Tofu

For the longest time, Tofu was a hard-sell. It's bland; the texture; what do you do with it?

First off, the blandness: That helps it to blend in with the tastes around it. Then, the texture: crumbled in many dishes, or, as with silken tofu, blended, it fades into the recipe. And the what do you do with it, you can use it in many recipes.

To that end, here are six tofu recipes, including Herbed Tofu Lasagna with Zucchini and Tofu Mousse. Enjoy!

KUNG PAO TOFU

This yumminess is from Ham El-Waylly in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ham wrote, "Fiery from dried chiles, tingling with Sichuan peppercorns and studded with peanuts, this kung pao tofu recipe is a vegetarian take on kung pao chicken, the classic Chinese American restaurant staple. Though variations on this dish abound, this version swaps in tofu for chicken, treating the tofu similarly. Pressing the tofu removes excess moisture, leaving more room for flavor to penetrate and giving it a denser, chewy texture. The cornstarch coating helps the tofu brown, makes it crisp and acts as a sponge for the savory, spicy, tingly sauce."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 3 to 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025397-kung-pao-tofu.

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine or sake

1 tablespoon black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper or 1/4 teaspoon finely ground white pepper

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 teaspoons cornstarch (for the sauce) plus 1/4 cup (for the tofu)

Salt

Grapeseed or other neutral oil, as needed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 scallions, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

4 whole Tianjin chiles or chiles de árbol, crushed

1/3 cup roasted peanuts

1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

White rice, for serving

Preparation

Drain the tofu, wrap in a clean kitchen towel, set on a plate and put a cast-iron skillet or other weighty object on top. Let it press for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

While the tofu is pressed, prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin, rice wine, vinegar, sesame oil, white pepper, garlic, ginger, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1/3 cup water until combined.

After the tofu has been pressed, unwrap it and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Transfer tofu to a medium bowl, season with salt and coat in 1/4 cup cornstarch; set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add enough neutral oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When it starts shimmering, add the tofu. Cook until one side is golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, then flip. Cook until the other side is crisp and golden brown, another 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.

Add the red bell pepper, celery and scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the red bell pepper starts to soften while maintaining some bite and the vegetables char, about 4 minutes. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and chiles and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tofu and sauce, and stir to coat; make sure the sauce simmers and thickens, about 2 minutes. Finish with the peanuts and cilantro, stir again, then serve immediately with rice.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE



I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.



Ingredients

1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu

12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.

Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.

Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.

Dig in! Yum!

CRISPY TOFU WITH SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE

This is from Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Eric wrote, "Inspired by McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets dipped in sweet-and-sour sauce — a classic combination that debuted nationwide in 1983 — this tofu appetizer gets its inexorable crunch from potato starch. Pan-fried until shatteringly crisp, pressed tofu, cut into cute little rectangles, eats a lot like Chicken McNuggets and cooks up gorgeously every time. But the true joy of a nugget lies in the dipping, and this recipe stars a totally chill, no-cook sweet-and-sour sauce. Apricot preserves provide fruity sweetness as well as body, and rice vinegar, soy sauce and onion powder add savoriness."

Yield: 4 appetizer servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "For Those of Us Who Love McDonald’s Sweet-and-Sour Sauce", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022410-crispy-tofu-with-sweet-and-sour-sauce.

Note: The article ("For those of us…") is an interesting read (as are most of the food articles in the Times). But be forewarned: If you start reading the article and have any BTS fans around, they might be snagged in by the references to BTS. And if you've never heard of BTS, here's a link to check out. Also, you can check out the BTS meal referenced in the Times' article.

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained

3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)

3 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 cup potato starch

Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, or light olive oil

Preparation

Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and place on a cutting board. Weigh down the tofu with a sheet pan topped with something heavy, such as a large skillet, cans or books, until the tea towel is soaked, about 30 minutes.

While the tofu is pressed, prep the zucchini: Halve the zucchini crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Finally, cut each plank lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick “fries.” Place the zucchini fries in a large colander set over a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a measuring cup, stir together the apricot preserves, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 2 teaspoons water until smooth. Transfer to a small dish for dipping, and set aside.

Slice the pressed tofu in half horizontally, and cut each of those halves into 8 rectangular pieces, creating 16 nuggets total. Directly on the cutting board, season the tofu with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smearing each piece around to catch all the seasonings.

In a large bowl, toss to combine the potato starch and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place the tofu in the starch, and gently toss with your hands until each piece is evenly coated.

Fry the tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and add a thin layer of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu in a single layer, and cook, flipping a couple of times, until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain, and season it with salt to taste.

