It's Meatless Monday, a time to check out a day without meat. Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Angel Hair Pasta and Strawberry Country Cake. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY PIE
This yummy recipe was posted in the You Asked For It column in the Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times). It was sent in by Doris Wanamaker and is listed as “easy.” I’m listing it as yummy.
To view this on the Times website, click here.
4 to 5 heaping cups whole fresh strawberries (about 2 16-ounce containers)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 graham cracker crust
Whipped cream or topping for serving
Pour strawberries in a medium saucepan and mash lightly. Add cornstarch and sugar. Over medium heat, cook until thick, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Once thickened, add butter and stir until melted. Pour into pie crust; cool, and refrigerate until serving. Serve with Cool Whip or whipped cream.
UNEMPLOYED SHEPHERD’S PIE
This is from Vegetarian Times. The recipe begins, “Straying from meat replacements, Janet DeGras, second-place winner in VT's 2008 Reader Recipe Contest, re-created this typically lamb-filled classic with eggplant as the featured ingredient. ‘The density of eggplant makes it a good substitute for meat, and its creaminess goes really well with mashed potatoes,’ DeGras notes. The inside-out technique of putting the green vegetables on top of the casserole instead of inside adds color to the dish and pick up crunchiness as they bake.” Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 15-oz. cans diced organic tomatoes with liquid
2 large eggplants, peeled and chopped (1 & 1/2 lb.)
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Parsley
1 tsp. Simply Organic Basil
1 tsp. Simply Organic Garlic Flakes
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1 green bell pepper, sliced very thin
1 small zucchini, sliced very thin
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper, optional
Preparation
Place potatoes in large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and mash with milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in tomatoes, eggplants, parsley, basil, garlic flakes, and sea salt; season with pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Spread potato mixture over top, banking up sides a bit.
Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add green bell pepper and zucchini, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until just tender.
Fill center of mashed potatoes with sautéed bell pepper and zucchini, and sprinkle with black pepper, if desired. Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through. (Baking will take less time if mashed potatoes are hot at time of assembly.)
Nutrition Information: Calories: 342; Carbohydrate Content: 41 g; Cholesterol Content: 65 mg; Fat Content: 16.5 g; Fiber Content: 6 g; Protein Content: 9 g; Saturated Fat Content: 4.5 g; Sodium Content: 409 mg; Sugar Content: 9 g
ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT
This is from Vegetarian Times and begins, “The meaty texture of eggplant makes it an ideal ingredient in vegetarian entrées, and its antioxidant content makes it a nutritional powerhouse. Eggplant is rich in a phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid, a potent free-radical scavenger that confers antiviral, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering benefits. Prep tip: Salting the eggplant before cooking it draws out any bitter juices and helps the vegetable hold its shape when cooked.” Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, halved
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. capers
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4-inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, rinse well, and pat dry.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy. Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 197; Carbohydrate Content: 33 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 10 g; Protein Content: 6 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 681 mg; Sugar Content: 8 g
STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE
This is from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 45 min; Yield: 2 (8-inch) cakes; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/strawberry-country-cake-recipe.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling for each cake:
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
Showing posts with label Spaghetti Sauce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spaghetti Sauce. Show all posts
Monday, September 17, 2018
Monday, March 5, 2018
Meatless Monday
It's Meatless Monday. Today's offerings are Italian recipes.
I've always loved Italian food. Well, except for calamari, but that's a whole 'nother story...especially since I had it before becoming a vegetarian.
If you're not sure what calamari is, it's deep fried squid. A friend talked me into eating it a few days after I'd told him there was no way I'd ever eat squid. (We were in the seafood section of the local grocery store when I made the statement.) We then had this as an appetizer at a restaurant...he'd suggested it, saying only that it was, “well, deep fried, um, calamari.” Not realizing exactly what it was, I agreed to try it. Let's just say that I enjoyed it more before finding out that it was squid!
