Blogging against hunger

Ponder this--and I mean, really ponder, don't just gloss over my words:  

As we sit at our computers, warm, safe, cozy and no doubt well-fed, happily reading updates, posts and blogs showcasing pictures of one foodie delight after another---that all the while the angry, unrelenting beast of hunger gnaws at the bellies of so many in this our "great" nation. Great in a plethora of ways, and yet, just how is it that we accept and excuse that hunger persists? 

Why do kids show up at school not having had a decent breakfast while unimaginable corporate profits are made selling sugar-bomb cereals and cask-sized containers of soda and bragging about how many billions have been served? Did you know that the average food stamp benefit is a meager $3 day? Have you tried to live off of $3 a day?

Thus, today's post is dedicated to the cause  Share our Strength, and the site The Giving Table. I also encourage you to see the movie A Place at the Table.
 
Over 200 food bloggers have signed on to make this day, April 8, 2013 one where we make a statement, take a stand, raising our collective culinary voices to alert elected officials that no one should go to bed, or school, or work hungry...EVER. We, as food writers, have been tasked with sharing a recipe that is inexpensive, uses simple easy-to-find ingredients,  is nutritious and tasty.

So, before taking another swig of that $4 coffee you were able to treat yourself to at the drive through, or working your way down a lengthy grocery list in a well-stocked store without having to give all too much thought as to how much it will cost---go to this link to show your support, contact your elected official, use your voice in any way you can on social media to help put an end to hunger.

And then go home and cook for your loved ones and count your blessings, for many the question isn't what am I going to eat next, but when....

Orzo with chickpeas, parsley, lemon and feta

Serves 4

1 lb orzo (or any style of pasta--I buy what's on sale)
1 tablespoon oil
1 can chickpeas
4 tablespoons of feta cheese
1 head of parsley
1/2 lemon
1 clove of garlic
salt & black pepper
 

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add salt and pasta.
While it cooks,  drain the chickpeas into a mixing bowl.
Add chopped parsley, grated garlic and lemon peel, crumble in the feta, squeeze lemon juice and add a drizzle of oil. Check if it needs salt (warning: feta is salty and beans can be too), add pepper and toss to mix.

Drain the pasta, add the chick pea mixture and serve.
Takes less than 20 minutes and $5 to make.

Riff on Pasta Puttanesca

Winter felt endlessly long, cold, dark, and ever so snowy. That, coupled with switching from a 3/4 to full time work schedule left me feeling so frustrated as I battled the waning winter light whilst trying to photograph my culinary adventures. Too many times I lost that skirmish, and rather than post gloomy pictures of food that looked for all the world as if they'd been taken at the morgue I held off.

But today the weather was downright glorious.  Spring flowers are poking up everywhere, robins have started their territorial aerobatics, a butterfly daintily flitted across my path as I carried groceries from car to house.

I wanted tonight's supper to be quick, simple and of course tasty---and---it had to be satisfying to both vegetarians and carnivores alike. My family has always liked Puttanesca, but anchovies aren't allowed, so I made this vegetarian riff on the original and then served up crispy andouille sausage for those who wanted it.

 

 Serves 4

• 1 lb pasta of your choice
• 1/2 to 1 head of parsley
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 2 hand fulls of cherry tomatoes
• a dozen green olives
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• pepper
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• sausage

Start a big pot of water for the pasta, adding a generous pinch of salt to the water.

I choose these little sweet little bundles of spinach and plain linguine. Once the water comes to a rolling boil add the pasta and stir. 

While the pasta cooks, coarsely chop garlic, parsley, olives and tomatoes.

Grate the lemon, set aside. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan until it starts to shimmer,  add all the vegtables and let them fry together for 4-5 minutes until softened and the garlic starts to pick up a little color. Add the zest, stir and and pull off the heat.
In a separate pan (if you have the dual household that I do)  fry sausage until the edges sear and start to crisp up.

Check the pasta, and drain when al dente. Add it back to the pot, drizzle with oil to keep it from clumping and shake the pot to distribute the oil evenly. Start a plate with pasta, then the vegetable mix followed by sausage, top with diced mozzarella, shaved parmesan,  and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and crushed black pepper to taste.

And here is the meatless version....

 Happy Spring!