To serve, transfer the tofu and zucchini to a large platter, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

CHOCOLATE TOFU CHILI

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Packed with vegetables, the chili gets its deep flavor from the addition of chocolate, without tasting overtly like chocolate. For a little extra heat, you can mix in 1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeños before you turn on the slow cooker. Jalapeños can vary quite a bit in their level of heat. Take a small taste before adding them, and remember the membranes and seeds are the hottest part of the chile. Thinly sliced radishes or matchstick pieces of jicama make a pretty garnish."

Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups; Difficulty: Easy; 3 points per serving

To view this online, go to https://cmx.weightwatchers.com/details/WWRECIPE:6037caaade317318b8e4bb84.

Ingredients

4 sprays cooking spray

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

15 oz canned kidney beans, drained

1 large uncooked onion, chopped

2 medium uncooked carrots, chopped

2 ribs medium uncooked celery, chopped

2 medium uncooked red bell peppers, chopped

1 cup fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth

2 oz 70-85% dark chocolate, chopped

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cloves garlic clove, finely chopped

1 Tbsp Chili powder

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium. Add cumin seeds and stir until slightly darker in color and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Transfer cumin seeds to slow cooker. Remove skillet from heat, coat with nonstick spray, and heat over medium. Add tofu to skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer tofu to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, beans, onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, broth, chocolate, cocoa powder, garlic, chili powder, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Cover and cook chili for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low. Divide chili among bowls.

HERBED TOFU LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI

This comes from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Simple, fresh flavors and an innovative way with tofu—it's blended with herbs and seasonings until creamy and ricotta-like—make this lasagna one you'll want to make year-round. The key: Use the best purchased marinara sauce you can find, then drizzle each serving with extra virgin olive oil.” Serves 10.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/herbed-tofu-lasagna-with-zucchini/.

Ingredients

2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)

5 cups marinara sauce

16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.

Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.

Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.

Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 314; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Sodium: 617 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan

GRILLED JERK TOFU AND PLANTAINS WITH MANGO SALSA

This is from Chrissy Tracey at the Epicurious website.

For this yumminess, Chrissy wrote, "I was inspired to create this jerk tofu recipe after countless visits to Jamaica where I found myself inhaling the aromas of jerk meats prepared by family and other islanders. Jerk chicken, a classic Jamaican dish my family members on the island still eat regularly, is known for its spice-forward combination of many herbs and aromatics, including scallions, onion, garlic, brown sugar, Scotch bonnet peppers, and most important, allspice—the calling card of many Jamaican dishes. Growing up in a Jamaican vegetarian household, my mother would often use jerk spice to uplift the flavors of vegetables.

"Tofu is the perfect canvas for reflecting other flavors. Extra-firm tofu is ideal since it holds together well on the grill after getting pressed and marinated in homemade jerk sauce. If you can plan ahead, freezing tofu is the best way to improve texture and allow it to more readily soak up flavorful marinades. If you have time, drain the tofu and press it just after you buy it, then freeze in a resealable plastic bag. Thaw at room temperature before marinating. (Read more about why this works here.) Homemade mango salsa and grilled sweet plantains balance out the heat of the dish and provide a well-rounded taste of the island."

Active Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-jerk-tofu-plantains-mango-salsa-vegan.

Ingredients

Tofu

2 14-oz. blocks extra-firm tofu, drained

2 small red onions, coarsely chopped

10 scallions, cut into 2" pieces

12 garlic cloves

4–6 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeds removed, or 1–2 tsp. Scotch bonnet chile powder

12 sprigs thyme, leaves picked

2 1" pieces ginger, peeled

16–20 allspice berries or 2 Tbsp. ground allspice

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. browning sauce (preferably Grace; optional)

1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1-1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup avocado oil or vegetable oil

Salsa

Juice of 1 lime

1 Scotch bonnet chile or jalapeño, seeds removed

2 cups coarsely chopped ripe mango

2/3 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion

2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro

2 tsp. agave nectar or honey (optional)

1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

Plantains and assembly

1/4 cup avocado oil or vegetable oil, plus more for grill

2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 very ripe (almost black) plantains, halved lengthwise

Thinly sliced scallions and lime wedges (for serving)

Directions

Tofu

Wrap tofu in 2 layers of paper towel, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and weigh down with something heavy (large cans or a small cast-iron skillet work well). Let sit 30 minutes. (Alternatively, press tofu in a tofu press 15–30 minutes.)

Meanwhile, process red onions, scallions, garlic, chiles, thyme, ginger, allspice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, browning sauce (if using), black pepper, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a food processor or blender to a coarse purée. With motor running, stream in oil and process to a fine purée. Transfer jerk sauce to a bowl.

Unwrap tofu and cut each block crosswise into 6 slices. Pour 1 cup jerk sauce into a baking dish, then add tofu slices and turn to coat. Set remaining jerk sauce aside for brushing and serving. Cover and chill tofu at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Do ahead: Jerk sauce can be made 3 weeks ahead. Cover and chill.

