Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks via jo cooks
4 cups cauliflower riced, about 1 large head of cauliflower
4 eggs
2 cups mozzarella cheese I used a Tex Mex blend
3 tsp oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mozzarella cheese or more, for topping
Preheat oven to 425 F . Prepare large baking sheet w parchment. Cauli chopped in florets. Add florets to food processor. pulse til resembles rice. Place cauliflower in micro container. cover w lid. Nuke 10 min. Let cauliflower cool til no more steam. Place cauliflower in large bowl and add eggs, 2 c mozzarella, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix everything together. Separate mix in 2 and place each 1/2 on prepared sheets. Bake crust (no topping yet) 25 min til golden. crust is not soggy. Once golden, sprinkle w remaining mozzarella and bake 5 min til cheese melted. Slice and serve.
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
America's Test Kitchen Vegetarian Chili
I am so severely backed up from things I made over the summer that I've decided I'm just going to post recipes instead of writing up a fancy post. Most of the recipes I made don't even have pictures. I'm mainly putting them up on the blog for future reference.
Without further ado:
America's Test Kitchen Chili via Cookbook Project
salt
1 lb. (2 1/2 cups) dried beans, picked over and rinsed
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried New Mexican chiles
1/2 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped coarse
4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. walnuts, toasted
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 - 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 lb. onions, chopped fine
1 tbsp. ground cumin
7 c. water
2/3 c. medium-grind bulgur
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1. Bring 4 quarts water, 3 tablespoons salt, and beans to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and rinse well. Wipe out pot.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 F. Arrange anchos and New Mexican chiles on rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and puffed, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool, about 5 minutes. Stem and seed anchos and New Mexican chiles. Working in batches, grind toasted chiles, mushrooms, and oregano in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle until finely ground.
3. Process walnuts in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl. Process drained tomatoes, tomato paste, jalapeño(s), garlic, and soy sauce in food processor until tomatoes are finely chopped, about 45 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
4. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add ground chile mixture and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rinsed beans and water and bring to boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook for 45 minutes.
5. Remove pot from oven. Stir in bulgur, ground walnuts, tomato mixture, and reserved tomato juice. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until beans are fully tender, about 2 hours.
6. Remove pot from oven, stir chili well, and let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve. (Chili can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
Notes: Mrblocko thought this was pretty darn good for having no meat, but he still thought it'd be better with a pound of ground beef in it.
Without further ado:
America's Test Kitchen Chili via Cookbook Project
salt
1 lb. (2 1/2 cups) dried beans, picked over and rinsed
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried New Mexican chiles
1/2 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped coarse
4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. walnuts, toasted
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 - 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 lb. onions, chopped fine
1 tbsp. ground cumin
7 c. water
2/3 c. medium-grind bulgur
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1. Bring 4 quarts water, 3 tablespoons salt, and beans to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and rinse well. Wipe out pot.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 F. Arrange anchos and New Mexican chiles on rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and puffed, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool, about 5 minutes. Stem and seed anchos and New Mexican chiles. Working in batches, grind toasted chiles, mushrooms, and oregano in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle until finely ground.
3. Process walnuts in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl. Process drained tomatoes, tomato paste, jalapeño(s), garlic, and soy sauce in food processor until tomatoes are finely chopped, about 45 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
4. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add ground chile mixture and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rinsed beans and water and bring to boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook for 45 minutes.
5. Remove pot from oven. Stir in bulgur, ground walnuts, tomato mixture, and reserved tomato juice. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until beans are fully tender, about 2 hours.
6. Remove pot from oven, stir chili well, and let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve. (Chili can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
Notes: Mrblocko thought this was pretty darn good for having no meat, but he still thought it'd be better with a pound of ground beef in it.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Dairy Free Caramel Corn
I've made this recipe 3 times and I cannot believe I managed to forget to take a picture each and every time! It's probably because this dairy free caramel corn from Rue Rococo is so good you can't stop eating it long enough to actually use the camera.
I made the first batch to take as a dish to pass at a party. One of my friends can't have dairy so I always try to bring something he can eat when I know he is going to be in attendance. The snack was a huge hit, not only with him, but with the vegans too!
The swanky thing about this recipe is that you can use other spreads instead of peanut butter. Once I used Jiff Mocha Cappuccino Hazelnut spread. That was a huge hit with coffee fanatics. I bet Biscoff would be amazing as well, and peanut allergy friendly to boot.
One important note: This is the sticky variety of caramel corn. If you wanted the crunchy type, I'm sure you could bake it in the oven to crisp it up. I was too lazy and impatient to try it though.
Peanut Butter Caramel Corn from Rue Rococo
12 c popped popcorn
2/3 c corn syrup
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c peanut butter
Pour popcorn into a large bowl and set aside. (Make sure you look through it and discard any old maids/unpopped kernels to prevent damage to your teeth.) In med pan, mix corn syrup and sugar. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour peanut butter sauce over popcorn and toss to coat. The mixture will set up quite rapidly and be difficult to stir so be sure to use as large of a bowl as possible.
I made the first batch to take as a dish to pass at a party. One of my friends can't have dairy so I always try to bring something he can eat when I know he is going to be in attendance. The snack was a huge hit, not only with him, but with the vegans too!
The swanky thing about this recipe is that you can use other spreads instead of peanut butter. Once I used Jiff Mocha Cappuccino Hazelnut spread. That was a huge hit with coffee fanatics. I bet Biscoff would be amazing as well, and peanut allergy friendly to boot.
One important note: This is the sticky variety of caramel corn. If you wanted the crunchy type, I'm sure you could bake it in the oven to crisp it up. I was too lazy and impatient to try it though.
Peanut Butter Caramel Corn from Rue Rococo
12 c popped popcorn
2/3 c corn syrup
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c peanut butter
Pour popcorn into a large bowl and set aside. (Make sure you look through it and discard any old maids/unpopped kernels to prevent damage to your teeth.) In med pan, mix corn syrup and sugar. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour peanut butter sauce over popcorn and toss to coat. The mixture will set up quite rapidly and be difficult to stir so be sure to use as large of a bowl as possible.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Peach Spice Roasted Chickpeas
Chick-chick-chickpeas!
These Peach Spice Roasted Chickpeas are my absolute new favorite Roasted Chickpea recipe!
What makes them so amazing? I'd have to say the chunky sticky blobs from the peach jelly. It's like a crunchy sticky peach cobbler!
