchini, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 can tuna, drained

Directions:
Combine pasta and vegetables in a bowl. Add dressing and stir until well combined. Tip: add protein with 2-3 sliced hard boiled eggs, or 1 can of drained beans

Ingredientes:
• 1/2 libra de pasta cocida, enjuagada y escurrida
• 2 tazas de brócoli o calabazas, picado
• 1 tomate, picado
• 1/4 taza de aderezo Italiano
• 1 lata de atún, escurrido

Direcciones:
Combine la pasta y verduras en un tazón. Agregue el aderezo y revuelva hasta que estén bien combinados. Sugerencia: Añada proteína con 2-3 huevos duros, o una lata de frijoles escurridos.

Meal Type: Main-dish

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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