What is a holiday meal without the Holiday Sides? Check out the Southern Macaroni and Cheese, the Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup, and the Classic Cranberry Sauce. (Here's a hint: I've made this verson of Cranberry Sauce several times, and it's always a hit. I absolutely love it!) Enjoy!
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)
1/4 cup Packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Water
1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup Chopped pecans
Directions
Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.
Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.
ROASTED SQUASH AND APPLE CHOWDER WITH COLORFUL POTATOES
This is from the October 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 76. It starts off, “Puréed roasted butternut squash provides the creamy base for a hearty chowder. If making the chowder ahead, prepare the recipe through step 3, then assemble and reheat just before serving.” Serves 8.
Ingredients
2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (6 cups), divided
3 medium apples, peeled and diced (3 cups), divided
2 large leeks, white parts cut into 1-inch chunks (1 cup), plus 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek greens, divided
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 lb. multicolored potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup apple juice
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine 5 cups butternut squash chunks, 2 cups diced apple, leek whites, oil, and maple syrup in large bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread squash mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet, and roast 30 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Cook potato chunks and remaining 1 cup butternut squash in boiling, salted water 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
Purée roasted vegetables in blender until smooth. Add purée and apple juice to large soup pot with 4 cups water. Whisk in vinegar, and heat over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add boiled potatoes and squash, remaining 1 cup diced apple, and leek greens, and simmer 5 minutes, or until hot.
nutritional information Per 1-1/4-cup serving: Calories: 162; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 12 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kiera wrote, “There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl growing up in Georgia. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place.”
Time: 35 minutes, plus cooling; Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.
Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)
Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.
CLASSIC CRANBERRY SAUCE
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Nothing beats the puckery-sweet jolt of cranberry sauce. It's a sharp knife that cuts through all the starchy food on the menu. This recipe is for the traditionalists.” (If I might add, “YUM!!!”)
Time: 15 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 2 cups
This was featured in “Essential Thanksgiving” (which I highly recommend looking at; go ahead, I’ll wait…), and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015427-classic-cranberry-sauce.
Ingredients
4 cups whole cranberries
6 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups water
1/4 cup orange juice or Grand Marnier (optional)
2/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups water, the sugar and salt. Let the sauce boil until it thickens; the water will evaporate and the pectin in the cranberries will be activated as it cooks. Let it boil for at least 10 minutes, and up to 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in juice or liqueur, if using, then cover sauce well and chill. Sauce can be made up to this point 1 week in advance and kept refrigerated. A few hours before serving, stir in the pecans, if using.
MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH MAPLE SYRUP
This is from Taste For Life. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://tasteforlife.com/healthy-recipes/quick/mashed-sweet-potatoes-with-maple-syrup.
Ingredients
5 lbs red-skinned sweet potatoes
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks.
Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt vegan margarine in microwave or over stovetop. Add maple syrup and cinnamon and stir until combined.
Drain potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. Mash with a hand mixer or potato masher until smooth. Stir in maple syrup mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SESAME TWISTS
This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66. It begins, "These pretty breadsticks may look complicated, but they’re not—twisting them is as easy as wringing a dishcloth, though it takes a lighter touch."
Makes 30 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/sesame-twists/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (4 oz.)
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425F, and coat 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl. Rub butter into flour mixture with fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour, or overnight.
Place dough on well-floured work surface. Roll into 15×15-inch square. Brush with water, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt, if desired. Cut square in half, then cut each half into 15 3/4-inch thick strips.
Twist each strip twice, set on baking sheet and gently press ends flat to prevent twists from unrolling. Bake 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Holiday Food
With the holiday season in full swing, here is a post of Holiday Food, including Sheet-Pan Sweet Potato, Pecan, and Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Ice Cream. Enjoy!
HOLIDAY SEITAN ROAST
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Yes, you can carve a roast this Thanksgiving! Our seitan roast pairs well with all the tasty trimmings of the holiday–and makes great leftover sandwiches, too." Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/holiday-seitan-roast/.
Ingredients
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 recipe Homemade Seitan or 1 lb. seitan, divided into 2 pieces
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz. baby carrots (1 1/4 cups)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 large parsnip, chopped (4 oz.)
12 oz. small purple potatoes, halved
2 cups pearl onions, peeled and halved if large
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in small bowl. Rub over seitan pieces.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and brown 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Remove seitan from pan, and set aside.
Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan, sprinkle with flour, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes, or until smooth roux forms. Add wine, then tomato paste, broth, tamari, thyme, and rosemary; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
Transfer seitan to roasting pan. Surround with carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, and onions. Pour sauce over top. Cover with foil, and roast 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more. Thinly slice seitan, and serve with vegetables and sauce.
HOMEMADE SEITAN
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Seitan is essentially a dough made with vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour, and liquid. The dough can be rinsed or poached to become a chewy meat substitute that can be added to many different dishes. We’ve added light seasonings to this recipe so that it will work in any dish, but feel free to play around with flavors and shapes. This tried-and-true favorite can be used in any recipe calling for seitan." Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-seitan/.
Ingredients
2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. garlic powder
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Preparation
Combine wheat gluten, yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth and soy sauce until dough forms, adding more broth if necessary. Knead dough in bowl with spoon 3 minutes, or until elastic. Shape into 2 loaves.
Place loaves in large saucepan, and add remaining 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, and enough water to cover seitan. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until seitan is firm. Remove from heat, and cool in broth.
SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE
This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.
"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."
Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.
Ingredients
Crust
2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together
Pumpkin Pie Filling
1-1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg, room temperature
Pecan Pie Filling
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped
Sweet Potato Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Preparation
For the crusts:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.
Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
For the pumpkin pie filling:
Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.
For the pecan pie filling:
Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.
For the sweet potato pie filling:
Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.
To assemble:
Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).
Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).
Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!
VERY MERRY CRAN-APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, "Casual pies with fold-up edges say bring on the flavor and who needs a pie pan or fancy pie edges?!"
Ingredients
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3 cups thinly sliced cooking apples
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
Directions
In medium bowl, cut shortening into 1 cup flour and the salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 425ºF. Shape dough into flattened round on floured surface. Roll dough into 13-inch circle. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.
Mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, the apples and cranberries. Mound mixture on center of dough up to 3 inches of edge. Dot with margarine. Fold edge of dough over apples.
Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover center with 5-inch square of foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown.
PECAN PIE
This is from Vegetarian Times (November 2014, page 71), and begins, "Slow-cooked caramel makes a decadent egg-free pecan pie filling." Serves 12.
Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 Tbs. vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance, melted
1 1/2 Tbs. unrefined sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Filling
1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups brown rice syrup
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 pinch sea salt
1 Tbs. arrowroot powder
3 cups whole pecans
Directions
To Make Crust: Coat 9-inch pie pan with oil. Stir together all ingredients and 6 Tbs. water in large bowl until down forms. Shape dough into ball, then roll out to 12-inch circle on floured work surface. Press dough into prepared pie pan, and trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with rim, and flute as desired. Chill 1 hour.
To Make Filling: Combine soymilk, coconut milk, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and salt in saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour 20 minutes, or until dark caramel in color. Stir in arrowroot powder.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir pecans into Filling. Pour into prepared crust, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust and filling are lightly browned. Cool 2 hours before serving.
CINNAMON ICE CREAM
This is from Vegetarian Times (November 2014, page 71), and begins, "This barely sweet treat plays off the intense caramel flavors of the Pecan Pie." Serves 12
Ingredients
1 whole vanilla bean
1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk
1 cup soy creamer
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions
Split vanilla bean lengthwise with knife. Scrape vanilla seeds into blender, and add remaining ingredients. (Save vanilla pod for another use.) Blend 2 minutes, then strain mixture through fine sieve. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Keep frozen until ready to use.
HOLIDAY SEITAN ROAST
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Yes, you can carve a roast this Thanksgiving! Our seitan roast pairs well with all the tasty trimmings of the holiday–and makes great leftover sandwiches, too." Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/holiday-seitan-roast/.
Ingredients
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 recipe Homemade Seitan or 1 lb. seitan, divided into 2 pieces
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz. baby carrots (1 1/4 cups)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 large parsnip, chopped (4 oz.)