I got the idea for this version of Roast chickpeas from the blog Home Cooking Memories where they featured a recipe for Orange Spice Roasted Chickpeas. They used orange marmalade to flavor the chickpeas. I didn't have any marmalade though. I also had no desire to purchase marmalade, because I'm not it's biggest fan. I did have a small amount of peach jelly sitting in my fridge. I thought why not try that.
Turns out, I had exactly the right amount of peach jelly left in the jar. It was meant to be!
I'm going to keep an eye out for peach mango jelly. That would taste amazing too!
Peach Spice Roasted Chickpeas adapted from Home Cooking Memories
2 cans chickpeas or garbanzo beans (or 3 c/500g soaked and cooked dried chickpeas)
1/3 c peach preserves/jam/jelly
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
Cooking Spray
Drain and rinse chickpeas. Spread on a kitchen/paper towel to dry. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray sheet with PAM. Place chickpeas on sheet in a single layer. If chickpeas have any skins are loose, discard . Spray chickpeas. Roast 15 min. Stir & move them around on the sheet. Bake 15 min or til brown and crunchy. Remove from oven.
In bowl, combine jam and spices. Spoon warm, roasted chickpeas into jelly mixture. Gently coat chickpeas . When coated, spread onto baking sheet in a single layer. Return to oven for another 10 minutes. (My chickpeas needed an additional 10 minutes before they were done. Give them a taste test to be sure.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Break up clusters and loosen from sheet with spatula. Allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sweet Potato and Bean Burritos
This is another surprising vegetarian meal we had for Lent: sweet potato and bean burritos from cHow Divine. It was surprising because even my husband, carnivore extraordinaire, enjoyed it. He even said he, "barely missed the meat." If you know my husband, that is HIGH praise. Usually if I attempt to make something sans animal protein, he makes sad pathetic pained faces. Not this time! He even chose to eat this as leftovers instead of leftover fritatta. And the fritatta had meat in it.
Woah.
Please don't judge this dish by my photos. Mashed sweet potatoes and mashed beans ain't perty. That's why you wrap them up in a tortilla and hide it.
We ate our burritos topped with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, olives and salsa. I meant to cut up lettuce, but I'm only just now realizing that I forgot to do that!
This was the first time I tried the whole wheat tortillas. I was surprised how great they tasted. I will buy them from now on for meals like this. If I'm making giant burritos, or enchiladas, I'll still get the white flour tortillas. One, because they don't make jumbo whole wheat tortillas, or if they do, they aren't at my grocery store. Two, if I'm making enchiladas the dish is covered in sauce so you couldn't discern the subtle flavor notes of the whole wheat.
Another great thing about this recipe is that it made two huge burritos for each of us for 2 meals. Plus leftovers for at least two more burritos. That's about 14 large burritos. Not too shabby.
This recipe was definitely a winner in this house!
Sweet Potato and “Un-Fried” Bean Tacos Recipe from cHow Divine
1 1/2 c cooked pinto beans (or 1 can)
1 c cooked black beans (or 2/3 can)
2 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (Mine was roasted with the icky skins peeled off)
2 T soy sauce
2 T dijon mustard
4-6 TB + 1 TB at a time
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne (feel free to adjust heat to your liking. This was just mild enough for our daughter)
2 large sweet potatoes, baked until very soft (1 hour at 425F. Sugars should be bubbling out stab holes and caramelizing.)
tortillas of your choosing (we used burrito sized whole wheat)
canola oil for the pan
Mash beans til smooth. In a separate bowl, peel and mash cooked sweet potatoes. Cover mashed sweet potatoes and keep warm. Heat pan on med heat. Add just enough oil to coat bottom of pan. Add garlic, onions and peppers to pan. Saute about 5 min. Add beans to pan. Stir until heated through. Add soy sauce, mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Add water as needed to get desired consistency. Should be smooth and creamy. Mix well. Push beans to side and add mashed sweet potatoes to pan. Lower the heat to lowest setting to keep warm. Heat tortillas as needed. Fill them up with beans, sweet potatoes and any other fixins your heart desires.
Woah.
Please don't judge this dish by my photos. Mashed sweet potatoes and mashed beans ain't perty. That's why you wrap them up in a tortilla and hide it.
See?
Much more appetizing!
We ate our burritos topped with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, olives and salsa. I meant to cut up lettuce, but I'm only just now realizing that I forgot to do that!
This was the first time I tried the whole wheat tortillas. I was surprised how great they tasted. I will buy them from now on for meals like this. If I'm making giant burritos, or enchiladas, I'll still get the white flour tortillas. One, because they don't make jumbo whole wheat tortillas, or if they do, they aren't at my grocery store. Two, if I'm making enchiladas the dish is covered in sauce so you couldn't discern the subtle flavor notes of the whole wheat.
Another great thing about this recipe is that it made two huge burritos for each of us for 2 meals. Plus leftovers for at least two more burritos. That's about 14 large burritos. Not too shabby.
This recipe was definitely a winner in this house!
Sweet Potato and “Un-Fried” Bean Tacos Recipe from cHow Divine
1 1/2 c cooked pinto beans (or 1 can)
1 c cooked black beans (or 2/3 can)
2 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (Mine was roasted with the icky skins peeled off)
2 T soy sauce
2 T dijon mustard
4-6 TB + 1 TB at a time
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne (feel free to adjust heat to your liking. This was just mild enough for our daughter)
2 large sweet potatoes, baked until very soft (1 hour at 425F. Sugars should be bubbling out stab holes and caramelizing.)
tortillas of your choosing (we used burrito sized whole wheat)
canola oil for the pan
Mash beans til smooth. In a separate bowl, peel and mash cooked sweet potatoes. Cover mashed sweet potatoes and keep warm. Heat pan on med heat. Add just enough oil to coat bottom of pan. Add garlic, onions and peppers to pan. Saute about 5 min. Add beans to pan. Stir until heated through. Add soy sauce, mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Add water as needed to get desired consistency. Should be smooth and creamy. Mix well. Push beans to side and add mashed sweet potatoes to pan. Lower the heat to lowest setting to keep warm. Heat tortillas as needed. Fill them up with beans, sweet potatoes and any other fixins your heart desires.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Vegan Pumpkin Crumble Ice Cream
Ice cream in the winter? Yes. I'm one of those weird people. Growing up ice cream was such a treat that I would eat it when offered, no matter the weather.
