If you're like me, you've had jobs where you were surrounded by coworkers. (I'm talking mostly pre-pandemic, when many, if not most of us, worked in a place where we could see our coworkers.) During down time - between calls (if you're in a phone center), between customers, what-have-you - many of us chat with our coworkers about life, family, and, of course, eventually, food.
In my last job, in a call center, several of us would talk about what we'd had for dinner the night before, dinner tonight, dinner over the weekend...in other words, food. The conversation almost always started with one coworker saying, "You'll never believe what I fixed for dinner last night!"
One coworker in particular, who, like me, was a vegetarian, loved stuffed peppers, and who could blame her? What's not to love? The peppers (an edible container) stuffed with anything and/or everything!
So, with that in mind, here are six vegetarian stuffed pepper recipes to help you through the day, including Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and Samosa Stuffed Peppers. Enjoy!
STUFFED PEPPERS
Recipe Yield: Servings: 8
Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook
Book Title: The New American Heart Association Cookbook
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/stuffed-peppers.
Ingredients
4 large bell peppers, any color or combination
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium crookneck squash, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup diced onion (1 medium)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup grated fat-free or low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (2 ounces)
1 cup no-salt-added tomato juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, ribs, and seeds. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Saute tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until zucchini is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook.
In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, and water chestnuts. Gently stir into skillet. Stuff pepper halves with vegetable mixture. Place in 9-inch round or square casserole dish, then carefully pour tomato juice around peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 119; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 68 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Low-Fat Milk, 2 Vegetable
SAMOSA STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, “The filling for these stuffed peppers tastes a lot like samosas, small Indian turnovers. STORE/SERVE: If making ahead, skip final baking step. Cool stuffed peppers, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to three months. Thaw, if necessary, then cover with foil, and finish baking as in step 3.” Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
4 large red bell peppers, halved
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
4 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbs. garam masala
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large carrots, finely diced (1 cup)
1 cup green beans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins or dried currants, optional
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts or cashews, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place halved bell peppers cut side down in two large baking dishes. Cover with foil, and bake 25 minutes, or until peppers begin to soften.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Add curry powder, garam masala, and ginger, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, lentils, salt, and 4 cups water. Add chickpeas, carrots, green beans, and raisins (if using). Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring once or twice. Remove rice mixture from heat, stir in peanuts, and season with salt, if desired.
Flip bell pepper halves. Fill each with 3/4 cup rice mixture. Re-cover baking dishes, and bake 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.
nutritional information Per Stuffed pepper: Calories: 288; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 241 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 8 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
QUINOA-STUFFED PEPPERS
This is from Fiona Haynes, who was About.com's Low Fat Cooking expert, and then on The Spruce Eats, part of the dotdash family that About.com morphed into. While Fiona appears to have left the Spruce Eats, and I have yet to find a new link for this, it's still worth posting.
Anyway, Fiona wrote, “These quinoa-stuffed peppers make a nice low-fat meatless entree or side dish. Quinoa is a wonderful option for those who can't eat gluten, plus it makes a nice change from rice or meat-filled peppers. To make 1 cup of cooked quinoa, you'll need 1/2 cup of quinoa, rinsed, then cooked in 1 cup of water or broth for extra flavor. Make sure your broth is gluten free if you are feeding this to someone who has a gluten problem.
“I like my peppers to be yielding but still have something of a bite to them. If you prefer your peppers to be softer still, bake them for 10 minutes or so longer.” Prep Time: 0 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Serves 4
Ingredients
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stem intact
2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups diced cremini mushrooms
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup chopped baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Steam or simmer bell peppers in a large pot for 5 minutes until slightly soft.
Heat oil in medium skillet and gently sauté onions, garlic and carrots on medium-low heat until softened.
Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Stir in cooked quinoa. Add broth, spinach and parsley and cook for 2 minutes.
Scoop one fourth of the quinoa mixture into each bell pepper half, packing firmly.
Place peppers in a baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with 1/2 cup of water. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until filling is hot.
Per Serving: Calories 198, Calories from Fat 38, total Fat 4.2g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 50mg, Carbohydrate 33.3g, Fiber 6.7g, Protein 6.6g
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
STUFFED PEPPERS WITH TOMATO SAUCE
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Simple and festive, these peppers will be welcome at any time of year.”
Makes 8 servings, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
4 large red, green or yellow bell peppers
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 soy "sausage" links, cut into chunks
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced parsley
2 14.5-oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup plus 8 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
8 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F.
Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove core and seeds, rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté “sausage” for 2 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic and parsley, and cook about 10 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup tomatoes, thyme and cayenne.
Put rice in bowl, and stir in vegetable mixture. Let stand 15 minutes so the rice absorbs any liquid from vegetables. Stir in cheese. Divide rice mixture among pepper halves, mounding mixture into cavities. Pour remaining tomato mixture into small baking dish. Nestle stuffed peppers on top of tomatoes. Cover dish with lid or aluminum foil.
Bake 1 hour. Uncover peppers, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes. Serve with sauce from baking dish, and garnish, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 270; Carbohydrate Content: 31 g; Cholesterol Content: 15 mg; Fat Content: 11 g; Fiber Content: 5 g; Protein Content: 14 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 470 mg; Sugar Content: 4 g
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Cookies
Are there any snacks better than freshly baked cookies? You can make a bunch of cookie dough, then bake one batch or more, have two or three with milk (or coffee or tea), share them with others...Perfect!
To that end, here are six yummy cookie recipes to help you through the day, including Easy Vegan Peanut Cookies, Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies, and Perfect Black and White Cookies. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHIP ICEBOX COOKIES
This comes from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. She writes, “These icebox cookies are filled with ground chocolate chips. Use a small food processor or chopper to grind or chop the chocolate chips for these cookies. The dough is chilled slightly and then it's rolled into logs and thoroughly chilled until it's very firm. Plant to let the dough logs chill for at least four hours, or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 11 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Yield: About 3 dozen
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup butter (8 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, 13 1/2 ounces
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, ground or finely chopped
Preparation
In large mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars together until light; add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour. Stir in the ground chocolate chips.
Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape.
Divide dough into 2 portions; form each portion into a log and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.
Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 4 hours, or until very firm.
Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or lightly grease the pan.
Cut a log into 1/4-inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.
STRAWBERRY MAPLE OAT COOKIES
This is from Crofter’s Organic, and was featured in the December 2018 issue of Taste For Life, which I’d picked up at one of my favorite places, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’re ever in St. Pete (especially if you live nearby), check it out!
Anyway, the recipe begins, “This recipe is far from your grandma’s oatmeal cookie. These cookies are the epitome of summer - chewy oatmeal goodness bursting with juicy strawberry flavor all thanks to our strawberry premium fruit spread. Count us in. This flavor combination is one for the books and will take your cookie game to the next level. Not to mention, they’re healthier than your average cookie but shhh no one needs to know. That’s because they taste great. Give them a try and see for yourself! Yum!”
Serves 6 - 8; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes.