12 oz. small purple potatoes, halved
2 cups pearl onions, peeled and halved if large
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in small bowl. Rub over seitan pieces.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and brown 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Remove seitan from pan, and set aside.
Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan, sprinkle with flour, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes, or until smooth roux forms. Add wine, then tomato paste, broth, tamari, thyme, and rosemary; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
Transfer seitan to roasting pan. Surround with carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, and onions. Pour sauce over top. Cover with foil, and roast 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more. Thinly slice seitan, and serve with vegetables and sauce.
HOMEMADE SEITAN
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Seitan is essentially a dough made with vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour, and liquid. The dough can be rinsed or poached to become a chewy meat substitute that can be added to many different dishes. We’ve added light seasonings to this recipe so that it will work in any dish, but feel free to play around with flavors and shapes. This tried-and-true favorite can be used in any recipe calling for seitan." Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-seitan/.
Ingredients
2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. garlic powder
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Preparation
Combine wheat gluten, yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth and soy sauce until dough forms, adding more broth if necessary. Knead dough in bowl with spoon 3 minutes, or until elastic. Shape into 2 loaves.
Place loaves in large saucepan, and add remaining 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, and enough water to cover seitan. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until seitan is firm. Remove from heat, and cool in broth.
SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE
This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.
"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."
Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.
Ingredients
Crust
2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together
Pumpkin Pie Filling
1-1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg, room temperature
Pecan Pie Filling
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped
Sweet Potato Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Preparation
For the crusts:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.
Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
For the pumpkin pie filling:
Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.
For the pecan pie filling:
Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.
For the sweet potato pie filling:
Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.
To assemble:
Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).
Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).
Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!
VERY MERRY CRAN-APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, "Casual pies with fold-up edges say bring on the flavor and who needs a pie pan or fancy pie edges?!"
Ingredients
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3 cups thinly sliced cooking apples
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
Directions
In medium bowl, cut shortening into 1 cup flour and the salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 425ºF. Shape dough into flattened round on floured surface. Roll dough into 13-inch circle. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.
Mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, the apples and cranberries. Mound mixture on center of dough up to 3 inches of edge. Dot with margarine. Fold edge of dough over apples.
Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover center with 5-inch square of foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown.
PECAN PIE
This is from Vegetarian Times (November 2014, page 71), and begins, "Slow-cooked caramel makes a decadent egg-free pecan pie filling." Serves 12.
Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 Tbs. vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance, melted
1 1/2 Tbs. unrefined sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Filling
1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups brown rice syrup
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 pinch sea salt
1 Tbs. arrowroot powder
3 cups whole pecans
Directions
To Make Crust: Coat 9-inch pie pan with oil. Stir together all ingredients and 6 Tbs. water in large bowl until down forms. Shape dough into ball, then roll out to 12-inch circle on floured work surface. Press dough into prepared pie pan, and trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with rim, and flute as desired. Chill 1 hour.
To Make Filling: Combine soymilk, coconut milk, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and salt in saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour 20 minutes, or until dark caramel in color. Stir in arrowroot powder.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir pecans into Filling. Pour into prepared crust, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust and filling are lightly browned. Cool 2 hours before serving.
CINNAMON ICE CREAM
This is from Vegetarian Times (November 2014, page 71), and begins, "This barely sweet treat plays off the intense caramel flavors of the Pecan Pie." Serves 12
Ingredients
1 whole vanilla bean
1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk
1 cup soy creamer
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions
Split vanilla bean lengthwise with knife. Scrape vanilla seeds into blender, and add remaining ingredients. (Save vanilla pod for another use.) Blend 2 minutes, then strain mixture through fine sieve. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Keep frozen until ready to use.
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Vegan Reuben Burgers and Butterscotch Rolls. Enjoy!
VEGAN SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE
This comes from Sarah DiGregorio in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sarah wrote, "This vegan version of New Orleans-style red beans and rice omits the sausage and ham hock, and instead adds smoked paprika, miso and soy sauce for a savory, rounded flavor. If you have a favorite Cajun or Creole spice mixture on hand, use 1 heaping tablespoon of it in place of the sage, cayenne, garlic, onion powders and sweet paprika, and taste before adding any salt, as seasoning blends contain a varying amount of sodium. These vegan beans are not as creamy as the ones made with pork, so smash a few against the side of the pot before serving to thicken the liquid. Serve with hot sauce, preferably a vinegary, cayenne-based Louisiana-style sauce like Crystal, Louisiana brand or Tabasco."
Yield: 6 servings; Time: 7-1/2 hours
To view this absolute yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020816-vegan-slow-cooker-red-beans-and-rice.
Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (optional)
1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 dried bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Cooked rice, for serving
Sliced scallions, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, miso paste, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and sage, if using. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine until the miso has dissolved, then remove from the heat and scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, bay leaves, thyme and 6 cups water. Cook on high until the beans are very tender and creamy, about 7 hours.
Before serving, add the soy sauce, and season to taste with salt and cayenne. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker to make the mixture slightly creamy. (It will continue to thicken as it sits.) Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Top the beans with hot cooked rice and scallions; serve with hot sauce.
VEGAN REUBEN BURGERS
Recently, I was looking through old folders on my computer, seeing what I could delete, what to save, that sort of thing. We all need to do that periodically, right?
I stumbled across one folder that read "recipes from different sources" that had another folder inside called "more recipes from online." (Okay, you with me so far?) One of those recipes was labeled "How to Make Vegan Reuben Burgers (Recipe)" that had been posted in the Broward Palm Beach New Times waaaay back on November 7, 2014. Yikes!
The article (with recipe) was posted by Hannah Sentenac. (Sorry for the delay in posting this, Hannah!) The article starts off, "I was putting ketchup on some breakfast potatoes the other day when I noticed an intriguing recipe staring at me from the back of the Heinz bottle: Reuben Burgers.
"Needless to say, they weren't vegan. Nor were they healthy. Nonetheless, I was inspired to veganize them, and the end result was magically delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I knew I had to share."
And the recipe? Yum
You can view this online at https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/how-to-make-vegan-reuben-burgers-recipe-6905451.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
2 slices of rye bread (toasted)
2 slices Creamy Original Field Roast Chao Cheese (or dairy-free cheese of choice)
1/3 package Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef (or meatless crumbles of choice)
2 TBS Tofutti Sour Cream
2 TBS Heinz ketchup
Instructions:
Heat up the beefless beef in a skillet over medium heat for two or three minutes. Add the Tofutti Sour Cream and the Heinz Ketchup and stir until mixed.
Remove from heat and spoon mixture over pre-toasted slice of rye bread.
Top with Chao cheese and allow to melt (you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds -- Chao cheese is super melty). Then, spoon sauerkraut on top.
Top with remaining slice of rye bread. Cut in half. Eat. NOM NOM NOM.
CANNOLI QUESADILLA WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Whip up this Italian-inspired specialty in honor of Mother’s Day. Topped with a simple strawberry sauce or just sliced strawberries, it’s a sweet treat every mom will love.”
POINTS® Value: 3 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 1 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
8 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, or similar product, or to taste
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4 medium whole wheat tortilla
5 oz sweetened frozen whole strawberries, partially thawed and pureed (1/2 a 10 oz package), or whole sliced strawberries if you prefer
Directions
Mix together ricotta cheese, Splenda and almond extract by hand in a large bowl until well-combined and smooth; gently fold in chocolate chips. Chill for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight); drain off any liquid.
To soften tortillas, wrap them in layers of paper towels and then microwave them on high for 30 seconds.
Place about 1/4 cup of cheese mixture down the center of each cooled tortilla; fold tortilla over in half (or roll up burrito-style). Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of strawberry sauce or top with fresh strawberry slices; serve immediately. Yields 1 cannoli per serving.
Notes: Add more Splenda if you prefer your desserts very sweet. And feel free to top the quesadillas with freshly sliced strawberries when they’re in season. Or you can use a combination of pureed and sliced strawberries.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, “This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.”
Yield: Serves 4; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Curry and Coconut Milk Fire Up a Weeknight Basic”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016196-coconut-red-curry-with-tofu.
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup snow peas
Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown or white rice, for serving
Preparation
Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.
Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.