This ice cream is healthy to boot! Well, healthier than a poke in the eye. And it's Vegan too.
I guess this ice cream could be super healthy, but I had to go and ruin that!
The original recipe called for pumpkin, bananas, vanilla and spices. I added 1/4 maple syrup because the banana taste was too strong for me. I think I also over seasoned the ice cream. I added 1 t of cinnamon and 1 t of pumpkin pie spice. Next time I'll reduce the spices to 1/2 t each.
As if adding maple syrup wasn't enough, I had to go and add a crumble crust topping! Do you remember this Dutch Apple Pie with a crumble crust? Well I used that crust recipe for the topping. Yes it was amazing!
OK. Maybe Mrblocko didn't think it was amazing. I think he is all pumpkined out so what does he know. Blockette and I sure enjoyed it!
Vegan Pumpkin Crumble Ice Cream adapted from Vegan Ventures and My Culinary Companion
3 1/2 bananas, frozen and cut into coins
heaping 1/3c pumpkin puree
1/2 t each pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1/4 c maple or pancake syrup
topping
1c flour
1/2 c br sugar
1/4 c oats
6T margarine
Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill for 2 hours. While the ice cream is hardening, preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the topping ingredients and press on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Let cool and break into bite size chunks. The edges will be crispier than the middle. We liked having the mixture of crunch and soft pieces in our ice cream. Serve the ice cream in bowls and sprinkle with crumble pieces! Don't eat it too fast or you'll get a brain freeze!
1
This ice cream is healthy to boot! Well, healthier than a poke in the eye. And it's Vegan too.
The original recipe called for pumpkin, bananas, vanilla and spices. I added 1/4 maple syrup because the banana taste was too strong for me. I think I also over seasoned the ice cream. I added 1 t of cinnamon and 1 t of pumpkin pie spice. Next time I'll reduce the spices to 1/2 t each.
As if adding maple syrup wasn't enough, I had to go and add a crumble crust topping! Do you remember this Dutch Apple Pie with a crumble crust? Well I used that crust recipe for the topping. Yes it was amazing!
OK. Maybe Mrblocko didn't think it was amazing. I think he is all pumpkined out so what does he know. Blockette and I sure enjoyed it!
Vegan Pumpkin Crumble Ice Cream adapted from Vegan Ventures and My Culinary Companion
3 1/2 bananas, frozen and cut into coins
heaping 1/3c pumpkin puree
1/2 t each pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1/4 c maple or pancake syrup
topping
1c flour
1/2 c br sugar
1/4 c oats
6T margarine
Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill for 2 hours. While the ice cream is hardening, preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the topping ingredients and press on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Let cool and break into bite size chunks. The edges will be crispier than the middle. We liked having the mixture of crunch and soft pieces in our ice cream. Serve the ice cream in bowls and sprinkle with crumble pieces! Don't eat it too fast or you'll get a brain freeze!
1
Friday, July 27, 2012
Penzeys Vegan Chocolate Cake
I made this Vegan Cake for a gathering early in July. One of the people I knew would be there was a vegan so I made this dessert with him in mind. This cake was one of the few times I used my oven for more than 20 min this summer.
Little did I know how awesome this cake was going to taste. I don't know why I was so surprised. I found the recipe in the Penzeys Spice Catalog. Their recipes have yet to disappoint.
I think the key to this recipe is using good quality cocoa powder. Yes, I am a cocoa powder snob. I really like the Penzeys' brand of cocoa. I can guarantee this cake won't taste nearly as good if you use Hershey's Cocoa powder. I think it has something to do with the amount of cocoa butter in the cocoa powder. I've also found, after using high quality cocoa powder, that even after sifting, the Hershey's brand results in a gritty, grainy baked product.
The cake is very moist and velvety. The texture of the cake in your mouth is very smooth. I was surprised that I liked it so much as I'm more of a fudgey brownie kind of girl. But this cake is nothing like a cake-y brownie. It's much too moist for that. I mean I really like brownies, but sometimes they are so dry and crumbly. The "crumbs" of this cake easily stick to your fork. The cake is also very rich. A "wedding cake" size slice was very satisfying. I suppose you could eat a larger slice, but you'd need a big ole glass of milk to wash it down.
Another surprise was that the cake was not oily. Sometimes I find that cakes with a lot of oil are greasy. I have had cakes that used the same amount of oil as this recipe and they were so oily that I thought I could wring the cake out and fry up some potatoes. Luckily, that was not the case with this cake.
I'm also a bit of a frosting glutton. I like a nice thick layer of frosting. This recipe does not yield a thick frosting. However, it really doesn't need it! Yet another surprise! While the frosting is thinner than I would put on a standard cake, it is smooth and rich as well. It turned out to be the perfect amount for the sheet cake.
As it has been so hot, the frosting never fully set up. I think this could be remedied by using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.
I just tried to keep the cake chilled to prevent the icing from sliding off. It was only at the end of the party where the frosting got a bit more viscous than it should have been. Mrblocko and I thought the cake tasted better right from the fridge anyway. The cake was moist enough to not get dried out from doing this either. Of course...the leftovers only lasted a day so I don't know how long the cake would remain moist.
Vegan Chocolate Cake from Penzeys Spices
3 C flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
6 T Cocoa powder
2/3 C vegetable oil
2 T vinegar
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C water
Icing:
4 T oil
4 T water
6 T sifted COCOA POWDER
2 C sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and COCOA. In a second bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, VANILLA and water. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Pour into the pan and bake at 350° until the cake is firm in the center and begins to pull away from pan, about 35-40 minutes.
Icing: Using a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over a pot of boiling water, heat the water and oil to boiling (it will not come to a rolling boil, but bubbles will appear). You may also use a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan, in which the mixture will come to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Blend in the COCOA and sugar. Beat until smooth. Pour over the cake, spreading the icing to the edges, and let it cool. The frosting may stick to the knife when cutting the cake, so dip the knife in warm water and wipe clean after each cut.
 |
| Look at those poor lonely leftovers. They should get in my belly. |
I think the key to this recipe is using good quality cocoa powder. Yes, I am a cocoa powder snob. I really like the Penzeys' brand of cocoa. I can guarantee this cake won't taste nearly as good if you use Hershey's Cocoa powder. I think it has something to do with the amount of cocoa butter in the cocoa powder. I've also found, after using high quality cocoa powder, that even after sifting, the Hershey's brand results in a gritty, grainy baked product.