Anyway, enough on meatier stuff. Here are six vegetarian Italian recipes to try your hand at, including Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce and Italian Eggplant Ragout. And I promise that you won't “sea” anything “fishy” here! Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
I had been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Once, a co-worker mentioned he loved lasagna. One afternoon, learning (by accident) that I was fixing lasagna for dinner, he managed to finagle a reluctant invitation for dinner. The next day, he mentioned this was the best lasagna he'd ever had.
“What kind of meat was that?” he asked. I told him there wasn't any meat. “Okay, so no beef. Ground turkey? Chicken?”
I shook my head. “It was tofu crumbles.”
He looked at me, confused. “What's that?”
“Well, you start with soybeans...”
That's about as far as I got. He looked at me aghast, and asked, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 12-ounce package of meatless crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
Note: I used to use 10-ounce packages of tofu crumbles in this recipe, including the time my former co-worker came over. It's found in the produce section of many grocery stores. Since then, though, I've discovered Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, which, when used in recipes, are a great vegan substitute for ground beef. A 12-ounce bag of this can be used in place of a pound of beef. Feel- and taste-wise, it's a better substitute for meat than the tofu crumbles. But you can use either product.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The meaty texture of eggplant makes it an ideal ingredient in vegetarian entrées, and its antioxidant content makes it a nutritional powerhouse. Eggplant is rich in a phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid, a potent free-radical scavenger that confers antiviral, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering benefits. Prep tip: Salting the eggplant before cooking it draws out any bitter juices and helps the vegetable hold its shape when cooked.” Serves 6.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, halved
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. capers
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4-inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, rinse well, and pat dry.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy. Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 197; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 681 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 8 g; Yield: Serves 6
PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA
This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.
This, along with the Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, was featured in “The Time Is Right to Make Tomato Sauce”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Crushed red pepper (optional)
2 1/2 cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm (see recipe, which follows)
6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature
Grated pecorino
Basil leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This also comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; makes about 2 1/ 2 cups.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
I've always loved Italian food. Well, except for calamari, but that's a whole 'nother story...especially since I had it before becoming a vegetarian.
If you're not sure what calamari is, it's deep fried squid. A friend talked me into eating it a few days after I'd told him there was no way I'd ever eat squid. (We were in the seafood section of the local grocery store when I made the statement.) We then had this as an appetizer at a restaurant...he'd suggested it, saying only that it was, “well, deep fried, um, calamari.” Not realizing exactly what it was, I agreed to try it. Let's just say that I enjoyed it more before finding out that it was squid!
Anyway, enough on meatier stuff. Here are six vegetarian Italian recipes to try your hand at, including Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce and Italian Eggplant Ragout. And I promise that you won't “sea” anything “fishy” here! Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
I had been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Once, a co-worker mentioned he loved lasagna. One afternoon, learning (by accident) that I was fixing lasagna for dinner, he managed to finagle a reluctant invitation for dinner. The next day, he mentioned this was the best lasagna he'd ever had.
“What kind of meat was that?” he asked. I told him there wasn't any meat. “Okay, so no beef. Ground turkey? Chicken?”
I shook my head. “It was tofu crumbles.”
He looked at me, confused. “What's that?”
“Well, you start with soybeans...”
That's about as far as I got. He looked at me aghast, and asked, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 12-ounce package of meatless crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
Note: I used to use 10-ounce packages of tofu crumbles in this recipe, including the time my former co-worker came over. It's found in the produce section of many grocery stores. Since then, though, I've discovered Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, which, when used in recipes, are a great vegan substitute for ground beef. A 12-ounce bag of this can be used in place of a pound of beef. Feel- and taste-wise, it's a better substitute for meat than the tofu crumbles. But you can use either product.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The meaty texture of eggplant makes it an ideal ingredient in vegetarian entrées, and its antioxidant content makes it a nutritional powerhouse. Eggplant is rich in a phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid, a potent free-radical scavenger that confers antiviral, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering benefits. Prep tip: Salting the eggplant before cooking it draws out any bitter juices and helps the vegetable hold its shape when cooked.” Serves 6.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, halved
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. capers
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4-inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, rinse well, and pat dry.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy. Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 197; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 681 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 8 g; Yield: Serves 6
PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA
This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.
