It's time for another Meatless Monday. Here are six vegetarian recipes sure to help you through the day, including Thai Stir-Fried Vegetables with Garlic, Ginger, and Lime and Ultra-Easy Pot Pie. Enjoy!
CRANBERRY PUMPKIN BREAD
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 2 loaves, 16 servings each.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup egg substitute or egg whites
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can pumpkin
1/3 cup applesauce applesauce
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons chopped nuts, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two loaf pans with vegetable spray.
Mix flour, brown sugar and spices in large bowl. In another, mix together all but nuts until well blended. Stir into flour mixture until moistened. Pour into pans and sprinkle with nuts, if desired.
Bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
AMBROSIA SALAD
This comes from Delish, and begins, “There's a reason it's a classic.”
To view this online, click here.
Yields: 6 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. Cool Whip
1/2 c. sour cream
3 c. mini marshmallows
1 (15-oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 c. chopped fresh pineapple
1 c. shredded coconut
3/4 c. halved maraschino cherries (stems removed), drained
3/4 c. toasted pecans
Directions
In a large bowl, fold together Cool Whip and sour cream. Add oranges, pineapple, cherries, coconut, pecans, and marshmallows and stir gently.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
LAYERS OF LOVE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Love will follow you after you try this recipe....At least chocolate-lovers will follow you!”
Serves: 16 brownies; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes
View this online here.
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Baking Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Premier White Morsels
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.
Combine cocoa, flour and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle pecans and white morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
THAI STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH GARLIC, GINGER, AND LIME
This is from Darlene Schmidt on The Spruce Eats. Darlene wrote, “Making a 'simple stir-fry' isn't always all that simple if you can't get the stir-fry sauce to taste just right. But with this no-fail recipe for Thai stir-fried vegetables, the technique is a shoe-in mostly because the sauce is made up before beginning to fry the vegetables, allowing you to adjust the flavors to your liking. This can be made vegetarian/vegan by substituting soy sauce for the fish sauce.
“This is quite a 'saucy' stir-fry that is never dry and is terrific served over rice or noodles. Feel free to experiment with your own choice of vegetables, using whatever is fresh and available where you live.
“Great as a side dish, you can turn it into a main course by adding tofu, wheat gluten, cashews, cooked shrimp or slices of chicken as a protein source.
“Best of all it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish—perfect for gathering the family around the table for a weeknight meal. Things will go even faster if much of the slicing, dicing, and chopping is done the night before.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup shallots (finely chopped, or purple onion)
5 to 6 cloves garlic (minced or finely chopped)
1 to 2 pieces galangal (thumb-size OR ginger, sliced into thin matchstick pieces)
1/2 to 1 small fresh red chili (sliced OR 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
1 medium-size carrot (sliced)
5 to 6 shiitake mushrooms (sliced or left in halves or quarters)
Optional: 1 small head cauliflower (cut into florets)
1 small head broccoli (cut into florets)
1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
2 to 3 cups baby bok choy (or other Chinese cabbage, leaves left whole if not too large, otherwise cut in half or thirds)
1 handful fresh Thai basil (chopped)
For the Stir-Fry Sauce
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed chili flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Directions
Make the Stir-Fry Sauce
In a large cup or small bowl, combine coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and brown sugar, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Taste-test, keeping in mind that the first taste should be spicy-salty, followed by sweetness and the rich taste of the coconut milk.
Adjust these flavors to suit your taste, adding more lime juice if too sweet or salty (note that it will be less salty when combined with the vegetables).
Stir-Fry the Dish
Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl around, then add the shallots, garlic, galangal, and chili. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, then add the carrot, mushrooms, optional cauliflower, and 1/4 of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the broccoli and red pepper plus enough stir-fry sauce to gently simmer vegetables (about 2 minutes). This is meant to be a "saucy" stir-fry that is never dry so the sauce can flavor the rice or noodles it is served with.
Finally, add the bok choy or Chinese cabbage. Add more of the stir-fry sauce as needed, almost enough to just cover vegetables in sauce. Simmer until bok choy or cabbage is cooked but still bright green with some crispness (2 to 3 minutes more).
Remove from heat and taste-test. If not salty enough, add a little more soy sauce. If too salty or sweet, add a squeeze of lime juice. Add more sugar or chili if desired.
Top with fresh basil and serve over Thai jasmine rice or Thai coconut rice.
Note: Any leftover stir-fry sauce can be stored for 1 week in a covered container in your refrigerator for future stir-fries.
Main Course Variation
Use this sauce to make a main course dish by adding tofu/cashews.
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
Note: The recipe originally calls for chicken stock or vegetable stock; for this blog, I've kept it at only vegetable stock.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the vegetable stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot vegetable stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Enjoy!
ULTRA-EASY POT PIE
This comes from page 43 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “You can have all of the ingredients on hand for this pot pie and whip it up any time you need a hot, satisfying meal.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/3 cups prepared vegan creamy potato-leek soup
1/2 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 10-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 sheet vegan puff pastry, from 17.3-oz pkg., thawed
Position oven racks in middle and bottom positions, and preheat oven to 450˚F.
Whisk 2 Tbs. cold water into cornstarch in medium saucepan. Whisk in soup, rosemary, and cumin, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in vegetables, then spread mixture in 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
Unfold puff pastry, and place over vegetable mixture; allow pastry to drape over pie pan. Trim pastry edges with scissors or sharp knife so that it fits tightly in pan. Prick pastry all over with fork or knife. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until puff pastry is puffed and golden.
nutritional information Per Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 373; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 607 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan
Showing posts with label Roasted Tomato & Corn Risotto w/Arugula Basil Pesto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roasted Tomato & Corn Risotto w/Arugula Basil Pesto. Show all posts
Monday, June 8, 2020
Monday, September 16, 2019
Meatless Monday
You know the routine: If it's Monday (and my calendar indicates that it is), then it's time for another Meatless Monday. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes and Thai Stir-Fried Vegetables with Garlic Ginger and Lime. Enjoy!