The cake is very moist and velvety. The texture of the cake in your mouth is very smooth. I was surprised that I liked it so much as I'm more of a fudgey brownie kind of girl. But this cake is nothing like a cake-y brownie. It's much too moist for that. I mean I really like brownies, but sometimes they are so dry and crumbly. The "crumbs" of this cake easily stick to your fork. The cake is also very rich. A "wedding cake" size slice was very satisfying. I suppose you could eat a larger slice, but you'd need a big ole glass of milk to wash it down.
Another surprise was that the cake was not oily. Sometimes I find that cakes with a lot of oil are greasy. I have had cakes that used the same amount of oil as this recipe and they were so oily that I thought I could wring the cake out and fry up some potatoes. Luckily, that was not the case with this cake.
I'm also a bit of a frosting glutton. I like a nice thick layer of frosting. This recipe does not yield a thick frosting. However, it really doesn't need it! Yet another surprise! While the frosting is thinner than I would put on a standard cake, it is smooth and rich as well. It turned out to be the perfect amount for the sheet cake.
As it has been so hot, the frosting never fully set up. I think this could be remedied by using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.
I just tried to keep the cake chilled to prevent the icing from sliding off. It was only at the end of the party where the frosting got a bit more viscous than it should have been. Mrblocko and I thought the cake tasted better right from the fridge anyway. The cake was moist enough to not get dried out from doing this either. Of course...the leftovers only lasted a day so I don't know how long the cake would remain moist.
Vegan Chocolate Cake from Penzeys Spices
3 C flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
6 T Cocoa powder
2/3 C vegetable oil
2 T vinegar
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C water
Icing:
4 T oil
4 T water
6 T sifted COCOA POWDER
2 C sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and COCOA. In a second bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, VANILLA and water. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Pour into the pan and bake at 350° until the cake is firm in the center and begins to pull away from pan, about 35-40 minutes.
Icing: Using a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over a pot of boiling water, heat the water and oil to boiling (it will not come to a rolling boil, but bubbles will appear). You may also use a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan, in which the mixture will come to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Blend in the COCOA and sugar. Beat until smooth. Pour over the cake, spreading the icing to the edges, and let it cool. The frosting may stick to the knife when cutting the cake, so dip the knife in warm water and wipe clean after each cut.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Morning Glory Muffins
We liked these morning glory muffins, from Eat Your Vegetables, so much that I've made them twice already!
As you can see in the above photo, I made some in a regular muffin tin, and some in a jumbo muffin tin. I think I prefer the jumbo ones!
These babies are loaded with all kinds of goodies: almonds, pecans, apples, carrots, raisins, craisins, and coconut, just to name a few! I like to pretend they are healthy. Veggies and Fruit = healthy right? At least they are healthier than a bowl of Fruit Loops or a cinnamon roll.
Because they have so many add ins, they are a very dense muffin. They rose hardly at all. They weren't so heavy that you felt like eating a brick though. Just keep in mind that they are not a light fluffy breakfast pastry. These babies are substantial and will fill you up.
Now this could be because I added more things than the recipe suggested. First I used 1/2 c of coconut pulp instead of coconut flakes. I had made some coconut milk for Mrblocko when he couldn't have dairy. Our blender isn't too spiffy, so I had to strain out the chunks. I didn't want to pitch them, so I tossed them into the batter. I thought I'd miss the coconut texture, so I added a handful of shredded coconut as well.
Next, I added 1/2 c pecans. Sure the recipe already had almonds, but I thought it needed pecans too. You couldn't really taste the almonds, but the flavor of the pecans jumps right out at you.
I didn't have enough dried cranberries so I used 1/4 c cranberries and 1/4 c raisins. They were a nice mix of flavors. I'm sure you could use all raisins if you wanted as well. I bet golden raisins would be particularly tasty.
Finally, I added 1/2 c white chocolate chips. Because, well...just because. I had some and thought they would be tasty. As this recipe made 12 jumbo muffins (or 24 regular size muffins) there were only a few chips per muffin. This was just enough to give the muffins that little extra flavor boost. Not that they needed it. But seriously, why not go over the top if you can?!
Morning Glory Muffins adapted from Eat Your Vegetables
1/2 c (3 ounces) dried cranberries, rehydrated in hot water and drained (or any combo of dried fruit to equal 1/2 c)
1/2 c white chips
2 c (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 c (7 ounces) sugar
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t salt
2 c (7 ounces) peeled and grated carrots (Use a food processor if you have one)
1 large tart apple (6-7 ounces), grated
1/2 c coconut pulp and a handful of shredded coconut(or a heaping 1/2 c shredded coconut)
1/2 c (2 ounces) sliced almonds
1/2 c pecans
1/3 c (1 1/2 ounces) wheat germ (I used wheat bran)
4 1/2 t ener-g egg replacer whisked with 6 T water (or 3 eggs)
2/3 c vegetable oil (I have used half veg oil and half olive oil with no olive oil taste. you can also replace half the oil with applesauce)
2 t vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease 12 large muffin cups (or 24 reg muffin cups).
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add carrots, apple, coconut, nuts, and wheat germ.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs or egg replacer/water, oil, and vanilla together. Add to flour mixture and stir until evenly combined. Fold cranberries and chips into batter.
Divide batter among cups and bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
These babies are loaded with all kinds of goodies: almonds, pecans, apples, carrots, raisins, craisins, and coconut, just to name a few! I like to pretend they are healthy. Veggies and Fruit = healthy right? At least they are healthier than a bowl of Fruit Loops or a cinnamon roll.
Because they have so many add ins, they are a very dense muffin. They rose hardly at all. They weren't so heavy that you felt like eating a brick though. Just keep in mind that they are not a light fluffy breakfast pastry. These babies are substantial and will fill you up.
Now this could be because I added more things than the recipe suggested. First I used 1/2 c of coconut pulp instead of coconut flakes. I had made some coconut milk for Mrblocko when he couldn't have dairy. Our blender isn't too spiffy, so I had to strain out the chunks. I didn't want to pitch them, so I tossed them into the batter. I thought I'd miss the coconut texture, so I added a handful of shredded coconut as well.
Next, I added 1/2 c pecans. Sure the recipe already had almonds, but I thought it needed pecans too. You couldn't really taste the almonds, but the flavor of the pecans jumps right out at you.
