I want something snacky!
Most of us have said (or, at least, thought) that once in a while. To that end, here are six yummy desserts to help you through the day, including Frozen Crème Brûlée and Vegan Frozen Chocolate Soufflé. Enjoy!
ROASTED BANANAS WITH JAMAICAN ALLSPICE
This is from page 83 or the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, "To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute margarine for the butter and serve over soy ice cream." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-bananas-with-jamaican-allspice/.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
2 oz. (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled
4 large or 8 baby bananas
1 qt. vanilla ice cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine brown sugar, sugar, and allspice on large plate. Place butter in shallow bowl.
Halve large bananas lengthwise, then cut halves in half, or halve baby bananas lengthwise. Coat banana pieces in melted butter, then in sugar mixture, then set cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast 10 minutes, or until sugar melts and turns to bubbly caramel sauce. Cool 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to plate, and scrape sauce into measuring cup with rubber spatula.
Scoop ice cream into bowls. Top each serving with 2 banana pieces, and drizzle with caramel sauce.
FROZEN CREME BRULEE
This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 64), and begins, "This simple recipe is a great way to showcase the premium small-batch ice creams sold at farmers' markets and grocery stores during the summer." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-creme-brulee-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
Fresh berries or mint sprigs for garnish, if desired
Preparation
Spread 1/2 cup ice cream into 4 oval crème brûlée ramekins. Freeze until firm.
Meanwhile, combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to make sure sugar dissolves. Using pastry brush dipped in water, wipe down inner sides of saucepan to dissolve any sugar crystals that cling. Cook mixture about 10 minutes, or until it begins to caramelize (swirl pot to brown evenly).
Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until caramel is medium-brown. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbs. water. Let cool 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in evaporated milk. Cool completely.
Spread thin layer of cooled caramel over ice cream in ramekins. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh berries or mint sprig, if desired.
VEGAN FROZEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE
This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 63), and begins, "You could serve this at a fancy dinner party in Paris, and no one would ever guess that it’s vegan! Strong coffee gives it flavor depth. Folding in Hip Whip, a vegan whipped topping available in the frozen foods section of most natural foods stores, keeps it light, smooth and creamy when frozen." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/vegan-frozen-chocolate-souffle/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vegan carob chips
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup hot, strong coffee
2 Tbs. maple syrup or corn syrup
1 16-oz. pkg. silken tofu, drained
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 7.5-oz. tub vegan frozen whipped topping, thawed
Preparation
Cut strips of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around 6 3-oz. demitasse cups and high enough to make a 1 1/2-inch collar over rims. Secure with a rubber band. (Or, tear a length of foil long enough to go around a 10-oz. soufflé dish. Fold foil in half lengthwise, wind it around dish so it's at least 3 inches above rim. Tie with string.)
Put carob chips into heatproof bowl over pan of simmering water, and melt. Meanwhile, whisk together cocoa, coffee and maple syrup, and stir into melted carob mixture.
Put tofu in blender or food processor; purée 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add carob mixture and vanilla, and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
Whisk thawed whipped topping into carob-tofu mixture. Fill cups 1 inch above rim, or fill dish 2 inches above rim. Freeze 3 hours, or overnight. Remove from freezer 20 to 30 minutes before serving to soften. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
SALTED MARGARITA BARS
This is from Vaughn Vreeland in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Vaughn wrote, "This edible cocktail is an ideal party dessert, mingling all the fun of a margarita — and its salted rim — with the efficiency of a slab pie. Key lime pie's boozier, saltier cousin, it comes together quickly and maintains its consistency when frozen, making it a great make-ahead treat for a barbecue or a trip to the beach. Any tequila will work, but blanco is preferred for its milder taste. Don’t make the curd more than 10 minutes in advance, as the lime juice will start to thicken it, which could affect the bake."
Yield: 16 bars; Time: 45 minutes, plus 2 hours' freezing
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022342-salted-margarita-bars.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing the pan
About 40 saltine crackers (from one 4-ounce sleeve)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
2 teaspoons lime zest plus 1/2 cup juice (from about 4 limes)
1/4 cup tequila (preferably blanco)
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
Pinch of kosher salt
5 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Flaky salt, for finishing
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter (or use the wrapper from your stick of butter). Line the buttered pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. (This will help you pull the bars out of the pan easily.)
Prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse the saltines until ground like coarse sand. (Alternatively, place them in a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.) It’s OK if there are a few larger pieces. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt, and pulse a few more times until all the crumbs are evenly saturated (or mix to combine in a medium bowl). Pour the mixture into the lined pan, press into an even layer and freeze for about 15 minutes.
After the crust has chilled, bake it until fragrant and golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
While the crust cools, make the filling: In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add the tequila-lime mixture to the yolk mixture, whisk to combine, then pour into the prepared crust. (It’s OK if the crust is not yet completely cool.) You may be tempted to prepare the curd earlier, but don’t do so more than 10 minutes before baking, as the lime juice will start to thicken it, which could affect the bake.
Bake 15 to 17 minutes until the curd is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center.
Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, then freeze for at least 2 hours.
After freezing, remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with flaky salt, cut into 16 bars and serve right away. Store leftovers in the freezer. Cheers!
FRESH FRUIT YOGURT POPS
This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 65), and begins, "Corn syrup keeps these super-simple treats from developing ice crystals or freezing into blocks. Feel free to play around with fruit combinations." It also states, "Any summer fruit except watermelon, which has too high of a water content, will work in this recipe for healthy, colorful popsicles." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/fresh-fruit-yogurt-pops-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 cups fresh summer fruit, such as raspberries, pitted cherries, etc.
Preparation
Place yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, corn syrup and 1 cup fruit in blender or food processor, and purée until smooth. Add remaining fruit, and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until fruit is broken down into small pieces.
Pour mixture into 8 1/2-cup frozen-pop molds. Place top on mold; insert wooden sticks. Freeze at least 4 hours.
HONEY PIE
This is from Clarice Lam on the Spruce Eats. Clarice wrote, "When famed Brooklyn pie shop Four and Twenty Blackbirds opened its doors and our eyes to their salted honey pie in 2010, all of NYC lost their minds. This legendary pie has a silky honey filling encased in a buttery crust and is rounded out with a lightly caramelized top and flakes of Maldon salt.
"A Modern Twist on Chess Pie
"Although this pie one of Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ signature original creations, it has ties to more traditional southern custard-based pies like buttermilk and chess pie. Both pies contain dairy, eggs, butter, sugar, and a thickener with the main differences being the type of dairy and thickener used. Chess pies frequently use milk, cream, and cornmeal while buttermilk pies use (surprise!) buttermilk and flour or cornstarch.
"Bee Selective When Choosing Honey
"For my version of honey pie, I browned the butter for a rich, nutty depth of flavor. Since honey is the star of the show here, the type of honey used is important. I always try to use local honey since it supports your local farmers and is less processed. Any high quality raw honey will work as well.
"Different honeys have different flavors so keep that in mind when selecting the type of honey for this pie. You can go mild with a wildflower honey or choose something with a bold flavor profile, like buckwheat honey, for a more intense honey kick."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Cooling/Resting Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 8 to 10 slices; Yield: 1 pie
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/honey-pie-recipe-6560702.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
5-1/2 ounces (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw honey, preferably local
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Honey Whipped Cream
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons raw honey, preferably local
1 tablespoon lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Directions
For the Crust
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the flour, cold butter, salt, and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment.
Start the mixer on low speed for about 10 seconds then switch to medium speed. Continue to paddle, breaking up the butter until the chunks are the size of small peas, about 3 minutes.