Salsa

Pulse lime juice, chile, mango, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, agave (if using), and 1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a food processor just until coarsely chopped, 5–10 pulses. Taste salsa and season with more salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill until ready to serve.

Plantains and assembly

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Arrange tofu on grate, cover, and grill, brushing with reserved jerk sauce as you turn tofu, until lightly browned and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and brush with additional sauce, if desired.

Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Brush cut sides of plantains generously with mixture.

Arrange plantains, cut side down, on grate, cover, and grill, brushing all over with brown sugar mixture as you turn, until deep golden and grill marks appear, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer plantains to plates with tofu.

Top tofu and plantains with scallions and serve with salsa and lime wedges.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort food, at least here in the U.S. Here are six yummy Mac and Cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Southern Macaroni and Cheese and Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE

I had been looking for a really simple but good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, and this fits the bill. My daughter and granddaughter had come over on my granddaughter's birthday; while they were here, my daughter whipped up this recipe. She'd been making it for quite a while. It was a definite hit with everyone in the house.

Ingredients

1 box (16 ounce) cannelloni pasta (see Note)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Note: Just about any tubular pasta can be used in this recipe, though it seems to work best with something bigger than elbow macaroni. Some of the better substitutes for the cannelloni would be ziti, penne, rigatoni, or elicoidali.

Directions

Turn oven on to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions. If the package gives you a bracket – say, 12 – 14 minutes – lean toward the lower time, since you don't want the pasta to be too mushy. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter on low heat, then add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and add macaroni, stirring it into mixture. Add the shredded cheese, and stir in completely.

Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch pan and bake at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove carefully, as it will be hot. (You knew that, right?) Dig in.

This makes 4 – 5 servings.

Photo: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, on the left in the blue dish, and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese, on right, in orange casserole dish (from Avon)



BENECOL MACARONI AND CHEESE

For several years, there was a magazine dedicated to walking, titled Walking Magazine. It had many good articles, tips and recipes for those of us who feel a little more comfortable race-walking than running. Unfortunately, the magazine folded several years ago. This recipe was in it during its final year. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. small shell style macaroni

4 Tbs. Benecol

3 Tbs. all purpose flour

3 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1-1/2 C 2% milk, warmed

few drops Tabasco Sauce

1-pint nonfat cottage (or ricotta) cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C flavored bread crumbs

1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9 inch pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Cook shells according to package directions, strain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

To prepare sauce, melt Benecol in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in flour, add onions, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add Tabasco Sauce and cook an additional minute. Whisk in cheese and salt, and blend in shells; transfer mixture to prepared pan.

In small bowl, mix oil and bread crumbs together; spoon over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Per Serving: 510 calories; 27.2% calories from fat; 3G saturated fat; 65G carbohydrates; 12MG cholesterol; 612MG sodium; 2G fiber

OLD SCHOOL MAC N' CHEESE

This is from Collette Duck at Allrecipes, and begins, "This is a completely unpretentious, down-home macaroni and cheese recipe just like my grandma and mom always made. A simple white sauce where you add cheese and a few other flavors with macaroni and a potato chip crust. This recipe makes a lot, I like to make two pans so I can take one to a pot luck and have the other one to keep in the fridge for later. It's an easy recipe to adjust down if you only want to make one pan. If you aren't cooking it right away, just keep the topping separate until you are ready to put it in the oven."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 20

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223400/old-school-mac-n-cheese/.

Ingredients

1-3/4 pounds whole-wheat macaroni

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups milk, divided

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (8 ounce) packages shredded American cheese

1 (8 ounce) bag potato chips (such as Lay's®), crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour to butter, whisking constantly; cook until brown and the mixture no longer smells of flour, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup milk into the flour mixture, whisking continually until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds; repeat twice. Add remaining 3 cups milk to the mixture, whisking to incorporate. Stir Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper into the mixture; season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cook sauce, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add about half the package of shredded Cheddar cheese; stir continually until the cheese melts completely. Repeat with remaining half package of Cheddar cheese and the American cheese, about 4 ounces at a time. Once cheese is entirely incorporated, remove sauce from heat.

Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce to coat. Divide macaroni between two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

Mix crushed potato chips, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top the macaroni with the potato chip mixture evenly. Spray the potato chip mixture with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.

SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Millie Peartree and adapted by Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Kiera wrote, "There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place. Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection."

Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling; Yield:8 to 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese. Also, check out Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese."

While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.

Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)

Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.

>BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.

Serves: 8; 5 points

Ingredients

12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

12 oz fat-free evaporated milk

8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.

Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas and Kale Lasagna Diavolo. Enjoy!