I didn't have enough dried cranberries so I used 1/4 c cranberries and 1/4 c raisins. They were a nice mix of flavors. I'm sure you could use all raisins if you wanted as well. I bet golden raisins would be particularly tasty.
Finally, I added 1/2 c white chocolate chips. Because, well...just because. I had some and thought they would be tasty. As this recipe made 12 jumbo muffins (or 24 regular size muffins) there were only a few chips per muffin. This was just enough to give the muffins that little extra flavor boost. Not that they needed it. But seriously, why not go over the top if you can?!
Morning Glory Muffins adapted from Eat Your Vegetables
1/2 c (3 ounces) dried cranberries, rehydrated in hot water and drained (or any combo of dried fruit to equal 1/2 c)
1/2 c white chips
2 c (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 c (7 ounces) sugar
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t salt
2 c (7 ounces) peeled and grated carrots (Use a food processor if you have one)
1 large tart apple (6-7 ounces), grated
1/2 c coconut pulp and a handful of shredded coconut(or a heaping 1/2 c shredded coconut)
1/2 c (2 ounces) sliced almonds
1/2 c pecans
1/3 c (1 1/2 ounces) wheat germ (I used wheat bran)
4 1/2 t ener-g egg replacer whisked with 6 T water (or 3 eggs)
2/3 c vegetable oil (I have used half veg oil and half olive oil with no olive oil taste. you can also replace half the oil with applesauce)
2 t vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease 12 large muffin cups (or 24 reg muffin cups).
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add carrots, apple, coconut, nuts, and wheat germ.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs or egg replacer/water, oil, and vanilla together. Add to flour mixture and stir until evenly combined. Fold cranberries and chips into batter.
Divide batter among cups and bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Crockpot Coconut Beans and Rice Fail
It's funny what some people consider to be a failure. Technically, this dish was a total flop...or was it?
I found the recipe for coconut beans and rice over at A Year of Slow Cooking. I made the huge mistake of not reading ALL the comments before preparing this dish. Apparently, loads of other people had trouble with their rice turning into a huge gelatinous mass.
See. the recipe says to cook the dish on low for 8-10 hours. My crockpot runs on the cool side so I thought I'd have no problem with that long of a cook time. NOPE! My rice was fully cooked after 3 hours. I thought, well the recipe says it needs 8-10 hours, it couldn't possibly be done in 3. So what did I do? I ignored it for the next 5 hours.
The result? Imagine a really stiff oatmeal. That was basically the texture of the rice.
While I did add twice the amount of beans, I also boiled them for 40 minutes instead of the suggested 10 minutes. (Red beans have a really tough skin and I wanted to make sure it got nice and soft.) I also added 1 lb of precooked sausage links, sliced into half moons. Neither of these additions I would think would make the rice so mushy. It HAD to have been the excessive cook time.
The weirdest thing about this dish?
Blockette loved it.
And by loved, I mean LOVED.
She asked for leftovers for lunch and dinner every day. EVERYDAY people!
The child that hates beans loves overcooked beans and rice.
I guess when you are a toothless wonder, mushy food is your best friend.
It's for this reason that I can't say the dish was a total fail. When your kid likes something so much, and you don't is it a fail? Probably not. The fact that Blockette enjoyed the dish so much was pretty awesome, even if I did think it was not so wonderful.
I'm not sure if I will attempt to make this again. Mrblocko hated it so much, and I wasn't too keen on it either. It is a great way to stretch a buck. I have to admit I am curious about how the dish would taste if it wasn't over cooked. If I do give this recipe another try, I'll probably just make the dish on the stove.
Crockpot beans and rice from A Year of Slow Cooking
1 cup dried small red beans (soaked overnight, then boiled for 10 minutes)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used a scant 1/2 tsp)
1 (14.5-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you prefer to not use full-fat, add a drop or two of coconut extract to intensify the flavor)
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain basmati white rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lb precooked sausage cut into half moons (optional)
2 limes, cut in wedges (optional)
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Sort beans, and soak overnight in a bunch of water. In the morning, drain the water and dump the beans into a large pot of fresh water. Boil rapidly on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before draining and putting into your crockpot.
Red beans MUST be boiled on the stove before added to the slow cooker to kill a possible toxin that occurs naturally.
Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the whole can of coconut milk (the creamy stuff, too), and chicken broth. Stir in sausage, raw rice and kosher salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, (or 3 hours if you don't want a gooey gelatinous mass of goo) or until beans are bite tender. Before eating, squeeze on a bit of lime juice for a fun tropical twist.
See. the recipe says to cook the dish on low for 8-10 hours. My crockpot runs on the cool side so I thought I'd have no problem with that long of a cook time. NOPE! My rice was fully cooked after 3 hours. I thought, well the recipe says it needs 8-10 hours, it couldn't possibly be done in 3. So what did I do? I ignored it for the next 5 hours.
The result? Imagine a really stiff oatmeal. That was basically the texture of the rice.
While I did add twice the amount of beans, I also boiled them for 40 minutes instead of the suggested 10 minutes. (Red beans have a really tough skin and I wanted to make sure it got nice and soft.) I also added 1 lb of precooked sausage links, sliced into half moons. Neither of these additions I would think would make the rice so mushy. It HAD to have been the excessive cook time.
The weirdest thing about this dish?
And by loved, I mean LOVED.
She asked for leftovers for lunch and dinner every day. EVERYDAY people!
The child that hates beans loves overcooked beans and rice.
I guess when you are a toothless wonder, mushy food is your best friend.
It's for this reason that I can't say the dish was a total fail. When your kid likes something so much, and you don't is it a fail? Probably not. The fact that Blockette enjoyed the dish so much was pretty awesome, even if I did think it was not so wonderful.
I'm not sure if I will attempt to make this again. Mrblocko hated it so much, and I wasn't too keen on it either. It is a great way to stretch a buck. I have to admit I am curious about how the dish would taste if it wasn't over cooked. If I do give this recipe another try, I'll probably just make the dish on the stove.
Crockpot beans and rice from A Year of Slow Cooking
1 cup dried small red beans (soaked overnight, then boiled for 10 minutes)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used a scant 1/2 tsp)
1 (14.5-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you prefer to not use full-fat, add a drop or two of coconut extract to intensify the flavor)
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain basmati white rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lb precooked sausage cut into half moons (optional)
2 limes, cut in wedges (optional)
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Sort beans, and soak overnight in a bunch of water. In the morning, drain the water and dump the beans into a large pot of fresh water. Boil rapidly on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before draining and putting into your crockpot.