With the mixer running, drizzle in the ice water until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. It should look like a shaggy mass but hold its shape when pressed together.
Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disc, wrap in plastic, and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to rest.
Once the dough has chilled and rested, remove it from the fridge and place the disc onto a floured work surface. Dust the top with more flour and roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
Carefully roll it up onto the rolling pin and drape it over your pie pan. Lightly lay the dough into the bottom of the pan and press it into the sides. There will be some overhang. Do not stretch your dough, this will cause it to shrink in the oven.
Fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges however you desire. Place the pie pan into the freezer for at least an hour. It is important for the crust to be frozen when putting it in the oven so it retains its shape and doesn’t get soggy.
For the Filling
Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.
Cut the butter into small chunks and place in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt.
Once the butter is completely melted, turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the butter until it turns a toasty amber color, about 8 minutes.
Remove the brown butter from the heat, pour into a heat-proof vessel, and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together the honey and buttermilk in a small pot over medium heat and bring just to a boil.
Slowly add the hot honey mixture to the egg mixture while whisking until completely homogeneous.
Add the browned butter, and lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.
Remove the pie crust from the freezer and pour the custard into the shell.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is a deep amber color and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes (start checking for doneness early). The center should still jiggle like a soft set jelly, it will continue to set as it cools.
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before placing it in the fridge.
For the Honey Whipped Cream
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the heavy cream, honey, brown sugar, and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk on medium-high speed until you get silky stiff peaks. No over whipping, we’re not trying to make butter here!
Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover in plastic and place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
The pie can be served at room temperature or cold with or without a dollop of honey whipped cream.
Recipe Tip
I prefer raw local honey, but if that’s not available regular store bought honey will work.
Recipe Variations
• If honey altogether is not your thing, try using maple or golden syrup.
• Too lazy to bake? Leave it to the experts to deliver a pie to your door!
How To Store or Freeze
The pie can be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead
The pie crust can be made ahead of time and kept wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. If freezing the dough make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before you want to bake the pie.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Tempeh Reuben and Garden-Style Lasagna. Enjoy!
DILLED POTATO-CUCUMBER SALAD
This is from the July/August 2007 Vegetarian Times, page 39. It begins, "Cornichons are crisp pickles made from small gherkin cucumbers. If you can’t find them, simply substitute your favorite pickle, or double the capers used in the recipe." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/dilled-potato-cucumber-salad/.
Ingredients
1 lb. new potatoes
1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
6 cornichons, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
Preparation
Cover potatoes with cold water in pot, and bring to a boil. Add pinch of salt, reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, combine crème fraîche, cornichons, dill and capers in bowl.
Drain potatoes, slice in half, and return to pot. Warm over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes, to dry out slightly.
Toss potatoes and cucumber with crème fraîche mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
THAI GREEN BEAN CURRY WITH PINEAPPLE AND SWEET POTATOES
This comes from Vegetarian Times. This begins, "This Thai-inspired dish features sweet potatoes blended into the sauce and as bites in the bowl." The note adds, "Blending part of the sweet potatoes into the broth of this vegan green bean curry yields a rich, creamy base without using a lot of coconut milk."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/thai-green-bean-curry-with-pineapple-and-sweet-potatoes/.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 large shallots (1/2 cup)
1-1/2 Tbs. red curry paste
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (2-1/2 cups)
3/4 lb. green beans
3/4 cup light coconut milk
Basil or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, and sauté 5 minutes. Add curry paste, garlic, and ginger, and sauté 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add 2-1/2 cups water and reserved pineapple juice. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 cup sweet potato chunks, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Blend mixture in saucepan with immersion blender or in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan, add remaining 1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks, green beans, and coconut milk; cover; and simmer 7 to 10 minutes, or until green beans are crisp-tender. Garnish with basil, and serve.
EDAMAME SUCCOTASH
This is from the July/August 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, "Fresh green soybeans, called edamame, have a sweet, nutty flavor. They offer a great variation on this classic dish, standing in for the traditional lima beans. Edamame are available frozen and fresh, in the pod and shelled. Look for them in large supermarkets, natural food stores or Asian markets. For a great twist, serve the succotash in hollowed-out tomatoes. If you’re using frozen edamame, make it according to package directions, omitting any salt. Drain well." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/edamame-succotash/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 Tbs. white wine or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in edamame, corn and wine; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, pepper, parsley and basil. Serve.
TEMPEH REUBEN
This is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Serves 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound organic tempeh, any variety
2 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil
2 cups water, for cooking tempeh
1 tsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Eden Sauerkraut, Kimchi Sauerkraut, or Three Onion Sauerkraut
1/4 cup any Eden Mustard
4 whole lettuce leaves
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 medium organic tomato, sliced
8 slices whole grain bread
Directions
Heat oil in a skillet. Add tempeh (do not cut). Brown both sides for 3 to 4 minutes. Add water to cover tempeh. Add shoyu, cover the skillet. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook, over a high flame, until all liquid is gone. Remove tempeh and slice into strips. Place several slices of tempeh on each sandwich. Spread equal amounts of mustard on the other bread slices. Place equal amounts of sauerkraut, lettuce, sprouts and tomato on each sandwich. Serve. Great for lunches, picnics, camping, travel or anytime!
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA
This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."
Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)
3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.
Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
DILLED POTATO-CUCUMBER SALAD
This is from the July/August 2007 Vegetarian Times, page 39. It begins, "Cornichons are crisp pickles made from small gherkin cucumbers. If you can’t find them, simply substitute your favorite pickle, or double the capers used in the recipe." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/dilled-potato-cucumber-salad/.
Ingredients
1 lb. new potatoes
1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
6 cornichons, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
Preparation
Cover potatoes with cold water in pot, and bring to a boil. Add pinch of salt, reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, combine crème fraîche, cornichons, dill and capers in bowl.
Drain potatoes, slice in half, and return to pot. Warm over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes, to dry out slightly.
Toss potatoes and cucumber with crème fraîche mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
THAI GREEN BEAN CURRY WITH PINEAPPLE AND SWEET POTATOES
This comes from Vegetarian Times. This begins, "This Thai-inspired dish features sweet potatoes blended into the sauce and as bites in the bowl." The note adds, "Blending part of the sweet potatoes into the broth of this vegan green bean curry yields a rich, creamy base without using a lot of coconut milk."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/thai-green-bean-curry-with-pineapple-and-sweet-potatoes/.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 large shallots (1/2 cup)
1-1/2 Tbs. red curry paste
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (2-1/2 cups)
3/4 lb. green beans
3/4 cup light coconut milk
Basil or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, and sauté 5 minutes. Add curry paste, garlic, and ginger, and sauté 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add 2-1/2 cups water and reserved pineapple juice. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 cup sweet potato chunks, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Blend mixture in saucepan with immersion blender or in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan, add remaining 1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks, green beans, and coconut milk; cover; and simmer 7 to 10 minutes, or until green beans are crisp-tender. Garnish with basil, and serve.
EDAMAME SUCCOTASH
This is from the July/August 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, "Fresh green soybeans, called edamame, have a sweet, nutty flavor. They offer a great variation on this classic dish, standing in for the traditional lima beans. Edamame are available frozen and fresh, in the pod and shelled. Look for them in large supermarkets, natural food stores or Asian markets. For a great twist, serve the succotash in hollowed-out tomatoes. If you’re using frozen edamame, make it according to package directions, omitting any salt. Drain well." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/edamame-succotash/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 Tbs. white wine or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in edamame, corn and wine; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, pepper, parsley and basil. Serve.
