William and I spent Thanksgiving with my Grandma, uncles, aunts and cousins in Delray Beach. My uncles fried salty, crisp, delicious birds—three turkeys for 20 people.

In the name of frugality and creativity, I love remaking Thanksgiving leftovers. And on Sunday, I took the last of our turkey and made these turkey crêpes with mushrooms, spinach, scallions and sour cream—basically a cheapened version of this New York Times recipe, which would work just as well with leftover chicken or extra mushrooms for a vegetarian version.

After a few (miserably) failed crêpes, I mastered the batter and pan to turn out somewhat symmetrical disks for a decidedly vintage meal—one that William and I would gladly revisit next Thanksgiving.

My inspiration for this meal, again, came from our farm stand stop on the way home from Georgia. I picked up a basket of yellow crookneck squash (the kind most people in the South have to give away) and planned a quick vegetarian supper. I based my recipe on this orzo from epicurious.com but substituted ricotta (which I had on hand) for the cream.

This recipe is a good foundation for (almost) any surplus of seasonal vegetables—leeks, spinach, winter squash, broccoli, tomato, and peas would all work well. And it took so little brain power and time to execute, I’m sure I’ll return to some variation soon. 

Creamy Orzo with Yellow Squash and Mushrooms
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 1/2 pounds yellow crookneck squash, split lengthwise and chopped
1/2 pound small cremini mushrooms, quartered 
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups orzo pasta
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped chopped fresh parsley 
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and pepper  

Instructions
Heat butter and olive oil on medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add onion and sweat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add squash, cooking for 5 minutes. Next, stir in mushroom quarters and garlic, and cook about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Pour in orzo, and cook according to package instructions. Drain orzo, reserving 1/3 cup pasta cooking water.

Combine orzo with vegetables, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, and pine nuts. If the mixture is dry, pour in pasta water and combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.

Serves 4 (main course) and 6 to 8 (for a side dish)

There’s a lot to be said for the cheesy bastardization of Mexican food. Sure, there are days when I want authentic posole or mole or tacos but certainly others when I crave overstuffed burritos, five layer dip and Frito pie. 

This vegetarian Tex-Mex lasagna is my best attempt at commingling the trashier* aspects of Tex-Mex cuisine with thoughtful preparation and wholesome ingredients. Instead of Rotel, beef with taco seasoning and pre-shredded “Mexican” cheese, the recipe calls for fresh salsa, roasted poblanos and mushrooms and fresh herbs. 

All the fresh vegetable chopping and roasting took extra hands-on prep, but the results were worth it (except visually … this lasagna is not photogenic). I had the comfort factor of the Tex-Mex lasagna from my childhood with the flavors and nutrition I value as an adult.

Vegetarian Tex-Mex Lasagna
2 poblano peppers
3 large portobello mushroom caps, cut in half and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 large tomato, seeded and quartered
2 small cloves garlic
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt 
6 corn tortillas, cut in half
1 cup cooked black beans
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Instructions
Preheat oven to a 500º broil with the top oven rack 5 inches from the heat source. Place poblanos on a baking sheet in a single layer. Slide baking sheet into oven, and turn poblanos every few minutes, until their skin has bubbled and begins to brown on all sides. Place poblanos in a bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen towel, until cool. Pull skin off peppers, using gloves to protect your skin. Split poblanos; remove seeds, and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. 

Reduce heat to 375º. Toss mushrooms, oregano, olive oil, and wine, and add to a rimmed baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove mushrooms from oven, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Meanwhile, combine tomato, garlic, water, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender, and puree until smooth. Season with salt. 

To assemble lasagna, spread a few tablespoons of salsa on the bottom of a 9×9″ baking dish. Place 4 tortilla halves atop the salsa. Layer 1/3 each of the remaining salsa, poblanos, mushrooms, black beans, and cheese. Repeat, building 2 additional layers. 

Bake lasagna for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is golden and casserole heated through. 

Serves 4

* Trashy is not a derogatory term on Occasional Omnivore. It most often means low-brow delicious.

I wanted to make a casual, playful dinner to celebrate William’s return from New York (what a long nine weeks). To fit the bill, I prepared a deconstructed pizza of herbed breadsticks with marinara dipping sauce, marinated mozzarella, Genoa salami, olives and sauteed mushrooms. 

Admittedly, I sourced epicurious.com for my breadstick and marinated mozzarella recipes. I chose these largely because I had all of the ingredients in my pantry. The breadsticks call for standard pizza dough laced with herbs, Parmesan and garlic, and although they’re far superior to the “endless bread basket” versions you find at chain eateries, these didn’t blow my mind. The sticks were tough—they should have been more crisp or soft. And extra salt, oil and Parmesan would have been a flavorful blessing. 

The mozzarella, on the other hand, had the perfect combination of brine and heat and slick olive oil. The appetizer was SO easy to prepare and so delicious that it’s likely to become a standard. 

With the rising and rolling of the dough, simmering of the marinara, etc., this “simple” dinner actually took a few hours to prepare. But assembled in advance this meal would make perfect party fare. An unexpected twist to comfortable flavors. 

Last night I tried one of Mark Bittman’s 101 salads with shallot, mushrooms, spinach and blue cheese. It was a perfect small (but rich) dinner after a large company potluck lunch.

In his Minimalist column, Bittman described the dish as a “steakhouse side-dish salad,” and although I made a meal out of it, I could almost taste an imaginary hunk of beef that would have nestled poetically at the salad’s side. 

My only complaint: The wilted spinach and blue cheese produced a toxic-looking, gray-green liquid that oozed onto my plate. But don’t let that turn you away! With the help of a whole-wheat dinner roll, I sopped up the delicious plate pollutant. Every last drop.  

Wilted Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced 
8 ounces mushrooms (any variety), sliced
8 ounces baby spinach, stems removed
1.5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Instructions
In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallot, cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and cook until most of their liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine spinach with mushrooms and shallots, and cook until wilted, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. Stir in blue cheese, and serve.

Serves 2 (small) main courses and 4 as a side

I’ve adapted this quick week-night staple from a similar epicurious.com gnocchi recipe. It’s a highly adaptable combination—spinach, asparagus or fresh tomato also would make pleasing editions. Although I’m a fan of dairy fat, I use half and half here instead of heavy cream, but the latter would yield an even more sumptuous result. Let your calorie conscience be your guide. 

Lemony Gnocchi with Peas and Mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 to 4 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup frozen green peas
12 ounces pre-packaged gnocchi
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions
Bring water to boil in a large stock pot.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add onion and sweat 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Pour in cream, and add salt to taste, red pepper flakes, and frozen peas. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

Salt the boiling water, and cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Add lemon zest and juice to mushroom-pea mixture. Drain gnocchi and add to sauce. Mix in parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 2 (hungry) to 3 (normal) people