Emily has been with us this morning. Our 10-year-old granddaughter lives around the corner and drops by. We are always delighted to see her, and this morning she has been using the shredder I gave my husband Ed for Christmas. He didn’t know he needed a shredder until I gave him one. Emily likes to shred, but she is an indiscriminate shredder, so I was careful that none of the recipes I was studying strayed over to the shredding pile.
I like recipes, and as I was looking at them I became aware of how many use prepared foods such as baking mixes, soup, puddings, seasonings, etc.
Let’s talk about packaged foods. I’m not a package snob, and I do use them, but not much.
There are two reasons. First, I like things in their natural state. Both canned and frozen peaches are good, but a peach from the tree is better. The second is that I like to be able to pronounce the things I eat. For example, I like cooking with butter. When you are at the grocery next, look at the ingredients in butter: “Cream, salt.” Then look at the ingredients in margarine. There are a lot of syllables. Of course, all the packaged foods are safe because our Food and Drug Administration takes care of that.
Because of our busy lives, I (and most cooks) frequently use the packaged products – and that’s all right, but when time allows, go to your Farmer’s Market or your grocery and buy the fresh vegetables.
Today’s recipe jumped out at me as I was looking through a collection. I don’t think I clipped it very long ago; there is no date on it. I made it for lunch, and we liked it. It’s one I think you will want to keep and use frequently, because it gets several veggies in one pot and is easy to make.
It doesn’t have any water because the vegetables – especially the yellow and zucchini squash – will release enough liquid for cooking. As you see, the amounts don’t have to be exact.
The cheese is optional. It tastes good and is a bit more nourishing, but the vegetables are good without it. Don’t overcook this or it will get mushy. You can cook the bacon before Sunday school then add the vegetables when you get home letting it cook to enjoy for … Sunday Dinner.
One-Pot Potatoes
5 or 6 medium red or white potatoes
2 carrots, sliced crossways
2 medium onions, sliced
½ green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini squash
4 slices bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated white cheese (optional)
Cut bacon into ½-inch sections and cook about 10 minutes in a large heavy pot such as a Dutch oven.
Wash potatoes and slice with skin on. Slice all vegetables and put into pot with the bacon. Add salt and pepper.
Cover and cook about 30 minutes or so until the vegetables are tender. Stir a couple of times. Don’t overcook or stir too often or vegetables will be mushy.
A few minutes before serving, sprinkle the cheese over the vegetables and let it melt. Serves 6-8.