TEMPEH REUBEN
This is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Serves 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound organic tempeh, any variety
2 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil
2 cups water, for cooking tempeh
1 tsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Eden Sauerkraut, Kimchi Sauerkraut, or Three Onion Sauerkraut
1/4 cup any Eden Mustard
4 whole lettuce leaves
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 medium organic tomato, sliced
8 slices whole grain bread
Directions
Heat oil in a skillet. Add tempeh (do not cut). Brown both sides for 3 to 4 minutes. Add water to cover tempeh. Add shoyu, cover the skillet. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook, over a high flame, until all liquid is gone. Remove tempeh and slice into strips. Place several slices of tempeh on each sandwich. Spread equal amounts of mustard on the other bread slices. Place equal amounts of sauerkraut, lettuce, sprouts and tomato on each sandwich. Serve. Great for lunches, picnics, camping, travel or anytime!
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA
This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."
Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)
3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.
Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's vegetarian tacos include Smoky Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos and Veggie Tacos with Avocado Tomatillo Salsa. Enjoy!
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Love and Lemons and can be viewed online at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetable-tacos-avocado-tomatillo-salsa/.
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: 2 – 3.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
SMOKY SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from a really cool site, How Sweet Eats. I really encourage you to check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Tap, tap, tap…)
This recipe makes 8 tacos; Total Time: 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
fresh cilantro for topping
lime wedges
Chipotle Lime Crema
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
juice of half a lime
zest of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Season chopped sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and garlic, tossing to coat, then add sweet potatoes and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just softened and cooked through.
While potatoes are cooking, combine yogurt, half and half, adobo, lime juice and zest and salt, whisking well to combine. Set aside.
Once sweet potatoes are cooked, add in black beans and toss well. Cover and cook again for 5-6 minutes until everything is warmed through. Heat tortillas and serve sweet potato mixture topped with cheese, crema and lots of cilantro!
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Directions
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
CRISPY POTATO TACOS
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Potato tacos, or tacos de papa, as they are known in Mexico, make the perfect meal for those times when you find yourself with an excess of potatoes and a package of tortillas on hand. Tortillas are an endlessly versatile pantry item. In this recipe, adapted from “Tenderheart” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023), they are stuffed with potato and cheese for a deeply satisfying meal or light snack. Cooking the potatoes whole, skin intact, prevents them from absorbing too much water, and the skin also adds a nice texture to the filling. Shortcuts are always available: If you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them and skip the first step."
Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "4 Easy Dishes That Embrace Everyday Vegetables", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024397-crispy-potato-tacos.
Ingredients
For the Tacos
Sea salt
1-1/2 pounds potatoes (any variety), scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar
Handful of cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
16 to 18 corn tortillas
Neutral oil, as needed
Any combination of sliced lettuce or cabbage, very finely sliced red onion or sour cream (all optional), for serving
For the Spicy Red Salsa
3 tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
Small handful of cilantro, leaves and stems roughly chopped
1 fresh serrano or Fresno chile (seeded, if you prefer less spice)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Sea salt
3/4 cup vegetable stock
Preparation
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. (Check them by inserting a fork or knife into the largest potato piece. If it goes in and out easily, the potato is ready.) Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Make the spicy red salsa: Place tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chile, garlic, cumin, oregano, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender or food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until darker in color and slightly thickened, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Place the cooled potatoes in a bowl and roughly mash them. (It does not have to be smooth; a chunky texture is great.) Add the Cheddar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika and 1 teaspoon sea salt and mix to combine.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and, working in batches, add the corn tortillas and heat until soft and pliable. Remove from the pan and cover the tortillas with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. Fill each warmed tortilla with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, then fold in half and press down lightly.
In the same skillet, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm over medium-high heat. Place three or four tacos in the oil, pressing down lightly with a spatula so that the edges are in the oil, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and crispy. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Repeat with the remaining tacos.
Serve the tacos with the spicy red salsa and any of the optional serving suggestions. (The potatoes can be cooked and mashed 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The salsa can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. For freezing info, see Tip.)
Tip
You can freeze these assembled tacos by wrapping them tightly and storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. To cook, there is no need to thaw; you can fry them straight from frozen.
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Love and Lemons and can be viewed online at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetable-tacos-avocado-tomatillo-salsa/.
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: 2 – 3.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
SMOKY SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from a really cool site, How Sweet Eats. I really encourage you to check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Tap, tap, tap…)
This recipe makes 8 tacos; Total Time: 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
fresh cilantro for topping
lime wedges
Chipotle Lime Crema
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
juice of half a lime
zest of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Season chopped sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and garlic, tossing to coat, then add sweet potatoes and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just softened and cooked through.
While potatoes are cooking, combine yogurt, half and half, adobo, lime juice and zest and salt, whisking well to combine. Set aside.
Once sweet potatoes are cooked, add in black beans and toss well. Cover and cook again for 5-6 minutes until everything is warmed through. Heat tortillas and serve sweet potato mixture topped with cheese, crema and lots of cilantro!
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Directions
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
CRISPY POTATO TACOS
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Potato tacos, or tacos de papa, as they are known in Mexico, make the perfect meal for those times when you find yourself with an excess of potatoes and a package of tortillas on hand. Tortillas are an endlessly versatile pantry item. In this recipe, adapted from “Tenderheart” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023), they are stuffed with potato and cheese for a deeply satisfying meal or light snack. Cooking the potatoes whole, skin intact, prevents them from absorbing too much water, and the skin also adds a nice texture to the filling. Shortcuts are always available: If you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them and skip the first step."
Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "4 Easy Dishes That Embrace Everyday Vegetables", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024397-crispy-potato-tacos.
Ingredients
For the Tacos
Sea salt
1-1/2 pounds potatoes (any variety), scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar
Handful of cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
16 to 18 corn tortillas
Neutral oil, as needed
Any combination of sliced lettuce or cabbage, very finely sliced red onion or sour cream (all optional), for serving
For the Spicy Red Salsa
3 tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
Small handful of cilantro, leaves and stems roughly chopped
1 fresh serrano or Fresno chile (seeded, if you prefer less spice)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Sea salt
3/4 cup vegetable stock
Preparation
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. (Check them by inserting a fork or knife into the largest potato piece. If it goes in and out easily, the potato is ready.) Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Make the spicy red salsa: Place tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chile, garlic, cumin, oregano, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender or food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until darker in color and slightly thickened, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Place the cooled potatoes in a bowl and roughly mash them. (It does not have to be smooth; a chunky texture is great.) Add the Cheddar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika and 1 teaspoon sea salt and mix to combine.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and, working in batches, add the corn tortillas and heat until soft and pliable. Remove from the pan and cover the tortillas with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. Fill each warmed tortilla with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, then fold in half and press down lightly.
In the same skillet, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm over medium-high heat. Place three or four tacos in the oil, pressing down lightly with a spatula so that the edges are in the oil, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and crispy. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Repeat with the remaining tacos.
Serve the tacos with the spicy red salsa and any of the optional serving suggestions. (The potatoes can be cooked and mashed 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The salsa can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. For freezing info, see Tip.)
Tip
You can freeze these assembled tacos by wrapping them tightly and storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. To cook, there is no need to thaw; you can fry them straight from frozen.
Monday, July 24, 2023
Pasta
I've loved Pasta as long as I can remember. So, it makes sense to start the week off with six vegetarian pasta recipes. Check out the Baked Ziti, the Smoked Tofu Farfalle Casserole, along with the rest of today's recipes. Enjoy!
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC
This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New Yorkk Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."
Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes
This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.
Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup small pasta, like shells
Kosher salt and black pepper
Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish
Preparation
Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.
Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.