GRILLED TOFU

This comes from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Kay wrote, "Pouring hot marinade over tofu slices encourages faster absorption of flavors, eliminating the need to marinate overnight. In a pinch, this method yields tasty results in three hours, but the recommended six hours deliver a much more complex, richer flavored tofu. Grilled, it makes a versatile side dish and is delicious warm or at room temperature. Pair it with steamed rice and a simple green salad, or turn the tofu into satisfying vegetarian sandwiches by tucking it into pita bread with lettuce and avocado."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes, plus 6 hours' marinating

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022297-grilled-tofu.

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, sliced crosswise into eight equal slices (about 1/2-inch thick)

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil, plus more for greasing grates

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Preparation

Arrange sliced tofu in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate. Press top with more paper towels to remove excess water. Arrange tofu in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, or any shallow dish that can hold the tofu in one layer.

In a small saucepan, combine oil, garlic and ginger over medium; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, sugar, pepper and 1/4 cup water, and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 2 minutes.

Pour hot marinade over tofu. Gently turn tofu slices to evenly coat, then cover dish tightly with plastic wrap to seal in heat. Refrigerate for 6 hours (or up to 8 hours), flipping tofu slices halfway through.

Heat grill to medium and grease grates well (or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium and lightly grease). Grill tofu over direct heat until golden and caramelized, about 3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, transfer marinade to a small saucepan over medium and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallions.

Transfer tofu to a serving plate and spoon over the sauce. Serve warm.

BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE

This is from the Food Network. Prep Time: 20 minutes; Inactive: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/blueberry-crumble-recipe-1956497.

Ingredients

Filling:

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

2 pints blueberries, or any other berry

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup apple cider or orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1/2 cup toasted oats

1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

For the filling: In a bowl, add the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, cider, and vanilla, Carefully mix the ingredients together with a spatula, leaving the blueberries whole. Set aside while you assemble the topping.

For the topping: In the bowl of a mixer, add the flour, sugars, and butter. Using the paddle attachment, incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks mealy or crumbly. (This can be done by hand.) Stir in the oats and nuts.

Pour the filling into an 8-inch square baking dish and evenly distribute the topping over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Cool slightly and serve warm.

KALE LASAGNA DIAVOLO

This was in the January/February 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 79), and begins, "Warm up a winter evening with a spicy lasagna that gets hearty texture from chopped kale. Goat cheese mashed into traditional ricotta gives it a flavorful tang."

Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/kale-lasagna-diavolo/.

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil, plus more for oiling pan

1 8-oz. bunch kale, stems removed

1 15-oz. pkg. fat-free ricotta cheese

4 oz. chevre or soft goat cheese, softened

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 cups prepared tomato puree

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained, or 6 no-cook lasagna noodles

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with oil.

Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Thoroughly wring out kale, then chop. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.

Mash together ricotta and chèvre in bowl, and set aside.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and cook 15 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomato purée and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Spread 1/4 cup sauce in prepared baking pan. Place 2 lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Top with half of cheese mixture, half of kale, and 1/3 cup sauce. Top with two more noodles, remaining cheese, and remaining kale. Top with remaining lasagna noodles, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 40 minutes, or until cheese has melted and lasagna is bubbly.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This is a lentil soup that defies expectations of what lentil soup can be. It is light, spicy and a bold red color (no murky brown here): a revelatory dish that takes less than an hour to make. The cooking is painless. Sauté onion and garlic in oil, then stir in tomato paste, cumin and chile powder and cook a few minutes more to intensify flavor. Add broth, water, red lentils (which cook faster than their green or black counterparts) and diced carrot, and simmer for 30 minutes. Purée half the mixture and return it to the pot for a soup that strikes the balance between chunky and pleasingly smooth. A hit of lemon juice adds an up note that offsets the deep cumin and chile flavors.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes.

This was featured in “A Lentil Soup to Make You Stop, Taste and Savor”, and can be viewed online here.

The Times has two more links with this recipe that come in handy: “How to Make Soup,” a guide by Samin Nosrat and “How to Cook Beans,” a guide by Melissa Clark. Both of these are extremely helpful when making homemade soup and/or cooking beans. I highly recommend both.

Note: This recipe originally called for 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth. For obvious reasons, I've limited it to the veggie broth.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of ground chile powder or cayenne, more to taste

1 quart vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup red lentils

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

AL ROKER'S VEGETABLE LASAGNA

This yumminess is from Al Roker on the Today Show site. It begins, "This vegetarian lasagna, which is bubbling with gooey cheese, is a delicious way to sneak lots of vegetable servings into dinner."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/al-roker-s-vegetable-lasagna-t108791.

