Wednesday Recipes

We're half-way through the week...if we've made it this far, we just might make it to the weekend! Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

APPLE-CRANBERRY CRISP

I'm not sure where I originally found this; probably on an old emailing list.

2 pounds Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3/4 cup cranberries

1/4 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together apples, cranberries, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place evenly into baking dish.

In the same bowl, combine oats, flour and brown sugar. With a fork, mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown, and apples are tender.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO SOUP

This comes from FamilyTime, and starts off, “Roasting the sweet potatoes for this soup deepens their flavor, and when combined with broth, vegetables and maple syrup, you've got an amazing soup that gets better with every bite.” Serves 8 (1 1/4 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

5 medium sweet potatoes, (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)

6 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth, (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into cubes (about 1 cup)

1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons light cream, (optional)

Directions

Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH for 8 to 13 minutes or bake at 400°F. for 1 hour or until they're fork-tender. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out potato pulp and set aside.

Heat the butter in a 6-quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery to the saucepot and cook until they're tender. Add the broth and potato. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the potato is tender. Add the maple syrup, white pepper and reserved sweet potato.

Place one third of the broth mixture into a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Repeat the blending process twice more with the remaining broth mixture. Return all of the puréed mixture to the saucepot. Add the cream, if desired. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot. Season to taste.

Tips Tip: Substitute 3 3/4 cups mashed, drained, canned sweet potatoes for the fresh sweet potatoes.

BEEF STEW

I tend to be a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. But I wasn't always one; I do have fond memories of family gatherings where meat was served. This is one of my creations from years ago when the stew recipes that I'd run across seemed too bland. Granted, this one isn't spicy; for that, I go for spaghetti or chili. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. If you have a Kindle or other ereader that handles Kindle stuff, check it out.

2-3 lbs. stewing beef

3 T oil

1 C flour

2 C water

1 onion, chopped

8 oz tomato sauce

6 oz tomato paste

1 T soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

4 carrots, cut up

1 large potato, peeled & cut up

4 T vinegar

3 T honey

salt & pepper

Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This is from page 53 of the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts out, “The Native American “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

nutritional information Per Stuffed squash half: Calories: 425; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 80 mg; Sodium: 533 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

VEGETABLE POT PIES

This comes from the June 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page. 74. It starts off, "Sometimes you just want pot pie. This one is wholesome, delicious, and freezer-friendly. Make a batch, and freeze some for heat-and-eat weeknight meals. Poultry seasoning (yep, it’s veg) is the secret flavor booster in this recipe." Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

4 Tbs. cold soy margarine, cut into pieces

Filling2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium leek, white and green parts chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups chopped celery or fennel

2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)

8 oz. button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

4 oz. red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)

2 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

2 Tbs. creamy cashew butter, optional

6 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

To make Dough: Whisk together flours and salt in bowl. Cut or rub margarine into flour mixture until no large pieces remain. Stir in 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water until smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill while making Filling.

To make Filling: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add leek, celery, carrots, and mushrooms; sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Stir in flour 
and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add potatoes, broth, and poultry seasoning. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cashew butter (if using), and 
cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and stir in asparagus, peas, and corn.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out Dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 8 4-inch rounds.

Divide Filling among 8 1-cup ramekins. Place dough rounds on top, pressing dough around sides of ramekins with fork to crimp and seal. Poke hole in top of each pot pie. Place pot pies on baking sheet, and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Pot pie: Calories: 244; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 207 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH POTATO TOPPING

This comes from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food guide. Kathy writes, “Although this dish is called a “pie,” there isn’t any pastry involved. It is simply a mix of ground turkey and vegetables in a sauce with a topping of mashed potatoes. The dish is browned in the oven for a delicious example of comfort food. For a pretty effect, pipe the topping over the filling, using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Serve this hearty meal with a steamed green vegetable.” The recipe serves 6 to 8 and can be viewed online here.

If you'd like to make this a vegetarian meal, substitute the ground turkey with a vegetarian meatless crumble of your choice.

Ingredients

Potato Topping

3 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inches pieces

1 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 cup thawed frozen peas

3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Preparation

Make the potato topping: In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes well in a colander. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the ground turkey, breaking up the large pieces with a fork, and cook until browned. Add the blanched carrots, peas, corn, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Mix well. Cook, stirring often, until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste.

Spray a 3-quart gratin dish or shallow casserole with vegetable oil spray. Spoon the vegetable-turkey mixture into the prepared dish. Top with dollops of mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until heated through. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

• You can mash any type of potato, but those with a high starch/low water content, such as russet and Yukon Gold, produce perfect results. The starch creates a fluffy texture, and the low water content allows them to absorb milk and butter without becoming gummy.

• Never try to whip potatoes in a food processor or you will have a gluey mess.

• Ideally, mashed potatoes should be served freshly made, but this is not always possible. Mash them up to 1 hour before serving, reserving one-third of the milk. Place them in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water. Pour the reserved milk over the top. Just before serving, stir the milk into the potatoes.

• Potatoes are more fragile than you might think, so handle them carefully to prevent bruising. Keep them unwashed in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place. If stored in a place that is too hot, the sugar will convert to starch and the potatoes will lose their natural sweetness.

• Choose fairly clean, smooth, firm potatoes. For even cooking, pick potatoes that are about the same size. Do not select ones with wrinkled skins, soft dark spots, cut surfaces, or green areas. Green spots mean they have been exposed to light; cut the spot off before cooking to eliminate bitterness.