BAKED ZITI
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Alison wrote, "This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018954-baked-ziti.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 ounces/1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top
1 pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation
Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.
Tip
Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.
CAPELLINI WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL
This is from Ina Garten on her the Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this inline, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/capellini-with-tomatoes-and-basil-recipe-1949902.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.
SMOKED TOFU FARFALLE CASSEROLE
This is from Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Here’s a new twist on Mom’s beloved tuna noodle casserole. We lightened the cream sauce, added lots of veggies and replaced the tuna with smoked tofu, which adds richness and depth to the flavor."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smoked-tofu-farfalle-casserole/.
Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-1/2 cups frozen baby peas
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
2-1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
8 oz. farfalle pasta (bows)
1-3/4 cups low-fat milk
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 oz. smoked tofu, diced
3 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Wipe out Dutch oven; fill with water, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook about 4 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and transfer to clean bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil, and toss to coat. Return Dutch oven to stove.
Heat 1-1/2 cups milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour in small bowl, then whisk into hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta, bell pepper mixture and tofu, and stir to combine.
Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl; sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.
MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE WITH FETTUCCINE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "A lighter take on the classic Italian sauce, this vegetarian bolognese is packed with mushrooms and vegetables in a rich tomato base. Served with fettuccine, you’ll have a hearty dinner for just 300 calories."
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
4-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages (8 oz each) baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 packages (8 oz each) white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 oz uncooked fettuccine (from 16-oz box)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, if desired
Directions
In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic and salt in oil 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove vegetable mixture from Dutch oven to small bowl.
In same Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 14 to 19 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated.
Stir in vegetable mixture, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, oregano and red pepper flakes; heat to simmering; reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is starting to thicken. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce.
Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as directed on package; drain. Serve fettuccine with sauce. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese and basil.
Expert Tips
Prefer a creamier sauce? If desired, stir in 1/3 cup half-and-half or heavy whipping cream after removing sauce from heat.
Cooked fettuccine may be stirred into the bolognese or topped with sauce, based on your preference.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC
This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New Yorkk Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."
Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes
This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.
Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup small pasta, like shells
Kosher salt and black pepper
Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish
Preparation
Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.
Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.
BAKED ZITI
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Alison wrote, "This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018954-baked-ziti.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 ounces/1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top
1 pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation
Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.
Tip
Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.
CAPELLINI WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL
This is from Ina Garten on her the Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this inline, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/capellini-with-tomatoes-and-basil-recipe-1949902.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.
SMOKED TOFU FARFALLE CASSEROLE
This is from Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Here’s a new twist on Mom’s beloved tuna noodle casserole. We lightened the cream sauce, added lots of veggies and replaced the tuna with smoked tofu, which adds richness and depth to the flavor."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smoked-tofu-farfalle-casserole/.
Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-1/2 cups frozen baby peas
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
2-1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
8 oz. farfalle pasta (bows)
1-3/4 cups low-fat milk
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 oz. smoked tofu, diced
3 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Wipe out Dutch oven; fill with water, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook about 4 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and transfer to clean bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil, and toss to coat. Return Dutch oven to stove.
Heat 1-1/2 cups milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour in small bowl, then whisk into hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta, bell pepper mixture and tofu, and stir to combine.
Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl; sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.
MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE WITH FETTUCCINE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "A lighter take on the classic Italian sauce, this vegetarian bolognese is packed with mushrooms and vegetables in a rich tomato base. Served with fettuccine, you’ll have a hearty dinner for just 300 calories."
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
4-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages (8 oz each) baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 packages (8 oz each) white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 oz uncooked fettuccine (from 16-oz box)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, if desired
Directions
In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic and salt in oil 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove vegetable mixture from Dutch oven to small bowl.
In same Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 14 to 19 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated.
Stir in vegetable mixture, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, oregano and red pepper flakes; heat to simmering; reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is starting to thicken. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce.
Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as directed on package; drain. Serve fettuccine with sauce. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese and basil.
Expert Tips
Prefer a creamier sauce? If desired, stir in 1/3 cup half-and-half or heavy whipping cream after removing sauce from heat.
Cooked fettuccine may be stirred into the bolognese or topped with sauce, based on your preference.
Friday, July 21, 2023
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Broccoli and Cheese Crustless Quiche and Panda Express Chow Mein Copycat. Enjoy!
LENTIL CHICKPEA SLOPPY JOES
This is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced
14 ounces Eden Crushed Tomatoes
3 Tbsp organic tomato paste
1 Tbsp organic maple syrup
2 tsp Eden Red Wine Vinegar
1-1/2 tsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce, or Tamari
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Eden Brown Mustard
1 tsp Eden Ground Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Eden Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Eden Black Pepper
15 ounces Eden Lentils w/Onion & Bay Leaf
15 ounces Eden Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
6 whole wheat buns
Directions
Heat oil in large skillet and sauté shallots and garlic 2 to 3 minutes. Add peppers and sauté another 2 minutes. Add all ingredients except the lentils, garbanzo beans and buns. Mix thoroughly. Simmer 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lentils and garbanzos to sauce. Mix and cook another 10 minutes. Spoon mix onto the buns, serve, and enjoy.
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
BROCCOLI AND CHEESE CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the May 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42). It is in an article titled Calci-yum!, and begins, "Enjoy this no-crust savory custard pie with a salad for lunch or dinner. For a variation, substitute 5 cups spinach for the broccoli. Serve with warm whole-grain bread."
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/broccoli-and-cheese-crustless-quiche/. Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups broccoli florets
1-1/4 cups 1% milk
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 1-1/2 minutes. Add broccoli, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Spread mixture in pie pan.
Combine milk, cheese, mustard, egg whites, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour over broccoli mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 40 minutes, or until top is golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA
This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."
Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)
3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.
Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
THREE SISTERS CASSEROLE
This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "A Native American expression, 'three sisters' refers to the practice of growing beans, corn, and squash together. This filling casserole can be frozen for an upcoming party or made fresh for dinner. Serve with Pumpkin Seed Pesto." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/three-sisters-casserole/.
Ingredients
Polenta topping
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs. chili powder
3/4 tsp. salt
Filling
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice (1 cup)
1 lb. kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Preparation
To make Polenta Topping: Whisk together cornmeal, chili powder, salt, and 4-1/2 cups water in double boiler, or in large metal bowl over barely simmering water. Cook 40 minutes, or until polenta is thick and stiff, stirring 3 or 4 times. Remove from heat.
To make Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often.
Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Stir in beans and corn, and cook 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
Coat 8- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups polenta over bottom of prepared dish. Spoon squash mixture over polenta. Smooth remaining polenta (about 2-1/2 cups) over top.
Score casserole into 6 squares with knife. Brush top with remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.
PANDA EXPRESS CHOW MEIN COPYCAT
This comes from Chungah Rhee, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. If you haven't check out her site, you really should! I love checking it out on a regular basis (read: several times a week).
Anyway, this recipe begins, "I love recreating take-out recipes at home. You know exactly what’s going into your dish, and the homemade version is ALWAYS better without a doubt. And this Panda Express copycat is no exception. Best of all, you can make this in less than 20 minutes! How easy is that?
"I kid you not. This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made. It requires such few ingredients and this recipe is practically foolproof. And there really is no comparison to Panda Express because it’s just that much better. We didn’t even have a main dish to pair this with but we still devoured this on its own like there was no tomorrow!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://damndelicious.net/2014/07/02/panda-express-chow-mein-copycat/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (5.6-ounce) packages refrigerated Yaki-Soba, seasoning sauce packets discarded*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
2 cups shredded cabbage
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, ginger and white pepper; set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, add Yaki-Soba until loosened, about 1-2 minutes; drain well.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cabbage until heated through, about 1 minute.