Red beans MUST be boiled on the stove before added to the slow cooker to kill a possible toxin that occurs naturally.
Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the whole can of coconut milk (the creamy stuff, too), and chicken broth. Stir in sausage, raw rice and kosher salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, (or 3 hours if you don't want a gooey gelatinous mass of goo) or until beans are bite tender. Before eating, squeeze on a bit of lime juice for a fun tropical twist.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Pierogi Lasagna
I really like pierogies. Although, it was another one of those things that I hadn't ever heard about until I moved to Illinois. You'd think they'd be a big hit in Minnesota, being all white and potato-y.
I've never attempted to make pierogi before. They seemed a bit complicated. I've not yet mastered the art of noodles, other than opening the box and dumping them into boiling water. Then I saw this recipe forpierogi lasagna from Omnomicon AND The Cutting Edge of Ordinary. I can do lasagna, so why not give it a shot.
I mashed up both recipes and came up with a tasty meatless dinner for Lent. I swear this recipe made a metric ton. We wound up eating the leftovers all week. Well, when I say we, I mean Blockette and I. I couldn't subject Mrblocko to an entire week of no meat for dinner.
After one day of leftovers he came home and said, "Do you know that commercial for Fiber One snack bars, where the husband says, 'Fiber makes me sad?' Well that's me, but with meat."
That made me chuckle, so I found something else for him to eat.
By the end of the week Blockette and I were totally sick of this dish. I think once we finished the last of it I actually said, "Hooray!"
Don't mistake me. This was a really tasty dish. It's just too much leftovers for our tiny family. Next year, if I make this for Lent, I'll just half the recipe.
Pierogi Lasagna adapted from Omnomicon and The Cutting Edge of Ordinary
9 lasagna noodles
3-4 lbs potatoes (I used russet) to get about 6c mashed potatoes
1/4c sour cream (I used low fat)
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4T butter or olive oil
5 medium onions, finely chopped
Bechemel Sauce
3 c milk
4T butter
1/4 c flour
1 t kosher salt
pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350F. In a 9x13 dish, place noodles. Cover with boiling water and let sit for 15-20 min.
Meanwhile, peel, dice and boil potatoes. When potatoes are fork tender, mash. Add sour cream, milk, salt, pepper and cheese. Drain the noodles. Spray the 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking: chop and saute the onions in butter/oil until light golden brown. Fold into mashed potatoes.
Prepare the bechemel: Pour milk into a saucepan on medium heat and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. (I poured the milk back into the glass measuring cup.) Melt butter in the same sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Slowly add hot milk in driblets, whisking constantly. Cook 10-13 min, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of sauce. Then layer 3 noodles, and a third of the potatoes. repeat two more times and end with a layer of bechemel sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.
I've never attempted to make pierogi before. They seemed a bit complicated. I've not yet mastered the art of noodles, other than opening the box and dumping them into boiling water. Then I saw this recipe for
After one day of leftovers he came home and said, "Do you know that commercial for Fiber One snack bars, where the husband says, 'Fiber makes me sad?' Well that's me, but with meat."
That made me chuckle, so I found something else for him to eat.
By the end of the week Blockette and I were totally sick of this dish. I think once we finished the last of it I actually said, "Hooray!"
Don't mistake me. This was a really tasty dish. It's just too much leftovers for our tiny family. Next year, if I make this for Lent, I'll just half the recipe.
Pierogi Lasagna adapted from Omnomicon and The Cutting Edge of Ordinary
9 lasagna noodles
3-4 lbs potatoes (I used russet) to get about 6c mashed potatoes
1/4c sour cream (I used low fat)
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4T butter or olive oil
5 medium onions, finely chopped
Bechemel Sauce
3 c milk
4T butter
1/4 c flour
1 t kosher salt
pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350F. In a 9x13 dish, place noodles. Cover with boiling water and let sit for 15-20 min.
Meanwhile, peel, dice and boil potatoes. When potatoes are fork tender, mash. Add sour cream, milk, salt, pepper and cheese. Drain the noodles. Spray the 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking: chop and saute the onions in butter/oil until light golden brown. Fold into mashed potatoes.
Prepare the bechemel: Pour milk into a saucepan on medium heat and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. (I poured the milk back into the glass measuring cup.) Melt butter in the same sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Slowly add hot milk in driblets, whisking constantly. Cook 10-13 min, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of sauce. Then layer 3 noodles, and a third of the potatoes. repeat two more times and end with a layer of bechemel sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Tartar Sauce
I guess a lot of people like to fry fish in cornmeal. Not being all that into fish, I didn't have a clue. This recipe for cornmeal crusted tilapia from The Boho Birdie is a slightly more healthy version as it is baked instead of fried.
Not being all gung ho about fish in the first place, I took a bite and didn't think this recipe was any better or worse than your average fish recipe. Mrblocko and Blockette loved it, but then again, they both really like fish in general.
Then I tried some with some Tartar Sauce. Oh. My. Word. I could just eat the tartar sauce by itself. It's that good. SERIOUSLY.
I've only ever had the stuff from a jar before. That stuff is total and utter garbage. I didn't even know it was garbage until I tried this tartar sauce. It is the BEST TARTAR SAUCE in the world.
Yes, yes. I know. A lot of bloggers say that about the things that they make, but I swear, this really is the best tartar sauce. Mrblocko doesn't even like tartar sauce, and do you know what he said about this tartar sauce-mana-from-heaven? "It kicks all the other tartar sauces' butts"
It really truly does.
One more quick thing before you get to the recipe, we halved the breading as I used 3 thin tilapia fillets from the freezer section. The fillets in the original recipe are nice and thick, like the kind you might buy fresh from the fish counter. So unless you are using the thick fresh stuff, half the amount of breading called for in the recipe below.
Also, we didn't have any Old Bay. Instead we used Bavarian seasoning from Penzeys Spices. It had bay in it, so I thought it would be a good swap. The thing was, we could barely taste the seasonings. Next time we will double the amount of spices
Cornmeal-Crusted Tilapia with Mom Pat’s Tartar Sauce from The Boho Birdie
for the fish:
2 thick tilapia fillets, cut into pieces (cod or sole would work well here, too)
1 c. flour (I used all purpose)
1 c. cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten or 1 c. egg beaters
2 tbsp old bay seasoning, divided, plus more for sprinkling (I used Bavarian Seasoning)
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
preheat oven to 350 F.
