• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 2 t vegetable oil
• 3/4 cups warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes.

Place each dough portion on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook. In a dry iron skillet heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.

Adapted from The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison.

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup oil (vegetable, canola)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 t salt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/2 cup nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 T butter

Oil and flour 2 loaf pans. Mix together in this order: brown sugar, white sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk, salt, soda, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Mix in rhubarb and nuts. Pour into pans and bake 1 hour at 375°. After 40 minutes or so, melt butter and mix with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Sprinkle atop the bread and cook 20 additional minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

A recipe from Mom, c. 1998.

Although the vegetables were “storage vegetables,” we found that many items couldn’t be used before they went bad. Potatoes about to sprout were grated and frozen, brussels sprouts were thinly sliced and concealed in lasagna and soups, cabbage was sauteed and consumed as a side dish for nearly a week straight, Mrs. 6 roasted squash and hid it in various recipes, and beets were roasted, pureed, and frozen for use in smoothies and beet gnocchi. (We still have enough beets for 3 batches of gnocchi, and here we are, just one month away from the summer CSA share!)

Occasionally we received golden beets in addition to regular beets, so we had the opportunity to make some beautiful variegated beet chips. A mandoline slicer is imperative, but since Mrs. 6 keeps forgetting to add that to her birthday wish list, we tried out various kitchen utensils to slice the beets paper-thin. A vegetable peeler is the closest we got, but that still isn’t optimal.

• 2 medium beets (can use up to 2 large beets)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar

Peel beets with a vegetable peeler, then slice paper-thin with slicer, using stems as handles.

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add beets, then remove pan from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Drain beets in a colander, discarding liquid, then let stand in colander 15 minutes more.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 225°F.

Line a shallow baking pan with nonstick liner, then arrange beet slices snugly in 1 layer (it’s not necessary to use any partial or broken slices) and season with salt and pepper. Bake beets until dry, about 1 hour. Immediately transfer chips to a rack to cool (chips will crisp as they cool).

Cook shallot in oil in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir into sour cream, along with chives, salt, and pepper.

From Gourmet, June 2004.

Note: Nothing about this recipe assisted with the “freezer clean-out”, but at least we used up the broccoli that was purchased for the original plan! Here’s hoping for next weekend…

• 2 small heads broccoli
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 t agave nectar
• 1 t apple cider vinegar
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 T sunflower seeds, roasted and salted

Cut off broccoli florets, then peel broccoli stalks and cut stalks into matchstick pieces. Steam stalks for 1 minute, then add florets for an additional 1-2 minutes, until broccoli is tender, but crisp. Transfer broccoli to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking, then drain thoroughly.

Whisk together mayonnaise, agave nectar, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl. Toss with broccoli, onion, and raisins. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds just before serving.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times, April 2010.

Last weekend’s exercise was to use up leftover fresh parsley and attack the overabundance of bread crumbs in the freezer by making a strudel using phyllo (also in the freezer) and broccoli (purchased specifically for the strudel.) As a side to the strudel, we planned to make braised turnips, as neither of us had ever tried turnips. Alas, Sunday was drizzly and gloomy, so we decided to put a roast in the slow cooker instead, and the phyllo sat in the refrigerator all week “thawing” next to the broccoli and turnips.

Next weekend comes along and Mrs. 6 realizes phyllo is soggy. As Saturday evening we had a bordering-on-gout-inducing-dinner at Canyon Chop House with the lovely Hayley and her man, Uwe, it was decided by Mrs. 6 that Sunday evening we would return to the freezer clean-out project again by preparing a fresh, vegetarian meal. Mrs. 6: YAY! Mr. 6: Not so YAY!

Here, we use up the turnips and some bread crumbs:

• 3 T butter
• 2# medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 T chopped flat-leaf parsley

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, then add turnips, water, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium and stir turnips, then briskly simmer, uncovered, until all of liquid has evaporated and turnips are glazed and just tender, 20 to 35 minutes (they should be cooked through but still retain their shape.)

While the turnips cook, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle bread crumbs over turnips.

Adapted from Gourmet, February 2008.

Mrs. 6′s mother and her man attended the inaugural baking of this recipe. This quiche came about because—yep—too much kale from the vegetable share. Mrs. 6 actually used kale that had been steamed, frozen in water, then defrosted and drained of the water.