PARISIAN-STYLE SWEET CREPES
This was in the September, 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Cafés and brasseries in the French capital sell passersby sweet crêpes slathered in butter, jam, chestnut purée, and (VT favorite) Nutella. The experience is easy to re-create at home for breakfast, Sunday supper, or a snack.”
Makes 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/parisian-style-sweet-crepes.
Ingredients
Crêpes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup low-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fillings (optional)
Nutella
Peanut butter
whipped cream
strawberries
Preparation
Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk in egg; mixture will be shaggy. Whisk in milk 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk in vanilla. Cover, and chill 30 minutes, or overnight.
Whisk 1/4 to 1/2 cup water into batter to thin. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick skillet with canola oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.
Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot skillet, tilting pan to swirl batter so it coats bottom of pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is dry. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
Transfer crêpe to plate, and repeat with remaining batter. To serve crêpes: Reheat 1 minute in lightly greased skillet. Spread with desired fillings, fold into quarters, and serve.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 132; Carbohydrate Content: 25 g; Cholesterol Content: 28 mg; Fat Content: 2 g; Fiber Content: 0.5 g; Protein Content: 4 g; Saturated Fat Content: 0.5 g; Sodium Content: 168 mg;Sugar Content: 10 g
CANDIED GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
This was posted on the Vegetarian Times site on November 4, 2007, and begins, “The secret ingredient in this lightly spiced pie is sweetened condensed milk, which gives the filling a silky-smooth texture.”
Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 15-oz. can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 14-oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs
1 9-inch graham cracker piecrust
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together pumpkin purée and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl. Whisk in eggs and pinch of salt. Pour filling into graham cracker crust and bake 30 minutes.
Sprinkle chopped ginger on top and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until knife inserted in side of filling (not center), comes out clean. Cool, and refrigerate 3 hours, or overnight.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 266; Carbohydrate Content: 47 g; Fat Content: 5 g; Fiber Content: 2 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 141 mg; Sugar Content: 37 g
STRAWBERRY FOOL
This comes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This Minimalist recipe is as basic as dessert gets, and especially in strawberry season it’s just perfect. It is essentially fresh strawberries and whipped cream (substitute heavy cream, sour cream or yogurt). It can be eaten right away or refrigerated. Only a fool would pass this up.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
The recipe was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; A Fruit Fool: It's Sublime” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pint strawberries
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Hull strawberries, then wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with half the sugar, and wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices.
Place half the strawberries and all the juice in a blender, and puree. Pour puree back in bowl with chopped strawberries.
Whip the cream with remaining sugar and vanilla until cream is stiff and holds peaks easily. Fold berries and cream together, and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours.
SLOW-COOKER SLOPPY JOES [VEGAN]
This recipe comes from OneGreenPlanet, and is Dairy Free and Vegan. Serves 7 – 8; Cook Time: 6 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups textured vegetable protein
3 cups water
5 garlic cloves
1 cup Medjool dates, soaked and pitted
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 medium white onion, diced
1 tablespoon black strap molasses
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons hot sauce
Preparation
Add water, dates, garlic cloves, tomato, and tomato paste to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Next, add remaining ingredients to the blender except the textured vegetable protein and stir, or blend on low until fully incorporated.
Turn a crock pot on high. Add textured vegetable protein, blender mixture, and diced onion. Stir until protein is thoroughly coated with the blender sauce and onion. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
THAI STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH GARLIC, GINGER, AND LIME
This is from DARLENE SCHMIDT on The Spruce Eats. Darlene wrote, “Making a 'simple stir-fry' isn't always all that simple if you can't get the stir-fry sauce to taste just right. But with this no-fail recipe for Thai stir-fried vegetables, the technique is a shoe-in mostly because the sauce is made up before beginning to fry the vegetables, allowing you to adjust the flavors to your liking. This can be made vegetarian/vegan by substituting soy sauce for the fish sauce.
“This is quite a 'saucy' stir-fry that is never dry and is terrific served over rice or noodles. Feel free to experiment with your own choice of vegetables, using whatever is fresh and available where you live.
“Great as a side dish, you can turn it into a main course by adding tofu, wheat gluten, cashews, cooked shrimp or slices of chicken as a protein source.
“Best of all it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish—perfect for gathering the family around the table for a weeknight meal. Things will go even faster if much of the slicing, dicing, and chopping is done the night before.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup shallots (finely chopped, or purple onion)
5 to 6 cloves garlic (minced or finely chopped)
1 to 2 pieces galangal (thumb-size OR ginger, sliced into thin matchstick pieces)
1/2 to 1 small fresh red chili (sliced OR 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
1 medium-size carrot (sliced)
5 to 6 shiitake mushrooms (sliced or left in halves or quarters)
Optional: 1 small head cauliflower (cut into florets)
1 small head broccoli (cut into florets)
1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
2 to 3 cups baby bok choy (or other Chinese cabbage, leaves left whole if not too large, otherwise cut in half or thirds)
1 handful fresh Thai basil (chopped)
For the Stir-Fry Sauce
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed chili flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Directions
Make the Stir-Fry Sauce
In a large cup or small bowl, combine coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and brown sugar, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Taste-test, keeping in mind that the first taste should be spicy-salty, followed by sweetness and the rich taste of the coconut milk.
Adjust these flavors to suit your taste, adding more lime juice if too sweet or salty (note that it will be less salty when combined with the vegetables).
Stir-Fry the Dish
Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl around, then add the shallots, garlic, galangal, and chili. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, then add the carrot, mushrooms, optional cauliflower, and 1/4 of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the broccoli and red pepper plus enough stir-fry sauce to gently simmer vegetables (about 2 minutes). This is meant to be a "saucy" stir-fry that is never dry so the sauce can flavor the rice or noodles it is served with.
Finally, add the bok choy or Chinese cabbage. Add more of the stir-fry sauce as needed, almost enough to just cover vegetables in sauce. Simmer until bok choy or cabbage is cooked but still bright green with some crispness (2 to 3 minutes more).
Remove from heat and taste-test. If not salty enough, add a little more soy sauce. If too salty or sweet, add a squeeze of lime juice. Add more sugar or chili if desired.