Check them out online at https://croftersorganic.com/recipe/strawberry-maple-oat-cookies/.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts
1 egg
2 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup Crofter’s Organic Strawberry Premium Fruit Spread
Directions
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients - flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add spices and walnuts. Mix all together until combined.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix well with a whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix. Finally, stir in the diced strawberries. Mix gently with a spoon. Let the mixture sit for few minutes.
Preheat oven to 356F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
With a scoop or spoon, scoop the dough, and place it on the baking sheet. Arrange the cookies 2-inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough with the spoon.
Bake 12-15 minutes until the edges of the cookies begin to brown.
Remove cookies from the oven, and let them cool for few minutes on a baking sheet. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
CHOCAPOCALYPSE COOKIES
This is from Alton Brown of the Food Network's show,Good Eats. Total Time: 2 hr 30 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 1 hr 15 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 55 cookies; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocapocalypse-cookie-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
6 ounces 54-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces 40-percent milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces cocoa nibs
Directions
Place the 54-percent bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl and microwave on high for two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. If still not smooth, heat for 10 additional seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to 90 degrees F, approximately 15 minutes.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, transfer to a paper plate and set aside.
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined and looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes.
Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until integrated. Add the 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, 40-percent milk chocolate and the cocoa nibs and mix until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Scoop the dough using a 1 1/4-inch-diameter disher or ice cream scoop onto parchment-lined half-sheet pans, placing 2 inches apart, 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Do not over-bake; the cookies may look wet and doughy.
Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely.
OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES
This comes the Food Network Kitchen.Total Time: 4 hr 40 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 4 hr; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cutters; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Colored sugar and milk, for decorating, or Royal Icing, recipe follows
Royal Icing:
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons meringue powder (egg white powder)
Food coloring, as desired
Directions
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a second large bowl and mix well. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Chill the dough for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Roll out the dough and cut it into shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. Place the shapes on the prepared cookie sheet. If decorating with colored sugar, brush the cookies with milk and sprinkle with colored sugar (if using royal icing, leave unfinished). Bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
Remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely. If using royal icing, decorate the cookies as desired.
Royal Icing:
Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Mix slowly with an electric mixer until stiff enough to form peaks; the icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. If the frosting is over-beaten, it will get aerated which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit to settle, and then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the frosting.
Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Gels are best with royal icing. You don't want to thin them with liquid colors. Be careful of adding too much color, which reduces the sheen of the frosting and can break down the consistency of the frosting over a couple of days. Store the icing at room temperature, covered, with plastic wrap on the surface.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups icing
PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Tender, moist and scented with vanilla, almond and lemon, these classic confections popular all over the Midwest and the state of New York are more cake than cookie, with a fine crumb and velvet texture from the sour cream in the batter. Even better, they are glazed with both vanilla and chocolate, so you don’t have to pick favorites. These are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, when the cake is at its softest and the glaze at its snappiest. But if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll be good for a few days longer.”
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020254-perfect-black-and-white-cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Glaze:
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Boiling water, as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until both mixtures are incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick poundcake batter.)
Dollop heaping 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (You should have 12 to 14 cookies.) Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the cookies have firmed up and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, 6 to 9 minutes. (They’ll brown only on the bottoms.) Take care not to overbake, or they will dry out.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons boiling water, the corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Continue to whisk, adding more boiling water as needed, until you have a thick yet spreadable frosting that is the texture of hot fudge sauce. (Too thick is preferable to too thin.) Flip each cookie over and spoon glaze over half of its flat side, spreading to edges with the back of the spoon. Place on wire rack to set. You will have vanilla frosting left over.
Whisk melted chocolate into vanilla frosting, then whisk in cocoa and enough room temperature water to make a thick yet spreadable glaze. Glaze the bare half of each cookie. Let glaze set for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
EASY VEGAN PEANUT COOKIES
Who doesn't love homemade cookies, hot from the oven? This yummy recipe comes from Being Vegan, and begins, “So you eat a plant-based, vegan, healthy diet and you just need to have a cookie! Commercial baking can be a real let down for vegans, so why not just break out the mixing spoon and make your own homemade vegan peanut butter cookies! This recipe is super easy and super tasty!”
This can be viewed online here.
Get your ingredients together:
3/4 cup natural peanut butter (smooth)
1/4 cup margarine, soft
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon applesauce
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Bake your cookies!
Preheat the oven to 350.
In one bowl cream the peanut butter, margarine, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon juice together and mix until light and smooth.
In a separate bowl combine the cornstarch, flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, adding the almond milk a little at a time until you have a nice soft dough.
Drop 3″ balls of dough on the cookie sheet and press with a fork.
Bake 8-10 minutes, until cookies are firm but not brown.
Remove your cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy with a big tall glass of cold almond milk!
To that end, here are six yummy cookie recipes to help you through the day, including Easy Vegan Peanut Cookies, Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies, and Perfect Black and White Cookies. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHIP ICEBOX COOKIES
This comes from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. She writes, “These icebox cookies are filled with ground chocolate chips. Use a small food processor or chopper to grind or chop the chocolate chips for these cookies. The dough is chilled slightly and then it's rolled into logs and thoroughly chilled until it's very firm. Plant to let the dough logs chill for at least four hours, or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 11 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Yield: About 3 dozen
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup butter (8 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, 13 1/2 ounces
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, ground or finely chopped
Preparation
In large mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars together until light; add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour. Stir in the ground chocolate chips.
Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape.
Divide dough into 2 portions; form each portion into a log and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.
Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 4 hours, or until very firm.
Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or lightly grease the pan.
Cut a log into 1/4-inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.
STRAWBERRY MAPLE OAT COOKIES
This is from Crofter’s Organic, and was featured in the December 2018 issue of Taste For Life, which I’d picked up at one of my favorite places, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’re ever in St. Pete (especially if you live nearby), check it out!
Anyway, the recipe begins, “This recipe is far from your grandma’s oatmeal cookie. These cookies are the epitome of summer - chewy oatmeal goodness bursting with juicy strawberry flavor all thanks to our strawberry premium fruit spread. Count us in. This flavor combination is one for the books and will take your cookie game to the next level. Not to mention, they’re healthier than your average cookie but shhh no one needs to know. That’s because they taste great. Give them a try and see for yourself! Yum!”
Serves 6 - 8; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes.
Check them out online at https://croftersorganic.com/recipe/strawberry-maple-oat-cookies/.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts
1 egg
2 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup Crofter’s Organic Strawberry Premium Fruit Spread
Directions
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients - flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add spices and walnuts. Mix all together until combined.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix well with a whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix. Finally, stir in the diced strawberries. Mix gently with a spoon. Let the mixture sit for few minutes.
Preheat oven to 356F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
With a scoop or spoon, scoop the dough, and place it on the baking sheet. Arrange the cookies 2-inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough with the spoon.
Bake 12-15 minutes until the edges of the cookies begin to brown.