Ingredients

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 zucchini, medium dice

1 small yellow squash, medium dice

1 medium yellow onion, medium dice

1 medium red bell pepper, medium dice

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups marinara sauce

3 tablespoons chopped basil

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Lasagna

32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1 pound dry lasagna noodles, cooked according to packaging

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Preparation

For the sauce:

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add zucchini, squash, onion and red peppers. Season with salt and sauté vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Pour in marinara sauce and chopped basil. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook sauce for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

For the lasagna:

While sauce is cooking, mix together ricotta cheese and egg until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

In a 9x13-inch baking dish, assemble the lasagna: Spoon vegetable sauce on bottom, cover with noodles in a single layer, spread a layer of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle some Parmesan. Repeat until the lasagna is fully built, finishing by covering the top with the shredded mozzarella.

Cover lasagna with aluminum foil. Bake in a 400°F oven, covered, for 40 minutes, then remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese turns golden brown.

Once cooked, let lasagna sit for 8-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Spaghetti Squash & Black Bean Tacos and Crunchy Black Bean Tacos. Enjoy!

SPICY QUINOA TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Katelyn Drake, a lifelong vegetarian based in Oklahoma City, Okla., makes these quick, filling tacos for both dinner parties and weeknight dinners at home. She suggests adjusting the spices as you go: “Don’t be afraid to add a fresh jalapeño if you want more heat!” Serve with avocado slices, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime."

Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/spicy-quinoa-tacos/.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1 rib celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 Tbs. ground cumin

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

12 6-inch corn tortillas

Preparation

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with liquid. Cook 2 minutes, then stir in quinoa, carrots, and broth. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix in black beans and corn. Serve in tortillas.

CHARD AND SWEET CORN TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "These sweet and spicy tacos can be filled with chard of any color, or other greens like beet greens or amaranth. I used Swiss chard for these tacos, but other greens like beet greens or amaranth will work. I don’t recommend strong-tasting cruciferous greens like kale, though. You can use green chard, red chard or rainbow, and do include the stalks if they’re nice and wide. Don’t skimp on the garlic. As for the salsa, you can choose between fresh or cooked tomato salsa, or use a salsa verde made with tomatillos. They all work well. A quarter cup of filling is plenty for each taco."

Yield: 8 tacos, serving 4; Time: 15 to 20 minutes

This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016744-chard-and-sweet-corn-tacos.

Ingredients

1 generous bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound)

Salt to taste

1 medium white, red or yellow onion, sliced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Kernels from 2 ears sweet corn

Freshly ground pepper

8 warm corn tortillas

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta (but not too salty a feta)

Salsa of your choice

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem chard and wash leaves in 2 rinses of water. Rinse stalks and dice them if they are wide and not stringy.

When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add chard leaves. Blanch for a minute, then transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Take chard up by the handful and squeeze out excess water, then cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic, diced chard stalks and corn kernels. Continue to cook, stirring often, until corn is just tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in chard and cook, stirring, for another minute or two, until ingredients are combined nicely and chard is tender but still bright. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Heat tortillas. Top with vegetables, a sprinkling of cheese and a spoonful of salsa.

Tip

Advance preparation: The filling will keep for a day in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a skillet.

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.

This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

8 corn tortillas

Toppings

Avocado

Hot sauce

Salsa

Sour cream

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.

CARROT-AND-BLACK BEAN CRISPY TACOS

This recipe comes from Country Living, and begins, “Dig into vegetarian tacos with tons of fresh flavor.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. medium carrots, cut into 3" to 4" sticks

1 tsp. ground cumin

8 whole-grain taco shells, warmed

Sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped fresh cilantro and radishes, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4to 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add black beans and 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Mash beans with the back of the spoon until thick. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, toss carrots with cumin and 1-1/2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Divide beans and carrots between taco shells. Top with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, and radishes. Serve with lime wedges alongside.

PER SERVING: protein: 8 g; fat: 17 g; carbohydrate: 42 g; fiber: 10 g; sodium: 261 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg; calories: 334.

LOADED CRISPY TOFU TACOS

This is from The Woks of Life, and can be viewed online at http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/07/loaded-crispy-tofu-tacos/.

Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 15 mins; Total time: 45 mins; Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

You'll need:

1 package firm tofu

1 tablespoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup oil

3 scallions

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 cup yogurt

warm corn tortillas

Other toppings:

shredded cheese

chopped tomato

chopped onion

sweet corn

avocado

lime wedges

Instructions

Cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the Sriracha and honey, and gently toss the tofu in the mixture. In another wide, shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the tofu in this dry mixture until well-coated.

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and allow the pieces to crisp up on all sides. While that's happening, whizz up the scallions, cilantro, and yogurt in a food processor or blender. Build your tacos with tortillas, your sauce, and whatever toppings you like.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!

This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”

To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.

Ingredients

1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)

2 tablespoons melted butter

juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed

8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas

crumbled cojita cheese

cilantro

hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)

Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.

When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.

In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.

Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Cauliflower Stir-Fry with Toasted Peanuts, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe, and Chickless Pot Pie. Enjoy!

GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS

This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.

Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here

Ingredients

For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoons cumin

3/4 teaspoons chili powder

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

12 organic whole wheat tortillas

Salt

For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, freshly squeezed

Salt

Instructions

For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:

Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.

Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.

Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.

Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.

Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.

For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:

To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Storage: refrigerate salsa in a covered, airtight container.

EASY BAKED BEANS

This comes from the October 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Baked beans were meant to be doctored up to suit a cook’s taste, so feel free to make these with more or less sugar, a spicier salsa or mustard, and add-ins such as soy sausage or soy hot dogs.” Serves 8.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups dried red kidney beans

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)

1 8-oz. jar medium salsa

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 Tbs. yellow mustard

Directions

Soak beans in 6 cups water overnight. Drain; reserve soaking liquid.

Coat Dutch oven with cooking spray, and heat over low heat. Add onions, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until browned. Stir in 1 cup soaking liquid. Simmer 5 minutes, scraping up onion bits stuck to pot.

Stir in remaining ingredients and 5 cups water. Cover, and cook 1-1/2 hours. Uncover; simmer 1 hour more, or until sauce has thickened.

nutritional information per serving: Calories: 166; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 0.5 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Sodium: 566 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

SLOW-COOKER THREE-BEAN CHILI

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "You won't miss the meat in a spicy chili brimming with three kinds of beans."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Note: The recipe originally calls for “1 large vegetarian vegetable or chicken bouillon cube, crumbled”, but I’ve left out the “or chicken” part.

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15.5 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup dried lentils (8 ounces), sorted and rinsed

1 large vegetarian vegetable or chicken bouillon cube, crumbled

1 envelope (1.25 ounces) chili seasoning mix

3 cups water

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and mild green chilies, undrained

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

Instructions

Mix all ingredients except tomatoes and tomato sauce in 3- to 4-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until heated through.

CAULIFLOWER STIR-FRY WITH TOASTED PEANUTS

This is from the Food Network, and begins, "This vegan dinner comes together super fast but is also very hearty. Toasting the peanuts in oil not only flavors the oil, it makes the nuts extra toasty and crisp. Broiling the cauliflower before adding to the skillet cooks out some of the water in the vegetable so the stir-fry stays nice and crisp-tender."

Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/cauliflower-stir-fry-with-toasted-peanuts-3589680.

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts

1 cup snow peas (about 4 ounces), trimmed

1 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

3 scallions (white parts sliced, green parts cut into 2-inch pieces)

1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Cook the rice as the label directs. Meanwhile, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper; spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the peanuts and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Remove to a small bowl with a slotted spoon and season with salt and pepper.

Add the snow peas, bell pepper and ginger to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the scallions (white and green parts) and cauliflower; toss. Add the chili sauce and soy sauce and continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are glazed, about 2 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork; top each serving with the stir-fry, toasted peanuts and cilantro.

SAUTEED BROCCOLI RABE

This is from Ali Slagle at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Spicy broccoli rabe is often blanched in a big pot of salted water to tame some of its bitter sting, then sautéed with copious olive oil, dried chiles and garlic until silky. But this recipe streamlines and expedites that process: Toss the broccoli rabe in the garlicky oil, add a small quantity of water, cover and steam until fork-tender, then uncover. By the time the liquid has evaporated, the broccoli rabe will be ready. If you find it too bitter, just keep cooking; it will only grow sweeter and softer. Serve this dish any time you’d make a side of broccoli, with meat, fish, beans or other proteins."

Prep Time: 10 minuts; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024922-sauteed-broccoli-rabe. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound), cut crosswise into thirds

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste

Salt

Preparation

In a large Dutch oven or skillet with a lid, heat the oil and garlic over medium. When the garlic is sizzling and some edges are golden, 2 to 3 minutes, add the broccoli rabe, crushed red pepper and a big pinch of salt. Toss to coat in the oil.

Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the thick stems are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and toss until the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste a piece: If it’s still too bitter for you, continue to cook uncovered over medium, stirring occasionally, until it’s delicious, 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and crushed red pepper.

CHICKLESS POT PIE

This comes from country star Trisha Yearwood, who also has her own show on The Food Network (called Trisha's Southern Kitchen). The recipe starts off, “Trisha Yearwood's vegetarian take on chicken pot pie is just as decadent without the meat. Although the luscious vegetable filling with peas, carrots and potatoes could be a meal on its own, wrapping it in premade pie dough seals in flavor with a crispy crust.” Total Time: 1 hr 25 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 10 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: easy

Read more online at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/chickless-pot-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1 cup small diced potatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup butter substitute, such as Earth Balance

1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1-3/4 cups vegetable broth

2/3 cup almond milk

Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts, lard free

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil to place the pie on before cooking; it will keep any filling from dripping into the oven and burning.