BUTTERSCOTCH ROLLS
Years ago, Fr. Dominic Garramone (AKA the Bread Monk had a show on PBS. I'm sure I'm not the only person who got hooked on his show. Unfortunately, it went off the air years ago. But his cook books are still in circulation, and you can always go to his website (above).
This was one of the recipes on his show.
Makes 18 rolls
Ingredients
Butterscotch Topping
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN’S RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Directions
Prepare Butterscotch Topping:
In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, water and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butterscotch chips until melted. Spread mixture evenly over two ungreased 8 x 8-inch pans; sprinkle with pecans.
Prepare dough:
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator; divide in half. Roll each half to 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush each rectangle with melted butter; sprinkle with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal; cut into 9 (1-inch) slices. Place, cut sides up, over Butterscotch Topping in prepared pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS
This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here
Ingredients
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
12 organic whole wheat tortillas
Salt
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, freshly squeezed
Salt
Instructions
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.
Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.
Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.
Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
VEGAN SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE
This comes from Sarah DiGregorio in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sarah wrote, "This vegan version of New Orleans-style red beans and rice omits the sausage and ham hock, and instead adds smoked paprika, miso and soy sauce for a savory, rounded flavor. If you have a favorite Cajun or Creole spice mixture on hand, use 1 heaping tablespoon of it in place of the sage, cayenne, garlic, onion powders and sweet paprika, and taste before adding any salt, as seasoning blends contain a varying amount of sodium. These vegan beans are not as creamy as the ones made with pork, so smash a few against the side of the pot before serving to thicken the liquid. Serve with hot sauce, preferably a vinegary, cayenne-based Louisiana-style sauce like Crystal, Louisiana brand or Tabasco."
Yield: 6 servings; Time: 7-1/2 hours
To view this absolute yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020816-vegan-slow-cooker-red-beans-and-rice.
Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (optional)
1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 dried bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Cooked rice, for serving
Sliced scallions, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, miso paste, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and sage, if using. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine until the miso has dissolved, then remove from the heat and scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, bay leaves, thyme and 6 cups water. Cook on high until the beans are very tender and creamy, about 7 hours.
Before serving, add the soy sauce, and season to taste with salt and cayenne. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker to make the mixture slightly creamy. (It will continue to thicken as it sits.) Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Top the beans with hot cooked rice and scallions; serve with hot sauce.
VEGAN REUBEN BURGERS
Recently, I was looking through old folders on my computer, seeing what I could delete, what to save, that sort of thing. We all need to do that periodically, right?
I stumbled across one folder that read "recipes from different sources" that had another folder inside called "more recipes from online." (Okay, you with me so far?) One of those recipes was labeled "How to Make Vegan Reuben Burgers (Recipe)" that had been posted in the Broward Palm Beach New Times waaaay back on November 7, 2014. Yikes!
The article (with recipe) was posted by Hannah Sentenac. (Sorry for the delay in posting this, Hannah!) The article starts off, "I was putting ketchup on some breakfast potatoes the other day when I noticed an intriguing recipe staring at me from the back of the Heinz bottle: Reuben Burgers.
"Needless to say, they weren't vegan. Nor were they healthy. Nonetheless, I was inspired to veganize them, and the end result was magically delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I knew I had to share."
And the recipe? Yum
You can view this online at https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/how-to-make-vegan-reuben-burgers-recipe-6905451.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
2 slices of rye bread (toasted)
2 slices Creamy Original Field Roast Chao Cheese (or dairy-free cheese of choice)
1/3 package Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef (or meatless crumbles of choice)
2 TBS Tofutti Sour Cream
2 TBS Heinz ketchup
Instructions:
Heat up the beefless beef in a skillet over medium heat for two or three minutes. Add the Tofutti Sour Cream and the Heinz Ketchup and stir until mixed.
Remove from heat and spoon mixture over pre-toasted slice of rye bread.
Top with Chao cheese and allow to melt (you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds -- Chao cheese is super melty). Then, spoon sauerkraut on top.
Top with remaining slice of rye bread. Cut in half. Eat. NOM NOM NOM.
CANNOLI QUESADILLA WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Whip up this Italian-inspired specialty in honor of Mother’s Day. Topped with a simple strawberry sauce or just sliced strawberries, it’s a sweet treat every mom will love.”
POINTS® Value: 3 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 1 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
8 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, or similar product, or to taste
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4 medium whole wheat tortilla
5 oz sweetened frozen whole strawberries, partially thawed and pureed (1/2 a 10 oz package), or whole sliced strawberries if you prefer
Directions
Mix together ricotta cheese, Splenda and almond extract by hand in a large bowl until well-combined and smooth; gently fold in chocolate chips. Chill for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight); drain off any liquid.
To soften tortillas, wrap them in layers of paper towels and then microwave them on high for 30 seconds.
Place about 1/4 cup of cheese mixture down the center of each cooled tortilla; fold tortilla over in half (or roll up burrito-style). Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of strawberry sauce or top with fresh strawberry slices; serve immediately. Yields 1 cannoli per serving.
Notes: Add more Splenda if you prefer your desserts very sweet. And feel free to top the quesadillas with freshly sliced strawberries when they’re in season. Or you can use a combination of pureed and sliced strawberries.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, “This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.”
Yield: Serves 4; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Curry and Coconut Milk Fire Up a Weeknight Basic”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016196-coconut-red-curry-with-tofu.
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup snow peas
Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown or white rice, for serving
Preparation
Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.
Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.
BUTTERSCOTCH ROLLS
Years ago, Fr. Dominic Garramone (AKA the Bread Monk had a show on PBS. I'm sure I'm not the only person who got hooked on his show. Unfortunately, it went off the air years ago. But his cook books are still in circulation, and you can always go to his website (above).
This was one of the recipes on his show.
Makes 18 rolls
Ingredients
Butterscotch Topping
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN’S RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Directions
Prepare Butterscotch Topping:
In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, water and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butterscotch chips until melted. Spread mixture evenly over two ungreased 8 x 8-inch pans; sprinkle with pecans.
Prepare dough:
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator; divide in half. Roll each half to 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush each rectangle with melted butter; sprinkle with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal; cut into 9 (1-inch) slices. Place, cut sides up, over Butterscotch Topping in prepared pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS
This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here
Ingredients
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
12 organic whole wheat tortillas
Salt
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, freshly squeezed
Salt
Instructions
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.
Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.
Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.
Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday.
I don't know about you, but I love tacos. Many of us grew up thinking that tacos had to be filled with meat. Nothing could be further from the truth. And while my brother, sister and I grew up eating tacos with ground hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, there are so many more ways to fix them.
That said, here are six vegetarian taco recipes to help you get started, including Jamaican Curried Tempeh Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos. Enjoy!
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
BANANA CHOCOLATE TACOS
Chocolate? Bananas? On tacos? Sure, why not? This one is from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.”
This can be found here.
Ingredients
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. almond butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1–2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 oz. chopped dark chocolate
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 small bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces
4 small (6") whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package
1/4 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.
Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.
Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.
Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 439; Protein: 14 g; Carbs: 54 g; Fiber: 13 g; Total fat: 20 g; Saturated fat: 9.5 g; Sodium: 342 mg.
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4
WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)
A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.
This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”
This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.
Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained
4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Olive oil for frying
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
To assemble
6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet
pickled jalapenos & radishes
cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA
lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.
While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.
When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit.
JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime zest
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g
BLACK BEAN & TOASTED CORN TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Surprise! These brown-bag-friendly tacos are just as good chilled as they are served hot.” Yield: Makes 4 tacos.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 6-inch corn tortillas
12 baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 small green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup crumbled cottage or feta cheese, optional
Instructions:
Bring beans, salsa, garlic, and 1 tsp. cumin to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat, and mash with fork to crush beans for creamier filling, if desired.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Wrap corn in paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. Add corn to skillet in single layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring frequently.
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas in toaster oven 1 minute to soften. Alternately, bake tortillas on taco baking rack in oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1/4 cup corn, 3 spinach leaves, red pepper strips, cilantro, and green onions. Top each taco with 1 Tbs. cheese, if using. Serve immediately, or pack into lunch container, and chill.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 362; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 904 mg; Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 9 g
I don't know about you, but I love tacos. Many of us grew up thinking that tacos had to be filled with meat. Nothing could be further from the truth. And while my brother, sister and I grew up eating tacos with ground hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, there are so many more ways to fix them.