Remove cookies from the oven, and let them cool for few minutes on a baking sheet. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
CHOCAPOCALYPSE COOKIES
This is from Alton Brown of the Food Network's show,Good Eats. Total Time: 2 hr 30 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 1 hr 15 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 55 cookies; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocapocalypse-cookie-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
6 ounces 54-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces 40-percent milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces cocoa nibs
Directions
Place the 54-percent bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl and microwave on high for two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. If still not smooth, heat for 10 additional seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to 90 degrees F, approximately 15 minutes.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, transfer to a paper plate and set aside.
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined and looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes.
Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until integrated. Add the 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, 40-percent milk chocolate and the cocoa nibs and mix until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Scoop the dough using a 1 1/4-inch-diameter disher or ice cream scoop onto parchment-lined half-sheet pans, placing 2 inches apart, 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Do not over-bake; the cookies may look wet and doughy.
Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely.
OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES
This comes the Food Network Kitchen.Total Time: 4 hr 40 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 4 hr; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cutters; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Colored sugar and milk, for decorating, or Royal Icing, recipe follows
Royal Icing:
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons meringue powder (egg white powder)
Food coloring, as desired
Directions
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a second large bowl and mix well. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Chill the dough for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Roll out the dough and cut it into shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. Place the shapes on the prepared cookie sheet. If decorating with colored sugar, brush the cookies with milk and sprinkle with colored sugar (if using royal icing, leave unfinished). Bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
Remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely. If using royal icing, decorate the cookies as desired.
Royal Icing:
Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Mix slowly with an electric mixer until stiff enough to form peaks; the icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. If the frosting is over-beaten, it will get aerated which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit to settle, and then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the frosting.
Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Gels are best with royal icing. You don't want to thin them with liquid colors. Be careful of adding too much color, which reduces the sheen of the frosting and can break down the consistency of the frosting over a couple of days. Store the icing at room temperature, covered, with plastic wrap on the surface.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups icing
PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Tender, moist and scented with vanilla, almond and lemon, these classic confections popular all over the Midwest and the state of New York are more cake than cookie, with a fine crumb and velvet texture from the sour cream in the batter. Even better, they are glazed with both vanilla and chocolate, so you don’t have to pick favorites. These are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, when the cake is at its softest and the glaze at its snappiest. But if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll be good for a few days longer.”
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020254-perfect-black-and-white-cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Glaze:
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Boiling water, as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until both mixtures are incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick poundcake batter.)
Dollop heaping 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (You should have 12 to 14 cookies.) Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the cookies have firmed up and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, 6 to 9 minutes. (They’ll brown only on the bottoms.) Take care not to overbake, or they will dry out.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons boiling water, the corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Continue to whisk, adding more boiling water as needed, until you have a thick yet spreadable frosting that is the texture of hot fudge sauce. (Too thick is preferable to too thin.) Flip each cookie over and spoon glaze over half of its flat side, spreading to edges with the back of the spoon. Place on wire rack to set. You will have vanilla frosting left over.
Whisk melted chocolate into vanilla frosting, then whisk in cocoa and enough room temperature water to make a thick yet spreadable glaze. Glaze the bare half of each cookie. Let glaze set for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
EASY VEGAN PEANUT COOKIES
Who doesn't love homemade cookies, hot from the oven? This yummy recipe comes from Being Vegan, and begins, “So you eat a plant-based, vegan, healthy diet and you just need to have a cookie! Commercial baking can be a real let down for vegans, so why not just break out the mixing spoon and make your own homemade vegan peanut butter cookies! This recipe is super easy and super tasty!”
This can be viewed online here.
Get your ingredients together:
3/4 cup natural peanut butter (smooth)
1/4 cup margarine, soft
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon applesauce
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Bake your cookies!
Preheat the oven to 350.
In one bowl cream the peanut butter, margarine, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon juice together and mix until light and smooth.
In a separate bowl combine the cornstarch, flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, adding the almond milk a little at a time until you have a nice soft dough.
Drop 3″ balls of dough on the cookie sheet and press with a fork.
Bake 8-10 minutes, until cookies are firm but not brown.
Remove your cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy with a big tall glass of cold almond milk!
Monday, September 21, 2020
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Summer Minestrone with Fresh Basil and Blackberry Cobbler. Enjoy!
LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE
This was in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This buttery almond cake with lemon curd baked inside is like the ultimate citrus tart, without the heartbreak of pie crust. It's fancy enough to be served as a dinner party dessert, yet substantial enough to be served with Sunday brunch. (Bonus: you'll have several tablespoons of lemon curd left over. It's delicious on toast or pancakes.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus cooling time.
This was featured in “Not The Usual Chef On The Shelf” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd:
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 extra-large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Cake:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
About 1/2 cup heavy cream for garnish
1 tablespoon almond liqueur (optional)
Preparation
For the curd, combine zest, juice, sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, and beat well. Add butter, and place over a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming.
Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 1/2 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess.
With an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, and stir in. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Add eggs and ground almonds to batter, and mix well.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons lemon curd around perimeter of batter, leaving a 1-inch border, and taking care to space drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd into center of batter. Refrigerate remaining curd for another use. Sprinkle cake with toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.
Bake until cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into cake (not curd) comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan, and cool completely.
Whip cream with almond liqueur. Present cake at table, and offer whipped cream on the side.
SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH FRESH BASIL
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil, or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto (it’s pesto without the pine nuts). A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, adds great depth of flavor without adding fat. On a hot summer day in Italy the soup might be served at room temperature, or just barely warm.”
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
This was featured in “Summer Minestrone with Fresh Basil” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
3/4 pound zucchini, diced
A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup soup pasta, such as elbow macaroni, or broken spaghetti, or 3/4 cup penne
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 cup pistou (see recipe; you'll need to subscribe to The New York Times cooking e-newsletter to get this)
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Preparation
Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 quarts water, the turnip, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in some pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.
CRUSTLESS SOUTHWESTERN MINI-QUICHES
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (January 6, 2007), and begins, “Frozen hash browns act as a crust for these spicy entrées that can also be made in individual pie dishes for a more quiche-like appearance. Serve with prepared salsa and slices of avocado.”
6 servingsView this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crustless-southwestern-mini-quiches.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained, rinsed and minced, 2 tsp. sauce reserved
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Stir in shredded hash brown potatoes. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, pressing down to form crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle each ramekin with bell pepper, corn, green onions and cilantro. Top with cheese.
Whisk together remaining eggs, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, chiles and adobo sauce in medium bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables in ramekins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 156; Carbohydrate Content: 9 g; Cholesterol Content: 223 mg; Fat Content: 8 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 12 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 602 mg; Sugar Content: 2 g
EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”
Ingredients
1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.
Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
BLACKBERRY COBBLER
This comes from Delish, and begins, “Summer is calling.”
Yields: 6; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Filling:
6 c. blackberries
1/2 c. sugar
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
For the Cobbler
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. Butter, cubed
1/4 c. milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Egg wash, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, toss blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. Let sit 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work in the butter with your hands until combined, then stir in milk and egg until just combined.
Transfer the blackberry mixture to an oven-safe skillet and top with dollops of dough.
Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until biscuit topping is deeply golden and blackberry mixture bubbly, 45 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE
This was in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This buttery almond cake with lemon curd baked inside is like the ultimate citrus tart, without the heartbreak of pie crust. It's fancy enough to be served as a dinner party dessert, yet substantial enough to be served with Sunday brunch. (Bonus: you'll have several tablespoons of lemon curd left over. It's delicious on toast or pancakes.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus cooling time.
This was featured in “Not The Usual Chef On The Shelf” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd:
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 extra-large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Cake:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
About 1/2 cup heavy cream for garnish
1 tablespoon almond liqueur (optional)
Preparation
For the curd, combine zest, juice, sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, and beat well. Add butter, and place over a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming.
Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 1/2 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess.
With an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, and stir in. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Add eggs and ground almonds to batter, and mix well.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons lemon curd around perimeter of batter, leaving a 1-inch border, and taking care to space drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd into center of batter. Refrigerate remaining curd for another use. Sprinkle cake with toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.
Bake until cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into cake (not curd) comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan, and cool completely.
Whip cream with almond liqueur. Present cake at table, and offer whipped cream on the side.
SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH FRESH BASIL
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil, or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto (it’s pesto without the pine nuts). A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, adds great depth of flavor without adding fat. On a hot summer day in Italy the soup might be served at room temperature, or just barely warm.”
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
This was featured in “Summer Minestrone with Fresh Basil” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
3/4 pound zucchini, diced
A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup soup pasta, such as elbow macaroni, or broken spaghetti, or 3/4 cup penne
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 cup pistou (see recipe; you'll need to subscribe to The New York Times cooking e-newsletter to get this)
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Preparation
Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 quarts water, the turnip, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in some pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.
CRUSTLESS SOUTHWESTERN MINI-QUICHES
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (January 6, 2007), and begins, “Frozen hash browns act as a crust for these spicy entrées that can also be made in individual pie dishes for a more quiche-like appearance. Serve with prepared salsa and slices of avocado.”
6 servingsView this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crustless-southwestern-mini-quiches.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained, rinsed and minced, 2 tsp. sauce reserved
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Stir in shredded hash brown potatoes. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, pressing down to form crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle each ramekin with bell pepper, corn, green onions and cilantro. Top with cheese.
Whisk together remaining eggs, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, chiles and adobo sauce in medium bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables in ramekins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 156; Carbohydrate Content: 9 g; Cholesterol Content: 223 mg; Fat Content: 8 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 12 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 602 mg; Sugar Content: 2 g
EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”
Ingredients
1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.
Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
BLACKBERRY COBBLER
This comes from Delish, and begins, “Summer is calling.”
Yields: 6; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Filling:
6 c. blackberries
1/2 c. sugar
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
For the Cobbler
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. Butter, cubed
1/4 c. milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Egg wash, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, toss blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. Let sit 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work in the butter with your hands until combined, then stir in milk and egg until just combined.
Transfer the blackberry mixture to an oven-safe skillet and top with dollops of dough.
Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until biscuit topping is deeply golden and blackberry mixture bubbly, 45 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
Taco Tuesday
If you're like me and love tacos, you don't mind that it's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's vegetarian taco offerings include Soft Black Bean Tacos with Salsa and Cabbage and Mexican Rose Taco Salad. Enjoy!
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER TACOS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH
This is from Hidden Valley. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 2 - 4
To view this online, go to https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/buffalo-cauliflower-tacos-with-greek-yogurt-ranch/.
Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour (or sub white whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
15 oz. can organic sweet kernel corn, rinsed and drained
8 gluten-free corn tortillas (or sub flour ones if you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mixed greens (or sub chopped red cabbage)
1/4 cup Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine the batter ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: flour, milk, water, lemon pepper and sea salt.
Break or cut the cauliflower into small 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying with nonstick spray.
Dip each cauliflower piece into the batter, completely covering it and then shake off any excess batter before laying it on the foil. Repeat for all cauliflower pieces being sure to lay them in a single layer without having them touch each other.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, cook your sweet kernel corn for approximately 10 minutes. Let it sit and stick to the bottom of the pan periodically so that it caramelizes and gets some of that charred look/flavor. Set aside.
Once the cauliflower is done baking (they should be lightly browned, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside), put the pieces in a bowl with the buffalo sauce and stir until completely covered.
Assemble your tacos immediately: corn tortillas, buffalo cauliflower, a spoonful of roasted corn, a pinch of diced cilantro and a drizzle of Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch.
Note: For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
CHILI-LIME MUSHROOM TACOS
This comes from Taste of Home, and begins with this note from Greg Fontenot (The Woodlands, Texas), "I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty."
Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes: 4 servings
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-lime-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Remove stems from mushrooms; if desired, remove gills using a spoon. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-in. slices.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms, red pepper and onion until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, seasonings, lime zest and juice; cook and stir 1 minute. Serve in tortillas; top with cheese.
Health Tip: Making these tacos with lean ground beef adds almost 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. That’s a good reason for a meatless taco Tuesday!
VEGGIE TACOS
This also comes from Taste of Home, and begins, "These vegetarian tacos are stuffed with a blend of sauteed cabbage, peppers and black beans so filling, you won't miss the meat. Top with avocado, cheese or a dollop of sour cream."
Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes: 8 tacos
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/veggie-tacos/.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8 taco shells, warmed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute cabbage, pepper and onion until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar.
Stir in beans, salsa, chiles, garlic, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.
Serve in taco shells. Top with cheese and avocado.
MEXICAN ROSE TACO SALAD
This is from Vegetarian Times and begins, "Pick up the festive flavors of Mexico in this robust main-course salad. This would also make a beckoning brunch main dish. In either case, offer a basket of hot corn or flour tortillas as wrappers. To underscore the taco flavor, garnish this salad with whole or crushed taco chips, if desired." Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed
15-oz. can black or navy beans, drained and rinsed
15 1/4-oz. can corn, drained
6-oz. can pitted black olives, drained
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 medium-sized tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 to 2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste
3 Tbs. taco sauce
1 Tbs. granulated sugar, or to taste
Instructions:
Dry lettuce leaves, trim off tough ends and line salad bowl with leaves.
Combine beans, corn kernels, olives, scallions and tomatoes in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Add avocado and coriander leaves and stir in gently.
To make dressing, combine ingredients in bowl and beat together to combine. Toss salad ingredients with dressing.
To serve, scoop bean mixture into the salad bowl. Garnish with sliced jalapeños.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 470; Protein: 20 g; Total Fat: 30 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 46 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 280 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: g
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.
SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.
This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil
1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)
2 cans black beans, with liquid
Salt to taste
8 corn tortillas
1 cup fresh or bottled salsa
3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled
2 cups shredded cabbage
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.
Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.
Tip
Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER TACOS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH
This is from Hidden Valley. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 2 - 4
To view this online, go to https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/buffalo-cauliflower-tacos-with-greek-yogurt-ranch/.
Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour (or sub white whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
15 oz. can organic sweet kernel corn, rinsed and drained
8 gluten-free corn tortillas (or sub flour ones if you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mixed greens (or sub chopped red cabbage)
1/4 cup Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine the batter ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: flour, milk, water, lemon pepper and sea salt.
Break or cut the cauliflower into small 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying with nonstick spray.