• 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 T olive oil
• 3/4 cup of parmesan, grated
• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• cayenne pepper to taste
• frozen pie crust

Pre-heat oven to 450°. Heat olive oil in saucepan on medium heat and saute onion until slightly browned. Toss in kale and remove from heat. (If kale was not steamed in advance, then saute kale with onions until slightly wilted.) Spread onions and kale in pie crust. Beat together by hand eggs, milk, whipping cream, and spices. Stir in parmesan. Pour into pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake additional 10-15 minutes until center is almost firm. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from several quiche recipes.

• 1 small head cabbage
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 t dijon mustard
• 1 T whole grain mustard
• 2 t cider vinegar
• 1/2 t celery salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup parsley, chopped

Mix together everything but the cabbage, blue cheese, and parsley. Toss cabbage with the dressing, add mayonnaise to desired consistency, then lightly toss in blue cheese and parsley.

From talkoftomatoes.com, 2007.

We like to have goulash with potato dumplings, but egg noodles, spaetzle, or rice are good substitutions. We’ve yet to find a good homemade dumpling recipe, so a fool-proof alternative is to purchase a box of dumpling mix from City Drug, an eerie family-run drugstore that specializes in china, support hose, mastectomy bras, and German food items such as sausage and stollen. Remember that movie, The Burbs? And remember the silver-haired “doctor” who disposed of the bodies? Well, don’t be surprised if you turn a corner at City Drug to find someone just like him, only in real life.

• 2# beef (any roast will do)
• canola or vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 large carrots, cut diagonally into half moons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1t ground cumin
• 2T paprika
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1-2 cups beef broth or water
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat a little vegetable or canola oil on medium-high heat, then brown the roast. Put the roast in the slow cooker, and add remaining ingredients. Cook all day or as long as your schedule allows, and toward the end, add salt, pepper, and possibly extra cumin and paprika to taste.

Adapted from Aliza Green’s Starting with Ingredients, 2006.

Note: the landlord of  Apartment No. 6 does not allow kids, so a house must be purchased first! Mr. & Mrs. 6 prefer to get a few additional things in line before having/getting kids, including a dreamy kitchen exquisitely outfitted for spending time with family & friends, cooking nutritious and tasty meals, and lingering with a cup of coffee. But once we actually get this behemoth built, we’ll likely be too decrepit and entrenched in our careers to be parents. Hmmph. Sorry to be such a drag. Anyhow, let’s at least get some plans down on paper:

Kitchen No. 6: an open plan multi-functional space that combines kitchen, living & dining areas, and workspace.

1. Decent appliances: standard-size side-by-side refrigerator and freezer, electric oven, gas range
2. Intentional space for microwave (as right now it’s sitting on wire shelving underneath the coffee maker in a room off kitchen!)
3. Highly durable work spaces (1 for each of us) so that Mrs. 6 doesn’t get frustrated when she’s dusting and finds that Mr. 6 has scratched the finish on his desk.
4. Unconventionally large working space that can accommodate 2 people preparing meals, plus a bar that seats at least 4. The counter top will include a hole for the trash can. Note: this must be a fool-proof design so the trash never misses the can.
5. Very deep sinks so washing large pots is FUN! not a BURDEN!
6. Special areas for the pets’ supplies: a cupboard with shelf that slides out for O’s food, a high shelf solely for M so O can’t steal her food, and a sneaky cupboard with a hidden passageway so M’s litter box isn’t out in the open.
7. Sofa/armchairs configured in such a way that one can rest in the “living area” yet still interact with those in the “kitchen.” (Mr. 6 can undertake this perplexing challenge as he is an interior designer.)
8. Same idea with “dining area,” preferably with table that can seat a larger group.
9. Mini spiral staircase for M that leads to a catwalk near the ceiling so she can perch and observe action in the kitchen. Preferably, tunnels that connect to adjoining rooms.
10. Windows for natural light.
11. Large doors that open to patio/garden. Large enough that when they’re open, it feels as if the entire wall is open.
12. Storage so that pots and dishes do not have to be stacked in a cupboard, food in pantry is only one item deep, utensils don’t take 5 minutes to locate.
13. Many, many outlets.

Every once and a while, she looks up at the Santa ornament hanging from the handle and bats at the bell. She spends at least 12 hours a day here. The crinkly green confetti gets snacked on occasionally.