Top with fresh basil and serve over Thai jasmine rice or Thai coconut rice.
Note: Any leftover stir-fry sauce can be stored for 1 week in a covered container in your refrigerator for future stir-fries.
Main Course Variation
Use this sauce to make a main course dish by adding tofu/cashews.
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
Note: The recipe originally calls for chicken stock or vegetable stock; for this blog, I've kept it at only vegetable stock.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the vegetable stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot vegetable stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
PARISIAN-STYLE SWEET CREPES
This was in the September, 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Cafés and brasseries in the French capital sell passersby sweet crêpes slathered in butter, jam, chestnut purée, and (VT favorite) Nutella. The experience is easy to re-create at home for breakfast, Sunday supper, or a snack.”
Makes 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/parisian-style-sweet-crepes.
Ingredients
Crêpes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup low-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fillings (optional)
Nutella
Peanut butter
whipped cream
strawberries
Preparation
Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk in egg; mixture will be shaggy. Whisk in milk 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk in vanilla. Cover, and chill 30 minutes, or overnight.
Whisk 1/4 to 1/2 cup water into batter to thin. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick skillet with canola oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.
Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot skillet, tilting pan to swirl batter so it coats bottom of pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is dry. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
Transfer crêpe to plate, and repeat with remaining batter. To serve crêpes: Reheat 1 minute in lightly greased skillet. Spread with desired fillings, fold into quarters, and serve.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 132; Carbohydrate Content: 25 g; Cholesterol Content: 28 mg; Fat Content: 2 g; Fiber Content: 0.5 g; Protein Content: 4 g; Saturated Fat Content: 0.5 g; Sodium Content: 168 mg;Sugar Content: 10 g
CANDIED GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
This was posted on the Vegetarian Times site on November 4, 2007, and begins, “The secret ingredient in this lightly spiced pie is sweetened condensed milk, which gives the filling a silky-smooth texture.”
Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 15-oz. can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 14-oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs
1 9-inch graham cracker piecrust
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together pumpkin purée and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl. Whisk in eggs and pinch of salt. Pour filling into graham cracker crust and bake 30 minutes.
Sprinkle chopped ginger on top and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until knife inserted in side of filling (not center), comes out clean. Cool, and refrigerate 3 hours, or overnight.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 266; Carbohydrate Content: 47 g; Fat Content: 5 g; Fiber Content: 2 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 141 mg; Sugar Content: 37 g
STRAWBERRY FOOL
This comes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This Minimalist recipe is as basic as dessert gets, and especially in strawberry season it’s just perfect. It is essentially fresh strawberries and whipped cream (substitute heavy cream, sour cream or yogurt). It can be eaten right away or refrigerated. Only a fool would pass this up.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
The recipe was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; A Fruit Fool: It's Sublime” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pint strawberries
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Hull strawberries, then wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with half the sugar, and wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices.
Place half the strawberries and all the juice in a blender, and puree. Pour puree back in bowl with chopped strawberries.
Whip the cream with remaining sugar and vanilla until cream is stiff and holds peaks easily. Fold berries and cream together, and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours.
SLOW-COOKER SLOPPY JOES [VEGAN]
This recipe comes from OneGreenPlanet, and is Dairy Free and Vegan. Serves 7 – 8; Cook Time: 6 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups textured vegetable protein
3 cups water
5 garlic cloves
1 cup Medjool dates, soaked and pitted
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 medium white onion, diced
1 tablespoon black strap molasses
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons hot sauce
Preparation
Add water, dates, garlic cloves, tomato, and tomato paste to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Next, add remaining ingredients to the blender except the textured vegetable protein and stir, or blend on low until fully incorporated.
Turn a crock pot on high. Add textured vegetable protein, blender mixture, and diced onion. Stir until protein is thoroughly coated with the blender sauce and onion. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
THAI STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH GARLIC, GINGER, AND LIME
This is from DARLENE SCHMIDT on The Spruce Eats. Darlene wrote, “Making a 'simple stir-fry' isn't always all that simple if you can't get the stir-fry sauce to taste just right. But with this no-fail recipe for Thai stir-fried vegetables, the technique is a shoe-in mostly because the sauce is made up before beginning to fry the vegetables, allowing you to adjust the flavors to your liking. This can be made vegetarian/vegan by substituting soy sauce for the fish sauce.
“This is quite a 'saucy' stir-fry that is never dry and is terrific served over rice or noodles. Feel free to experiment with your own choice of vegetables, using whatever is fresh and available where you live.
“Great as a side dish, you can turn it into a main course by adding tofu, wheat gluten, cashews, cooked shrimp or slices of chicken as a protein source.
“Best of all it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish—perfect for gathering the family around the table for a weeknight meal. Things will go even faster if much of the slicing, dicing, and chopping is done the night before.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup shallots (finely chopped, or purple onion)
5 to 6 cloves garlic (minced or finely chopped)
1 to 2 pieces galangal (thumb-size OR ginger, sliced into thin matchstick pieces)
1/2 to 1 small fresh red chili (sliced OR 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
1 medium-size carrot (sliced)
5 to 6 shiitake mushrooms (sliced or left in halves or quarters)
Optional: 1 small head cauliflower (cut into florets)
1 small head broccoli (cut into florets)
1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
2 to 3 cups baby bok choy (or other Chinese cabbage, leaves left whole if not too large, otherwise cut in half or thirds)
1 handful fresh Thai basil (chopped)
For the Stir-Fry Sauce
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed chili flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Directions
Make the Stir-Fry Sauce
In a large cup or small bowl, combine coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and brown sugar, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Taste-test, keeping in mind that the first taste should be spicy-salty, followed by sweetness and the rich taste of the coconut milk.
Adjust these flavors to suit your taste, adding more lime juice if too sweet or salty (note that it will be less salty when combined with the vegetables).
Stir-Fry the Dish
Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl around, then add the shallots, garlic, galangal, and chili. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, then add the carrot, mushrooms, optional cauliflower, and 1/4 of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the broccoli and red pepper plus enough stir-fry sauce to gently simmer vegetables (about 2 minutes). This is meant to be a "saucy" stir-fry that is never dry so the sauce can flavor the rice or noodles it is served with.