That said, here are six vegetarian taco recipes to help you get started, including Jamaican Curried Tempeh Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos. Enjoy!
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
BANANA CHOCOLATE TACOS
Chocolate? Bananas? On tacos? Sure, why not? This one is from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.”
This can be found here.
Ingredients
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. almond butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1–2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 oz. chopped dark chocolate
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 small bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces
4 small (6") whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package
1/4 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.
Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.
Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.
Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 439; Protein: 14 g; Carbs: 54 g; Fiber: 13 g; Total fat: 20 g; Saturated fat: 9.5 g; Sodium: 342 mg.
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4
WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)
A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.
This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”
This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.
Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained
4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Olive oil for frying
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
To assemble
6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet
pickled jalapenos & radishes
cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA
lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.
While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.
When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit.
JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime zest
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g
BLACK BEAN & TOASTED CORN TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Surprise! These brown-bag-friendly tacos are just as good chilled as they are served hot.” Yield: Makes 4 tacos.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 6-inch corn tortillas
12 baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 small green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup crumbled cottage or feta cheese, optional
Instructions:
Bring beans, salsa, garlic, and 1 tsp. cumin to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat, and mash with fork to crush beans for creamier filling, if desired.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Wrap corn in paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. Add corn to skillet in single layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring frequently.
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas in toaster oven 1 minute to soften. Alternately, bake tortillas on taco baking rack in oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1/4 cup corn, 3 spinach leaves, red pepper strips, cilantro, and green onions. Top each taco with 1 Tbs. cheese, if using. Serve immediately, or pack into lunch container, and chill.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 362; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 904 mg; Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 9 g
Monday, December 9, 2024
Monday Recipes
Here we are, starting another week. If you're like me, your weekend wasn't quite long enough. Fortunately, there's always next weekend.
That said, we still need to eat. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to get your week started off just right, including Curried Apples and “Chicken” and Sweet Potato-Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach. Enjoy!
JAMBALAYA WITH SAUSAGE
This yummy vegan recipe is from One Green Planet. If you've never checked the site out, please do!
Anyway, the recipe begins, "This Vegan Jambalaya is a meatless twist to a Cajun favorite! The spicy flavors meld together with rice and beans for a great one-pot meal. Beans, rice, and vegan sausage take center stage in this hearty vegan jambalaya. Traditional Cajun comfort food can dish out as much or as little heat as you’d like. For an added kick, use vegan Cajun sausage and even fire-roasted tomatoes."
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/jambalaya-with-sausage-vegan/.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 14 oz package vegan sausage, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14oz can black or red beans
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
3 cups vegetable broth
fresh chopped parsley and green onion for topping
Preparation
In a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add the sliced vegan sausages and 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and sauté until browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
In the same pan, add the tablespoon of vegan butter and let it melt. Then add in the veggie mix. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.
Next, add the crushed tomatoes, beans, Worcestershire sauce, rice, and veggie broth to the pan. Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer (covered) and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Stir frequently to make sure the rice doesn’t burn and stick to the bottom of the pot. Add vegetable broth as needed if the mixture starts to dry out.
Add the cooked vegan sausage back into the pan and mix. Remove from heat.
Top with chopped parsley and green onions, and enjoy!
EASY BLACK BEAN CHILI
This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We love chili for its rib-sticking deliciousness, and this meatless version is no exception. Just because it’s made with beans, and no meat, doesn’t mean it’s not filling. Cumin, chili powder and chiles add heat, while fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn give it extra flavor."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-black-bean-chili/f273db4a-5710-4ced-b099-205c9f3c1d70.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic sweet corn
Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired
Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
Top each serving with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
You can vary the heat level of this chili by decreasing or increasing the amount of chiles that you use.
Serve this veggie chili with warm cornbread or corn tortillas.
PEAS PLEASE
This is from the September 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24. It begins, "Healthful and nourishing, this easy-to-prepare salad may be seasoned with your choice of dressing. Pigeon peas are available dry or canned in most supermarkets and can be found fresh or frozen in Hispanic markets. Add a side of crusty bread and cups of green tea, and conclude the meal with lemon bars or fruit cookies."
Makes 8 servings in 30 minutes or less
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peas-please/.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
8 cups mixed salad greens such as mesclun
Preparation
Pat the peas dry with paper towels. Combine the peas in a large serving bowl, and add the avocado, tomatoes and scallions. Season to taste, dress with your favorite dressing and toss.
To serve, arrange equal portions of greens on individual plates, and spoon equal portions of the pea mixture onto beds of lettuce.
PEPPERS GALORE
This is from the September 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 23. It begins, "This colorful sauté is so versatile that it works well as a light main course or as a side dish, depending on your menu. And depending on your tolerance for heat, you can fire up this dish with the addition of sliced jalapeño chiles, cherry peppers and Hungarian wax peppers - or even a few incendiary habanero chiles. Be sure to vary the color of the sweet peppers, substituting purple or white for one of the other sweet peppers, if you wish. Serve this dish with a tortilla and beer, and end the meal with cut-up fresh fruit."
Makes 4 servings in 30 minutes or less
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peppers-galore/.
Ingredients
1 1-lb. pkg. baked tofu, preferably Italian-flavored
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 orange bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola
Preparation
Slice the baked tofu lengthwise into 24 thin strips, and set aside. Slice the peppers lengthwise from stem to rounded end into thin strips about 1/2-inch wide, and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and oregano. Carefully stirring, cook until tofu begins to brown, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Add about half the peppers to the skillet, and, using tongs to prevent breaking strips, sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften and the edges brown slightly. Remove from the skillet.
Add the remaining oil, and add remaining pepper strips and the hot peppers, if using. Cook for about 5 minutes, remove from the skillet and place on top of the tofu strips. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with gorgonzola and serve.
SWEET POTATO-COCONUT CURRY WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH
This is from Taste For Life. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://tasteforlife.com/healthy-recipes/main-course/sweet-potato-coconut-curry-with-chickpeas-and-spinach.
Ingredients
2 medium-size sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp peeled and chopped ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
3 cup chopped baby spinach
1 Tbsp lime juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan and roast until tender, approximately 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and sauté for one minute. Add drained chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and stock. Simmer mixture over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Add roasted sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve curry on its own or over brown rice.
CURRIED APPLES AND "CHICKEN"
This is from the October 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "A hint of India peeks through in this hearty apple and “chicken” dish, spiked with lashes of hot—or mild—curry powder. Serve over Indian basmati rice, and pass with yogurt and flat Indian bread."
Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/curried-apples-and-chicken/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. hot or mild curry powder, or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 6-oz. pkg. "chicken" strips
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 apple, cored and diced, skin on
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts for garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, and stir in turmeric and curry powder. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in onions and ginger, and cook 5 minutes more.
Pour 1/4 cup apple juice into small bowl, and whisk in cornstarch. Pour mixture and apple juice into skillet, and add “chicken” strips, mushrooms and apple. Cook until mixture thickens slightly, 7 to 10 minutes.
To serve, remove from heat, and spoon over rice. Sprinkle with peanuts as garnish.
That said, we still need to eat. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to get your week started off just right, including Curried Apples and “Chicken” and Sweet Potato-Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach. Enjoy!
JAMBALAYA WITH SAUSAGE
This yummy vegan recipe is from One Green Planet. If you've never checked the site out, please do!
Anyway, the recipe begins, "This Vegan Jambalaya is a meatless twist to a Cajun favorite! The spicy flavors meld together with rice and beans for a great one-pot meal. Beans, rice, and vegan sausage take center stage in this hearty vegan jambalaya. Traditional Cajun comfort food can dish out as much or as little heat as you’d like. For an added kick, use vegan Cajun sausage and even fire-roasted tomatoes."
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/jambalaya-with-sausage-vegan/.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 14 oz package vegan sausage, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14oz can black or red beans
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
3 cups vegetable broth
fresh chopped parsley and green onion for topping
Preparation
In a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add the sliced vegan sausages and 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and sauté until browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
In the same pan, add the tablespoon of vegan butter and let it melt. Then add in the veggie mix. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.