Stir in Yaki-Soba and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Notes:
*Yaki-Soba is ramen-style noodles and can be found in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store.
LENTIL CHICKPEA SLOPPY JOES
This is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced
14 ounces Eden Crushed Tomatoes
3 Tbsp organic tomato paste
1 Tbsp organic maple syrup
2 tsp Eden Red Wine Vinegar
1-1/2 tsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce, or Tamari
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Eden Brown Mustard
1 tsp Eden Ground Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Eden Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Eden Black Pepper
15 ounces Eden Lentils w/Onion & Bay Leaf
15 ounces Eden Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
6 whole wheat buns
Directions
Heat oil in large skillet and sauté shallots and garlic 2 to 3 minutes. Add peppers and sauté another 2 minutes. Add all ingredients except the lentils, garbanzo beans and buns. Mix thoroughly. Simmer 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lentils and garbanzos to sauce. Mix and cook another 10 minutes. Spoon mix onto the buns, serve, and enjoy.
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
BROCCOLI AND CHEESE CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the May 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42). It is in an article titled Calci-yum!, and begins, "Enjoy this no-crust savory custard pie with a salad for lunch or dinner. For a variation, substitute 5 cups spinach for the broccoli. Serve with warm whole-grain bread."
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/broccoli-and-cheese-crustless-quiche/. Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups broccoli florets
1-1/4 cups 1% milk
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 1-1/2 minutes. Add broccoli, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Spread mixture in pie pan.
Combine milk, cheese, mustard, egg whites, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour over broccoli mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 40 minutes, or until top is golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA
This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."
Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)
3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.
Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
THREE SISTERS CASSEROLE
This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "A Native American expression, 'three sisters' refers to the practice of growing beans, corn, and squash together. This filling casserole can be frozen for an upcoming party or made fresh for dinner. Serve with Pumpkin Seed Pesto." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/three-sisters-casserole/.
Ingredients
Polenta topping
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs. chili powder
3/4 tsp. salt
Filling
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice (1 cup)
1 lb. kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Preparation
To make Polenta Topping: Whisk together cornmeal, chili powder, salt, and 4-1/2 cups water in double boiler, or in large metal bowl over barely simmering water. Cook 40 minutes, or until polenta is thick and stiff, stirring 3 or 4 times. Remove from heat.
To make Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often.
Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Stir in beans and corn, and cook 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
Coat 8- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups polenta over bottom of prepared dish. Spoon squash mixture over polenta. Smooth remaining polenta (about 2-1/2 cups) over top.
Score casserole into 6 squares with knife. Brush top with remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.
PANDA EXPRESS CHOW MEIN COPYCAT
This comes from Chungah Rhee, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. If you haven't check out her site, you really should! I love checking it out on a regular basis (read: several times a week).
Anyway, this recipe begins, "I love recreating take-out recipes at home. You know exactly what’s going into your dish, and the homemade version is ALWAYS better without a doubt. And this Panda Express copycat is no exception. Best of all, you can make this in less than 20 minutes! How easy is that?
"I kid you not. This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made. It requires such few ingredients and this recipe is practically foolproof. And there really is no comparison to Panda Express because it’s just that much better. We didn’t even have a main dish to pair this with but we still devoured this on its own like there was no tomorrow!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://damndelicious.net/2014/07/02/panda-express-chow-mein-copycat/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (5.6-ounce) packages refrigerated Yaki-Soba, seasoning sauce packets discarded*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
2 cups shredded cabbage
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, ginger and white pepper; set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, add Yaki-Soba until loosened, about 1-2 minutes; drain well.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cabbage until heated through, about 1 minute.
Stir in Yaki-Soba and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Notes:
*Yaki-Soba is ramen-style noodles and can be found in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Burgers
Burgers seem to be one of those iconic summer meals, at least here in the U.S. True, many of us could eat burgers year 'round, but they seem especially popular during the summer.
For anyone thinking Burgers? On a vegetarian blog?, not a problem: besides the many vegetarian burgers on the market (think Boca Burgers, Gardein veggie crumbles and "meatless" products, Morningstar Farms veggie burgers), there are ways to make homemade veggie burgers.
Note: Keep in mind that the aforementioned companies also make other meatless products besides veggie burgers. Check them out, if you haven't already. You're bound to find a few favorites. There are also many more companies that cater to vegetarians or vegetarian-curious; these were simply three of the companies that I go to quite frequently.
To that end, here are six vegetarian burgers to try out. If you found one or two of these that you absolutely love (or really are not wild about), let me know, okay? In the meantime, check out the Homemade Grilled Veggie Burger, the Planet Burgers, the Black Bean Burgers with Avocado-Lime Mayo, along with the rest of today's yummy recipes. Enjoy!
BLACK BEAN-BROWN RICE BURGERS
This comes from Hannah Verrinder on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 6; Yield: 6 patties
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, chopped (white or yellow)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (preferably seasoned)
Directions
In a small pot, combine rice and 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and then turn down to medium heat and cook 20 minutes.In a saucepan, heat a little oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft.
Add the corn and spices and cook until the corn is defrosted, another 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mash the drained beans with a fork or your fingers.
Add the rice, corn, and onion; combine, mashing it with your fork as you go. Taste and adjust the spices now, because once you put the egg in you could risk salmonella.
Add the egg and mix in well.
Add the breadcrumbs.
Form into patties by patting the desired amount of mixtured into a flat round. (I used a giant cookie scoop to make sure all the patties were the same size, but you can just divide the mixture into six sections).
Cook about 2 minutes on each side (if you can't flip the patty without breaking it, it's probably not finished cooking).
PLANET BURGERS
This was in the January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 12. It begins, "Diana McAnulty's search for a veggie burger her kids would devour took her through all the premade brands. Then she re-created the Planet Burger from the Good Earth restaurant in her childhood hometown of Cupertino, Calif. It was a hit. Serve on whole-grain hamburger buns with condiments." Makes 9 burgers.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice
12 oz. cooked chickpeas, mashed
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 oz. cooked red beans or adzuki beans, mashed
1 medium carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup ground almonds, almond flour, or breadcrumbs
1/2 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. dried thyme
Directions
Stir together all ingredients in large bowl. Shape 9 1/2-inch-thick patties.
Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Cook patties in skillet 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned on outside and cooked through on inside. (Use wide spatula to flip burgers; they can be fragile.)
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 253; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Cholesterol: 47 mg; Sodium: 282 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 4 g; Gluten-Free
HOMEMADE GRILLED VEGGIE BURGER
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Making a grilled veggie burger from scratch used to produce a crumbly mess. But thanks to the smart use of chickpeas and other healthy binders like mushrooms and black beans, these veggie burgers bring a whole new level of delicious awesomeness."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Makes 3 - 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-grilled-veggie-burger-recipe/.
Ingredients
8-oz pack baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
5 cloves garlic
Olive oil (for coating veggies and basting burgers)
1 cup chickpeas
1 1/2 cups black beans
2 eggs
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sriracha
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup almond flour (more may be needed for consistency)
Burgers
Burger buns
Cheddar cheese Lettuce Tomatoes Mustard Mayo Pickles
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Mustard
Mayo
Pickles
Special Equipment
Food Processor
Preparation
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Before you make the patties, you must first dehydrate excess moisture from the veggies so the burgers will keep their shape.
Place mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, and garlic cloves in a grill basket. Coat with some olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside.