Finally, add the bok choy or Chinese cabbage. Add more of the stir-fry sauce as needed, almost enough to just cover vegetables in sauce. Simmer until bok choy or cabbage is cooked but still bright green with some crispness (2 to 3 minutes more).
Remove from heat and taste-test. If not salty enough, add a little more soy sauce. If too salty or sweet, add a squeeze of lime juice. Add more sugar or chili if desired.
Top with fresh basil and serve over Thai jasmine rice or Thai coconut rice.
Note: Any leftover stir-fry sauce can be stored for 1 week in a covered container in your refrigerator for future stir-fries.
Main Course Variation
Use this sauce to make a main course dish by adding tofu/cashews.
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
Note: The recipe originally calls for chicken stock or vegetable stock; for this blog, I've kept it at only vegetable stock.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the vegetable stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot vegetable stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday Recipes
Enjoy!
BUSH’S® BEST BLACK BEAN SALAD
This comes from Bush's® Best's emailed newsletter. Check it out for more recipes! This one starts off, “This colorful Black Bean salad is dressed with a light, lime vinaigrette and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) BUSH'S® Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 can (15.25 oz) corn, drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips
Directions
In a small bowl, combine peppers, onion, corn, garlic and cilantro.
Add olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add black beans and toss well.
Serve with tortilla chips.
GRILLED SWEET POTATO SKEWERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD
This yummy recipe, which would be perfect for a Labor Day cookout, is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Need an easy crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish to throw on the grill? Everyone loves sweet potatoes, especially kids, so try these simple grilled sweet potato skewers with savory-sweet honey mustard. The recipe calls for sweet potatoes, green and red bell peppers, red onions, a little bit of salt and pepper, and of course, some honey mustard.
“This grilled sweet potato skewers with honey mustard recipe is the perfect vegetarian barbecue recipe for sweet potato lovers. Be careful if you're planning on serving this dish to vegans, however, as many vegans avoid eating honey. This recipe is gluten-free.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 3 – 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (5 potatoes, 6 to 7 ounces each)
1 large sweet red and/or green peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
1 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch pieces, layers separated
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste
about 1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp water
Preparation
First, prepare your sweet potatoes by giving them head a head start in the microwave. Prick them a bit with a fork, then place them in the microwave on high for three minutes. Turn them over (carefully!), then microwave for another 1-2 minutes, until almost tender and soft, but not quite.
Allow your sweet potatoes to cool, then peel them if you'd like, and chop coarsely into about 1-inch chunks.
Next, combine the sweet potatoes, chopped red and green bell peppers and red onion in a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey mustard and the two tablespoons of water, then add to the sweet potatoes, peppers and onions in the bowl, tossing very gently to lightly coat.
Next, prepare your skewers, by threading a mixture of sweet potatoes, onions and peppers.
Make sure your pre-heated grill (or indoor grill pan) is lightly greased. Grill your sweet potato skewers for about 4 minutes on each side, brushing with any remaining honey mustard.
Note: If you don't have an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, you can still make this recipe using your oven's broiler.
KUNG PAO CHICKEN
This was posted by Daring Gourmet in tbsp. (tablespoon)’s website. She wrote, “One of the most popular dishes throughout China and the Western world alike, this sweet and spicy chicken dish is not for the faint of taste buds. It packs a punch, or should we say, ‘PAO, right in the kisser!’” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
6-10 dried hot red chili peppers (or less according to heat preference), seeded and membranes removed (gloves recommended)
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 bunch green onions (about 6 green onions)
For the Marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup black Chinese vinegar or dark balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the chicken pieces. Toss to coat and let the chicken sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring until the cornstarch and sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Fry the chilies for a few seconds until they turn darker in color.
Add the chicken and marinade and fry until no longer pink. Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions and fry for two minutes. Add the sauce and stir until thickened. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the peanuts. Simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the green onions. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
VERY BLUEBERRY SUNDAES
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/793.shtml
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 cup frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons orange juice OR 2 tablespoons orange juice plus 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
Sugar substitute equal to 2 tablespoons sugar
Rest of ingredients:
2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or sliced toasted almonds
Directions
To make the sauce, place the blueberries, orange juice, and sugar substitute in a mini food processor and process until smooth. Set aside for about 15 minutes, until the mixture has thawed. Or transfer to a covered container and chill until ready to use.
To assemble the sundaes, place a 1/2 cup scoop of ice cream in each of 4 dessert dishes. Top the ice cream in each dish with a quarter of the sauce and a sprinkling of the nuts. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 176; Protein: 3.9 g; Fat: 7.6 g; Sodium: 50 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Carbohydrate, 1-1/2 Fat
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
BUSH’S® BEST BLACK BEAN SALAD
This comes from Bush's® Best's emailed newsletter. Check it out for more recipes! This one starts off, “This colorful Black Bean salad is dressed with a light, lime vinaigrette and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) BUSH'S® Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 can (15.25 oz) corn, drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips
Directions
In a small bowl, combine peppers, onion, corn, garlic and cilantro.
Add olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add black beans and toss well.
Serve with tortilla chips.
GRILLED SWEET POTATO SKEWERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD
This yummy recipe, which would be perfect for a Labor Day cookout, is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Need an easy crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish to throw on the grill? Everyone loves sweet potatoes, especially kids, so try these simple grilled sweet potato skewers with savory-sweet honey mustard. The recipe calls for sweet potatoes, green and red bell peppers, red onions, a little bit of salt and pepper, and of course, some honey mustard.
“This grilled sweet potato skewers with honey mustard recipe is the perfect vegetarian barbecue recipe for sweet potato lovers. Be careful if you're planning on serving this dish to vegans, however, as many vegans avoid eating honey. This recipe is gluten-free.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 3 – 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (5 potatoes, 6 to 7 ounces each)
1 large sweet red and/or green peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
1 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch pieces, layers separated
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste
about 1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp water
Preparation
First, prepare your sweet potatoes by giving them head a head start in the microwave. Prick them a bit with a fork, then place them in the microwave on high for three minutes. Turn them over (carefully!), then microwave for another 1-2 minutes, until almost tender and soft, but not quite.