Next, add the crushed tomatoes, beans, Worcestershire sauce, rice, and veggie broth to the pan. Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer (covered) and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Stir frequently to make sure the rice doesn’t burn and stick to the bottom of the pot. Add vegetable broth as needed if the mixture starts to dry out.
Add the cooked vegan sausage back into the pan and mix. Remove from heat.
Top with chopped parsley and green onions, and enjoy!
EASY BLACK BEAN CHILI
This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We love chili for its rib-sticking deliciousness, and this meatless version is no exception. Just because it’s made with beans, and no meat, doesn’t mean it’s not filling. Cumin, chili powder and chiles add heat, while fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn give it extra flavor."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-black-bean-chili/f273db4a-5710-4ced-b099-205c9f3c1d70.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic sweet corn
Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired
Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
Top each serving with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
You can vary the heat level of this chili by decreasing or increasing the amount of chiles that you use.
Serve this veggie chili with warm cornbread or corn tortillas.
PEAS PLEASE
This is from the September 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24. It begins, "Healthful and nourishing, this easy-to-prepare salad may be seasoned with your choice of dressing. Pigeon peas are available dry or canned in most supermarkets and can be found fresh or frozen in Hispanic markets. Add a side of crusty bread and cups of green tea, and conclude the meal with lemon bars or fruit cookies."
Makes 8 servings in 30 minutes or less
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peas-please/.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
8 cups mixed salad greens such as mesclun
Preparation
Pat the peas dry with paper towels. Combine the peas in a large serving bowl, and add the avocado, tomatoes and scallions. Season to taste, dress with your favorite dressing and toss.
To serve, arrange equal portions of greens on individual plates, and spoon equal portions of the pea mixture onto beds of lettuce.
PEPPERS GALORE
This is from the September 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 23. It begins, "This colorful sauté is so versatile that it works well as a light main course or as a side dish, depending on your menu. And depending on your tolerance for heat, you can fire up this dish with the addition of sliced jalapeño chiles, cherry peppers and Hungarian wax peppers - or even a few incendiary habanero chiles. Be sure to vary the color of the sweet peppers, substituting purple or white for one of the other sweet peppers, if you wish. Serve this dish with a tortilla and beer, and end the meal with cut-up fresh fruit."
Makes 4 servings in 30 minutes or less
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peppers-galore/.
Ingredients
1 1-lb. pkg. baked tofu, preferably Italian-flavored
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 orange bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola
Preparation
Slice the baked tofu lengthwise into 24 thin strips, and set aside. Slice the peppers lengthwise from stem to rounded end into thin strips about 1/2-inch wide, and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and oregano. Carefully stirring, cook until tofu begins to brown, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Add about half the peppers to the skillet, and, using tongs to prevent breaking strips, sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften and the edges brown slightly. Remove from the skillet.
Add the remaining oil, and add remaining pepper strips and the hot peppers, if using. Cook for about 5 minutes, remove from the skillet and place on top of the tofu strips. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with gorgonzola and serve.
SWEET POTATO-COCONUT CURRY WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH
This is from Taste For Life. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://tasteforlife.com/healthy-recipes/main-course/sweet-potato-coconut-curry-with-chickpeas-and-spinach.
Ingredients
2 medium-size sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp peeled and chopped ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
3 cup chopped baby spinach
1 Tbsp lime juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan and roast until tender, approximately 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and sauté for one minute. Add drained chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and stock. Simmer mixture over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Add roasted sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve curry on its own or over brown rice.
CURRIED APPLES AND "CHICKEN"
This is from the October 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "A hint of India peeks through in this hearty apple and “chicken” dish, spiked with lashes of hot—or mild—curry powder. Serve over Indian basmati rice, and pass with yogurt and flat Indian bread."
Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/curried-apples-and-chicken/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. hot or mild curry powder, or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 6-oz. pkg. "chicken" strips
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 apple, cored and diced, skin on
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts for garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, and stir in turmeric and curry powder. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in onions and ginger, and cook 5 minutes more.
Pour 1/4 cup apple juice into small bowl, and whisk in cornstarch. Pour mixture and apple juice into skillet, and add “chicken” strips, mushrooms and apple. Cook until mixture thickens slightly, 7 to 10 minutes.
To serve, remove from heat, and spoon over rice. Sprinkle with peanuts as garnish.
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Breakfast
My mother had several rules when it came to meals: Meals had to be eaten at the table (except when my parents went out for the evening; then my sister and I could eat our TV dinners in the living room in front of the television); the television should not be on during meals (see previous comment); and one could not have breakfast any time other than first thing in the morning.
There did come a time, after I'd moved out, when I discovered Mom eating dinner in the living room with my sister, both of them sitting on the floor, watching the television. If I remember correctly, they were watching Star Trek reruns on the local independent station. My sister still lived at home, and she later told me that that happened at least once a week. But breakfast for dinner? Um, no.
I have no problem eating meals at the "wrong" time: breakfast for dinner, pie first thing in the morning...whatever.
To that end, here are six breakfast recipes that you can fix any time of the day or night, including an Egg White Frittata with Cheddar and Veggies, Cocoa Pancakes, and Pirate Eggs. Enjoy...at any time!
Mom
JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX PANCAKES
This is from Sara Bir, a senior editor at Simply Recipes. Sara wrote, "I have strong feelings about what makes pancakes good, so it’s surprising that the best cornmeal pancakes I’ve ever had came from a mix. They couldn’t be easier to make, and of course, I found out about them from my mom.
"Mom started making Jiffy corn muffin mix pancakes long after I’d grown up and left home, but she served them a few times when I was around for holidays and visits. Recently, while researching corn pudding—some versions of which rely on Jiffy corn muffin mix—I remembered mom’s pancakes and decided to make them myself."
To read the rest of what Sara wrote, as well as seeing this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/moms-jiffy-corn-muffin-mix-pancakes-recipe-8384425.
This recipe makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 (8.5)-ounce box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/4 cup milk, plus more as needed
Butter and maple syrup or apple butter for serving
Directions
Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. I do this on the griddle I’ll be using to cook the pancakes (you can brown the butter if you like). Set aside to cool a bit.
Meanwhile, beat an egg (any size will do) in a medium bowl. Add the corn muffin mix and 1/2 cup milk and stir just until combined. Then stir in the melted butter; do not wipe off the griddle or skillet. It’s okay if the mix has some lumps. If it’s quite thick, add a tablespoon or two more milk.
Return the skillet or griddle to the burner and heat over medium heat until a few droplets of water flicked from your hand sizzle and dance on the griddle. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle. The pancakes are delicate and easier to handle when they are smaller, so resist the temptation to make them larger.
Cook the pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, flipping once the edges begin to dry out and bubbles appear in the center. Then cook a few minutes on the other side until lightly golden brown.
Repeat, griddling the pancakes until all of the batter is used up. I find the batter thickens as it sits and I need to add more milk bit by bit as I make my way through the bowl. You’ll probably need to gradually turn the heat down to medium-low as you cook subsequent pancakes. My griddle is very well-seasoned and I don’t grease it in between batches, but you may need to keep your pancakes from sticking.
Serve hot, with whatever accouterments you like.
Simple Tip!
I keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 180°F oven for up to 30 minutes.
CINNAMON-APPLE FRENCH TOAST
This vegan recipe, from page 38 of the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Tart apples like Pippin, Empire, Winesap and Granny Smith retain their shapes when cooked, so choose them for this recipe.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Apple Topping
4 large tart, firm apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
French Toast
2 cups plain or vanilla soymilk
1/2 cup apple butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
12 slices soft-crust French bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Directions
To make Topping: Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Saute apples 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar and cinnamon, and cook 5 to 10 minutes more, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice, and remove from heat.
To make French Toast: Blend soymilk, apple butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in blender until smooth. Pour into shallow bowl.
Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Dip bread slices into batter, coating evenly. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Place 2 slices bread on each plate, and divide topping among servings.
