Mom/Ant

Not Aunt, though I am one of those too, but ant as in the grasshoper and the ant. I love cooking and putting away food for the winter, it makes me feel all warm and cozy-like inside. So, my husband had the last two days off, and while it may sound like the last thing a chef would want to do on their day off, we spent today cooking. Yesterday's CSA box came with a ton of vegetables and the realization that we still had stuff in the fridge from last week. Today we cleaned the house, took the dogs for a walk, and when the baby went down for a nap we got down to some serious cooking. We have made two types of ravioli: one with a swiss chard and homemeade ricotta filling and one with a zucchini-chicken filling.

Swiss Chard Ravioli waiting to go into the freezer.

These plus the big batch of pesto I made will mean there are several easy meals in the freezer, a must when you are wrangling a four month old.  A couple bunches of beets have been roasted and frozen. We also have a big pot of chicken broth on the stove, using up a couple of chicken carcasses I had in the freezer and a bunch of the extra bits of our vegetables, such as carrot tops, leek tops, onions skins, celery trimmings, etc. We are making leek and new potato soup tonight, something easy after all the cooking of the last two days. It seems like a busy weekend, but it has been fun. My husband and I met in the kitchen and worked together there until the baby came.Cooking continues to be a shared passion for us and something we enjoy doing together. Plus, it makes me feel like a very prosperous ant to see my freezer stocked full of yummy summer goodness.

Last night we had Pho for dinner which used up a lot of herbs (cilantro, basil, mint) plus the last of a roast chicken I had. Pho is my favorite version of chicken noodle soup and pretty easy to do if fish sauce and rice noodles are pantry staples for you.

Recipes:
Swiss Chard Ravioli Filling
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves and stems chopped separately
1 bunch kale, leaves chopped stems discarded
1 bunch beet tops, leaves and stems chopped separately
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese, hommemade or store bought
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated parm
salt and pepper
In a large saute pan heat some olive oil, add shallot and cook 1 minute. Add chard and beet stems and a pinch of salt cook until they start to soften. Add red pepper flakes, garlic, chopped greens and another pinch of salt, cook until greens are thouroughly wilted and all the moisture is cooked out. Spread on a plate and place in fridge to cool. When the greens are cool, place in a bowl with the cheeses and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and use to fill ravioli. You can use store bought or homemade pasta sheets.

Ravioli in progress.

Zucchini and chicken Raviloi

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, minced or ground in food processor
1/2 onion, grated
1 zucchini, grated and moisture squeezed out
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig thyme
splash of white wine
1 cup ricotta cheese, hommemade or store bought

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated parm
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. fresh basil, torn

In large skillet, heat some olive oil and add chicken a pinch of salt and sprig of thyme. Cook until chicken is cooked through, scrape into bowl and set aside. Add some more oil to the skillet and add the zucchini, onion, garlic and another pinch of salt. Cook until vegeatbles are softened and starting to brown, about five minutes. Add the wine to the pan and add back in the chicken. Stir everything together and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Spread on a plate and place in fridge to cool. When the filling is cool, place in a bowl with the cheeses and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the basil then use to fill ravioli.