This, along with the Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, was featured in “The Time Is Right to Make Tomato Sauce”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Crushed red pepper (optional)
2 1/2 cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm (see recipe, which follows)
6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature
Grated pecorino
Basil leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This also comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; makes about 2 1/ 2 cups.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Meatless Monday
It's Meatless Monday, time for six vegetarian recipes to start your week off right, including Peanut Butter Balls and Quick and Easy Lasagna. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. And while I'm mentioning Off the Wall Cooking, I'm in the process of updating the cookbook, adding new recipes (including the Quick and Easy Lasagna), as well as photos. It's time to do the updates.
As for this, I had been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Once, a co-worker mentioned he loved lasagna. One afternoon, learning (by accident) that I was fixing lasagna for dinner, he managed to finagle a reluctant invitation for dinner. The next day, he mentioned this was the best lasagna he'd ever had.
“What kind of meat was that?” he asked. I told him there wasn't any meat. “Okay, so no beef. Ground turkey? Chicken?”
I shook my head. “It was tofu crumbles.”
He looked at me, confused. “What's that?”
“Well, you start with soybeans...”
That's about as far as I got. He looked at me aghast, and asked, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 12-ounce package of meatless crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
Note: I used to use 10-ounce packages of tofu crumbles in this recipe, including the time my former co-worker came over. It's found in the produce section of many grocery stores. Since then, though, I've discovered Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, which, when used in recipes, are a great vegan substitute for ground beef. A 12-ounce bag of this can be used in place of a pound of beef. Feel- and taste-wise, it's a better substitute for meat than the tofu crumbles.
Another good product, which I use a lot is MorningStar Farms® Grillers® Crumbles™. Since discovering this and Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, I've alternated between these two products in my lasagna. (Of course, the fact that the local grocery store no longer seems to offer the tofu crumbles I used to use figures into the equation. I really can't remember the company's name...) But you can use either product - the Boca or MorningStar product. Of course, if you have something similar that you're used to using, you're allowed to. (What? Someone giving you permission? Yup!)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
This is from Gale Gand on The Food Network show Sweet Dreams. If I wasn’t getting hungry just thinking of the show’s name, reading this recipe will do it.
Total Time: 1 hr 3 min; Prep: 1 hr; Cook: 3 min; Yield: 32 balls
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peanut-butter-balls-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
18 ounces peanut butter, recipe follows
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
12 ounces milk chocolate, melted
Peanut Butter:
3 cups peanuts, shelled, unsalted and dry roasted
Peanut oil, if necessary
Directions
In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter. Mash together until combined. Form the mixture into balls. Transfer to the refrigerator until hardened, about 30 minutes. Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate and set inside mini paper cupcake forms. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Peanut Butter:
Peanut Butter: In the bowl of a food processor, grind the peanuts until smooth. With the motor of the food processor running, add peanut oil if necessary, and puree until the peanuts are the consistency of peanut butter.
MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD
Servings: 5
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/4.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup Italian dressing (low-calorie)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Combine Italian dressing and pepper in a medium bowl; stir well.
Add cucumber, onion, radishes, and parsley.
Toss gently to coat.
Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Serve salad and enjoy.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 21; Protein: Trace g; Fat: Trace g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: Free
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. And while I'm mentioning Off the Wall Cooking, I'm in the process of updating the cookbook, adding new recipes (including the Quick and Easy Lasagna), as well as photos. It's time to do the updates.
As for this, I had been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Once, a co-worker mentioned he loved lasagna. One afternoon, learning (by accident) that I was fixing lasagna for dinner, he managed to finagle a reluctant invitation for dinner. The next day, he mentioned this was the best lasagna he'd ever had.
