The Season Food Guide - Winter

I can just imagine you walking around the grocery store past anemic tomatoes, tasteless strawberries, and unripe cantaloupe thinking, "I can't wait until Spring so I can get some ripe fruits and vegetables." Don't succumb to winter vegetable doldrums. You can find produce that is at it's peak this time of year too. You just have to know what to choose.

When you think about winter produce, try to imagine a fruit cellar filled with hearty items designed to last until spring. Winter produce can be satisfying, comforting, and delicious. Seasonal crops include: avocados, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, fennel, grapefruit, greens, kale, mushrooms, oranges, pears, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, and watercress.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy winter vegetables:

• Watercress Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit
  This salad is filled with bright flavors to liven a cold winter palate.
  
  Using a sharp chef's knife, trim away the peel and excess membrane from a ruby red grapefruit. Carefully remove the individual segments by slicing along both sides of the separating membranes. Set grapefruit segments aside. Halve an avocado lengthwise, remove the pit and slice the fruit into lengthwise segments. (Hint: If you aren't going to assemble the salad immediately, squeeze a little grapefruit juice from the remnants of the fruit over the avocado slices to keep them from browning.) Toss 4 handfuls of watercress, or other bitter greens, with your favorite balsamic or champagne vinaigrette. Divide greens among 4 plates. Arrange avocado and grapefruit slices on top of the greens, alternating slices for color. Top with a bit of freshly cracked black pepper and serve.

• Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta
  Fresh brussel sprouts are nothing like the sour, overcooked vegetables of your childhood. If possible, buy them on the stalk.
  
  Blanche brussel sprouts in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Dice 4 oz. pancetta or thick-cut bacon. Sauté pancetta in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Add 1 minced shallot, about 1 tablespoon, and sauté until translucent. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta and shallots from the pan and set aside. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduce until it is slightly syrupy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, return the brussel sprouts and pancetta mixture to the pan. Toss or stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and you are done.

• Creamed Cabbage
  I learned this recipe while working at a resort on Mackinac Island after college. It's simple and tastes amazing.
  
  Sauté 1/2 cup diced red onion in 2 tablespoons of butter until translucent in a large sauté pan. Mix in 1 cup heavy cream, and white pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching. Shred or chop half a small head of green cabbage. Blanche the cabbage in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until tender. Add cabbage to the thickened cream. Finish with a touch of cracked black pepper and serve.

What are your favorite winter vegetable recipes?

Guiltess Gourmet - Save Money, Savor Flavor

Originally posted on shespeaks.com August 22, 2009

Looking for ways to stretch your food budget without compromising quality? Here are a few simple suggestions for you to try.

Buy whole chickens
There is a saying in the restaurant industry that you can make a $100 on one chicken. You won’t get that kind of return at home but you will be amazed what you can get from one chicken. If you buy chicken whole not only will you save money but you can stretch one chicken into three meals for four people.

You will need to cut the chicken up yourself. First, remove the breasts by trimming carefully along the ribs. You can use these to make a stir-fry or cube them and skewer with fresh vegetables for kabobs. Next, remove the thighs and legs. Bone them and use the dark meat for a delicious simmered Thai or Indian Curry. If you like chicken wings as a snack you can freeze them until you have enough for an appetizer later. Finally, use the carcass to make stock for soup or risotto.

You’ve just gotten three meals and a snack from one chicken!

Make your own salad dressing
Making your own salad dressing is a simple way to give your family fresh, preservative-free flavor while saving money. The average price of homemade vinaigrette made from extra virgin olive oil is about $.35 an ounce.

Simply mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts olive oil, add a little chopped shallot, fresh minced herbs like basil or parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. If you want a dressing that doesn’t separate as quickly, mix in a little Dijon mustard.

Your homemade vinaigrette will last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. On day 5 use it to marinate chicken breasts for tasty kabobs.

Plant an herb garden
I love fresh herbs but I cringe each time I purchase a tiny package of fresh basil leaves for $2.50 to $2.99. Still, when tomatoes are in season I just can’t resist. I probably purchase fresh basil a minimum of 6 times over the summer. I also use a lot of cilantro and fresh parsley. When you add up the cost of a few fresh herbs, you will quickly see the benefit of growing your own.

You don’t need a garden to benefit from growing fresh herbs; all you need is a sunny window sill. Stop by your local nursery or hardware store and pick up a rectangular planter, some organic potting soil and a few seeds or seedlings and you’ll have fresh herbs in no time. Don’t be afraid to snip off what you need, the more you snip the more they grow.

Imagine sitting down to dinner of chicken kabobs marinated in homemade salad dressing using herbs you’ve grown yourself.

Do you have creative ways to save money while serving your family high-quality foods?