Vegetarian Delights: A Confessions of a Foodie Offspring

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Showing posts with label Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Show all posts

Monday, December 4, 2017

Monday Recipes

Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the holiday season and beyond, including Home/Made Mushroom Lasagna and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake. Enjoy!

WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

This is from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.”

Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling.

This was featured in “Yotam Ottolenghi on Creating Recipes for His Cookbook ‘Sweet’” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan

7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see note)

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, for dusting

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional):

7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream (Optional):

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

3/4 cup mascarpone

Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod

2 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.

Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.

Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)

Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.

Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

This is from Kraft, and begins, “Follow this Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe — you won't be disappointed! This velvety soup with chopped broccoli and creamy cheeses is a real crowd favorite!”

Prep Time: 30min.; Total Time: 30min.; Servings: 5 servings, about 1 cup each.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 Tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, cooked, drained

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions

Cook and stir onions in butter in medium saucepan on medium-high heat 3 to 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Whisk in flour until blended.

Stir in milk; cook on medium heat 2 min., stirring occasionally. Add cream cheese; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted.

Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cook 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESECAKE

This is from Rian Handler on Delish. The recipe begins, “This luscious cheesecake will be your new pumpkin obsession.”

Total Time: 5 hours 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4 c. graham crackers, crushed

3/4 c. ginger snaps, crushed

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

kosher salt

3 (8-oz.) bars cream cheese, softened

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/4 c. sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice, plus more for garnish

Warm caramel, for garnish

whipped cream, for garnish

Chopped, toasted pecans, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° with a rack in the middle position. Grease an 8” springform pan with cooking spray.

Make crust: In a large bowl, add cookie and graham cracker crumbs. Stir in butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt and mix until well combined. Press crust into bottom of pan.

Meanwhile, make cheesecake batter: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until well combined, then beat in flour, pumpkin spice, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Pour cheesecake mixture over crust.

Double-wrap outside of pan in aluminum foil, making sure to cover the bottom. Place pan in a large baking dish, place the baking dish in the oven, and pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the pan. Bake until only slightly jiggly in center, 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes.

With oven door propped open, turn oven off and let cool 1 hour in the oven. Remove from water bath and discard foil, then refrigerate cheesecake until cooled completely, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Garnish with a layer of caramel and a few dollops of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Sprinkle all over with pecans and more pumpkin pie spice.

GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

This is from Ina Garten of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa.

Total: 1 hr 10 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 pounds small red or white potatoes

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

HOME/MADE MUSHROOM LASAGNA

This comes from Sam Sifton at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Monica Byrne, with her partner, Leisah Swenson, runs a tiny restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn, called Home/Made. A plurality of words that appear on the Home/Made menu: ‘cheese,’ ‘smoked,’ ‘bacon,’ ‘caramelized.’ Three of those four appear in Byrne’s lasagna, leaving out only bacon, which would be a fine addition. She layers smoked mozzarella over a painting of rich, garlicky béchamel and sheets of pasta, then radicchio roasted into sweetness and tossed in sauce. Sautéed mushrooms add heft and loamy funkiness, and a mixture of Fontina and Gruyère add zing.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 2 hours

This was featured in “Gooey Wild-Mushroom Lasagna” and can be viewed onlinehere.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or herb oil

6 large shallots, peeled and minced

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, wild or best available oyster, shiitake, cremini, trimmed and sliced

1 cup dry white wine

1 softball-size head of radicchio, halved, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or herb oil

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 tablespoons flour, ideally instant or all-purpose

3 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated

1 cup Fontina cheese, grated

2 tablespoons best-quality truffle oil (optional)

2 9-ounce boxes of no-boil lasagna sheets

1 baseball-size ball of smoked mozzarella, sliced

1 cup fresh Parmesan, grated

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup of the olive oil or herb oil. When it begins to shimmer, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add mushrooms and toss to coat, then cook until they begin to color but are still plump, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze pan and allow to cook down into a syrup, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Put the mushrooms into a large bowl and reserve.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, toss the radicchio with 1/4 cup olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the strips out onto a baking pan and place in the oven until the strips are lightly browned around the edges, approximately 15 minutes. Combine with mushrooms and reserve.