“What kind of meat was that?” he asked. I told him there wasn't any meat. “Okay, so no beef. Ground turkey? Chicken?”
I shook my head. “It was tofu crumbles.”
He looked at me, confused. “What's that?”
“Well, you start with soybeans...”
That's about as far as I got. He looked at me aghast, and asked, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 12-ounce package of meatless crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
Note: I used to use 10-ounce packages of tofu crumbles in this recipe, including the time my former co-worker came over. It's found in the produce section of many grocery stores. Since then, though, I've discovered Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, which, when used in recipes, are a great vegan substitute for ground beef. A 12-ounce bag of this can be used in place of a pound of beef. Feel- and taste-wise, it's a better substitute for meat than the tofu crumbles.
Another good product, which I use a lot is MorningStar Farms® Grillers® Crumbles™. Since discovering this and Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, I've alternated between these two products in my lasagna. (Of course, the fact that the local grocery store no longer seems to offer the tofu crumbles I used to use figures into the equation. I really can't remember the company's name...) But you can use either product - the Boca or MorningStar product. Of course, if you have something similar that you're used to using, you're allowed to. (What? Someone giving you permission? Yup!)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
This is from Gale Gand on The Food Network show Sweet Dreams. If I wasn’t getting hungry just thinking of the show’s name, reading this recipe will do it.
Total Time: 1 hr 3 min; Prep: 1 hr; Cook: 3 min; Yield: 32 balls
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peanut-butter-balls-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
18 ounces peanut butter, recipe follows
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
12 ounces milk chocolate, melted
Peanut Butter:
3 cups peanuts, shelled, unsalted and dry roasted
Peanut oil, if necessary
Directions
In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter. Mash together until combined. Form the mixture into balls. Transfer to the refrigerator until hardened, about 30 minutes. Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate and set inside mini paper cupcake forms. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Peanut Butter:
Peanut Butter: In the bowl of a food processor, grind the peanuts until smooth. With the motor of the food processor running, add peanut oil if necessary, and puree until the peanuts are the consistency of peanut butter.
MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD
Servings: 5
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/4.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup Italian dressing (low-calorie)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Combine Italian dressing and pepper in a medium bowl; stir well.
Add cucumber, onion, radishes, and parsley.
Toss gently to coat.
Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Serve salad and enjoy.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 21; Protein: Trace g; Fat: Trace g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: Free
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
Monday, April 17, 2017
Meatless Monday
It's Monday, time for a new week's worth of posts, starting with Meatless Monday. Here are today's six vegetarian recipes, including Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup and Vegetarian Lasagna. Enjoy!
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna, Angel Hair Pasta, and J's B-B-Q Gluten, are all from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
1/4 C water
3 medium to large tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)
In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)
Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
J’s B-B-Q GLUTEN
This is from my oldest son. For the most part, the recipe is included exactly as he wrote it out for me, though I have changed a word or two. (This stuff is definitely good.)
Ingredients:
5 lb. whole wheat flour
2 onions
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
2 bottles of B-B-Q sauce
1 stick butter
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
Huge bowl
Directions
Take whole wheat flour, empty into Big Bowl. Add enough water to knead into dough ball. Knead really well. I repeat, knead really well. For at least 10 minutes.
Fill huge bowl with water, put dough ball under water for 2 hours. Pour off water. Knead doughball under cold running water for 10 minutes or more. Water should be clear. You are washing out the starch and bran. You know it’s ready when stringy and it sticks together and is bouncy.
Melt 1 stick butter and fry 2 chopped onions until clear. Dump onto Gluten. Add salt, paprika, and peanut butter. Mix with hands completely.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking pan with non-stick spray. Pinch off pieces bigger than a golf ball. Take piece and fold it and twist it and lay it down in pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake for 10 more. Pour B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes, then flip and pour more B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes. It’s done—enjoy.