Dip each cauliflower piece into the batter, completely covering it and then shake off any excess batter before laying it on the foil. Repeat for all cauliflower pieces being sure to lay them in a single layer without having them touch each other.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, cook your sweet kernel corn for approximately 10 minutes. Let it sit and stick to the bottom of the pan periodically so that it caramelizes and gets some of that charred look/flavor. Set aside.
Once the cauliflower is done baking (they should be lightly browned, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside), put the pieces in a bowl with the buffalo sauce and stir until completely covered.
Assemble your tacos immediately: corn tortillas, buffalo cauliflower, a spoonful of roasted corn, a pinch of diced cilantro and a drizzle of Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch.
Note: For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
CHILI-LIME MUSHROOM TACOS
This comes from Taste of Home, and begins with this note from Greg Fontenot (The Woodlands, Texas), "I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty."
Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes: 4 servings
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-lime-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Remove stems from mushrooms; if desired, remove gills using a spoon. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-in. slices.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms, red pepper and onion until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, seasonings, lime zest and juice; cook and stir 1 minute. Serve in tortillas; top with cheese.
Health Tip: Making these tacos with lean ground beef adds almost 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. That’s a good reason for a meatless taco Tuesday!
VEGGIE TACOS
This also comes from Taste of Home, and begins, "These vegetarian tacos are stuffed with a blend of sauteed cabbage, peppers and black beans so filling, you won't miss the meat. Top with avocado, cheese or a dollop of sour cream."
Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes: 8 tacos
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/veggie-tacos/.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8 taco shells, warmed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute cabbage, pepper and onion until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar.
Stir in beans, salsa, chiles, garlic, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.
Serve in taco shells. Top with cheese and avocado.
MEXICAN ROSE TACO SALAD
This is from Vegetarian Times and begins, "Pick up the festive flavors of Mexico in this robust main-course salad. This would also make a beckoning brunch main dish. In either case, offer a basket of hot corn or flour tortillas as wrappers. To underscore the taco flavor, garnish this salad with whole or crushed taco chips, if desired." Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed
15-oz. can black or navy beans, drained and rinsed
15 1/4-oz. can corn, drained
6-oz. can pitted black olives, drained
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 medium-sized tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 to 2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste
3 Tbs. taco sauce
1 Tbs. granulated sugar, or to taste
Instructions:
Dry lettuce leaves, trim off tough ends and line salad bowl with leaves.
Combine beans, corn kernels, olives, scallions and tomatoes in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Add avocado and coriander leaves and stir in gently.
To make dressing, combine ingredients in bowl and beat together to combine. Toss salad ingredients with dressing.
To serve, scoop bean mixture into the salad bowl. Garnish with sliced jalapeños.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 470; Protein: 20 g; Total Fat: 30 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 46 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 280 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: g
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.
SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.
This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil
1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)
2 cans black beans, with liquid
Salt to taste
8 corn tortillas
1 cup fresh or bottled salsa
3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled
2 cups shredded cabbage
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.
Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.
Tip
Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Monday Recipes
Hope your weekend was good. If, like me, you didn't get everything done that you wanted to, at least there's still next weekend.
In the meantime, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Chipotle Asparagus Quesadillas and Red Velvet Cheesecake. Enjoy!
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 and 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 and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
RED VELVET CHEESECAKE
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Total: 2 hr; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 40 min; Yield: 10 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 28 cookies)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
For the filling:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer 2 cups batter to a bowl; stir in the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour the red batter into the crust, then pour the white batter on top. Using a spoon, pull some of the red batter up from the bottom of the cake and swirl. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven but keep the cake inside to cool, 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan (don't remove the springform side), then transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
FANTASTIC FRUIT SALAD
This comes from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “This refreshing fruit salad is delicious to the core, and if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, this will surely do the trick! No matter how you slice it, you're sure to be satisfied with healthy treat.”
Makes 4 servings.
View this online at https://www.mydailymoment.com/recipes/fantastic_fruit_salad.php.
Ingredients
1 red apple, cored and chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
1/2 cup(s) chopped walnuts
1 (8 oz.) container, nonfat lemon yogurt
Directions
In a large bowl, combine red apple, Granny Smith apple, nectarine, celery, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Mix in yogurt. Chill until ready to serve.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
In the meantime, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Chipotle Asparagus Quesadillas and Red Velvet Cheesecake. Enjoy!
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 and 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 and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
RED VELVET CHEESECAKE
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Total: 2 hr; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 40 min; Yield: 10 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 28 cookies)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
For the filling:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer 2 cups batter to a bowl; stir in the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour the red batter into the crust, then pour the white batter on top. Using a spoon, pull some of the red batter up from the bottom of the cake and swirl. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven but keep the cake inside to cool, 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan (don't remove the springform side), then transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
FANTASTIC FRUIT SALAD
This comes from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “This refreshing fruit salad is delicious to the core, and if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, this will surely do the trick! No matter how you slice it, you're sure to be satisfied with healthy treat.”
Makes 4 servings.
View this online at https://www.mydailymoment.com/recipes/fantastic_fruit_salad.php.
Ingredients
1 red apple, cored and chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
1/2 cup(s) chopped walnuts
1 (8 oz.) container, nonfat lemon yogurt
Directions
In a large bowl, combine red apple, Granny Smith apple, nectarine, celery, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Mix in yogurt. Chill until ready to serve.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Friday, September 18, 2020
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil and Summer Vegetable Chili. Enjoy!
BAKED RAJMA (PUNJABI-STYLE RED BEANS WITH CREAM)
This is from Tejal Rao at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, "Punjabi-style rajma, or red beans, in a thick, spicy tomato gravy is comforting, quick and comes together with what you have in the pantry. This one-pan baked version lets the oven do the work of reducing the sauce. When the dish comes out, scatter with cilantro, if you’ve got it, and some quick-pickled onion. The key is to take your time with the base, letting the onion mixture cook out properly, so the final sauce is mellow and deeply flavored. You can try the same recipe with different beans — use whatever you’ve got, from chickpeas to cannellini. Serve it over rice, ideally, but if you’re in a pinch, a side of hot flour tortillas, or even buttered toast, will make it into a delicious meal."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "The Indisputable King of Bean Dishes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021035-baked-rajma-punjabi-style-red-beans-with-cream.
Ingredients
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
1 fresh green chile
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed, diced, chopped or whole tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For the Pickle:
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Quarter the onion, then thinly slice one portion. Set aside sliced onion. Add the remaining onion to a food processor, along with the garlic, chile and ginger. Purée until fairly smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the cumin seeds and cook until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Add the onion mixture and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to take on a golden color, 8 to 10 minutes.
While the mixture cooks, purée the canned tomatoes and their juices, if using diced, chopped or whole tomatoes.
Add the beans and chile powder to the onion mixture, and mix well. Use a fork to mash a tablespoon or so of the beans against the side of the skillet to help thicken the sauce.
