The Deconstructed Stir Fry

Creativity
Hobgoblin of little minds
And a saving grace

Debby's last post resonated at my house, too. My daughter also has influence beyond her wildest imagination — but let's keep that between us.

In our case, it came from stir fry. Being mostly vegetarian, we have a stir fry about once a week, and Anne Elise almost always rolls her eyes and asks for something different. I refuse to be a short-order cook, so "something different" in my kitchen is either a peanut butter sandwich or a bowl of cereal.

This time, however, she looked over the ingredients I was prepping: onion, red and green pepper, broccoli, edamame. They were almost all things she liked, and she realized that it was the way that I cooked them that was a turn-off for her. (The child loves salty things but doesn't like soy sauce in stir fry. Go figure.)

Instead of whining about it, she got creative, suggesting that I keep a portion of each of her chosen ingredients off to the side, spread them over the white rice I had going, top them with a little cheese, and heat it all in the microwave. In other words, she completely deconstructed my intended meal, and rebuilt it to suit her taste.

It was an easy, healthy fix. She was happy. I was happy. And next time she can make it herself!

But for those of you who aren't deconstructionists, here's the full recipe:

Red and Green Stir Fry
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 8-oz bag frozen, shelled edamame
1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon bottled chili sauce
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Heat oil over medium high heat in a wok or large frying pan until hot. (I drop in a piece of chopped onion and wait for it to sizzle.) Add onion and peppers, stirring often, and fry for about 5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Add broccoli and edamame and stir for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in rice wine vinegar, chili sauce, soy sauce, 5-spice powder and sesame oil. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until all vegetables are heated through and coated with seasonings. Serve over white, brown or sushi rice.

What We Learn From Our Daughters

My daughter, in third grade, brings home a spelling assignment each Monday that has 4 activities to accomplish during the week; they are supposed to glue the words to her brain for the test on Friday. For one, she can choose between a poem, story, or song to fit all 10 words into. Up until now, she has chosen to write a story because that is where she feels comfortable; in her words, a story is easier. But today she stretched. She decided to configure haiku.

She has heard all about this blog. She knows the construction of the three metrical phrases of Japanese haiku. And she wanted to extend her wings and go for it.

Eleni does her homework at a table in the kitchen. Today, when she came home from school armored up to write, I was in there silently fuming that I did not feel like pulling together a decent dinner. Even though I had just come back from the grocery store with random food and the refrigerator was fairly full with the week's produce, I absolutely did not feel like fooling with it.

With one question and a remark, she changed my attitude: "Mom, isn't haiku 5-7-5? I want to write one with my words."

I realized that if she could step out of her zone, so could I. And if she is showing an interest in learning from me, I'll take a lesson from her. Go for it. Here's what we ate, and it was 30 minutes of pleasure to cook.

And I'll share her haiku efforts, too, with the spelling words italicized:

I'd hope to be in

High society later

In November, yes.

Community and

Character are not really

Alike that much now.

Values and science

And finally are also

Not a thing alike.

Whole Grain Pasta with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Shrimp

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, uncooked

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 pound whole grain fettucini, uncooked

1 small onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add shrimp mixture and saute just until shrimp are opaque, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet; add onion and peppers. Saute until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in garlic; saute 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and wine; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in olives and shrimp; heat thoroughly. Add pasta; toss. Makes 4 servings.

Why Sweet Potatoes Rule

The sweet potato
It's completely versatile
My new role model

Is there anything better in fall than sweet potatoes? I use them for fries, as a pureed side dish, in stir fry, pie, or just baked and split open with cinnamon and butter as a side or a meal.

In addition to being super-nutritious, they taste decadent and sinful. What could be better? (Okay, uninterrupted sleep, free babysitting, a date with Colin Firth - but who's counting?)

I admit that their versatility and overall appeal make me feel a little inferior, especially when you consider that the sweet potato has rougher skin and a more lumpy appearance than I do, yet it's still so delicious, I can't hold a grudge. Heck, in Jackson, Mississippi, my hometown, the sweet potato has even developed a cult following of "Sweet Potato Queens," who show up in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade.