Allow your sweet potatoes to cool, then peel them if you'd like, and chop coarsely into about 1-inch chunks.
Next, combine the sweet potatoes, chopped red and green bell peppers and red onion in a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey mustard and the two tablespoons of water, then add to the sweet potatoes, peppers and onions in the bowl, tossing very gently to lightly coat.
Next, prepare your skewers, by threading a mixture of sweet potatoes, onions and peppers.
Make sure your pre-heated grill (or indoor grill pan) is lightly greased. Grill your sweet potato skewers for about 4 minutes on each side, brushing with any remaining honey mustard.
Note: If you don't have an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, you can still make this recipe using your oven's broiler.
KUNG PAO CHICKEN
This was posted by Daring Gourmet in tbsp. (tablespoon)’s website. She wrote, “One of the most popular dishes throughout China and the Western world alike, this sweet and spicy chicken dish is not for the faint of taste buds. It packs a punch, or should we say, ‘PAO, right in the kisser!’” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
6-10 dried hot red chili peppers (or less according to heat preference), seeded and membranes removed (gloves recommended)
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 bunch green onions (about 6 green onions)
For the Marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup black Chinese vinegar or dark balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the chicken pieces. Toss to coat and let the chicken sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring until the cornstarch and sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Fry the chilies for a few seconds until they turn darker in color.
Add the chicken and marinade and fry until no longer pink. Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions and fry for two minutes. Add the sauce and stir until thickened. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the peanuts. Simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the green onions. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
VERY BLUEBERRY SUNDAES
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/793.shtml
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 cup frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons orange juice OR 2 tablespoons orange juice plus 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
Sugar substitute equal to 2 tablespoons sugar
Rest of ingredients:
2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or sliced toasted almonds
Directions
To make the sauce, place the blueberries, orange juice, and sugar substitute in a mini food processor and process until smooth. Set aside for about 15 minutes, until the mixture has thawed. Or transfer to a covered container and chill until ready to use.
To assemble the sundaes, place a 1/2 cup scoop of ice cream in each of 4 dessert dishes. Top the ice cream in each dish with a quarter of the sauce and a sprinkling of the nuts. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 176; Protein: 3.9 g; Fat: 7.6 g; Sodium: 50 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Carbohydrate, 1-1/2 Fat
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Wednesday Recipes
Enjoy!
TEXAS CHILI
One of my dad’s recipes. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
3 balls ground beef suet
3/4 tsp. black pepper
4 slices back, cut
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 lbs. stew beef, cut small
6-9 T chili powder
2 lbs. chopped chuck
2-4 walnut-size pieces suet
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Bermuda onions
1 T paprika
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
3 cans measured water
3/4 tsp. cumin
6 C tomatoes & juice
1 2/3 T salt
1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans
In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
SUMMER VEGETABLE GRATIN
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Cooking some of the ingredients beforehand is the key to a rich-tasting, nonsoggy gratin of summer vegetables: It pulls out water and concentrates flavors. The recipe has three layers — aromatics, vegetables and topping — but you can omit the topping to make it just two. Be sure to use fresh bread, nothing hard and stale, in that topping. Fluffy bits, not sandy shards, make the best crust.” Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 1 1/ 2 hours.
This was featured in “Building a Better Vegetable Gratin” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Base Layer:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced, or 2 additional onions
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, smashed
For the Optional Tomato-Bread Crumb Topping:
1 1/2 pounds plum or other ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 baguette
1 cup shredded Parmesan or Gruyère cheese
For the Gratin:
1/4 cup olive oil, more for baking
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil or parsley, more for garnish
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
Make the base layer: In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet or enameled cast-iron pan (10 to 12 inches across), combine onions and olive oil and heat to a sizzle, stirring to separate. Add bell peppers, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook, stirring, over low heat until peppers are very soft and onions are browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove garlic, leaving remaining mixture in the pan.
Meanwhile, make the topping (if using): Core tomatoes and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Lay on paper towels to drain for 10 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add tomatoes and cook very slowly, turning once or twice, until liquid has bubbled away and flesh is cooked through, about 8 minutes. (Do not overcook, or tomatoes will fall apart.) Turn off heat and let slices cool in skillet; they will continue to dry out. Tear baguette into pieces and pulse in a food processor to make coarse, fluffy, pea-size crumbs. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the cheese and pulse to combine.
Assemble the gratin: Heat oven to 425 degrees. (If your oven has a convection feature, use it, reducing baking temperature to 400 degrees.) In a large bowl, combine oil, zucchini and squash, and toss well until lightly and evenly coated. Add basil, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and toss again.
On top of the base layer in pan, arrange squash and zucchini slices around the inner rim of the pan, standing on their edges in roughly alternating colors. Pat down into the pan so slices overlap and lie down, like shingles or fallen dominoes. Repeat to make another circle inside the first, and again if necessary, until pan is filled. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Brush oil over the top of the gratin and transfer to oven. Bake 30 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees (425 degrees for convection), or heat the broiler.
If not using topping, brush surface again with oil. If using topping, arrange tomato slices in one layer on top of the par-baked gratin. Spread bread-cheese mixture over tomatoes and press down gently.
Bake or broil until vegetables are browned around the edges or crust is crisp and golden. Let cool slightly and serve hot or at warm room temperature. Garnish each serving with herbs.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
TEXAS CHILI
One of my dad’s recipes. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
3 balls ground beef suet
3/4 tsp. black pepper
4 slices back, cut
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 lbs. stew beef, cut small
6-9 T chili powder
2 lbs. chopped chuck
2-4 walnut-size pieces suet
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Bermuda onions
1 T paprika
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
3 cans measured water
3/4 tsp. cumin
6 C tomatoes & juice
1 2/3 T salt
1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans
In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
SUMMER VEGETABLE GRATIN
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Cooking some of the ingredients beforehand is the key to a rich-tasting, nonsoggy gratin of summer vegetables: It pulls out water and concentrates flavors. The recipe has three layers — aromatics, vegetables and topping — but you can omit the topping to make it just two. Be sure to use fresh bread, nothing hard and stale, in that topping. Fluffy bits, not sandy shards, make the best crust.” Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 1 1/ 2 hours.