Add the crushed or puréed tomatoes and garam masala to the beans, and mix well. Drizzle the top with cream or scatter with cheese, then slide into the oven and bake, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the top is lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Prepare the pickle: While the beans are baking, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Transfer 1/4 cup hot water to a small bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the boiling water in the saucepan, turn off the heat and, after 1 minute, drain the onion. Transfer the softened onion to the small bowl and stir in the vinegar.
When the beans are ready, fish out the pickled onion slices and arrange on top, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice, buttered toast or flour tortillas.
TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from PETA's website. Whether you like PETA or not, they do have good vegetarian recipes. This one makes 6 to 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.peta.org/recipes/tofu-spinach-lasagne/.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. soft tofu
1 lb. firm tofu
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. salt
4 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
Place the tofu, sugar, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the spinach.
Cover the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
WAGON TRAIN BISCUITS
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It begins, “I received this recipe from a friend. Here's what she says about it.” This is what followed: “Cooks Notes:
“Here is a great recipe for old fashioned biscuits...and I do mean old. I found it in the 1842 diary of Alice Stephen. She stated that it had been in her family for generations. She baked them in a dutch oven and sometimes used what we now know as a 'reflector fire.' I use this recipe when camping and it is GREAT!”
Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
Directions
Measure all dry ingredients and place into a large bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly, until mixture looks like meal. Stir in buttermilk. If dough is not pliable, add just enough buttermilk to make a soft, puffy, easy-to-roll dough. Round up dough on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Knead lightly 20 to 25 times, about 1 minute. Roll out until 3/4" thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter (I use a wine glass). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.
SWEET ONION CHEESE DIP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Whoever posted it indicated that it was from Canyon Villa Inn, in Sedona, Arizona.
Ingredients
3 large sweet onions coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 Tbls butter
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup mayo
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Directions
Saute onions and garlic until tender. Remove from heat. Add cheese, mayo and hot sauce. Transfer to baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with crackers. Makes 5 cups.
SUMMER VEGETABLE CHILI
This is from the Food Network.
Prep Time: 14 minutes; Cook Time: 26 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-vegetable-chili-recipe-2112338.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
2 cups frozen corn (preferably fire-roasted), thawed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added pinto beans
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or torn fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add all but a few tablespoons of the chopped red onion. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano, mushrooms and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 more minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili is thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the chili among bowls. Top with the cheese, sour cream and/or cilantro; sprinkle with the reserved red onion. Serve with the tortillas.
CAPELLINI WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL
This is from Ina Garten on her the Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this inline, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/capellini-with-tomatoes-and-basil-recipe-1949902.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.
CHEESE AND RICE STUFFED PEPPERS
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings
Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cheese-and-rice-stuffed-peppers.
Ingredients
4 medium green bell peppers
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Slice off the tops of the peppers. Wash the peppers and remove the cores and seeds. Stand the pepper cups upright in a saucepan containing 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover tightly and allow steam 5 minutes. Remove and drain.
In a large bowl, mix together the rice, cheese parsley, salt, and ground pepper. Divide the mixture and stuff each pepper.
Stand the peppers in a loaf pan or cupcake tins. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese melts.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 222; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 455 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 12 g; Carbohydrates: 31 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Lean Meat
BAKED RAJMA (PUNJABI-STYLE RED BEANS WITH CREAM)
This is from Tejal Rao at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, "Punjabi-style rajma, or red beans, in a thick, spicy tomato gravy is comforting, quick and comes together with what you have in the pantry. This one-pan baked version lets the oven do the work of reducing the sauce. When the dish comes out, scatter with cilantro, if you’ve got it, and some quick-pickled onion. The key is to take your time with the base, letting the onion mixture cook out properly, so the final sauce is mellow and deeply flavored. You can try the same recipe with different beans — use whatever you’ve got, from chickpeas to cannellini. Serve it over rice, ideally, but if you’re in a pinch, a side of hot flour tortillas, or even buttered toast, will make it into a delicious meal."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "The Indisputable King of Bean Dishes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021035-baked-rajma-punjabi-style-red-beans-with-cream.
Ingredients
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
1 fresh green chile
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed, diced, chopped or whole tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For the Pickle:
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Quarter the onion, then thinly slice one portion. Set aside sliced onion. Add the remaining onion to a food processor, along with the garlic, chile and ginger. Purée until fairly smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the cumin seeds and cook until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Add the onion mixture and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to take on a golden color, 8 to 10 minutes.
While the mixture cooks, purée the canned tomatoes and their juices, if using diced, chopped or whole tomatoes.
Add the beans and chile powder to the onion mixture, and mix well. Use a fork to mash a tablespoon or so of the beans against the side of the skillet to help thicken the sauce.
Add the crushed or puréed tomatoes and garam masala to the beans, and mix well. Drizzle the top with cream or scatter with cheese, then slide into the oven and bake, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the top is lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Prepare the pickle: While the beans are baking, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Transfer 1/4 cup hot water to a small bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the boiling water in the saucepan, turn off the heat and, after 1 minute, drain the onion. Transfer the softened onion to the small bowl and stir in the vinegar.
When the beans are ready, fish out the pickled onion slices and arrange on top, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice, buttered toast or flour tortillas.
TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from PETA's website. Whether you like PETA or not, they do have good vegetarian recipes. This one makes 6 to 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.peta.org/recipes/tofu-spinach-lasagne/.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. soft tofu
1 lb. firm tofu
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. salt
4 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
Place the tofu, sugar, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the spinach.
Cover the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
WAGON TRAIN BISCUITS
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It begins, “I received this recipe from a friend. Here's what she says about it.” This is what followed: “Cooks Notes:
“Here is a great recipe for old fashioned biscuits...and I do mean old. I found it in the 1842 diary of Alice Stephen. She stated that it had been in her family for generations. She baked them in a dutch oven and sometimes used what we now know as a 'reflector fire.' I use this recipe when camping and it is GREAT!”
Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
Directions
Measure all dry ingredients and place into a large bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly, until mixture looks like meal. Stir in buttermilk. If dough is not pliable, add just enough buttermilk to make a soft, puffy, easy-to-roll dough. Round up dough on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Knead lightly 20 to 25 times, about 1 minute. Roll out until 3/4" thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter (I use a wine glass). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.
SWEET ONION CHEESE DIP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Whoever posted it indicated that it was from Canyon Villa Inn, in Sedona, Arizona.
Ingredients
3 large sweet onions coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 Tbls butter
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup mayo
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Directions
Saute onions and garlic until tender. Remove from heat. Add cheese, mayo and hot sauce. Transfer to baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with crackers. Makes 5 cups.
SUMMER VEGETABLE CHILI
This is from the Food Network.
Prep Time: 14 minutes; Cook Time: 26 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-vegetable-chili-recipe-2112338.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
2 cups frozen corn (preferably fire-roasted), thawed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added pinto beans
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or torn fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add all but a few tablespoons of the chopped red onion. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano, mushrooms and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 more minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili is thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the chili among bowls. Top with the cheese, sour cream and/or cilantro; sprinkle with the reserved red onion. Serve with the tortillas.
CAPELLINI WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL
This is from Ina Garten on her the Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this inline, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/capellini-with-tomatoes-and-basil-recipe-1949902.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.