Make the béchamel. Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. When it foams, add the rest of the shallots and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine, then cook until the garlic has started to soften. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine, then cook gently until the mixture has turned light brown and gives off a nutty scent, approximately 10 minutes. Add milk to the mixture, whisking all the while, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Add the nutmeg and 1/4 cup of grated Gruyère and 1/4 cup of grated Fontina, then stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reserve a cup of béchamel. Pour the rest over the mixture of mushrooms and radicchio, and stir to combine. Add truffle oil, if using.

Assemble lasagna. Spread plain béchamel across the bottom of a 9- by-13-inch baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna sheets across the sauce, being careful not to overlap. Spread a generous layer of mushroom mixture on top of the pasta, and follow with some grated Fontina and Gruyère. Put another layer of pasta above the cheese, and top with smoked mozzarella. Repeat until the pasta is gone and the pan is full. Top with remaining cheeses and a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Cover with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until top is golden and bubbling.

GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER

This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks

2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.

Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.

Friday, November 24, 2017

Friday Recipes

Ahhh...Are you completely stuffed from Thanksgiving? Many of us are. But we'll still need to eat...Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cake and Updated Irish Stew. Enjoy!

GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

This is from Ina Garten of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa.

Total: 1 hr 10 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 pounds small red or white potatoes

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

LEMON BASIL PESTO WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings.

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/lemon-basil-pesto-with-fresh-vegetables

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/lemon-basil-pesto-with-fresh-vegetables/print/

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups packed basil leaves

1/2 cup packed baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese

2 Tbsp. soft silken tofu

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" strips

1 pint small cherry tomatoes

Directions

In food processor, pulse basil and spinach until finely chopped.

Add nuts and cheese. Whirl until nuts are finely chopped.

Add tofu, salt and pepper. With motor running, drizzle in oil.

Add lemon zest and whirl to blend.

Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup pesto.

To serve, scoop pesto into serving bowl.

Set bowl in center of a plate and arrange pepper strips and tomatoes around it.

Provide toothpicks so tomatoes can be neatly dipped.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 180 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g

PUMPKIN SPICE GHOST CAKE

This is from Very Best Baking by Nestle, and begins, “Surprise your trick-or treaters with this hauntingly-good pumpkin spice cake with a rich cream cheese frosting.”

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cooking Time: 35 minutes; Skill level: Intermediate; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cake:

1 pkg. (18 oz.) spice or carrot cake mix

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheeese, softened

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

*Black string licorice, NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)

Instructions

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch-round cake pans.

Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.

To Garnish:

Form licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use Raisinets for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

This is from The Food Network. Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Yield: 12 pieces.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 (12-ounce) package Hershey's milk chocolate chips

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, salt and powdered sugar until firm. Slowly melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. You may also melt them in a microwave oven set on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through the heating time. Grease the muffin tin cups and spoon some chocolate into each cup, filling halfway. With a spoon, draw the chocolate up the edges of each cup until all sides are coated. Cool in the refrigerator until firm. Spread some of the peanut butter onto the chocolate in each cup, leaving room for the final chocolate layer. Cool the cups again to firm up the peanut butter. Pour some chocolate onto the top of each candy and spread it to the edges. Let sit at room temperature, or covered in the refrigerator. Turn out of the pan when firm.

UPDATED IRISH STEW

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This stew tastes even better as leftovers, once the flavors have had a chance to develop. Serve it over mashed potatoes for a deliciously comforting meal. Traditional Irish stout is not vegan, but to find a beer that is, log on to veganconnection.com.”

Makes 2 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

10 small frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2/3 cup)

1 Tbs. flour

4 oz. seitan, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 slices smoky tempeh bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1 cup stout beer

1 14-oz. can low-sodium vegetable broth

6 oz. butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)

1/3 cup frozen shelled edamame

Preparation

Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrot, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes more. Add seitan, tempeh bacon, garlic, and thyme, and cook 2 minutes.

Pour in beer, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, stirring and scraping any bits that may be stuck to bottom. Add vegetable broth and butternut squash, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 20 minutes. Add edamame and cook 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 308; Carbohydrate Content: 36 g; Fat Content: 8.5 g; Fiber Content: 6 g; Protein Content: 23 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 384 mg; Sugar Content: 7 g

BLACK BEAN VEGAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from Joyce Gan, “the recipe developer, blog post writer, and food photographer” for Light Orange Bean. It’s a cool site that I recently discovered.

Prep time: 35 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Total time: 1 hour

Tools: 10”saute pan and spatula, strainer, knife and cutting board, potato masher, medium sized mixing bowl, 9”×13” baking dish, pastry brush, aluminum foil.