Set up an assembly line with 3 bowls for breading the fish. In the first bowl, combine the flour, 1 T old bay seasoning, salt, and pepper, in the second, eggs, and in the third, cornmeal with 1 T old bay and garlic powder.
Cut tilapia into pieces (if needed) and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Dredge tilapia pieces in flour first, egg second, and cornmeal third. Use one hand to coat the fish in the flour and cornmeal and the other hand to coat the fish in the egg. Ensure all sides of the fish are coated in each mixture before moving on to the next. Sprinkle with more old bay.
Place the breaded fish on the greased cookie sheet (or, you could place the fish on a wire rack on a cookie sheet and not have to flip it during cooking). Mist the fish with more spray if you like, this will create more browning during the baking. Cook the fish for approx 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Mom Pat’s Tartar Sauce
1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used the kind with olive oil)
1 tsp minced onion (I used onion powder)
1 tsp pickle or lemon juice (I used a tsp of each)
1 tsp pickle relish (we use dill pickle relish)
1 tsp. olives (optional) (We were out of olive so I used another tsp of relish)
Cayenne pepper or paprika to taste and add color
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and drown yourself it it's goodness.
Then I tried some with some Tartar Sauce. Oh. My. Word. I could just eat the tartar sauce by itself. It's that good. SERIOUSLY.
Yes, yes. I know. A lot of bloggers say that about the things that they make, but I swear, this really is the best tartar sauce. Mrblocko doesn't even like tartar sauce, and do you know what he said about this tartar sauce-mana-from-heaven? "It kicks all the other tartar sauces' butts"
It really truly does.
One more quick thing before you get to the recipe, we halved the breading as I used 3 thin tilapia fillets from the freezer section. The fillets in the original recipe are nice and thick, like the kind you might buy fresh from the fish counter. So unless you are using the thick fresh stuff, half the amount of breading called for in the recipe below.
Also, we didn't have any Old Bay. Instead we used Bavarian seasoning from Penzeys Spices. It had bay in it, so I thought it would be a good swap. The thing was, we could barely taste the seasonings. Next time we will double the amount of spices
Cornmeal-Crusted Tilapia with Mom Pat’s Tartar Sauce from The Boho Birdie
for the fish:
2 thick tilapia fillets, cut into pieces (cod or sole would work well here, too)
1 c. flour (I used all purpose)
1 c. cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten or 1 c. egg beaters
2 tbsp old bay seasoning, divided, plus more for sprinkling (I used Bavarian Seasoning)
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
preheat oven to 350 F.
Set up an assembly line with 3 bowls for breading the fish. In the first bowl, combine the flour, 1 T old bay seasoning, salt, and pepper, in the second, eggs, and in the third, cornmeal with 1 T old bay and garlic powder.
Cut tilapia into pieces (if needed) and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Dredge tilapia pieces in flour first, egg second, and cornmeal third. Use one hand to coat the fish in the flour and cornmeal and the other hand to coat the fish in the egg. Ensure all sides of the fish are coated in each mixture before moving on to the next. Sprinkle with more old bay.
Place the breaded fish on the greased cookie sheet (or, you could place the fish on a wire rack on a cookie sheet and not have to flip it during cooking). Mist the fish with more spray if you like, this will create more browning during the baking. Cook the fish for approx 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Mom Pat’s Tartar Sauce
1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used the kind with olive oil)
1 tsp minced onion (I used onion powder)
1 tsp pickle or lemon juice (I used a tsp of each)
1 tsp pickle relish (we use dill pickle relish)
1 tsp. olives (optional) (We were out of olive so I used another tsp of relish)
Cayenne pepper or paprika to taste and add color
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and drown yourself it it's goodness.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Kushari
I had never heard of Kushari before, but stumbled upon it when I was looking for meat free recipes to make over Lent. Kushari (or Koshary, kosheri, or koshari) is a popular dish in Egypt made from rice, noodles, lentils and sometimes chickpeas.
The recipe I used for kushari was from the blog Whats 4 Eats.
I really enjoyed this dish, although it did make quite a lot and I was glad when the leftovers were over. The recipe does take up all 4 burners, with cooking the rice, noodles, lentils and onions, so that was a bit of juggling that I was not used to. I was pretty proud of myself that I managed to time the cooking so that everything was ready at the same time.
The recipe says to cook the lentils for 30-45 minutes and the directions on the lentil bag said that they only needed to be cooked for 20 minutes. I figured overcooked lentils would be better than undercooked ones, so I cooked them for 45 minutes. Mrblocko and I both thought that the texture was a little more al dente that it should be, so next time I'll cook the lentils for a full hour.
I'd also double the sauce and onions for topping. I wished there was more of both. I might try adding garbanzo beans next time too. If I make this for dinner, not for Friday over Lent, I'll add a few diced chicken breasts to the mix as well.
Kushari slightly modified from Whats 4 Eats
1c uncooked Rice (I used medium grain)
1 c uncooked Macaroni pasta (ditalini would be great too)
1 c uncooked Lentils
1 bay leaf
2 T olive oil
1 Onion, chopped finely (increase this to 2 next time)
2 cloves minced Garlic (increase to 4-5 cloves next time)
1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (use 2 cans next time)
1/2-1 t Pepper flakes
1 t cinnamon
1 t cumin
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Oil for frying
2 Onion, sliced thinly into half moons
Start with the lentils. Simmer lentils in 2 c water with the bay leaf (don't forget to remove the bay leaf after the lentils have finished cooking!), covered for 45-60 min until tender.
About a half hour into the lentil cooking time, cook the rice in 2 c water, covered for 20 min until done. Also boil the water for the pasta and prepare per the package directions.
Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in a heavy skillet. Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.(I started this at the same time as the lentils, and once the onions were cooked I started preparing the sauce.)
While the rice, pasta and lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic. sauté until the onions are translucent and wilted, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce,pepper flakes, cinnamon and cumin, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, add a little water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Place the rice, macaroni and lentils in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir together gently with a fork. Portion the mixture into individual bowls and spoon some tomato sauce over each portion. Top with crispy fried onions and serve hot or at room temperature.