Per serving: 273 cal; 6 g protein; 1.5 g total fat (0.5 g sat. fat); 55 g carb; 0 mg chol; 345 mg sodium; 3 g fiber; 25 g sugars
COCOA PANCAKES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "Not only does Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI feature hearty vegetarian breakfasts (and bedside cordials in the evening), but the owners try to meet any special dietary needs, especially those of vegans. Their vegan cocoa pancakes are among the recipes most requested by vegan and nonvegan visitors. This recipe makes 18 to 20 pancakes—and they can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less!" Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/cocoa-pancakes/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate soymilk
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup carob chips
Preparation
Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in chocolate soymilk and oil until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract. Let batter sit 5 minutes before cooking.
Spray large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. When hot, ladle on 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Sprinkle pancakes with several carob chips. Cook 2 minutes, and turn when tops begin to bubble and edges start to look dry. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove to plate. Serve with maple syrup or vanilla soy yogurt and fresh fruit.
EGG WHITE FRITTATA WITH CHEDDAR AND VEGGIES
This is from WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers). It begins, "Sticking to just egg whites in a frittata lets you save room all the flavorful, cheesy goodness on top here. Plus, it had all that filling protein you'd expect in an egg-based main dish so that you feel satisfied. Use this versatile recipe as a jumping-off point for many variations. Other fillings to try: sliced button mushrooms, grated summer squash, diced tomatoes, and flavorful minced shallots. Frittatas are a welcome starring attraction whether it's brunch, lunch, or dinner and leftovers are a gift. Wrap up a wedge in a lettuce leaf for a low-carb lunch or reheat it in the microwave and roll it up in a tortilla for a quick and portable breakfast on the go."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving Size: 1 wedge; Difficulty: Easy; 8 points
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cup egg whites (about 8 large eggs)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
2 bell peppers, medium, any color, diced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz (about 1 cup) reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
2 medium scallions, sliced on diagonal
Directions
Whisk together egg whites, salt, and pepper in large bowl until frothy.
Heat oil in 10-inch heavy ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add egg whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to set, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat and cook, without stirring, until eggs are almost set, about 6 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler.
Sprinkle Cheddar over frittata. Broil 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and eggs are set, 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions. Cut into 4 wedges.
Notes
If you have leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. A wedge of this tasty frittata makes an excellent sandwich filling.
PIRATE EGGS
When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.
The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.
Ingredients
1-2 eggs
1-2 pieces of bread
margarine for the pan
Directions
Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hole. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!
BROCCOLI FRITTATA
Yield: 4 Servings
View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/692.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp margarine
1 large onion, diced
Directions
Mix cottage cheese and egg substitute together; set aside.
In large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add broccoli and dill; saute for 5 minutes, or until broccoli mixture softens. Set vegetable aside.
Wipe out frying pan. Add 1 tsp. margarine and swirl the pan to distribute it. Add half of the vegetable mixture, and then add half of the egg mixture; lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed.
As eggs set around the edges, lift them to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Turn heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until top is set.
Invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.
Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. margarine, vegetable mixture, and egg mixture.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Calories from Fat: 30; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 390 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 2 Meat; 1 Fat
There did come a time, after I'd moved out, when I discovered Mom eating dinner in the living room with my sister, both of them sitting on the floor, watching the television. If I remember correctly, they were watching Star Trek reruns on the local independent station. My sister still lived at home, and she later told me that that happened at least once a week. But breakfast for dinner? Um, no.
I have no problem eating meals at the "wrong" time: breakfast for dinner, pie first thing in the morning...whatever.
To that end, here are six breakfast recipes that you can fix any time of the day or night, including an Egg White Frittata with Cheddar and Veggies, Cocoa Pancakes, and Pirate Eggs. Enjoy...at any time!
Mom
JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX PANCAKES
This is from Sara Bir, a senior editor at Simply Recipes. Sara wrote, "I have strong feelings about what makes pancakes good, so it’s surprising that the best cornmeal pancakes I’ve ever had came from a mix. They couldn’t be easier to make, and of course, I found out about them from my mom.
"Mom started making Jiffy corn muffin mix pancakes long after I’d grown up and left home, but she served them a few times when I was around for holidays and visits. Recently, while researching corn pudding—some versions of which rely on Jiffy corn muffin mix—I remembered mom’s pancakes and decided to make them myself."
To read the rest of what Sara wrote, as well as seeing this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/moms-jiffy-corn-muffin-mix-pancakes-recipe-8384425.
This recipe makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 (8.5)-ounce box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/4 cup milk, plus more as needed
Butter and maple syrup or apple butter for serving
Directions
Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. I do this on the griddle I’ll be using to cook the pancakes (you can brown the butter if you like). Set aside to cool a bit.
Meanwhile, beat an egg (any size will do) in a medium bowl. Add the corn muffin mix and 1/2 cup milk and stir just until combined. Then stir in the melted butter; do not wipe off the griddle or skillet. It’s okay if the mix has some lumps. If it’s quite thick, add a tablespoon or two more milk.
Return the skillet or griddle to the burner and heat over medium heat until a few droplets of water flicked from your hand sizzle and dance on the griddle. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle. The pancakes are delicate and easier to handle when they are smaller, so resist the temptation to make them larger.
Cook the pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, flipping once the edges begin to dry out and bubbles appear in the center. Then cook a few minutes on the other side until lightly golden brown.
Repeat, griddling the pancakes until all of the batter is used up. I find the batter thickens as it sits and I need to add more milk bit by bit as I make my way through the bowl. You’ll probably need to gradually turn the heat down to medium-low as you cook subsequent pancakes. My griddle is very well-seasoned and I don’t grease it in between batches, but you may need to keep your pancakes from sticking.
Serve hot, with whatever accouterments you like.
Simple Tip!
I keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 180°F oven for up to 30 minutes.
CINNAMON-APPLE FRENCH TOAST
This vegan recipe, from page 38 of the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Tart apples like Pippin, Empire, Winesap and Granny Smith retain their shapes when cooked, so choose them for this recipe.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Apple Topping
4 large tart, firm apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
French Toast
2 cups plain or vanilla soymilk
1/2 cup apple butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
12 slices soft-crust French bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Directions
To make Topping: Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Saute apples 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar and cinnamon, and cook 5 to 10 minutes more, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice, and remove from heat.
To make French Toast: Blend soymilk, apple butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in blender until smooth. Pour into shallow bowl.
Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Dip bread slices into batter, coating evenly. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Place 2 slices bread on each plate, and divide topping among servings.
Per serving: 273 cal; 6 g protein; 1.5 g total fat (0.5 g sat. fat); 55 g carb; 0 mg chol; 345 mg sodium; 3 g fiber; 25 g sugars
COCOA PANCAKES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "Not only does Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI feature hearty vegetarian breakfasts (and bedside cordials in the evening), but the owners try to meet any special dietary needs, especially those of vegans. Their vegan cocoa pancakes are among the recipes most requested by vegan and nonvegan visitors. This recipe makes 18 to 20 pancakes—and they can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less!" Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/cocoa-pancakes/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate soymilk
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup carob chips
Preparation
Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in chocolate soymilk and oil until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract. Let batter sit 5 minutes before cooking.
Spray large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. When hot, ladle on 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Sprinkle pancakes with several carob chips. Cook 2 minutes, and turn when tops begin to bubble and edges start to look dry. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove to plate. Serve with maple syrup or vanilla soy yogurt and fresh fruit.
EGG WHITE FRITTATA WITH CHEDDAR AND VEGGIES
This is from WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers). It begins, "Sticking to just egg whites in a frittata lets you save room all the flavorful, cheesy goodness on top here. Plus, it had all that filling protein you'd expect in an egg-based main dish so that you feel satisfied. Use this versatile recipe as a jumping-off point for many variations. Other fillings to try: sliced button mushrooms, grated summer squash, diced tomatoes, and flavorful minced shallots. Frittatas are a welcome starring attraction whether it's brunch, lunch, or dinner and leftovers are a gift. Wrap up a wedge in a lettuce leaf for a low-carb lunch or reheat it in the microwave and roll it up in a tortilla for a quick and portable breakfast on the go."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving Size: 1 wedge; Difficulty: Easy; 8 points
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cup egg whites (about 8 large eggs)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
2 bell peppers, medium, any color, diced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz (about 1 cup) reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
2 medium scallions, sliced on diagonal
Directions
Whisk together egg whites, salt, and pepper in large bowl until frothy.