This was featured in “Building a Better Vegetable Gratin” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Base Layer:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced, or 2 additional onions
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, smashed
For the Optional Tomato-Bread Crumb Topping:
1 1/2 pounds plum or other ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 baguette
1 cup shredded Parmesan or Gruyère cheese
For the Gratin:
1/4 cup olive oil, more for baking
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil or parsley, more for garnish
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
Make the base layer: In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet or enameled cast-iron pan (10 to 12 inches across), combine onions and olive oil and heat to a sizzle, stirring to separate. Add bell peppers, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook, stirring, over low heat until peppers are very soft and onions are browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove garlic, leaving remaining mixture in the pan.
Meanwhile, make the topping (if using): Core tomatoes and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Lay on paper towels to drain for 10 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add tomatoes and cook very slowly, turning once or twice, until liquid has bubbled away and flesh is cooked through, about 8 minutes. (Do not overcook, or tomatoes will fall apart.) Turn off heat and let slices cool in skillet; they will continue to dry out. Tear baguette into pieces and pulse in a food processor to make coarse, fluffy, pea-size crumbs. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the cheese and pulse to combine.
Assemble the gratin: Heat oven to 425 degrees. (If your oven has a convection feature, use it, reducing baking temperature to 400 degrees.) In a large bowl, combine oil, zucchini and squash, and toss well until lightly and evenly coated. Add basil, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and toss again.
On top of the base layer in pan, arrange squash and zucchini slices around the inner rim of the pan, standing on their edges in roughly alternating colors. Pat down into the pan so slices overlap and lie down, like shingles or fallen dominoes. Repeat to make another circle inside the first, and again if necessary, until pan is filled. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Brush oil over the top of the gratin and transfer to oven. Bake 30 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees (425 degrees for convection), or heat the broiler.
If not using topping, brush surface again with oil. If using topping, arrange tomato slices in one layer on top of the par-baked gratin. Spread bread-cheese mixture over tomatoes and press down gently.
Bake or broil until vegetables are browned around the edges or crust is crisp and golden. Let cool slightly and serve hot or at warm room temperature. Garnish each serving with herbs.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Wednesday Recipes
Enjoy!
BLACKBERRY NECTARINE CRISP
This recipe comes from Matt Lee and Ted Lee in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “This recipe came to The Times in 2003 from Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, an outpost for Maine coastal cooking on Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village. It is easy to whip up on a summer day when company is coming and there’s lots to get done. ‘Use the blackberries more as an accent,’ she said at the time. 'The berries'll bleed out all this fabulous inky color.’” Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.
This was featured in “The Chef; A Crisp As Easy As Pie. No, Easier.” To view it online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
For the Filling
4 cups nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3-4 large nectarines)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping cup whole blackberries (about 6 ounces)
Vanilla ice cream for serving
Preparation
Place a 2-quart baking dish or six 8-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Position rack in center of oven and heat to 375 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt once or twice to mix. Cut butter into small chunks, add to flour mixture and pulse a few more times, until mixture just comes together into small crumbly clumps. Reserve.
In a large bowl, combine nectarines, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Pour nectarines into baking dish or ramekins, scatter blackberries on top and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden, 45-60 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
SWEET AND SPICY FRUIT SALAD
This recipe comes from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Most fruit salads consist of little more than diced fruit mixed in a bowl. They are simple and satisfying, but not necessarily special. This one is a more sophisticated take. It calls for a star anise- and chile-infused simple syrup, which adds sweetness and musky, spicy complexity. In addition to fruit, herbs – tarragon and basil – are tossed in for freshness. You can use whatever fruit you like as long as it is sweet and ripe. Eat the salad as it is, or top it with either mascarpone for a mellow, creamy note, or crumbled ricotta salata for something savory and bracing. Feel free to play around with other toppings as well. In the mellow category are fresh ricotta, crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream. For something on the salty side, try shaved Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese.” Yield: 2 to 12 servings; Time: 25 minutes.
This was featured in “A Fruit Salad Both Sweet and Spicy” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 serrano chile, halved
1 whole dried star anise
7 to 8 cups mixed cut fruit, like kiwi, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mango, pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, pears or bananas
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons chopped basil
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Place sugar, 3/4 cup water, chile and star anise in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup and spicy tasting. Strain syrup. (Syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance; store in the refrigerator.)
Toss fruit with half of the sugar syrup, the tarragon and the basil. Add more syrup to taste, depending on how sweet and spicy you want the salad. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. If desired, add dollops of mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata on top.
MINI CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKES
This recipe begins, “Serve a decadent cheesecake to each of your guests at your next dinner party. They'll be calling you the Host of the Year.” If you're like me, once you read through this, you'll definitely want to try this out!
Makes 24 servings
Source: Jennie-O
View online with photo and print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1337.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup crushed gluten-free chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/3 cup chopped crème de menthe mint candy wafers
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sweetened whipped cream
Directions
Heat oven to 325F.
In small bowl, combine crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter.
Press cookie crumb mixture into bottom of individual small tart dishes custard cups or mini muffin cups.
In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until blended.
Add egg. Blend in melted chocolate, chopped candy, sour cream and vanilla.
Pour evenly over crumbs.
Bake 20 minutes.
Cool. Refrigerate until serving.
