Fare Exchange: Two filling salads get a touch of ginger

Good morning, dear readers. Today’s requests come to you from one particular street and friends who want help with the following challenges.

They speak in unison: How do you turn plain yogurt into flavored yogurt? In particular, coffee yogurt is hard to find, and we would like to take plain yogurt and make it coffee-flavored or chocolate-flavored. We would also like recipes for making coconut milk yogurt and for flavoring it as well.

Next question: Can you reheat bacon without losing quality? If so, please give directions.

And finally, a neighbor wanted a recipe for simply fruit spread – not the store-bought kind with lots of sugar but one that is mostly, simply, fruit.

MEGA MEAL IDEAS

Lucy Boyd answered the request for easy dinners for a multigenerational family. She recommended “a baked potato bar, chicken potpie soup and turkey sliders on Hawaiian buns (hot or cold).” Ms. Boyd or any one of you, please give us a recipe for chicken potpie soup.

VEGETARIAN CHILI

Linda Leake of LaFayette offered two versions of vegetarian chili in answer to a request. A four- or six-quart crockpot will work.

Crockpot Vegetarian Chili No. 1

2 quarts whole or diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green peppers or a combination of red, orange and yellow peppers

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans

Combine all ingredients except garbanzo beans in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add garbanzo beans 1 hour before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Crockpot Vegetarian Chili No. 2

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 onions, chopped

1 cup textured vegetable protein

1 pound can of beans of your choice, drained

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can diced Italian tomatoes

1 bay leaf (remove after cooking)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Makes 6 servings.

LAMB SHANKS

We’ll switch meats now, to lamb, and this final recipe from Ms. Leake.

Baked Lamb Shanks

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 small carrots, cut in thin strips

1 rib celery, chopped

3 (1-pound each) lamb shanks, cracked (see note) and trimmed of fat

1 to 2 cloves garlic, split

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1/2 cup dry white wine.

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

Place onions, carrots and celery in slow cooker. Rub lamb with garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Add to slow cooker.

Note: To crack the shanks means to partially cut them crosswise through the bone, making them appear hinged.

Mix remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl, and add meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours.

GINGERY SALADS

And now, since these May days are salad days, we will turn over the column to Judy Zehnder. The envelope from her house has the certain aroma of fresh ginger, as per a recent request.

The first salad is one she found in Fare Exchange and amended to her family because “the men in the family didn’t find it filling enough.” And so she turned a seven-layer chicken salad into a nine-layer one. The second recipe is also from Fare Exchange.

Nine-Layer Chinese Chicken Salad

5 cups washed and shredded crisp greens (romaine, cabbage, etc.)

1 (3-ounce) package ramen noodle soup mix

4 cups diced cooked chicken (original recipe had 2 cups)

1 (11-ounce) package white shoe-peg corn, drained

1 (15 1/2- to 16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 large tomato, diced

A layer of golden raisins

1/2 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts or sliced almonds

Dressing (may be doubled):

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger root

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar or cider vinegar

Combine in a jar and shake well.

To assemble:

Discard seasoning packet from ramen, and coarsely chop the raw noodles. Then combine or layer the salad ingredients in a bowl or 9- by 13-inch glass casserole.

Pour the shaken dressing over the salad just before serving. If it needs more flavor or moisture, splash with extra seasoned rice vinegar.

Spicy Couscous, Chicken and Dried Fruit Salad for Two

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 thick slice (about 1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled

1 can (14 to 15 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

8 ounces (1 cup) couscous

3/4 cup chopped mixed dried fruit such as raisins, apricot and dates

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1/3 cup slivered almonds

Bottled honey or lemon vinaigrette salad dressing to taste

Rinse the chicken. Place enough water to cover the chicken in a medium-size pan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken and the ginger, and simmer uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, discard the pieces of ginger and empty the water.

Combine the chicken broth, water, ground ginger, turmeric and cinnamon in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Stir in the couscous; cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then fluff.

Cube the chicken, and combine with the dried fruit, onion, carrots, almonds and couscous. Toss with dressing, and refrigerate overnight.

The ingredients in today’s recipes are many and varied, spicy and hearty and crunchy. Thank you for the rich variety and for the promise that there will be more to come, say, next Wednesday.