Heat oil in 10-inch heavy ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add egg whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to set, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat and cook, without stirring, until eggs are almost set, about 6 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler.
Sprinkle Cheddar over frittata. Broil 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and eggs are set, 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions. Cut into 4 wedges.
Notes
If you have leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. A wedge of this tasty frittata makes an excellent sandwich filling.
PIRATE EGGS
When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.
The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.
Ingredients
1-2 eggs
1-2 pieces of bread
margarine for the pan
Directions
Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hole. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!
BROCCOLI FRITTATA
Yield: 4 Servings
View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/692.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp margarine
1 large onion, diced
Directions
Mix cottage cheese and egg substitute together; set aside.
In large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add broccoli and dill; saute for 5 minutes, or until broccoli mixture softens. Set vegetable aside.
Wipe out frying pan. Add 1 tsp. margarine and swirl the pan to distribute it. Add half of the vegetable mixture, and then add half of the egg mixture; lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed.
As eggs set around the edges, lift them to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Turn heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until top is set.
Invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.
Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. margarine, vegetable mixture, and egg mixture.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Calories from Fat: 30; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 390 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 2 Meat; 1 Fat
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Mexican Food
If you love Mexican Food, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Enchilada ‘Lasagna’, the Apple Cinnamon Empanadas, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Enchiladas can be a bit of a project, but here, the process has been streamlined, making them a truly possible weeknight endeavor. Begin by sautéing peppers, onions and garlic until charred in spots, then blend half of the vegetables with canned tomatoes and chili powder for the sauce and combine the rest with black beans, shredded cheese and cumin for the filling. If you’re short on time, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce (you'll need three cups), but quality varies, so taste it and add whatever you think is missing: chipotle in adobo or chili powder for smokiness, hot sauce for heat, dried oregano or fresh cilantro for complexity and salt for overall flavor."
Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020244-vegetarian-bean-and-cheese-enchiladas. Also, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably crushed (see Tip)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
5 ounces mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1-1/4 cups)
10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas
Fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)
Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread out the tortillas directly on the oven rack and heat until warmed and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Pour half the enchilada sauce (about 1-1/2 cups) into a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the dish.
Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a little more than 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of one tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve immediately.
Tips
The sauce and the black bean mixture, minus the cheese, can be made, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.
Avoid diced canned tomatoes. They are mixed with calcium chloride to help them retain their cube shape, so they won’t break down as well in the blender. The sauce will taste fine, but it will be noticeably chunkier.
MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES
This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.
Ingredients
1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger
2/3 cup water
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)
4 burger buns, toasted
1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
Preparation
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.
Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.
Expert Tips
Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.
We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.
Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.
VEGETERIAN TAMALE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Not to be confused with a Latin American tamale, tamale pie is a comforting retro casserole made from ground beef chili that is topped with cornbread batter and then baked. This vegetarian version relies on vegetables and beans instead of meat. Fresh green chiles and onions are broiled until charred to deepen their flavor, then puréed with tomatoes to make a complex sauce for the beans. The cornbread topping — crisp at the surface, tender underneath — gets an optional handful of Cheddar folded into the mix for added verve. Serve this one-pot meal on its own or with a creamy dollop of sour cream or yogurt on the side."
Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "A Vegetarian Update for Old-School Tamale Pie," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023880-vegetarian-tamale-pie. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Plenty of great recipes and guides.
Ingredients
For the Chili
1 large red or white onion, halved
2 jalapeños, halved lengthwise and seeded (if desired)
1 poblano or green bell pepper, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1-3/4 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum or diced tomatoes
3 fat garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tablespoons mild or hot chili powder, more as needed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
3 (15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional)
For the Cornbread
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt, plus more for serving
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons honey
2 scallions, whites and greens thinly sliced, plus more for serving
1 cup grated Cheddar (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the chili: Move a rack as close to the heating element as possible and heat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Finely dice half of the onion and set aside for later.
Slice remaining onion half into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Place jalapeños and poblano next to onions, cut sides down. Lightly brush vegetables with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Broil 2 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are charred on one side. (If the chiles are small, they will be charred after 1 to 2 minutes.) Flip vegetables and broil until the other side is charred, 1 to 3 minutes.
Transfer pan to a rack until cool enough to handle, then stem the peppers. Transfer charred vegetables and any accumulated juices to a blender (or use a bowl and immersion blender). Add canned tomato and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and blend to a coarse purée. You can make this up to 4 days ahead, and store in the refrigerator until needed.)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add diced onion and sauté until lightly browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, oregano, remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and cumin, and cook until spices darken, about 30 seconds.
Add beans and the reserved tomato purée, and let mixture simmer until thick like a chili, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, if using. Taste and add more salt and chili powder, if needed.
While the chili simmers, prepare the cornbread: In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, butter and honey. Whisk egg mixture into cornmeal mixture until combined. Fold in scallions.
Spread cornbread topping over the chili, then top with grated cheese, if using. Bake, uncovered, until cornbread is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm, topped with sour cream and more scallions.
ENCHILADA 'LASAGNA'
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Do you like enchiladas? Do you like lasagna? We’re going to assume you’re not a monster and thus said yes to both. Ergo, you will probably like this fun casserole that takes some inspiration from both. Tortillas are used instead of pasta, but you still get the gorgeous striations of cheese, tomato, and carb. Want to make this enchilada dish plant-based? Swap in your favorite vegan egg and shredded mozzarella, and whip up a batch of tofu ricotta for the filling."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings 8
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/enchilada-lasagna-combines-two-family-favorites-in-one/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 pinches ground black pepper, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 24-oz jar unsalted pureed strained tomatoes (aka passata)
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
15-oz tub whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
15 6-inch corn tortillas, divided
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper and pinch black pepper and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a small saucepan on medium-low, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add strained tomatoes, broth, cumin, chile powder, chipotle chile powder, salt and remaining pinch black pepper. Bring to a simmer: cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together ricotta and egg. Into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top of sauce, overlapping slightly to fit. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over top, spreading gently.
Spoon half of the vegetable mixture evenly over ricotta and spread 3/4 cup sauce over top. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Repeat layers with remaining ricotta mixture and vegetable mixture, then 3/4 cup sauce over top.
Arrange remaining 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Spread remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese blend. Bake until bubble and cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
FRIJOLES DE OLLA (HOMESTYLE BLACK BEANS)
This is from Rick A. Martínez in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Rick wrote, "This beloved dish often starts with unsoaked dried beans, which are traditionally cooked in an olla, earthenware pot, or other types of clay pots, such as a cazuela de barro. Any pot works and the seasonings are generally simple — usually onion, garlic, herbs and sometimes lard or pork — but the resulting flavor is rich and complex. A staple throughout Mexico, this dish varies from region to region in the types of beans used and include pinto beans, black beans and Mayocoba beans. Eaten as is as a side or a main dish, frijoles de olla also can be puréed, smashed or refried and used as a sauce or a filling for dishes like tetelas."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes; Yield: 3 quarts
This was featured in "For the Best Tortillas (and Gorditas and Tetelas), You Need Fresh Masa," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024131-frijoles-de-olla-homestyle-black-beans.
While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for Rick A. Martínez in The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Plenty of great recipes, guides, and more, making it well worth it.
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked through
1/4 medium white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 dried or fresh avocado or bay leaves
3 fresh epazote sprigs or a combination of parsley, oregano and mint sprigs
Fine sea salt
Preparation
In a large pot, combine the beans, onion, garlic, avocado leaves, epazote, 4 teaspoons salt and 16 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a slow simmer, uncovered, skimming and stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. Check the beans every hour to see if they need more water; the beans should always be covered by water. The cooking time will depend on how old the beans are; freshly dried beans can fully cook in 1-1/2 hours.
Remove and discard the herbs. Taste and season the beans with more salt if desired. The beans and their cooking liquid can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Or, make them up to 3 months ahead and freeze in an airtight container.