I really enjoyed this dish, although it did make quite a lot and I was glad when the leftovers were over. The recipe does take up all 4 burners, with cooking the rice, noodles, lentils and onions, so that was a bit of juggling that I was not used to. I was pretty proud of myself that I managed to time the cooking so that everything was ready at the same time.
The recipe says to cook the lentils for 30-45 minutes and the directions on the lentil bag said that they only needed to be cooked for 20 minutes. I figured overcooked lentils would be better than undercooked ones, so I cooked them for 45 minutes. Mrblocko and I both thought that the texture was a little more al dente that it should be, so next time I'll cook the lentils for a full hour.
I'd also double the sauce and onions for topping. I wished there was more of both. I might try adding garbanzo beans next time too. If I make this for dinner, not for Friday over Lent, I'll add a few diced chicken breasts to the mix as well.
Kushari slightly modified from Whats 4 Eats
1c uncooked Rice (I used medium grain)
1 c uncooked Macaroni pasta (ditalini would be great too)
1 c uncooked Lentils
1 bay leaf
2 T olive oil
1 Onion, chopped finely (increase this to 2 next time)
2 cloves minced Garlic (increase to 4-5 cloves next time)
1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (use 2 cans next time)
1/2-1 t Pepper flakes
1 t cinnamon
1 t cumin
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Oil for frying
2 Onion, sliced thinly into half moons
Start with the lentils. Simmer lentils in 2 c water with the bay leaf (don't forget to remove the bay leaf after the lentils have finished cooking!), covered for 45-60 min until tender.
About a half hour into the lentil cooking time, cook the rice in 2 c water, covered for 20 min until done. Also boil the water for the pasta and prepare per the package directions.
Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in a heavy skillet. Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.(I started this at the same time as the lentils, and once the onions were cooked I started preparing the sauce.)
While the rice, pasta and lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic. sauté until the onions are translucent and wilted, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce,pepper flakes, cinnamon and cumin, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, add a little water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Place the rice, macaroni and lentils in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir together gently with a fork. Portion the mixture into individual bowls and spoon some tomato sauce over each portion. Top with crispy fried onions and serve hot or at room temperature.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Chad's Cheater Cheater Veggie Soup
My friend Chad gave me this Vegetable soup recipe ages ago and I finally got around to making it. I have no idea where he got the recipe from, so let's just say he made it up himself. Hooray!
It's the easiest thing ever. Are you ready for it?
Into your crockpot dump:
1 can each of canned corn, peas, beans, carrots, and sliced potatoes-undrained
1 bottle of V8 Regular or spicy(I'm not sure on the size, I think it was the 32 oz bottle)
1T Chicken seasoning (Um, I used chili seasoning/Penzeys Arizona Dreaming because my handwriting is so awful. I thought it said chili. Whoops.)
1t each onion and garlic powders
Let the concoction brew for 2 hours on high. Then add 2 large spoonfuls of giardiniera. And 2-3 T sugar to balance the heat from the giardiniera and the acidity of the tomato.
That's it!
The verdict on the soup from Mrblocko that it was good, but he'd rather eat soup with meat in it. We have mostly made the switch from eating canned veggies to fresh or frozen, so the taste and texture of the canned stuff was unfamiliar to our palates.
Did you know that I had never heard of giardiniera before I moved to Illinois? I was talking to my mom about this recipe and she had no idea what it was. If you don't know either, Giardiniera is an Italian mix of spicy pickled vegetables. They use it a lot on Italian Beef, which are popular in and around Chicagoland. I really don't care for them so go figure.
The giardiniera was good in the soup though. Added a tiny bit of heat to the mix. It probably would have packed more of a punch if I had used the hot stuff. I wanted Blockette to eat it though, so mild it was.
Anyhow, I think this soup has good bones, but there are a few things I'll change the next time I make it. Instead of the Chicken Seasoning (or ahem...chili seasoning), I think I will try some beef flavoring. Beef and tomato pair quite nicely together. I think this will give the soup a richer taste.
Next time I'll also swap out the canned stuff for frozen corn, beans and peas. I'll also add some fresh diced potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions and celery. The combination of the frozen and fresh veggies will give the soup a bit more texture, something that we missed with the canned stuff.
Finally, I'd add tubettini, or some other small cut pasta suitable for soups. I think this will help thicken up the broth as well. I've become accustomed to a thicker, less brothy soup, probably from all the bean purees I've been using lately.
Thank you again Chad for your Cheater Cheater Veggie Soup recipe!
It's the easiest thing ever. Are you ready for it?
Into your crockpot dump:
1 can each of canned corn, peas, beans, carrots, and sliced potatoes-undrained
1 bottle of V8 Regular or spicy(I'm not sure on the size, I think it was the 32 oz bottle)
1T Chicken seasoning (Um, I used chili seasoning/Penzeys Arizona Dreaming because my handwriting is so awful. I thought it said chili. Whoops.)
1t each onion and garlic powders
Let the concoction brew for 2 hours on high. Then add 2 large spoonfuls of giardiniera. And 2-3 T sugar to balance the heat from the giardiniera and the acidity of the tomato.
That's it!
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| We had our soup with some country ribs on the side. Heaven forbid if we don't eat meat at every meal. |
Did you know that I had never heard of giardiniera before I moved to Illinois? I was talking to my mom about this recipe and she had no idea what it was. If you don't know either, Giardiniera is an Italian mix of spicy pickled vegetables. They use it a lot on Italian Beef, which are popular in and around Chicagoland. I really don't care for them so go figure.
The giardiniera was good in the soup though. Added a tiny bit of heat to the mix. It probably would have packed more of a punch if I had used the hot stuff. I wanted Blockette to eat it though, so mild it was.
Anyhow, I think this soup has good bones, but there are a few things I'll change the next time I make it. Instead of the Chicken Seasoning (or ahem...chili seasoning), I think I will try some beef flavoring. Beef and tomato pair quite nicely together. I think this will give the soup a richer taste.
Next time I'll also swap out the canned stuff for frozen corn, beans and peas. I'll also add some fresh diced potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions and celery. The combination of the frozen and fresh veggies will give the soup a bit more texture, something that we missed with the canned stuff.
Finally, I'd add tubettini, or some other small cut pasta suitable for soups. I think this will help thicken up the broth as well. I've become accustomed to a thicker, less brothy soup, probably from all the bean purees I've been using lately.
Thank you again Chad for your Cheater Cheater Veggie Soup recipe!
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