Punch a couple of small holes in the bottom of a foil pan, then fill it with your chickpeas and black beans. The holes will allow excess water to drain from the veggies while roasting. Set aside.
Before placing veggies on the grill, toss some hickory wood chips on the coals.
Place the grill basket and foil pan on the grill, and roast them with the lid closed for about 30 minutes. Stir them about halfway through the cook.
Once roasted, remove veggies from the grill and allow them to cool. You can extinguish the grill if you’re roasting the vegetables well ahead of time, or you can let it cruise while you prepare your patties if you’re doing this recipe in one go.
Once cooled, pour the veggies from the grill basket into a food processor. Add eggs, soy sauce, sriracha, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, and the mixture of cornstarch and water, then blend until fairly smooth.
Add chickpeas, black beans, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs to the food processor. Lightly pulse a few times in the food processor — you want the beans in your burger mix to maintain some varying texture, so don’t fully purée as in the above step.
Pour burger mix into a bowl, gradually incorporating a little bit of almond flour at a time. Aim for a consistency that’s thick enough to form a patty that’ll hold its shape.
Once your mixture can be easily formed into burgers, sprinkle a light layer of flour onto a dish. Create 3–4 patties and place them on the floured dish to prevent sticking.
Brush olive oil on top of the patties. This will be the side that hits the grill first. The olive oil will help the patties receive some color and easily release from the grates.
Place patties in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before grilling. This will help them keep their form when they hit the grill.
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees, adding more charcoal if necessary.
Brush the grill grates with olive oil just before placing your patties on the grill.
Grill the veggie burgers for about 6–8 minutes a side, until crisp and golden brown on each side. Keep the grill lid down during the cook, lifting it only to baste the top side of your burgers with olive oil before flipping them. OPTIONAL: After flipping, baste the top of the burgers with a bit of melted butter.
Melt slices of cheese over the patties before removing them from the grill. Adding cheese during the final minute of the cook should get the job done.
Plate and serve the burgers with your toppings of choice, and enjoy!
VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “I love this recipe for black bean patties because its easy to make as well as tasty, two of my favorite qualities in a recipe! They aren't quite firm enough to toss on the backyard grill, but are good for an everyday meal. This veggie burger recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced
1 can black beans, well drained
1/2 cup flour
2 slices bread, crumbled
1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
Directions
Sautee the onions till soft, about 3-5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mash the beans until almost smooth. Add sauteed onions and the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, adding the flour a few tablespoons at a time to combine well. Mixture will be thick.
Form bean mixture into patties, approximately 1/2 inch thick and fry patties in a small amount of oil until slightly firm. Make veggie burgers and enjoy!
BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH AVOCADO-LIME MAYO
This recipe starts off, “Jazz up these tasty burgers with avocado-lime mayo and you'll have a vegetarian sandwich that even die-hard meat eaters will love.”
Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 burger.
Source: "The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful
Recipes Made with Canola Oil" from the American Diabetes Association and Canola
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1219.shtml
Ingredients
Mayonnaise
1/2 ripe medium avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp canola mayonnaise 30
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Burgers
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
2 large egg whites
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
canola oil cooking spray
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce leaves
4 lime wedges (optional)
Directions
Place canola mayonnaise ingredients in a blender, secure lid, and puree until smooth.
Place beans in a gallon-size resealable bag. Using a meat mallet, pound beans to a coarse texture, resembling lumpy mashed potatoes. Place beans in a medium bowl and add bell pepper, oats, egg whites, canola oil, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and shape into four patties.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with canola oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add patties and cook 4 minutes on each side or until they begin to lightly brown. The patties will be fragile, so be sure to turn them gently.
To assemble, spoon 1 Tbsp canola mayonnaise mixture on each bun half. Top each bottom bun with burger, onion, a tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf. Place bun tops over each. Serve with lime wedges. Fresh tip: If desired, omit the buns and serve the patties on the lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and onion. Spoon the mayonnaise mixture on top of the patties and serve with lime wedges.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 300; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 785 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g
SPICY LENTIL RICE BURGERS [VEGAN]
This is from Maya Sozer on One Green Planet. Maya wrote, "This recipe is simple and quick. Made primarily with lentils, brown rice, and sunflower seeds, these patties are protein and fiber dense, so you can nosh knowing that you’re eating a wholesome and filling dish. A little vegan mayo goes great with this particular recipe: it has that cool-down creaminess without overshadowing the taste of the burger."
Cooking Time: 10 minutes; Serves 3
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/spicy-lentil-rice-burgers/.
Ingredients
For the Patties:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup brown rice, cooked
3/4 cup red lentils, cooked
1/2 cup panko bread
1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
For Garnish:
Vegan mayonnaise
Lettuce
Pickled jalapeño peppers
Avocado slices
Microgreens
Directions
Pulse all the ingredients in the food processor a few times until more or less uniformly mixed. Don't overdo it though, leave some texture.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Shape into patties and cook both sides in a pan until a golden-brown crust develops.
For anyone thinking Burgers? On a vegetarian blog?, not a problem: besides the many vegetarian burgers on the market (think Boca Burgers, Gardein veggie crumbles and "meatless" products, Morningstar Farms veggie burgers), there are ways to make homemade veggie burgers.
Note: Keep in mind that the aforementioned companies also make other meatless products besides veggie burgers. Check them out, if you haven't already. You're bound to find a few favorites. There are also many more companies that cater to vegetarians or vegetarian-curious; these were simply three of the companies that I go to quite frequently.
To that end, here are six vegetarian burgers to try out. If you found one or two of these that you absolutely love (or really are not wild about), let me know, okay? In the meantime, check out the Homemade Grilled Veggie Burger, the Planet Burgers, the Black Bean Burgers with Avocado-Lime Mayo, along with the rest of today's yummy recipes. Enjoy!
BLACK BEAN-BROWN RICE BURGERS
This comes from Hannah Verrinder on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 6; Yield: 6 patties
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, chopped (white or yellow)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (preferably seasoned)
Directions
In a small pot, combine rice and 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and then turn down to medium heat and cook 20 minutes.In a saucepan, heat a little oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft.
Add the corn and spices and cook until the corn is defrosted, another 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mash the drained beans with a fork or your fingers.
Add the rice, corn, and onion; combine, mashing it with your fork as you go. Taste and adjust the spices now, because once you put the egg in you could risk salmonella.
Add the egg and mix in well.
Add the breadcrumbs.
Form into patties by patting the desired amount of mixtured into a flat round. (I used a giant cookie scoop to make sure all the patties were the same size, but you can just divide the mixture into six sections).
Cook about 2 minutes on each side (if you can't flip the patty without breaking it, it's probably not finished cooking).
PLANET BURGERS
This was in the January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 12. It begins, "Diana McAnulty's search for a veggie burger her kids would devour took her through all the premade brands. Then she re-created the Planet Burger from the Good Earth restaurant in her childhood hometown of Cupertino, Calif. It was a hit. Serve on whole-grain hamburger buns with condiments." Makes 9 burgers.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice
12 oz. cooked chickpeas, mashed
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 oz. cooked red beans or adzuki beans, mashed
1 medium carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup ground almonds, almond flour, or breadcrumbs
1/2 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. dried thyme
Directions
Stir together all ingredients in large bowl. Shape 9 1/2-inch-thick patties.
Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Cook patties in skillet 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned on outside and cooked through on inside. (Use wide spatula to flip burgers; they can be fragile.)
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 253; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Cholesterol: 47 mg; Sodium: 282 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 4 g; Gluten-Free
HOMEMADE GRILLED VEGGIE BURGER
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Making a grilled veggie burger from scratch used to produce a crumbly mess. But thanks to the smart use of chickpeas and other healthy binders like mushrooms and black beans, these veggie burgers bring a whole new level of delicious awesomeness."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Makes 3 - 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-grilled-veggie-burger-recipe/.