(Xtra note—be careful when you first mix wheat and water. Don’t add too much water. Make a hard dough ball. It might take 20 minutes to knead it.)
VEGAN CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
This recipe comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide. She writes, “With just four ingredients plus a little salt and pepper to taste, this is a very simple and basic vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe. Be sure to use a vegan margarine to make sure your asparagus soup is completely vegan and dairy-free.”
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh asparagus
2 tbsp vegan margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 3/4 cups soy milk
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Blanch asparagus in water or vegetable broth for just a few minutes until asparagus is tender, but not soft and overcooked. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside.
In a large soup pot, melt the margarine over medium-low heat, then add the milk and flour, stirring until a thick roux is formed. Remove from heat.
In a blender or food processor, add the asparagus, soy milk roux, asparagus cooking liquid and asparagus. Pulse a few times, until just blended, or until you have the desired consistency. I like to have a few pieces of whole asparagus in my soup, though you may prefer a smoother asparagus soup.
Return to the stove to reheat your soup, and season generously with salt and pepper.
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna, Angel Hair Pasta, and J's B-B-Q Gluten, are all from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
1/4 C water
3 medium to large tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)
In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)
Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
J’s B-B-Q GLUTEN
This is from my oldest son. For the most part, the recipe is included exactly as he wrote it out for me, though I have changed a word or two. (This stuff is definitely good.)
Ingredients:
5 lb. whole wheat flour
2 onions
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
2 bottles of B-B-Q sauce
1 stick butter
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
Huge bowl
Directions
Take whole wheat flour, empty into Big Bowl. Add enough water to knead into dough ball. Knead really well. I repeat, knead really well. For at least 10 minutes.
Fill huge bowl with water, put dough ball under water for 2 hours. Pour off water. Knead doughball under cold running water for 10 minutes or more. Water should be clear. You are washing out the starch and bran. You know it’s ready when stringy and it sticks together and is bouncy.
Melt 1 stick butter and fry 2 chopped onions until clear. Dump onto Gluten. Add salt, paprika, and peanut butter. Mix with hands completely.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking pan with non-stick spray. Pinch off pieces bigger than a golf ball. Take piece and fold it and twist it and lay it down in pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake for 10 more. Pour B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes, then flip and pour more B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes. It’s done—enjoy.
(Xtra note—be careful when you first mix wheat and water. Don’t add too much water. Make a hard dough ball. It might take 20 minutes to knead it.)
VEGAN CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
This recipe comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide. She writes, “With just four ingredients plus a little salt and pepper to taste, this is a very simple and basic vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe. Be sure to use a vegan margarine to make sure your asparagus soup is completely vegan and dairy-free.”
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh asparagus
2 tbsp vegan margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 3/4 cups soy milk
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Blanch asparagus in water or vegetable broth for just a few minutes until asparagus is tender, but not soft and overcooked. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside.
In a large soup pot, melt the margarine over medium-low heat, then add the milk and flour, stirring until a thick roux is formed. Remove from heat.
In a blender or food processor, add the asparagus, soy milk roux, asparagus cooking liquid and asparagus. Pulse a few times, until just blended, or until you have the desired consistency. I like to have a few pieces of whole asparagus in my soup, though you may prefer a smoother asparagus soup.
Return to the stove to reheat your soup, and season generously with salt and pepper.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Meatless Monday
I hope you had a good holiday weekend. One more holiday - New Year's - and 2016 will be history.