A friend of mine served a dish similar to this several years ago where butternut squash played the leading role. That was very memorable, and since then, I've played with many variations. But since a sweet potato was what I had in my pantry yesterday, this is the result. Even my eight-year-old liked it!

Baked Rigatoni with Sweet Potato and Leeks
l lb. of rigatoni, cooked al dente
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese

As you cook the pasta, steam spinach in a basket above boiling water for 2 minutes, or plunge briefly into hot pasta water to blanch. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add leeks, garlic and sweet potato and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When leeks begin to brown, deglaze with white wine. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender.

Combine pasta, sweet potato mixture, spinach and shredded cheese in a large bowl, then spoon into a 9x13 casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is thoroughly melted and pasta is warmed through.

Out of Africa

Humming, toes tapping,
Music awakens hunger.
Even Barney must eat.

I was sharing with a friend one of my favorite youTube videos: Perpetuum Jazzile, a choir from Slovenia, sings Toto's "Africa" a capella; they simulate a storm with their hands and feet, sing a beautiful rendition of the lyrics, and make instruments with their voices -- piano keys, guitar licks, percussion beats, and more.

I couldn't get the music out of my head when it was over. But it was time to throw lunch together, so while I sang "I bless the rains down in Africa," I looked through pantry and fridge for a focal point on which to base my efforts.

I'm a right brain girl....listening to music and singing feed my creativity. I never write a column or develop a recipe without music on in the background. So I was primed, and when I saw the can of hominy in the pantry, the sweet potato on the counter, and the leftover pulled pork from last night's barbecue takeout in the fridge, I knew what I would make.

While chili and posole aren't directly from South Africa, maize is one of the staple foods from that region, and hominy is dried corn with the germ and outer hull removed. It's a stretch, I know, but they also eat sweet potatoes, so....

Feeling quite inspired, I put together this quick and yummy, albeit different, chili-soup.

Chili Verde with Hominy and Squash

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 poblano chili, chopped (optional)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup salsa verde

1 (15-ounce) can hominy, drained

2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato

2 cups cooked pulled pork

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes: cilantro leaves, sliced green onion, corn tortilla strips, sour cream

Heat a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and heat; add onion and poblano chili, if using, and sauté until onion is very tender. Stir in cumin and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth, salsa, hominy, and squash; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pork; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with garnishes to sprinkle over chili. Makes 4 servings.

Burgers Are Better When They're Babies

It's the little things:
Cupcakes, canapes, cat naps
That make life a treat.

Debby has been cooking sliders for at least 6 years and never realized it. Her 8-year-old daughter, Eleni, would rather eat a handful of baby burgers than a large juicy one. They have become default dinner when Debby is not in the mood to think about it.

Betsey is a vegetarian. Her daughter, also 8, spends a lot of time with Eleni. Especially around lunchtime, when Anne Elise knows she can put away some sliders on the sly.

Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines and the Food Network all have umpteen slider recipes, dressed up with fancy titles and flavors. The small burgers have gained such popularity in restaurants that Pepperidge Farm figured there was a market for home cooks and began selling mini sandwich buns called "sliders" -- small, perfectly-sized buns for 1 1/2-ounce burgers.

And although the term "slyder" meant the trademarked, silver-dollar pancake-size burger sold by White Castle, any tiny two-bite sandwich on a roll or small bun is a slider on restaurant and catering menus.

Now that they are cool to eat, Debby has embellished baby burgers with some of her own ideas, moving them up to preferred status. (Betsey thinks grilled baby bellas make a respectable slider for vegetarians. She adapts Debby's seasonings into marinades and happily loads on all her suggested condiments!)

Bombay Turkey Sliders

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey

1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/3 cup minced green onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

Condiments: Chutney Mayo, small bibb lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes, pickled sliced banana peppers

12 slider buns, such as Pepperidge Farm

Place turkey, cilantro, green onion, mayonnaise, ginger, curry powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix lightly, but well; using wet hands, separate mixture into 12 portions, and form into patties to fit the buns.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add patties, in batches, and cook through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side; add additional oil to skillet if necessary.