In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter substitute until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Slowly stir in the broth and then add the milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained vegetables.

Roll out one of the unbaked crusts to a 13-inch diameter and place in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top. Seal the edges and cut small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the top of the pie becomes too dark, loosely cover with foil and continue cooking. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Breakfast

When I was growing up, there were rules for meals (at least as far as my mother was concerned): We couldn't have dessert at the beginning of a meal; we had to clean our plates of the main part of the meal before having dessert; and we could not have breakfast for dinner.

It didn't matter that two of my friends, a brother and sister who lived next door, would frequently have breakfast for dinner, especially on Thursday night. This was because most of the fathers in our neighborhood were paid on Fridays, which meant that Friday evenings were when moms (or, frequently, the whole family) headed for the grocery store for the week's groceries.

Mom, early 1960s, with my brother and our cat, Frisky, in New York (state)

More than once, I'd stop by to see Robbie and Audrey at dinner time (when I was supposed to be setting the table), only to find them, along with their younger brother and sister, at the table, eating bowls of cereal, with almost-empty ceral boxes on decorating the table, or with stacks of pancakes dripping in syrup.

"C'mon, kids, eat up," their mom would say. "We'll get more cereal tomorrow. Let's finish these up."

"Why can't we have breakfast for dinner?" I'd ask my mom, as my sister and brother nodded their heads in agreement. We thought that would be wonderful, especially if Mom was cooking liver and onions for dinner. (I know some people love liver and onions; I like onions a lot, but not liver.)

Mom would sigh, then explain, as if to a very slow child, that breakfast was eaten first thing in the morning, not as the evening meal.

Mom, late 1960s, Conncecticut

Fast forward to having my own place. I occasionally fix breakfast for dinner, have pie first thing in the morning, and otherwise eat weird food at times that would have given my mother gray hair. (Fortunately, she got rid of some of the rules later on.)

Mom, Florida, early 1970s

Here are six yummy breakfast recipes to fix whenever, including Fried Eggs and Potatoes and Parisian-style Sweet Crepes. Enjoy!

PIRATE EGGS

When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.

The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.

Ingredients

1-2 eggs

1-2 pieces of bread

margarine for the pan

Directions

Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hold. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!

APPLE-LEMON FRITTERS

This is from the October 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. It begins, "These puffy, fruit-filled gems turn breakfast or brunch into a festive meal. Serve them with warmed applesauce, maple syrup or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Offer plenty of hot coffee and hot cider."

While the magazine states it makes 4 to 6 servings, the website leaves it at 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/apple-lemon-fritters/.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk or soymilk

3 large eggs

2 Tbs. melted butter or soy margarine

1/4 cup cornmeal

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups (about 1-1/2 apples) diced apples

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbs. lemon zest

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

2 cups vegetable oil for frying, or more as needed

Preparation

Place milk, eggs and butter in large mixing bowl, and beat until well combined. Fold in cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt, and stir until well combined. Fold in apples, cinnamon, lemon zest and sugar.

Heat oil in large skillet or deep saucepan over medium heat. When hot, spoon fritter batter into oil, about 1/4 cup at a time, and fry until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oil, and place on several layers of paper towels to blot excess oil. Repeat until batter is used up.

To serve, place fritters on individual plates, and pass with selection of toppings.

BAKED STEEL-CUT OATS WITH NUT BUTTER

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "For a simple, filling breakfast, baked steel-cut oatmeal, enriched with almond butter and cinnamon, is a go-to recipe. This version is particularly adaptable: Use peanut butter or almond butter, steel-cut or cracked oats, or any number of warming spices that might be in your cupboard. Then, garnish as you wish."

Time: About 1 hour; Yield: 3 to 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020948-baked-steel-cut-oats-with-nut-butter.

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter

1 cup steel-cut or cracked oats

Pinch of salt

Cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom, for sprinkling (optional)

Sliced bananas, raisins or dried fruit, chopped apple, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar or heavy cream, for garnishing (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees and bring a kettle of water to a boil.

In a medium shallow casserole or baking dish, combine 3 cups boiling water and the nut butter and stir until smooth-ish. (Don’t worry about a few lumps.) Stir in oats. Season the mix with a big pinch of salt, and some cinnamon or nutmeg if you like.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Taste and if the oats aren’t cooked enough, let it bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Garnish with whatever you like, and serve.

FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."

Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 large eggs

Ingredients

Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.

Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.

Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE FRUIT CUPS

This recipe is from Rachael Ray at the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

Maybe I should add: Yumminess level: 5 on a 5-point scale!

View this online at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/red-white-and-blue-fruit-cups-recipe-1912009.