Since it's Monday, it means time for six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna, Angel Hair Pasta, and J's B-B-Q Gluten, are all from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
1/4 C water
3 medium to large tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)
In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)
Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SHOOFLY PIE
This comes from Sara Bonisteel in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sara wrote, “Shoofly pie is often thought of as the cake baked in a pie shell, or so wrote Jean Hewitt, The New York Times food writer who offered this recipe in the paper in 1965. This pie was served at a Pennsylvania Dutch luncheon hosted by the International Cuisine Group of the College Woman’s Club of Westfield, N.J., in the spring of that year. One of the organizers dug up the recipe from her mother’s ‘Housekeeper’s Scrap Book, 1896.’ There were four versions of the pie in the book; this was the one marked: ‘We like this one better.’” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here. Also, check out the Times tutorial “How to Make A Pie Crust”.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 single crust pie pastry (see recipe, which follows), rolled flat and placed in a 9-inch pie plate
Preparation
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Make the crumb topping: Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the consistency resembles cornmeal.
Combine molasses, water and baking soda and pour into pastry shell. Spoon the crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer, or until set and firm.
PIE PASTRY
This is from Craig Claiborne and Piere Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yield: Pastry for an 8- to 10-inch pie.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
8 tablespoons cold butter cut into half-inch cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Preparation
Put the flour, butter and sugar into the container of a food processor. Start blending.
Gradually add enough water so that the dough can be gathered into a fairly cohesive ball.
If a food processor is not used, place the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut it in with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Add the water, stirring quickly with a fork.
Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a round disk one-inch thick. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for an hour or less.
Since it's Monday, it means time for six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna, Angel Hair Pasta, and J's B-B-Q Gluten, are all from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
1/4 C water
3 medium to large tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)
In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)
Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SHOOFLY PIE
This comes from Sara Bonisteel in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sara wrote, “Shoofly pie is often thought of as the cake baked in a pie shell, or so wrote Jean Hewitt, The New York Times food writer who offered this recipe in the paper in 1965. This pie was served at a Pennsylvania Dutch luncheon hosted by the International Cuisine Group of the College Woman’s Club of Westfield, N.J., in the spring of that year. One of the organizers dug up the recipe from her mother’s ‘Housekeeper’s Scrap Book, 1896.’ There were four versions of the pie in the book; this was the one marked: ‘We like this one better.’” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here. Also, check out the Times tutorial “How to Make A Pie Crust”.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 single crust pie pastry (see recipe, which follows), rolled flat and placed in a 9-inch pie plate
Preparation
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Make the crumb topping: Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the consistency resembles cornmeal.
Combine molasses, water and baking soda and pour into pastry shell. Spoon the crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer, or until set and firm.
PIE PASTRY
This is from Craig Claiborne and Piere Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yield: Pastry for an 8- to 10-inch pie.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
8 tablespoons cold butter cut into half-inch cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Preparation
Put the flour, butter and sugar into the container of a food processor. Start blending.
Gradually add enough water so that the dough can be gathered into a fairly cohesive ball.
If a food processor is not used, place the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut it in with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Add the water, stirring quickly with a fork.
Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a round disk one-inch thick. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for an hour or less.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Wednesday Recipes
Here are today's six recipes to get you through the day. Enjoy!
SLOW-COOKER CHOCOLATE MARBLE CHEESECAKE
This decadent dessert is from Grace Parisi, a New York City-based food writer, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. Grace wrote, “The beauty of using a slow cooker to make cheesecake is the steady, moist heat. Allowing the cheesecake to sit in the slow cooker for an hour after it's cooked (not on the "keep warm" setting, but off completely) ensures a gradual cooling which keeps the top from cracking. Don't let the size fool you—this little gem is rich beyond rich and can easily serve 6 people. And don't be tempted to use reduced or fat-free cream cheese—it won't cook properly and the texture won't be nearly as silky and luscious. Before starting, make sure your spring-form pan fits into your slow cooker. Some pans have a 1-inch lip and will only fit into round slow cookers. The cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.” Cook Time: 3 hours 0minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Yield One 6-inch cheesecake; Servings: 6 (and this is me speaking: that's 6 servings – preferrably so that you can SHARE WITH OTHERS!)
To view this yummy recipe online, click here..