Serve patties with condiments in buns. Makes 4 servings (3 sliders per serving).

Chutney Mayo:

3 tablespoons chutney

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Finely chop large pieces in chutney; mix chutney and mayonnaise. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Beef Sliders with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

1 large red onion, cut vertically into thin slices

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

Greek seasoning, such as Cavender's

12 slider buns, such as Pepperidge Farm

3 to 4 ounces goat cheese

Condiments: small bibb lettuce leaves, thinly sliced cucumber

Cook onion in butter in a heavy, medium skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar; set aside.

Form beef into 12 patties; sprinkle with Greek seasoning. Cook in skillet over medium heat until cooked to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Place burgers on lettuce- or cucumber-lined bottom buns; crumble goat cheese on burgers. Top with onion and replace tops. Makes 4 servings (3 sliders per serving).

Don't Think, Just Cook

If I do so much,

How can it be that I don't

Do anything well?

Work late or school play?

Boss or child to disappoint?

Who will pout the most?

There's always justification for the axiom that "simple foods are the best." Sure, with the freshest ingredients and a loving, honest touch even the plainest of meals can shine. But that's not why we love simple meals so much.

We love them because they're fast, easy and satisfying when we're slow, overwhelmed or frazzled.

So here's something that will not pluck the energy out of the evening. You don't have to think, just get into the kitchen and do it. Enjoy having time to ponder other issues one night this week, at least.

Bistro Beans and Sausage

Serve with crusty bread for dunking.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 fresh chicken sausages (preferably seasoned with fennel), about 6 to 8 ounces, uncooked

1 cup diced onion

4 or 5 sage leaves, whole, optional

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chicken broth

12 to 16 pitted kalamata olives, halved

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat a few seconds or until hot. Add sausages and cook until browned and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate.

Heat remaining olive oil in skillet. Add onion and sage leaves; cook until onion is just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook until tomatoes begin to burst, about 3 minutes. Add beans and broth; cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are very soft and beans are hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and olives to skillet; cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Remove sage leaves; serve in bowls. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Even Kids Can Nest

Pink lip out, mad eyes

She's my eight-year-old daughter

And she's just like me

Home-cooked traditions

Our stories and attitudes

Are all in the mix

I believe my third-grade daughter, Eleni, is nesting. As I write this, she is sitting beside me sewing, repairing holes in a dress-up costume, a small rip in her favorite snuggle pillow, and she is fashioning a dress for a large stuffed bear. All I have to do is knot the thread for her.

We recently moved, and the first thing she wanted out of the boxes was her sewing kit, knitting project, and ingredients for her “yummy stuff.” The first two surprised me, because she has not touched either one in 6 months.

But the “yummy stuff” is family tradition. As a younger child, Eleni often watched as her older sister stirred up her version of comfort food-- a cocoa-based buttercream frosting that she ate, like pudding, from a bowl. Now the spatula has been passed to Eleni, and she also considers making and eating “yummy stuff” a process of pleasure and, on some level, relief.

Lately, Eleni’s cooking interests have expanded to helping me concoct meat marinades, and in knowing the difference between cuts of meat, such as pork tenderloin and pork chops. I like it that she wants to know more about the mechanics of her meals.

Fingers crossed that she will continue to turn to cooking for soothing and reassurance.

- Debby

Eleni’s Pork Tenderloin

This is our go-to marinade for pork, chicken, and flank steak. The first two can be cooked about 2 hours after marinating, but the flank steak will benefit from a longer period – from 6 hours up to overnight.

1 large lemon

1 large clove garlic, crushed with garlic press

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Optional add-ins: 1 tablespoon honey and 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 (1-pound) unseasoned pork tenderloin, trimmed

Finely grate the lemon rind, staying away from the white pith and place in a small bowl. Squeeze the lemon into the bowl and stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil and any desired add-ins.

Place the pork tenderloin in a large, heavy-duty zip top bag; pour the marinade over. Seal the bag and squeeze it to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.

Remove the pork from the bag and grill over medium heat, turning frequently, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 155 degrees F., about 18 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.