Ingredients

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh blackberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Directions

Slice strawberries and combine in a bowl with blue and/or blackberries. Sprinkle berries with two teaspoons sugar. Whip cream until soft peaks form and sweeten with remaining sugar. Serve berries in small cups with generous spoonfuls of fresh whipped cream.

PARISIAN-STYLE SWEET CREPES

This is from the September, 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Cafés and brasseries in the French capital sell passersby sweet crêpes slathered in butter, jam, chestnut purée, and (VT favorite) Nutella. The experience is easy to re-create at home for breakfast, Sunday supper, or a snack.”

This recipe makes 8 servings, and can be found online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/parisian-style-sweet-crepes.

Ingredients

Crêpes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup low-fat milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fillings (optional)Nutella

peanut butter

butter

jam

chestnut purée

Preparation

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk in egg; mixture will be shaggy. Whisk in milk 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk in vanilla. Cover, and chill 30 minutes, or overnight.

Whisk 1/4 to 1/2 cup water into batter to thin. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick skillet with canola oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.

Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot skillet, tilting pan to swirl batter so it coats bottom of pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is dry. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.

Transfer crêpe to plate, and repeat with remaining batter. To serve crêpes: Reheat 1 minute in lightly greased skillet. Spread with desired fillings, fold into quarters, and serve.

Pasta

I can't remember a time when I didn't love Pasta. If you're the same way, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Baked Ziti, the Mushroom Bolognese with Fettuccine, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!

BAKED SPAGHETTI

This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "This comforting baked pasta feeds a crowd and is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti with meat sauce. Once baked, the spaghetti casserole slices into neat squares, and the layer of ricotta and Parmesan filling give it the rich flavor of a lasagna. Feel free to play around with the recipe, swapping in Italian sausage or ground turkey for the ground beef and sautéing leftover vegetables and adding them to the sauce. If you’re planning in advance, you can assemble the casserole (through the end of Step 5) and store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake."

Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling; Yield: 8 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024351-baked-spaghetti. While you're at it, please sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for serving

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)

1 (32- to 35-ounce) jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for serving

1 cup/8 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 large egg

2 cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until 1 minute shy of al dente.

Step 2

While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the marinara sauce and basil. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the sauce and toss well.

Step 4

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth.

Step 5

Transfer half the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer. Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the pasta in large spoonfuls, then sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella on top. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce to the pan, again smoothing it into an even layer.

Step 6

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top, then bake, uncovered, until the mozzarella has melted, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Step 7

Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with more chopped basil, a pinch of dried oregano and more red-pepper flakes, if desired. Slice the baked spaghetti into large squares and serve hot or warm.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

Note: This recipe is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

1/2 C water

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Directions

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)

BAKED ZITI

This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Alison wrote, "This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018954-baked-ziti.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice

1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

16 ounces/1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top

1 pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta

1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.

Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.

Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.

Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.

Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.

Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.

Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.

Tip

Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.

MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE WITH FETTUCCINE

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "A lighter take on the classic Italian sauce, this vegetarian bolognese is packed with mushrooms and vegetables in a rich tomato base. Served with fettuccine, you’ll have a hearty dinner for just 300 calories."

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

4-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 packages (8 oz each) baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped

2 packages (8 oz each) white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained

1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

12 oz uncooked fettuccine (from 16-oz box)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, if desired

Directions

In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic and salt in oil 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove vegetable mixture from Dutch oven to small bowl.

In same Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 14 to 19 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated.

Stir in vegetable mixture, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, oregano and red pepper flakes; heat to simmering; reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is starting to thicken. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as directed on package; drain. Serve fettuccine with sauce. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese and basil.

Expert Tips

Prefer a creamier sauce? If desired, stir in 1/3 cup half-and-half or heavy whipping cream after removing sauce from heat.

Cooked fettuccine may be stirred into the bolognese or topped with sauce, based on your preference.

FRESH VEGGIE PASTA

This was in the October 2016 issue Runner's World, page 46. Makes 6 to 8 servings. It is adapted from Scratch: Home Cooking for Everyone Made Simple, Fun, and Totally Delicious, by Maria Rodale. Available in October, published by Rodale, owner of Runner’s World.

This can be viewed online at http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/have-a-pasta-party-from-scratch/.

Ingredients

1 lb. thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 small white onion, finely chopped

1 lb. shelled edamame, steamed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Place tomato, onion, and edamame in large bowl. Drain pasta and add to bowl. Add oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATOES (SPRING)

This is from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network's website, and from Everyday Italian. Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/penne-with-asparagus-and-cherry-tomatoes-spring-recipe-1939598.

Note This recipe originally called for chicken stock. However, since I'm posting this in a vegetarian blog, I've exchanged the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes

1 cup shelled fresh peas

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock

1 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.