Experimenting with Vegetables

We didn't pick up a new vegetable to try every week this month, but we did get one - snow peas. We used half of them in the recipe on the back of the package (mixed with leftover diced chicken) and the other half in a version of Mongolian Beef (using some leftover London Broil). Both creations were successful.

Chicken and Snow Peas with Asian Vinaigrette

• 4 ounces snow peas
• 1/2 - 1 cup diced, cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional

Cook the snow peas (steam or boil for a few minutes); drain and return to the pan with the remaining ingredients. Toss well and heat through. Serves 2. (Double or triple if serving more!)

Frozen Potatoes

We didn't have time to finish off a bag of potatoes before leaving home for a month, so I decided to try freezing them. I peeled the potatoes, cut them into 2" chunks, boiled (or par-boiled) them for about 6 minutes, drained and flash froze them, then bagged them and stuck them in the freezer until we returned. After thawing the bag overnight, I decided to use them for mashed potatoes. Although I was surprised at how much cooking water they absorbed, they did make delicious mashed potatoes. It will be a long time before we take another month-long trip, but it's good to know that I won't have to waste potatoes in the pantry if we do.

The artichokes we picked up at the grocery store this week were gigantic - way more than one person needed to eat in one meal. I've always cooked them whole in boiling water, but decided to experiment with cutting them in half first and then roasting. We liked them this way, but not necessarily any more than we like the old way. However, it's always nice to have some recipe variations in the arsenal.

Roasted Artichokes

Wash and trim whole artichokes, then cut them in half length-wise. Using a spoon, scoop out the "choke," then brush with lemon juice (to prevent browning). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Place a clove or two of peeled garlic in the center (where you removed the choke) and fresh herbs if desired. Put inner-side-down in an oiled baking pan and roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Cover with foil and bake an additional 30-45 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with more lemon juice and serve.