APPLE CINNAMON EMPANADAS
It seems that there are quite a few good websites for finding delicious, yet simple recipes. One of those sites is FamilyTime. This recipe begins, “Serve these warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a great finale to a Mexican meal. Paired with steaming mugs of hot chocolate, these make a wonderful breakfast as well!” Serves: 36 servings; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 packages(12 ounces each) STOUFFER'S® Frozen Harvest apples, cooked according to pkg. directions, chilled
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (36 ct.) package frozen roll dough, defrosted according to pkg. directions
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl; mix until smooth. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
Place dough for 1 roll on lightly floured surface; roll into 4-inch circle. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon Harvest Apples onto lower half; brush edges with milk. Fold dough in half; crimp edges with fork. Repeat with remaining dough.
Brush each empanada with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown; serve warm.
VEGETARIAN BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Enchiladas can be a bit of a project, but here, the process has been streamlined, making them a truly possible weeknight endeavor. Begin by sautéing peppers, onions and garlic until charred in spots, then blend half of the vegetables with canned tomatoes and chili powder for the sauce and combine the rest with black beans, shredded cheese and cumin for the filling. If you’re short on time, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce (you'll need three cups), but quality varies, so taste it and add whatever you think is missing: chipotle in adobo or chili powder for smokiness, hot sauce for heat, dried oregano or fresh cilantro for complexity and salt for overall flavor."
Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020244-vegetarian-bean-and-cheese-enchiladas. Also, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably crushed (see Tip)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
5 ounces mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1-1/4 cups)
10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas
Fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)
Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread out the tortillas directly on the oven rack and heat until warmed and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Pour half the enchilada sauce (about 1-1/2 cups) into a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the dish.
Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a little more than 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of one tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve immediately.
Tips
The sauce and the black bean mixture, minus the cheese, can be made, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.
Avoid diced canned tomatoes. They are mixed with calcium chloride to help them retain their cube shape, so they won’t break down as well in the blender. The sauce will taste fine, but it will be noticeably chunkier.
MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES
This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.
Ingredients
1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger
2/3 cup water
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)
4 burger buns, toasted
1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
Preparation
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.
Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.
Expert Tips
Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.
We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.
Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.
VEGETERIAN TAMALE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Not to be confused with a Latin American tamale, tamale pie is a comforting retro casserole made from ground beef chili that is topped with cornbread batter and then baked. This vegetarian version relies on vegetables and beans instead of meat. Fresh green chiles and onions are broiled until charred to deepen their flavor, then puréed with tomatoes to make a complex sauce for the beans. The cornbread topping — crisp at the surface, tender underneath — gets an optional handful of Cheddar folded into the mix for added verve. Serve this one-pot meal on its own or with a creamy dollop of sour cream or yogurt on the side."
Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "A Vegetarian Update for Old-School Tamale Pie," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023880-vegetarian-tamale-pie. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Plenty of great recipes and guides.
Ingredients
For the Chili
1 large red or white onion, halved
2 jalapeños, halved lengthwise and seeded (if desired)
1 poblano or green bell pepper, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1-3/4 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum or diced tomatoes
3 fat garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tablespoons mild or hot chili powder, more as needed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
3 (15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional)
For the Cornbread
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt, plus more for serving
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons honey
2 scallions, whites and greens thinly sliced, plus more for serving
1 cup grated Cheddar (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the chili: Move a rack as close to the heating element as possible and heat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Finely dice half of the onion and set aside for later.
Slice remaining onion half into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Place jalapeños and poblano next to onions, cut sides down. Lightly brush vegetables with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Broil 2 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are charred on one side. (If the chiles are small, they will be charred after 1 to 2 minutes.) Flip vegetables and broil until the other side is charred, 1 to 3 minutes.
Transfer pan to a rack until cool enough to handle, then stem the peppers. Transfer charred vegetables and any accumulated juices to a blender (or use a bowl and immersion blender). Add canned tomato and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and blend to a coarse purée. You can make this up to 4 days ahead, and store in the refrigerator until needed.)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add diced onion and sauté until lightly browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, oregano, remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and cumin, and cook until spices darken, about 30 seconds.
Add beans and the reserved tomato purée, and let mixture simmer until thick like a chili, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, if using. Taste and add more salt and chili powder, if needed.
While the chili simmers, prepare the cornbread: In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, butter and honey. Whisk egg mixture into cornmeal mixture until combined. Fold in scallions.
Spread cornbread topping over the chili, then top with grated cheese, if using. Bake, uncovered, until cornbread is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm, topped with sour cream and more scallions.
ENCHILADA 'LASAGNA'
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Do you like enchiladas? Do you like lasagna? We’re going to assume you’re not a monster and thus said yes to both. Ergo, you will probably like this fun casserole that takes some inspiration from both. Tortillas are used instead of pasta, but you still get the gorgeous striations of cheese, tomato, and carb. Want to make this enchilada dish plant-based? Swap in your favorite vegan egg and shredded mozzarella, and whip up a batch of tofu ricotta for the filling."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings 8
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/enchilada-lasagna-combines-two-family-favorites-in-one/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 pinches ground black pepper, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 24-oz jar unsalted pureed strained tomatoes (aka passata)
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
15-oz tub whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
15 6-inch corn tortillas, divided
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper and pinch black pepper and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a small saucepan on medium-low, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add strained tomatoes, broth, cumin, chile powder, chipotle chile powder, salt and remaining pinch black pepper. Bring to a simmer: cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together ricotta and egg. Into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top of sauce, overlapping slightly to fit. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over top, spreading gently.
Spoon half of the vegetable mixture evenly over ricotta and spread 3/4 cup sauce over top. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Repeat layers with remaining ricotta mixture and vegetable mixture, then 3/4 cup sauce over top.
Arrange remaining 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Spread remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese blend. Bake until bubble and cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
FRIJOLES DE OLLA (HOMESTYLE BLACK BEANS)
This is from Rick A. Martínez in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Rick wrote, "This beloved dish often starts with unsoaked dried beans, which are traditionally cooked in an olla, earthenware pot, or other types of clay pots, such as a cazuela de barro. Any pot works and the seasonings are generally simple — usually onion, garlic, herbs and sometimes lard or pork — but the resulting flavor is rich and complex. A staple throughout Mexico, this dish varies from region to region in the types of beans used and include pinto beans, black beans and Mayocoba beans. Eaten as is as a side or a main dish, frijoles de olla also can be puréed, smashed or refried and used as a sauce or a filling for dishes like tetelas."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes; Yield: 3 quarts
This was featured in "For the Best Tortillas (and Gorditas and Tetelas), You Need Fresh Masa," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024131-frijoles-de-olla-homestyle-black-beans.
While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for Rick A. Martínez in The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Plenty of great recipes, guides, and more, making it well worth it.
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked through
1/4 medium white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 dried or fresh avocado or bay leaves
3 fresh epazote sprigs or a combination of parsley, oregano and mint sprigs
Fine sea salt
Preparation
In a large pot, combine the beans, onion, garlic, avocado leaves, epazote, 4 teaspoons salt and 16 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a slow simmer, uncovered, skimming and stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. Check the beans every hour to see if they need more water; the beans should always be covered by water. The cooking time will depend on how old the beans are; freshly dried beans can fully cook in 1-1/2 hours.
Remove and discard the herbs. Taste and season the beans with more salt if desired. The beans and their cooking liquid can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Or, make them up to 3 months ahead and freeze in an airtight container.
APPLE CINNAMON EMPANADAS
It seems that there are quite a few good websites for finding delicious, yet simple recipes. One of those sites is FamilyTime. This recipe begins, “Serve these warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a great finale to a Mexican meal. Paired with steaming mugs of hot chocolate, these make a wonderful breakfast as well!” Serves: 36 servings; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 packages(12 ounces each) STOUFFER'S® Frozen Harvest apples, cooked according to pkg. directions, chilled
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (36 ct.) package frozen roll dough, defrosted according to pkg. directions
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl; mix until smooth. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
Place dough for 1 roll on lightly floured surface; roll into 4-inch circle. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon Harvest Apples onto lower half; brush edges with milk. Fold dough in half; crimp edges with fork. Repeat with remaining dough.
Brush each empanada with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown; serve warm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)