Ingredients
8-oz pack baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
5 cloves garlic
Olive oil (for coating veggies and basting burgers)
1 cup chickpeas
1 1/2 cups black beans
2 eggs
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sriracha
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup almond flour (more may be needed for consistency)
Burgers
Burger buns
Cheddar cheese Lettuce Tomatoes Mustard Mayo Pickles
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Mustard
Mayo
Pickles
Special Equipment
Food Processor
Preparation
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Before you make the patties, you must first dehydrate excess moisture from the veggies so the burgers will keep their shape.
Place mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, and garlic cloves in a grill basket. Coat with some olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside.
Punch a couple of small holes in the bottom of a foil pan, then fill it with your chickpeas and black beans. The holes will allow excess water to drain from the veggies while roasting. Set aside.
Before placing veggies on the grill, toss some hickory wood chips on the coals.
Place the grill basket and foil pan on the grill, and roast them with the lid closed for about 30 minutes. Stir them about halfway through the cook.
Once roasted, remove veggies from the grill and allow them to cool. You can extinguish the grill if you’re roasting the vegetables well ahead of time, or you can let it cruise while you prepare your patties if you’re doing this recipe in one go.
Once cooled, pour the veggies from the grill basket into a food processor. Add eggs, soy sauce, sriracha, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, and the mixture of cornstarch and water, then blend until fairly smooth.
Add chickpeas, black beans, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs to the food processor. Lightly pulse a few times in the food processor — you want the beans in your burger mix to maintain some varying texture, so don’t fully purée as in the above step.
Pour burger mix into a bowl, gradually incorporating a little bit of almond flour at a time. Aim for a consistency that’s thick enough to form a patty that’ll hold its shape.
Once your mixture can be easily formed into burgers, sprinkle a light layer of flour onto a dish. Create 3–4 patties and place them on the floured dish to prevent sticking.
Brush olive oil on top of the patties. This will be the side that hits the grill first. The olive oil will help the patties receive some color and easily release from the grates.
Place patties in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before grilling. This will help them keep their form when they hit the grill.
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees, adding more charcoal if necessary.
Brush the grill grates with olive oil just before placing your patties on the grill.
Grill the veggie burgers for about 6–8 minutes a side, until crisp and golden brown on each side. Keep the grill lid down during the cook, lifting it only to baste the top side of your burgers with olive oil before flipping them. OPTIONAL: After flipping, baste the top of the burgers with a bit of melted butter.
Melt slices of cheese over the patties before removing them from the grill. Adding cheese during the final minute of the cook should get the job done.
Plate and serve the burgers with your toppings of choice, and enjoy!
VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “I love this recipe for black bean patties because its easy to make as well as tasty, two of my favorite qualities in a recipe! They aren't quite firm enough to toss on the backyard grill, but are good for an everyday meal. This veggie burger recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced
1 can black beans, well drained
1/2 cup flour
2 slices bread, crumbled
1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
Directions
Sautee the onions till soft, about 3-5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mash the beans until almost smooth. Add sauteed onions and the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, adding the flour a few tablespoons at a time to combine well. Mixture will be thick.
Form bean mixture into patties, approximately 1/2 inch thick and fry patties in a small amount of oil until slightly firm. Make veggie burgers and enjoy!
BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH AVOCADO-LIME MAYO
This recipe starts off, “Jazz up these tasty burgers with avocado-lime mayo and you'll have a vegetarian sandwich that even die-hard meat eaters will love.”
Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 burger.
Source: "The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful
Recipes Made with Canola Oil" from the American Diabetes Association and Canola
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1219.shtml
Ingredients
Mayonnaise
1/2 ripe medium avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp canola mayonnaise 30
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Burgers
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
2 large egg whites
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
canola oil cooking spray
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce leaves
4 lime wedges (optional)
Directions
Place canola mayonnaise ingredients in a blender, secure lid, and puree until smooth.
Place beans in a gallon-size resealable bag. Using a meat mallet, pound beans to a coarse texture, resembling lumpy mashed potatoes. Place beans in a medium bowl and add bell pepper, oats, egg whites, canola oil, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and shape into four patties.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with canola oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add patties and cook 4 minutes on each side or until they begin to lightly brown. The patties will be fragile, so be sure to turn them gently.
To assemble, spoon 1 Tbsp canola mayonnaise mixture on each bun half. Top each bottom bun with burger, onion, a tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf. Place bun tops over each. Serve with lime wedges. Fresh tip: If desired, omit the buns and serve the patties on the lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and onion. Spoon the mayonnaise mixture on top of the patties and serve with lime wedges.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 300; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 785 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g
SPICY LENTIL RICE BURGERS [VEGAN]
This is from Maya Sozer on One Green Planet. Maya wrote, "This recipe is simple and quick. Made primarily with lentils, brown rice, and sunflower seeds, these patties are protein and fiber dense, so you can nosh knowing that you’re eating a wholesome and filling dish. A little vegan mayo goes great with this particular recipe: it has that cool-down creaminess without overshadowing the taste of the burger."
Cooking Time: 10 minutes; Serves 3
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/spicy-lentil-rice-burgers/.
Ingredients
For the Patties:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup brown rice, cooked
3/4 cup red lentils, cooked
1/2 cup panko bread
1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
For Garnish:
Vegan mayonnaise
Lettuce
Pickled jalapeño peppers
Avocado slices
Microgreens
Directions
Pulse all the ingredients in the food processor a few times until more or less uniformly mixed. Don't overdo it though, leave some texture.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Shape into patties and cook both sides in a pan until a golden-brown crust develops.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Bread
There's something appealing about homemade bread. It makes the house smell good while baking, it tastes wonderful, and there's a sense of accomplishment when it comes out of the oven.
That said, check out today's six bread recipes, including Texas Moppin’ Rolls and Browned Butter Jalapeno Cornbread. Hungry yet? Enjoy!
EGG CINNAMON BREAD
I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.
Ingredients
2 envelopes yeast
1 C warm water
1-2 T honey
1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)
1/2 C margarine (1 stick)
2 eggs, beaten
6-7 C unbleached white flour
1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)
2-3 C cinnamon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.
Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.
Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.
Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS
Yield: 12 rolls.
I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!
Ingredients
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Directions:
Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.
While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.
Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.
"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)
BUTTERMILK SUGAR BISCUITS
This is from Briana Holt and adapted by Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "These wonderful hearty biscuits, from the brilliant baker Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine, are crusty on the outside but tender on the inside, with distinct layers that are fun to peel apart while eating. Different from fluffy, airy Southern biscuits, Ms. Holt’s biscuits are like sturdy, salty-sweet Tempur-Pedic pillows that bounce back when you press into them. At Tandem, these beauties are split and served slathered with butter and fruit jam or, in an especially divine combination, cream cheese and hot pepper jelly."
Time: 1 hour; Yield: 9 biscuits
This was featured in "The Best Biscuits Outside of the South", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024061-buttermilk-sugar-biscuits.
Ingredients
1 cup cold unsalted butter
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1-3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1-1/4 cups cold buttermilk
Melted butter and flaky sea salt (both optional), for finishing
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
Coarsely grate the butter onto a plate, then freeze until cold and hard, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a spoon, toss together until all of the butter is coated with flour.
Add half the buttermilk and toss with the spoon. When incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk and gently toss again, without mashing together or overmixing, until the dry ingredients are lightly hydrated throughout. The mixture will be crumbly.