CHEESE AND RICE STUFFED PEPPERS
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings
Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cheese-and-rice-stuffed-peppers.
Ingredients
4 medium green bell peppers
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Slice off the tops of the peppers. Wash the peppers and remove the cores and seeds. Stand the pepper cups upright in a saucepan containing 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover tightly and allow steam 5 minutes. Remove and drain.
In a large bowl, mix together the rice, cheese parsley, salt, and ground pepper. Divide the mixture and stuff each pepper.
Stand the peppers in a loaf pan or cupcake tins. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese melts.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 222; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 455 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 12 g; Carbohydrates: 31 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Lean Meat
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Desserts
There are some days when nothing but dessert will hit the spot. That said, here are six desserts to help you through the day, including Blueberry Lattice Pie and Frozen Berry-Banana Cream Pops. Enjoy!
SIMPLEST STRAWBERRY TART
This comes from Emily Weinstein in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Emily wrote, “This gorgeous tart is adapted from "Sweeter Off the Vine," by Yossy Arefi, a cookbook of fruit desserts for every season. It's an ideal vehicle for the ripest strawberries at the height of the season, a dessert that makes more of a splash than just serving berries and cream but still has that simple charm. The only tricky part is the crust, which could crack as you transfer it to a serving board. But if that happens, don't despair. It's meant to be effortlessly loose and casual, and you can cover the damage with swirls of mascarpone and a blanket of berries.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours’ chilling.
This was featured in “’Sweeter Off the Vine’: A Cookbook Made for Instagram,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018052-simplest-strawberry-tart.
Ingredients
For the Rye Crust:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rye flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
9 tablespoons/ very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
For the Tart:
1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pound small, sweet strawberries
3 tablespoons high-quality strawberry jam
Preparation
Prepare the crust: Whisk the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Combine apple cider vinegar with 5 tablespoons ice water.
Working quickly, add butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into the flour, ensuring that each butter piece gets coated, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse the butter and flour together in a food processor.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If using a food processor, pulse a few more times, or until the dough begins to come together. If the dough seems dry, add more of the cold vinegar-water mixture, a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.
Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (Dough keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in refrigerator before using.)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pie crust into an oval about 15 x 6 inches and just under 1/4-inch thick. Use a paring knife or pastry cutter to trim any rough edges and move the parchment paper and crust to a baking sheet, preferably rimless. Dock the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much in the oven. Brush the surface of the crust from edge to edge with the egg wash.
Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the crust halfway through baking; if any bubbles have appeared, use a spatula to press them flat. Cool the crust completely on the pan.
Prepare the tart: While the crust is cooling, combine mascarpone and 2 tablespoons sugar. Hull the strawberries and cut them into 1/4-inch slices.
Carefully slide the cooled crust off the baking sheet onto a serving platter or board. Spread mascarpone over the top in an even layer, dot with jam, then arrange sliced strawberries in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle the tart with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. (Omit this final sprinkling if your strawberries are particularly sweet.) Slice and serve immediately.
CARAMEL APPLE SNICKERDOODLES
This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter. It begins, “Dulce de leche is the secret ingredients that gives these cookies their gooey hidden center.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Directions
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Spoon 9 heaping teaspoons dulce de leche on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer 1 hour. Transfer remaining dulce de leche to covered container, and refrigerate for another use.
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheet. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour until well combined. Form dough into 9 balls. Flatten each ball into 2-inch round; place 1 frozen dulce de leche dollop on center of each round. Shape dough around dulce de leche, sealing to cover completely. In small bowl, mix sugar and apple pie spice. Roll each ball in sugar mixture. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
BLUEBERRY LATTICE PIE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Molly wrote, “Here's a showstopper of a summer pie if there ever was one. In this recipe that came to The Times in 1995, a generous pile of blueberries is tossed with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest then baked in a butter-shortening crust until the filling is bubbly and the crust golden brown. Don't be intimidated by the lattice top. Just take your time, and do your best. No matter what it looks like, it'll taste delicious.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in “On Blueberry Hill”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9290-blueberry-lattice-pie.
Also, check out “How to Make a Pie Crust,” by Melissa Clark. Very helpful!
Ingredients
The Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
The Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
6 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned
Preparation
To make the crust, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually and lightly mix in just enough ice water so the dough can be gently pressed into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, flour and orange zest. Place the blueberries in a large bowl and toss with the sugar mixture.
Divide the dough in half and roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the filling in the dish. Roll out the remaining dough, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice top. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 and bake until crust is browned and filling is set, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on a rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
SHORTCUT PEACH COBBLER
This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This peach cobbler has long been a popular way to make a cobbler quickly. This version is made with canned sliced peaches, and it's perfect for when you don't have time to peel and pit several peaches. Or when peaches aren't in season.
“The batter calls for self-rising flour, but if you don't have it you may substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
“This is an excellent dessert to make on a busy day, and it's a popular cobbler in the South. Take it along to a summer cookout or potluck!”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Timie: 50 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 1 9X13 pan (8 servings)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)
1 large can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Put the butter in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to blend. Stir in the milk until well blended.
Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the butter.
Spoon the peaches with syrup evenly over the batter.
Bake the peach cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown around the edges and lightly browned in the center.
FROZEN BERRY-BANANA CREAM POPS
This is from the Mayo Clinic. To view this recipe online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/frozen-berry-banana-cream-pops.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain, fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries)
1 large banana, sliced
6 paper cups, 5-oz. to 9-oz. size
Aluminum foil
Wooden Popsicle® sticks
Instructions
Place yogurt, fruit (slightly thaw frozen fruit first) and banana in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Divide mixture evenly into paper cups.
Cover each paper cup with foil. Make a slit in the center of the foil covers and insert one Popsicle stick in each cup.
Place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours or until frozen solid.
Peel off paper cup and serve.
Serves 6.
PUFF PUFF
This is from Yewande Komolafe in the The New York Times cooking email. Yewande wrote, “The genius of puff puff is in the simplicity of the dough: A nutmeg-spiked batter, a bit of patience for the yeast to rise and time to fry up the balls will result in the most delightful little puffs. If the batter seems wet, you are on the right track. The consistency should be similar to a yeasted pancake or waffle batter. Tossing the fried dough in spiced sugar is optional, but recommended: The added layer creates an irresistible crunch. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.”
Yield: 8 to 10 servings (about 32 puffs); Time: 30 minutes, plus rising
This was featured in “Yewande Komolafe’s 10 Essential Nigerian Recipes” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020287-puff-puff.
Ingredients
For the Puff Puff:
1 1/2 cups warm water or whole milk (110 degrees)
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 to 4 cups canola oil or other neutral oil, for frying
For the Spiced Sugar:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and the remaining sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture once it’s foamy. Combine, stirring with a wooden spoon, to incorporate all the ingredients into a smooth batter. The batter should be wet and slightly loose, similar to a yeasted waffle batter.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and allow dough to double in size, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the spiced sugar: In a medium bowl, toss the sugar, nutmeg, allspice and cloves to combine; set aside.
