Comments on: Make-ahead vegetable challenge

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:51:25 +0000

Hello, Another Diane. I don’t think I’m familiar with the dish you describe, although I can think of one that uses zucchini and tomatoes. Still, I never cook those in winter, so I’m no help. Just the same, I decided this topic needed revisiting, so see today’s post, http://foodperson.com/2008/12/22/make-ahead-vegetables-minus-the-cream/.

By: Another Diane

Another Diane — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:10:42 +0000

I need a make ahead vegi for about 25. I would love green, but every recipe, other than roasted vegetables, that I have found is loaded with cream of something soup and/or tons of cheese – not very healthy. I once had a recipe for a “casserole” of zucchini with cracker crumbs and no sauce. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

By: And the vegetable-dish winner is… | foodperson.com

And the vegetable-dish winner is… | foodperson.com — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:32:03 +0000

[...] all due deliberation of the many suggestions in the Make-ahead vegetable challenge, I went with Roasted Vegetables with Pecan Gremolata from Bon Apetit for the Thanksgiving vegetable [...]

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:12:27 +0000

Thanks, Diane and Maxine. I have now officially drawn the vegetable card for Thanksgiving. I think I’m going to do some kind of roasted vegetable dish. If it turns out well, I’ll post it later in case anybody wants to use it for some other upcoming holiday or feast.

Kei, Thanks for the link—I think. That 30 million figure is scary! So much for real food!

By: Kei

Kei — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:45:02 +0000

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003664556
Apparently, I *have* left a sheltered life if I’ve managed to avoid eating something that gets prepared 30 million times between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.

By: Maxine

Maxine — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:46:01 +0000

This is good and make ahead. Use:
broccoli
red, yellow, and orange peppers
whatever vegetables you like…
Boil BRIEFLY–1 minute
Put in oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil,and bake on low temp. basically just to keep warm

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:44:54 +0000

You can do asparagus with a little olive oil in the oven a few minutes at 450 (If you don’t have this method I can send it to you). Then just heat it a little when you want to serve it (does not need to be very hot) Our favorite sauce is 3 parts mayonnaise to one part mustard and vinegar and salt and pepper. The sauce is good on broccoli, too.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:37:37 +0000

Oh, Kei, you've lived a sheltered life. The green been casserole appeared, I think, sometime in the 1960s when making things from canned soup was in vogue. I think it stuck around because it does fulfill that make-ahead vegetable requirement, and people who are accustomed to eating processed foods don't mind the salt.

Your suggestion, meanwhile, sounds really good. I love beets and winter squash. Don't know about the rest of the family, alas, although I suppose that's their problem. Meanwhile, I remembered a roasted vegetable dish that a friend made last year. It included Brussels sprouts (green!) and was delicious at room temp. Could be the ticket. I'll post it if I find it.

By: Kei

Kei — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:44:27 +0000

Why not just roast some beets and winter squash together with some onions? It’s really easy to make, is very symbolic of fall and will go really well with turkey. You just get a mess of beets, delicata squash and some onions, halve the beets and squash, quarter the onions, scoop the seeds out of the squash and then dump some olive oil on top.
You can add whatever herbs suit you, although I would probably use sage and maybe some thyme. Pop it in the oven at 350 and 45 minutes later you have a colorful vegetable dish replete with soft, semi-caramelized onions. If you want greens, too, you can reserve the beet greens and either sautee them with garlic and a touch of soy sauce or pickle them with garlic or onions in unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (like Bragg’s).
And what is the story with green bean casserole? Is that really a holiday staple? I’d never encountered it until I went to Christmas dinner with a friend in Minnesota.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:00:09 +0000

Wow, Nick. Thanks for your responses. I do like salads, but my family will consider that a separate dish from the (green) vegetable.
The cauliflower recipe you linked to sounds simple and tasty and could be dressed up with some parsley. (Doesn’t that make it a green vegetable?) I do wonder why they don’t just steam the vegetables and make the sauce with the 1/3 cup milk; hate to think of wasting all that milk.
Sorry about not having a “preview” and “edit” feature on the comments. I’ll add that to my list of improvements I’d like to make once I (a) make a bunch of money and can afford to pay someone to do the improvements or (b) find a bunch of spare time to do it myself. In other words, it won’t happen soon!