Flour a clean surface and dump the mixture directly onto it. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together and then use a floured rolling pin or empty wine bottle to roll the mass gently but firmly into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half: Using a bench scraper, lift the top half off the surface and fold it over the bottom half. This step may be crumbly and messy at first, but just go for it and fold what you can down from the top. Repeat this roll-and-fold motion 5 times, flouring the surface and dough as needed and using the bench scraper to straighten the edges as needed. The dough will come together as you roll it. Rotate the mixture after each fold to create a square.
Build the final layer: Fold the dough in half one last time, then roll to about 1-1/2 inches thick to create a 6-inch square, using the bench scraper to straighten out the edges.
Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down into the square to create a 3-by-3 grid of 9 squares, then place them on your sheet pan, upside down if you’d like taller biscuits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until risen, golden brown on top, and slightly pale on the sides. Don’t worry if a couple of the biscuits tip over or if melted butter pools underneath. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.
APRICOT KOLACHE
This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 24 kolaches
Ingredients
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, large
Apricot Filling (recipe follows)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat water, sour cream 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 eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide into 24 equal pieces; shape each into a ball. Cover; let rest 15 minutes. Place balls on greased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Make a deep and wide indentation on each ball by pushing outward toward edge, leaving 1/2-inch ridge around outside. Fill with 1-1/2 tablespoons Apricot Filling. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire racks.
Apricot Filling:
In a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups apricot preserves, 1-1/2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut and 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts. Stir to blend.
PESTO FRENCH BREAD
Here’s another recipe from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 2 loaves.
Ingredients
2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 package FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
6 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
Cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Directions
Place 1/4 cup warm water in large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add remaining water, 2 tablespoons oil, salt and 2 cups flour; blend well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
In small bowl, combine remaining oil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic; set aside.
Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each half to 15x12-inch rectangle. Spread each with half of basil mixture to within 1/2 inch of edges. Beginning at long end of each, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth. Place loaves, seam sides down, on large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. With sharp knife, make one lengthwise cut (1/8 inch deep) on top of each loaf to within 1 inch of ends. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Brush egg white mixture on loaves.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire racks.
BROWNED BUTTER JALAPENO CORNBREAD
This incomes from the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Renew by UnitedHealthcare, page 26. It begins, "Browned butter adds nutty depth and jalapeno adds a kick to this classic crowd-pleaser, made mildly sweet with honey and moist with yogurt." Makes 9 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup better
1/3 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams, then turns to a toasty brown color, about 2 minutes. Remove rom heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the browned butter to a 9X9 inch baking pan, swirling to coat the bottom.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining butter, honey, egg, yogurt and milk, whisking to combine.
Add the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder all at once. Stir together only until combined. Stir in the halapeno. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm.
Nutrition: Calories: 207, Total Fat: 6.6 g; Saturated Fat: 3.8 g; Cholesterol: 36.5 mg; Sodium: 87 mg; Carbs: 33.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g; Protein: 4.3 g
That said, check out today's six bread recipes, including Texas Moppin’ Rolls and Browned Butter Jalapeno Cornbread. Hungry yet? Enjoy!
EGG CINNAMON BREAD
I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.
Ingredients
2 envelopes yeast
1 C warm water
1-2 T honey
1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)
1/2 C margarine (1 stick)
2 eggs, beaten
6-7 C unbleached white flour
1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)
2-3 C cinnamon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.
Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.
Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.
Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS
Yield: 12 rolls.
I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!
Ingredients
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Directions:
Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.
While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.
Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.
"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)
BUTTERMILK SUGAR BISCUITS
This is from Briana Holt and adapted by Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "These wonderful hearty biscuits, from the brilliant baker Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine, are crusty on the outside but tender on the inside, with distinct layers that are fun to peel apart while eating. Different from fluffy, airy Southern biscuits, Ms. Holt’s biscuits are like sturdy, salty-sweet Tempur-Pedic pillows that bounce back when you press into them. At Tandem, these beauties are split and served slathered with butter and fruit jam or, in an especially divine combination, cream cheese and hot pepper jelly."
Time: 1 hour; Yield: 9 biscuits
This was featured in "The Best Biscuits Outside of the South", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024061-buttermilk-sugar-biscuits.
Ingredients
1 cup cold unsalted butter
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1-3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1-1/4 cups cold buttermilk
Melted butter and flaky sea salt (both optional), for finishing
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
Coarsely grate the butter onto a plate, then freeze until cold and hard, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a spoon, toss together until all of the butter is coated with flour.
Add half the buttermilk and toss with the spoon. When incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk and gently toss again, without mashing together or overmixing, until the dry ingredients are lightly hydrated throughout. The mixture will be crumbly.
Flour a clean surface and dump the mixture directly onto it. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together and then use a floured rolling pin or empty wine bottle to roll the mass gently but firmly into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half: Using a bench scraper, lift the top half off the surface and fold it over the bottom half. This step may be crumbly and messy at first, but just go for it and fold what you can down from the top. Repeat this roll-and-fold motion 5 times, flouring the surface and dough as needed and using the bench scraper to straighten the edges as needed. The dough will come together as you roll it. Rotate the mixture after each fold to create a square.
Build the final layer: Fold the dough in half one last time, then roll to about 1-1/2 inches thick to create a 6-inch square, using the bench scraper to straighten out the edges.
Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down into the square to create a 3-by-3 grid of 9 squares, then place them on your sheet pan, upside down if you’d like taller biscuits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until risen, golden brown on top, and slightly pale on the sides. Don’t worry if a couple of the biscuits tip over or if melted butter pools underneath. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.
APRICOT KOLACHE
This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 24 kolaches
Ingredients
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, large
Apricot Filling (recipe follows)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat water, sour cream 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 eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide into 24 equal pieces; shape each into a ball. Cover; let rest 15 minutes. Place balls on greased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Make a deep and wide indentation on each ball by pushing outward toward edge, leaving 1/2-inch ridge around outside. Fill with 1-1/2 tablespoons Apricot Filling. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire racks.
Apricot Filling:
In a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups apricot preserves, 1-1/2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut and 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts. Stir to blend.
PESTO FRENCH BREAD
Here’s another recipe from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 2 loaves.
Ingredients
2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 package FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
6 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
Cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Directions
Place 1/4 cup warm water in large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add remaining water, 2 tablespoons oil, salt and 2 cups flour; blend well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
In small bowl, combine remaining oil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic; set aside.
Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each half to 15x12-inch rectangle. Spread each with half of basil mixture to within 1/2 inch of edges. Beginning at long end of each, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth. Place loaves, seam sides down, on large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. With sharp knife, make one lengthwise cut (1/8 inch deep) on top of each loaf to within 1 inch of ends. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Brush egg white mixture on loaves.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire racks.
BROWNED BUTTER JALAPENO CORNBREAD
This incomes from the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Renew by UnitedHealthcare, page 26. It begins, "Browned butter adds nutty depth and jalapeno adds a kick to this classic crowd-pleaser, made mildly sweet with honey and moist with yogurt." Makes 9 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup better
1/3 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams, then turns to a toasty brown color, about 2 minutes. Remove rom heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the browned butter to a 9X9 inch baking pan, swirling to coat the bottom.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining butter, honey, egg, yogurt and milk, whisking to combine.
Add the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder all at once. Stir together only until combined. Stir in the halapeno. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm.
Nutrition: Calories: 207, Total Fat: 6.6 g; Saturated Fat: 3.8 g; Cholesterol: 36.5 mg; Sodium: 87 mg; Carbs: 33.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g; Protein: 4.3 g
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