Pour 1 inch of oil into a large, deep skillet. Line a baking sheet with a rack or paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Once the batter has doubled in size, heat the oil over medium-high to 350 degrees. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet. Fry the puff puff, turning frequently until golden brown all over and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. (Be careful not to let the oil get too hot or the exteriors will become overly dark before the interiors are cooked through.) Move the puff puff to the rack or paper towels to drain and repeat the process until all the batter has been fried.
Toss the puff puff in the spiced sugar to coat while still warm. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
SIMPLEST STRAWBERRY TART
This comes from Emily Weinstein in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Emily wrote, “This gorgeous tart is adapted from "Sweeter Off the Vine," by Yossy Arefi, a cookbook of fruit desserts for every season. It's an ideal vehicle for the ripest strawberries at the height of the season, a dessert that makes more of a splash than just serving berries and cream but still has that simple charm. The only tricky part is the crust, which could crack as you transfer it to a serving board. But if that happens, don't despair. It's meant to be effortlessly loose and casual, and you can cover the damage with swirls of mascarpone and a blanket of berries.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours’ chilling.
This was featured in “’Sweeter Off the Vine’: A Cookbook Made for Instagram,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018052-simplest-strawberry-tart.
Ingredients
For the Rye Crust:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rye flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
9 tablespoons/ very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
For the Tart:
1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pound small, sweet strawberries
3 tablespoons high-quality strawberry jam
Preparation
Prepare the crust: Whisk the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Combine apple cider vinegar with 5 tablespoons ice water.
Working quickly, add butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into the flour, ensuring that each butter piece gets coated, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse the butter and flour together in a food processor.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If using a food processor, pulse a few more times, or until the dough begins to come together. If the dough seems dry, add more of the cold vinegar-water mixture, a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.
Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (Dough keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in refrigerator before using.)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pie crust into an oval about 15 x 6 inches and just under 1/4-inch thick. Use a paring knife or pastry cutter to trim any rough edges and move the parchment paper and crust to a baking sheet, preferably rimless. Dock the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much in the oven. Brush the surface of the crust from edge to edge with the egg wash.
Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the crust halfway through baking; if any bubbles have appeared, use a spatula to press them flat. Cool the crust completely on the pan.
Prepare the tart: While the crust is cooling, combine mascarpone and 2 tablespoons sugar. Hull the strawberries and cut them into 1/4-inch slices.
Carefully slide the cooled crust off the baking sheet onto a serving platter or board. Spread mascarpone over the top in an even layer, dot with jam, then arrange sliced strawberries in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle the tart with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. (Omit this final sprinkling if your strawberries are particularly sweet.) Slice and serve immediately.
CARAMEL APPLE SNICKERDOODLES
This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter. It begins, “Dulce de leche is the secret ingredients that gives these cookies their gooey hidden center.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Directions
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Spoon 9 heaping teaspoons dulce de leche on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer 1 hour. Transfer remaining dulce de leche to covered container, and refrigerate for another use.
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheet. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour until well combined. Form dough into 9 balls. Flatten each ball into 2-inch round; place 1 frozen dulce de leche dollop on center of each round. Shape dough around dulce de leche, sealing to cover completely. In small bowl, mix sugar and apple pie spice. Roll each ball in sugar mixture. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
BLUEBERRY LATTICE PIE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Molly wrote, “Here's a showstopper of a summer pie if there ever was one. In this recipe that came to The Times in 1995, a generous pile of blueberries is tossed with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest then baked in a butter-shortening crust until the filling is bubbly and the crust golden brown. Don't be intimidated by the lattice top. Just take your time, and do your best. No matter what it looks like, it'll taste delicious.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in “On Blueberry Hill”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9290-blueberry-lattice-pie.
Also, check out “How to Make a Pie Crust,” by Melissa Clark. Very helpful!
Ingredients
The Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
The Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
6 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned
Preparation
To make the crust, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually and lightly mix in just enough ice water so the dough can be gently pressed into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, flour and orange zest. Place the blueberries in a large bowl and toss with the sugar mixture.
Divide the dough in half and roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the filling in the dish. Roll out the remaining dough, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice top. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 and bake until crust is browned and filling is set, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on a rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
SHORTCUT PEACH COBBLER
This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This peach cobbler has long been a popular way to make a cobbler quickly. This version is made with canned sliced peaches, and it's perfect for when you don't have time to peel and pit several peaches. Or when peaches aren't in season.
“The batter calls for self-rising flour, but if you don't have it you may substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
“This is an excellent dessert to make on a busy day, and it's a popular cobbler in the South. Take it along to a summer cookout or potluck!”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Timie: 50 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 1 9X13 pan (8 servings)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)
1 large can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Put the butter in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to blend. Stir in the milk until well blended.
Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the butter.
Spoon the peaches with syrup evenly over the batter.
Bake the peach cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown around the edges and lightly browned in the center.
FROZEN BERRY-BANANA CREAM POPS
This is from the Mayo Clinic. To view this recipe online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/frozen-berry-banana-cream-pops.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain, fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries)
1 large banana, sliced
6 paper cups, 5-oz. to 9-oz. size
Aluminum foil
Wooden Popsicle® sticks
Instructions
Place yogurt, fruit (slightly thaw frozen fruit first) and banana in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Divide mixture evenly into paper cups.
Cover each paper cup with foil. Make a slit in the center of the foil covers and insert one Popsicle stick in each cup.
Place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours or until frozen solid.
Peel off paper cup and serve.
Serves 6.
PUFF PUFF
This is from Yewande Komolafe in the The New York Times cooking email. Yewande wrote, “The genius of puff puff is in the simplicity of the dough: A nutmeg-spiked batter, a bit of patience for the yeast to rise and time to fry up the balls will result in the most delightful little puffs. If the batter seems wet, you are on the right track. The consistency should be similar to a yeasted pancake or waffle batter. Tossing the fried dough in spiced sugar is optional, but recommended: The added layer creates an irresistible crunch. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.”
Yield: 8 to 10 servings (about 32 puffs); Time: 30 minutes, plus rising
This was featured in “Yewande Komolafe’s 10 Essential Nigerian Recipes” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020287-puff-puff.
Ingredients
For the Puff Puff:
1 1/2 cups warm water or whole milk (110 degrees)
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 to 4 cups canola oil or other neutral oil, for frying
For the Spiced Sugar:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and the remaining sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture once it’s foamy. Combine, stirring with a wooden spoon, to incorporate all the ingredients into a smooth batter. The batter should be wet and slightly loose, similar to a yeasted waffle batter.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and allow dough to double in size, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the spiced sugar: In a medium bowl, toss the sugar, nutmeg, allspice and cloves to combine; set aside.
Pour 1 inch of oil into a large, deep skillet. Line a baking sheet with a rack or paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Once the batter has doubled in size, heat the oil over medium-high to 350 degrees. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet. Fry the puff puff, turning frequently until golden brown all over and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. (Be careful not to let the oil get too hot or the exteriors will become overly dark before the interiors are cooked through.) Move the puff puff to the rack or paper towels to drain and repeat the process until all the batter has been fried.
Toss the puff puff in the spiced sugar to coat while still warm. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
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