A little wardrobe advice from the Crescat.

And don't miss the related link on how to look Catholic.

The Things I Get Excited About

Marisa over at Food in Jars has the word on the street that pint-and-a-half wide-mouth mason jars will be available for this canning season!

Doesn't it look lovely with the asparagus all lined up in there? These seem like the perfect size for canning whole or sliced fruit, or for use as kitchen canisters.

My current favorite jars are the half-pint wide-mouth; they're perfect for refrigerating things like homemade dips (no crannies for the hummus to hide in!), and, of course pies in jars.

I'd also love to get a case of the 12 oz. jelly glasses. They'd be adorable for filling with drinks for a picnic, like so:

(photo source)

For a listing of all the standard jars currently available in the U.S., see Marisa's field guide. What are your favorites? Or do you think I'm crazy for having favorites at all?

40 Meatless Meals: Pesto Omelet

Per person
2 eggs
1 T milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 t oil
1 T prepared pesto
1 T grated cheese

Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper (a stand mixer makes for very fluffy omlets). Heat oil in skillet; pour in eggs. With a rubber spatula or fork, constantly circle the edge of the egg mixture, bringing up the liquid. When eggs are set, remove from pan and spread pesto and cheese over the surface. Fold in half to serve.

40 Meatless Meals: Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew

16 oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
1 shallot, minced
1 T olive oil
1 t cumin seeds
6 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
1 can diced tomatoes
2 zucchini, roughly chopped

Microwave shallot in olive oil for one minute. Add cumin seeds and microwave 30 seconds. Scrape into crock. Add remaining ingredients except for zucchini. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Microwave zucchini for 5 minutes. Stir into crock. Serve with rice.

Serves 6.

Spaghetti with Mascarpone, Meyer Lemon, Spinach, and Hazelnuts

I'm all for buying local produce when possible, but I love the fact that just as we're about to hit the dullest, greyest part of the year, our grocery stores get bombarded with all of the brightest citrus from down south. A bowl full of lemons and oranges cheers me more by its smells and colors than a bouquet of flowers, and we always buy the largest possible bag of grapefruits. This is the best time to explore some of the more exotic varieties of citrus. Meyer Lemons are a Chinese variety, believed to be a hybrid of a lemon and orange. The flavor seems almost lemonier than an ordinary lemon, probably due to the fact that it's less-tart juice allows the flavor to shine through.

This dish would be excellent served either as a primo piatto (pasta first course), or as a main dish. If it is your entree, I'd recommend upping the spinach (maybe as much as double, depending upon your tastes). I think next time I make this, I'll try it with rotini or something that tosses a bit more readily without turning into a big nest. As a last note, I usually cook with whole-wheat pasta, but decided to go with white for this dish, since I didn't want to overwhelm the subtle flavors.

(Recipe Source)

Serves four.

zest and juice from one Meyer Lemon
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese*
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 pound spaghetti
5 cups (loosely packed) fresh spinach, washed, spun dry, and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Combine the zest, lemon juice, mascarpone, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Bring a pot of water to boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Return the pasta to the pot, and set over low heat. Stir in the mascarpone sauce. Add the spinach and toss so that the spinach begins to wilt. Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water (more if necessary) to keep the sauce fluid but not too watery. Continue to cook and toss until the spinach is cooked. Add the hazelnuts and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Note: You can, of course, buy mascarpone in the store. It can be a tad cost-prohibitive, though, so you can also make your own with just a couple of ingredients following this recipe.

Re-growing scallions

Proof that even a certified black thumb like me can re-grow scallions. Full instructions here.

February Food

There seems to be something about late February that brings out the citrus-lover in all of us.  Shortly after reading Therese's latest post (love that photo!), I came across this post on Simple Bites: Surviving the February Food Blahs.  Perhaps not surprisingly, citrus makes an appearance, as do last year's preserves, winter greenery, and comfort foods.  Check it out for lots of suggestions and recipes (many of them Lent-friendly).

Warning: Simple Bites - and its affiliate sites - is one of those sites where every interesting article links to 10 more interesting articles, and before you know it, your coffee is gone and the sun has set.  Click at your own risk.

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

A little preview of tomorrow's meatless recipe.

I can't even begin to tell you how fragrant my dining room is right now.

Cheese straws

The humble cheese straw has fallen out of favor. And yet with its five simple ingredients, it is perfect for an impromptu gathering and lends itself to endless variations. You could also serve them as an accompaniment to Lenten soup. I am partial to the recipe below, which can be pushed through a cookie press, rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter, or sliced for a more rustic look. You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it at the ready in your fridge for several weeks.

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup grated sharp cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3T water
• 1 t paprika

Preheat oven to 375. Stir flour and baking powder together. Cut in cheese and butter with a pastry blender. Add water and mix well. Shape as desired. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

My Lenten Challenge

One of the things I love about Lent is the challenge to simplify my life and make room for important things. While pondering the spiritual clutter this week, I kept picturing other clutter; the time it takes from my life and the resources that could be going to better use elsewhere.

Where did I put that birthday gift I bought 6 months ago now that his birthday is coming up soon? Is it really necessary to keep all 50 of these cookbooks when I use the same 10 or so over and over? (You get the idea.)

Anyway, along the lines of the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge, I'm making a list of random places in my home that can be simply cleaned and organized. We've lived in the same house for 20+ years and it's quite surprising to consider all the places that are hidden away from sight but still get filled to the brim with stuff I don't even use or want anymore! To make it doable, I tried to choose small places that could easily be organized in a short period of time (hence, my 6-drawer desk could take 6 days), but by the end of Lent I'm looking forward to a greater sense of detachment, a better use of my time (not searching for that missing whatever) and a greater overall sense of stewardship as I bring things to my favorite charity garage sale this spring.

My List:

• desk drawers
• silverware drawer
• cookbook collection
• closet shelf
• DVD cabinet
• Holiday decorations
• shoe collection
• out-of-season clothes
• sock/underwear drawer
• night stand
• pantry
• freezer
• magazine basket/rack
• bookshelf
• under the bed
• craft area
• yarn/fabric stash
• toy box
• make-up bag
• hair stuff
• nail polish
• linen closet
• bathroom cabinets
• car glove compartment, console, trunk
• Mitten box (hats, umbrellas, etc.)
• top of my file cabinet