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4-6 servings

To view this online at Joyce’s site, go to http://lightorangebean.com/black-bean-vegan-enchiladas/.

Ingredients

1 tbs canola oil

1 medium size yellow onion (finely chopped, approximately 8 oz)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbs chili powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 cups cooked black beans

1 tsp salt

2 cups tomato puree or 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup + 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 medium size jalapenos (seeded, finely chopped, approximately 1 oz)

8 oz vegan cheese (Mexican style GoVeggie preferred)

12-14 (5.5-inch) corn tortillas (gluten-free if desired)

Instructions

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low. Mash the beans with a potato masher and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove the bean mixture from the heat and strain, reserving the sauce. Transfer the strained bean mixture to a medium bowl and mix together with 1/2 cup cilantro, jalapenos, and 4 oz of cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Microwave 5 tortillas at a time or follow the package instructions to soften. Scoop about 1/4 cup bean mixture into each tortilla and roll it up tightly. Place the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Finish all tortillas.

Dip the pastry brush in the sauce and brush the ends of each tortilla. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, bake for additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown.

Garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.

Notes

If there is any remaining bean mixture, it can be used as a filling in tortilla shells without any further cooking. Add lettuce if desired.

Due to different recipes of making tomato puree, the liquid content may vary. Gradually add excess water when making the bean mixture if necessary.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Monday Recipes

Here are today's six yummy vegetarian recipes to get your week started just right, including Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake and Weeknight General Tso's Tofu. Enjoy!

LOW CALORIE SPINACH LASAGNA

This is from Kimberly Eggleston, a nutritionist on The Spruce. Kimberly wrote, “You wouldn't think that lasagna could be a lean and delicious dish until you have tried this low-calorie spinach lasagna recipe. You can see from the ingredient list that it doesn't even take a whole lot of ingredients to make up this yummy dish. And the ingredients that are included are relatively lean. Instead of fatty sausage and beef, the bulk of this lasagna filling is part skim mozzarella, low-fat cottage cheese, and spinach which give the lasagna nice texture and color. There aren't too many calories coming from those ingredients!

“Another great thing about his spinach lasagna is that this lasagna recipe is so easy to throw together about an hour and fifteen minutes before dinner. Yes, that's only a little over one hour before dinner, and the majority or that time is the lasagna cooking, which frees you up to do other things.

“And there is no need to precook the noodles. You will add water to the dish once you have layered the lasagna together, using uncooked dry noodles. Then the water will cook the noodles during baking time resulting in perfectly al dente noodles when it is finished. One less pot to wash when it is all finished is certainly worth it.”

Total Time: 70 mins; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 60 mins; Yield: 8 Servings; Per Serving Calories: 304

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 16 oz. carton low-fat cottage cheese

1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and rinsed

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz.), divided

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (2 oz.)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

9 lasagna noodles, uncooked

2 cups jarred marinara sauce

1 cup water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To begin with, prepare the cheese and spinach filling for the lasagna.

In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, 3/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella, pepper, oregano, and salt. Use large spoon to gently stir together the mixture until it is well combined.

Next, spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.

Place 3 of the uncooked noodles in the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the cottage cheese mixture, and use a large spoon or a spatula to gently spread the cheese mixture over the noodles, trying to cover all the noodles.

Next, over the cheese and spinach mixture, spread 2/3 cup of the marinara sauce, and then top the layer of marinara sauce with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layers two more times. End with the last three noddles, topped with 2/3 cup of sauce and 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Now that the lasagna is assembled, pour 1 cup of water around the edges of the pan gently and slowly, allowing the water to fill in the gaps slowly so that it does not overflow. Cover the pan tightly with tin foil.

Place the covered lasagna in the preheated oven, and bake for 1 hour. Once the lasagna is done cooking, remove it from the oven, and loosely uncover the dish while the lasagna cools. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving in order to allow the lasagna to become far easier to cut.

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

This is from Kraft, and begins, “Follow this Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe — you won't be disappointed! This velvety soup with chopped broccoli and creamy cheeses is a real crowd favorite!”

Prep Time: 30min.; Total Time: 30min.; Servings: 5 servings, about 1 cup each.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 Tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, cooked, drained

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions

Cook and stir onions in butter in medium saucepan on medium-high heat 3 to 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Whisk in flour until blended.

Stir in milk; cook on medium heat 2 min., stirring occasionally. Add cream cheese; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted.

Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cook 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESECAKE

This is from Rian Handler on Delish. The recipe begins, “This luscious cheesecake will be your new pumpkin obsession.”

Total Time: 5 hours 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4 c. graham crackers, crushed

3/4 c. ginger snaps, crushed

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

kosher salt

3 (8-oz.) bars cream cheese, softened

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/4 c. sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice, plus more for garnish

Warm caramel, for garnish

whipped cream, for garnish

Chopped, toasted pecans, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° with a rack in the middle position. Grease an 8” springform pan with cooking spray.

Make crust: In a large bowl, add cookie and graham cracker crumbs. Stir in butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt and mix until well combined. Press crust into bottom of pan.

Meanwhile, make cheesecake batter: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until well combined, then beat in flour, pumpkin spice, and ¼ tsp. salt. Pour cheesecake mixture over crust.

Double-wrap outside of pan in aluminum foil, making sure to cover the bottom. Place pan in a large baking dish, place the baking dish in the oven, and pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the pan. Bake until only slightly jiggly in center, 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes.

With oven door propped open, turn oven off and let cool 1 hour in the oven. Remove from water bath and discard foil, then refrigerate cheesecake until cooled completely, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Garnish with a layer of caramel and a few dollops of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Sprinkle all over with pecans and more pumpkin pie spice.

WEEKNIGHT GENERAL TSO’S TOFU

This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)

Anyway, Christine Gallary, Food Editor-at-Large at TheKitchn wrote, “If you're tempted to order takeout tonight from your favorite Chinese restaurant, squash that urge and try this sweet and spicy tofu stir-fry instead. This dish comes together in the same amount of time it takes to steam rice, and the tofu gets browned and crispy without all the fuss of deep-frying.”

To view this online, click here. Serves 3 to 4.

For the stir-fry:

1 pound firm tofu, drained

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Kosher salt

8 ounces fresh or frozen broccoli florets

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

Toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

Steamed rice, for serving

For the sauce:

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons chili-garlic paste, such as sambal oelek

1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place in a single layer on the paper towels; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer and season generously with salt. Cook undisturbed until golden-brown on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and set the broccoli aside.

Flip the tofu with tongs and cook until a second side is golden-brown, about 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, stir all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Remove the tofu to a clean plate and set aside.

Add the bell pepper and ginger to the pan and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and tofu. Stir the sauce again, making sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved, and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce fully coats the tofu and vegetables and thickens, about 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using, and serve over rice.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

This is from Ina Garten of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa.

Total: 1 hr 10 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 pounds small red or white potatoes

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

This is from Sheela Prakash on TheKitchn. Sheela wrote, “What if I told you that you could have a rich and creamy bowl of mac and cheese while also packing in over a pound of cauliflower? Sounds like a trick, right? No so fast! This recipe does just that, thanks to a base of cheesy cauliflower sauce.”

Serves 8

To view this online, click here.

For the cauliflower cheese sauce:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the macaroni and cheese:

1 pound dry cavatappi pasta or medium pasta shells

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to 400°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Make the cauliflower cheese sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and boil for 5 minutes to infuse water.

Add the cauliflower and cook until very fork tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a rimmed baking sheet or medium bowl out of the water, leaving the herbs and garlic behind in the pot (do not drain the pot).

Place 1/2 of the cauliflower in a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Scoop out 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid and add it to the blender along with 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Blend until very smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the purée to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower, 3/4 cup of cooking liquid, and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil; transfer to the same bowl.

Add the cheddar, Gruyère, mustard, salt, and pepper into the purée and whisk to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed; set aside.

For the macaroni and cheese: Bring the pot of infused water back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package instructions until just al dente. Meanwhile, combine the melted butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; set aside.

Drain the pasta, discard the herbs and garlic cloves, and add the pasta to the bowl of cauliflower sauce. Stir gently until the pasta is entirely coated.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top, followed by the grated Parmesan.

Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. If the pasta becomes bubbly before the top is golden, you can run the dish under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp the topping.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make ahead: After transferring the pasta and cauliflower sauce mixture to the baking dish, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Return to room temperature, sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top, and proceed with baking.

Freezing: After transferring the pasta and cauliflower sauce mixture to the baking dish, it can be also be covered tightly with aluminum foil and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake, frozen and covered, at 350°F, for 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with the buttered breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, and bake until the topping is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.