Before serving, top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 100; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
BUFFALO CHICKEN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
This comes from Jennifer Meier, About.com’s Cheese expert. Jennifer wrote, “Perhaps this isn't a traditional grilled cheese sandwich - maybe it's just a sandwich - but either way it's delicious. This buffalo chicken grilled cheese sandwich recipe takes everything we love about Buffalo Chicken (spicy, crispy chicken, creamy blue cheese dip, celery on the side) and turns it into a memorable sandwich.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield; 4 sandwiches
Jennifer also added a note about using mayo on grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as what to do with leftover buttermilk.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness. Or, make your life easier and buy 4 thin chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup panko
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup celery, very thinly sliced (plus any leaves you can pull from the stalks)
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided, plus more for spreading on the outside of the bread slices
1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or more to taste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces blue cheese
8 slices of sourdough or country bread
Preparation
Generously season chicken breasts with salt. Cut each pounded chicken breast in half, so you have 4 pieces of chicken.
You’ll need three shallow bowls or dishes for dredging the chicken. One for the flour, one for the eggs, and one for the panko, salt and cayenne pepper.
Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge both sides of the breast in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip the chicken into the egg, coating both sides and letting excess drip off.
Lastly, dredge through the panko/salt/cayenne mixture, pressing gently so the panko sticks to the chicken. Set the coated chicken pieces aside.
In a food processor, combine the celery (plus celery leaves if you have them), red onion, parsley, 1/4 cup of mayo and the buttermilk. Pulse just a few times until the celery and onion are roughly chopped. Don’t over-process or the mixture will get too mushy. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of mayo with the hot sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon of hot sauce and then add more according to how spicy you want it. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook until dark golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan and cook the remaining pieces of chicken. (If you have a very large pan, you might be able to cook all the chicken pieces at once)
Return all the chicken to the pan.
Top each piece of chicken with crumbles or slices of blue cheese. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pan.
Spread a thin layer of regular mayonnaise evenly on one side of each piece of bread. Flip the slices over and spread the spicy mayo on the other side of each slice of bread.
When the blue cheese on the chicken is warm and very soft, remove the chicken from the pan (use a wide spatula) and set one piece of chicken on the spicy mayo side of 4 slices of bread.
Top each breast with a scoop of celery slaw and another slice of bread, with the side spread with regular mayo on the outside.
Over medium heat cook the sandwiches until the bottom is golden brown. Flip. Brown again. Slice the sandwich in half and serve.
Why Use Mayo on Grilled Cheese Sandwiches?
Spreading the outer slice of bread with mayonnaise instead of butter or oil makes the perfect slice of toasted bread; crispy, flaky and evenly browned.
Leftover Buttermilk? Buttermilk is the slightly sour liquid that remains after milk is churned into butter. It adds a tangy flavor to recipes that always punches the flavor up a notch or two. Buttermilk is usually sold in 1 quart containers, which means you're likely to have some leftover when you buy it for a recipe. How can you use up the buttermilk before it goes bad? Try my favorite buttermilk salad dressing, or one of these recipes for using up buttermilk.
WATERMELON AND HALLOUMI
This is from Michael Symon, one of the many wonderful chefs at The Food Network. This lead-in for this recipe state, “Watermelon marinated in a mint and honey dressing is soon to be your favorite summer treat. And helium, a delicious non-melting cheese, is the perfect landing place for the juicy fruit.” I’m getting hungry just reading that! Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 5 min; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/watermelon-and-halloumi.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
8 small wedges seedless watermelon, rind removed
8 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices
Directions
Place the shallot and garlic in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt. Add the vinegar and honey and whisk. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil, then add the almonds and mint.
Place the watermelon in a shallow dish. Pour the dressing on top, cover and let marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the halloumi 1 minute per side, then remove from the pan; top each with a piece of marinated watermelon.
BLACKBERRY NECTARINE CRISP
This recipe comes from Matt Lee and Ted Lee in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “This recipe came to The Times in 2003 from Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, an outpost for Maine coastal cooking on Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village. It is easy to whip up on a summer day when company is coming and there’s lots to get done. ‘Use the blackberries more as an accent,’ she said at the time. 'The berries'll bleed out all this fabulous inky color.’” Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.
This was featured in “The Chef; A Crisp As Easy As Pie. No, Easier.” To view it online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
For the Filling
4 cups nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3-4 large nectarines)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping cup whole blackberries (about 6 ounces)
Vanilla ice cream for serving
Preparation
Place a 2-quart baking dish or six 8-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Position rack in center of oven and heat to 375 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt once or twice to mix. Cut butter into small chunks, add to flour mixture and pulse a few more times, until mixture just comes together into small crumbly clumps. Reserve.
In a large bowl, combine nectarines, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Pour nectarines into baking dish or ramekins, scatter blackberries on top and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden, 45-60 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
SWEET AND SPICY FRUIT SALAD
This recipe comes from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Most fruit salads consist of little more than diced fruit mixed in a bowl. They are simple and satisfying, but not necessarily special. This one is a more sophisticated take. It calls for a star anise- and chile-infused simple syrup, which adds sweetness and musky, spicy complexity. In addition to fruit, herbs – tarragon and basil – are tossed in for freshness. You can use whatever fruit you like as long as it is sweet and ripe. Eat the salad as it is, or top it with either mascarpone for a mellow, creamy note, or crumbled ricotta salata for something savory and bracing. Feel free to play around with other toppings as well. In the mellow category are fresh ricotta, crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream. For something on the salty side, try shaved Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese.” Yield: 2 to 12 servings; Time: 25 minutes.
This was featured in “A Fruit Salad Both Sweet and Spicy” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 serrano chile, halved
1 whole dried star anise
7 to 8 cups mixed cut fruit, like kiwi, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mango, pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, pears or bananas
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons chopped basil
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Place sugar, 3/4 cup water, chile and star anise in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup and spicy tasting. Strain syrup. (Syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance; store in the refrigerator.)
Toss fruit with half of the sugar syrup, the tarragon and the basil. Add more syrup to taste, depending on how sweet and spicy you want the salad. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. If desired, add dollops of mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata on top.
MINI CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKES
This recipe begins, “Serve a decadent cheesecake to each of your guests at your next dinner party. They'll be calling you the Host of the Year.” If you're like me, once you read through this, you'll definitely want to try this out!
Makes 24 servings
Source: Jennie-O
View online with photo and print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1337.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup crushed gluten-free chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/3 cup chopped crème de menthe mint candy wafers
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sweetened whipped cream
Directions
Heat oven to 325F.
In small bowl, combine crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter.
Press cookie crumb mixture into bottom of individual small tart dishes custard cups or mini muffin cups.
In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until blended.
Add egg. Blend in melted chocolate, chopped candy, sour cream and vanilla.
Pour evenly over crumbs.
Bake 20 minutes.
Cool. Refrigerate until serving.
Before serving, top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 100; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
ROASTED TOMATO AND CORN RISOTTO WITH ARUGULA BASIL PESTO
This comes from Heather Christo on The Today Show’s recipes site. The recipe begins, “Risotto is one of the most versatile recipes out there; you can add virtually any ingredients you like—from beets or red wine and bacon to zucchini or butternut squash—and create a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dish. Since this version omits the Parmesan cheese and butter typically added to risottos, it is a lighter dish, and the flavors of whatever ingredients you add really get a chance to shine. If you stir diligently, the final result will still be quite creamy. This pesto sauce features blanched garlic, arugula, and basil, which mellows the garlic flavor and gives the sauce a bright green color that doesn't turn brown like most other pestos.” Cook Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6 - 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1⁄4 cup raw corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arugula Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups packed arugula leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Risotto
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup raw corn kernels
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh arugula
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn kernels and the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the top.
To make the arugula basil pesto: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water. After 20 seconds, add the basil and arugula and blanch for 8 to 10 seconds. Scoop out the basil, arugula, and garlic with a large strainer and immediately plunge into the ice water.
Wring the herbs of the extra water and put them in a blender with the blanched garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Puree on high until smooth and then season with salt. Set aside.
To make the risotto: In a medium pot, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large heavy pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is translucent except for a white center.
Start adding the hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. As the stock is absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all the stock has been incorporated and the rice is cooked to al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. In the final minute, add the corn.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil arugula pesto. Season with salt.
Seven minutes before the risotto is to be finished, put the tomatoes and corn in the oven and roast for 7 minutes, until sizzling and golden. The tomatoes will burst.
In a small bowl, gently toss the arugula and avocado with the olive oil and a little salt.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with some of the salad and roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with the roasted corn and some small fresh basil leaves, if desired.
BUFFALO CHICKEN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
This comes from Jennifer Meier, About.com’s Cheese expert. Jennifer wrote, “Perhaps this isn't a traditional grilled cheese sandwich - maybe it's just a sandwich - but either way it's delicious. This buffalo chicken grilled cheese sandwich recipe takes everything we love about Buffalo Chicken (spicy, crispy chicken, creamy blue cheese dip, celery on the side) and turns it into a memorable sandwich.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield; 4 sandwiches
Jennifer also added a note about using mayo on grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as what to do with leftover buttermilk.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness. Or, make your life easier and buy 4 thin chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup panko
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup celery, very thinly sliced (plus any leaves you can pull from the stalks)
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided, plus more for spreading on the outside of the bread slices
1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or more to taste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces blue cheese
8 slices of sourdough or country bread
Preparation
Generously season chicken breasts with salt. Cut each pounded chicken breast in half, so you have 4 pieces of chicken.
You’ll need three shallow bowls or dishes for dredging the chicken. One for the flour, one for the eggs, and one for the panko, salt and cayenne pepper.
Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge both sides of the breast in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip the chicken into the egg, coating both sides and letting excess drip off.
Lastly, dredge through the panko/salt/cayenne mixture, pressing gently so the panko sticks to the chicken. Set the coated chicken pieces aside.
In a food processor, combine the celery (plus celery leaves if you have them), red onion, parsley, 1/4 cup of mayo and the buttermilk. Pulse just a few times until the celery and onion are roughly chopped. Don’t over-process or the mixture will get too mushy. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of mayo with the hot sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon of hot sauce and then add more according to how spicy you want it. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook until dark golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan and cook the remaining pieces of chicken. (If you have a very large pan, you might be able to cook all the chicken pieces at once)
Return all the chicken to the pan.
Top each piece of chicken with crumbles or slices of blue cheese. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pan.
Spread a thin layer of regular mayonnaise evenly on one side of each piece of bread. Flip the slices over and spread the spicy mayo on the other side of each slice of bread.
When the blue cheese on the chicken is warm and very soft, remove the chicken from the pan (use a wide spatula) and set one piece of chicken on the spicy mayo side of 4 slices of bread.
Top each breast with a scoop of celery slaw and another slice of bread, with the side spread with regular mayo on the outside.
Over medium heat cook the sandwiches until the bottom is golden brown. Flip. Brown again. Slice the sandwich in half and serve.
Why Use Mayo on Grilled Cheese Sandwiches?
Spreading the outer slice of bread with mayonnaise instead of butter or oil makes the perfect slice of toasted bread; crispy, flaky and evenly browned.
Leftover Buttermilk? Buttermilk is the slightly sour liquid that remains after milk is churned into butter. It adds a tangy flavor to recipes that always punches the flavor up a notch or two. Buttermilk is usually sold in 1 quart containers, which means you're likely to have some leftover when you buy it for a recipe. How can you use up the buttermilk before it goes bad? Try my favorite buttermilk salad dressing, or one of these recipes for using up buttermilk.
WATERMELON AND HALLOUMI
This is from Michael Symon, one of the many wonderful chefs at The Food Network. This lead-in for this recipe state, “Watermelon marinated in a mint and honey dressing is soon to be your favorite summer treat. And helium, a delicious non-melting cheese, is the perfect landing place for the juicy fruit.” I’m getting hungry just reading that! Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 5 min; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/watermelon-and-halloumi.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
8 small wedges seedless watermelon, rind removed
8 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices
Directions
Place the shallot and garlic in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt. Add the vinegar and honey and whisk. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil, then add the almonds and mint.
Place the watermelon in a shallow dish. Pour the dressing on top, cover and let marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the halloumi 1 minute per side, then remove from the pan; top each with a piece of marinated watermelon.
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