Ingredients
2/3 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat vanilla yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Preparation
Tear a 2-foot length of aluminum foil and loosely crumple it into a long snake. Coil the snake and set it in the slow-cooker. This will elevate the cheesecake above the water. Add a 1/2-inch of water.
Spray a 6-inch spring-form pan with vegetable spray. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and press it into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan.
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and process until smooth. Add the yogurt and process until smooth.
Transfer 1 cup of the batter to a bowl and stir in the melted chocolate.
Pour half of the vanilla batter into the pan and dollop half of the chocolate batter. Repeat with the remaining batters.
Using a table knife, make a few swirls through the batter to create a marble effect. Don't swirl too many times.
Set the pan into the slow cooker and cover with a large, clean kitchen towel (this prevents condensation from dripping onto the cake)
Cook on high for 2 hours, until the cheesecake reaches 155° to 165° on an instant read thermometer. Turn off the slow cooker and let sit, covered for 1 hour. Carefully transfer to a rack to cool, then refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Carefully remove the ring and set the cake on a plate. Using a slightly moistened knife, cut into wedges, wiping the blade each time.
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Of course, now that I've mentioned jarred spaghetti sauce, I had to post my homemade version, right? This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
Note:If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
SAUSAGE & KALE STUFFED SHELLS
This comes from the GE Appliances e-newsletter. It begins, “A hearty and delicious meal your family will eat any night of the week! We upped the nutrition on this classic Italian dish by adding leafy green kale to the traditional sausage and ricotta cheese filling.” Makes 8 – 10 servings (about 36 shells); Time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, bulk or links with casing removed
1 heavy pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped (preferably Lacinato or Tuscan Kale)
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
Freshly cracked pepper
Pinch kosher salt
6-7 cups marinara
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage and red pepper flakes; cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 4-5 minutes. Add onion and saute with the sausage until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add chopped kale and continue to cook until kale softens, another 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, making sure not to brown garlic. Turn off heat and let sausage and kale mixture cool.
While your sausage mixture cools, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain noodles, and lay shells on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl mix ricotta, egg, oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley. Stir in sausage and kale mixture. Season with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of kosher salt, stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cover the bottom of a 13 x9 baking dish with 2-3 cups marinara. Fill each shell with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sausage kale mixture. Layer shells in the prepared baking dish and pour remaining marinara on top, making sure to cover each shell. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella, cover baking dish with aluminum foil bake for 30 minutes.
Take off aluminum foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is lightly browned and sauce is bubbling.
Chef's Notes:
For a week where you need to get dinner on the table for your family fast, simply divide the recipe into two smaller baking dishes and place one in the freezer before baking. When ready, remove the pan from the freezer and bake for 45 - 50 minutes at 375 degrees F.
SPICY SAUSAGE, POTATO & KALE SOUP
It's amazing some of the places you can find really yummy recipes. This also comes from the GE Appliances e-newsletter. This makes 6 – 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Crushed red pepper
2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced
8 cups chicken stock
Directions
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage from the casing (if it's in a casing) and add it to the skillet. Cook until the sausage is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
Add butter to the skillet and let it melt, then add the onions and garlic. Saute until the garlic and onions begin to soften and then add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped kale to the onions and garlic. If it seems too much for the pan, work in batches until the kale is wilted down. Once the kale is fully cooked and wilted down, sprinkle in the nutmeg.
Next add the potatoes, sausage and chicken stock. Cook until the stock begins to boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer until the potatoes are soft and cooked.
ROASTED CHICKEN PROVENCAL
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Sam writes, “This is a recipe I picked up from Steven Stolman, a clothing and interior designer whose 'Confessions of a Serial Entertainer' is a useful guide to the business and culture of dinner parties and general hospitality. It is a perfect dinner-party meal: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in a bath of vermouth and under a shower of herbes de Provence. They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad and a lot of baguette to mop up the sauce.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Make 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
1/3 cup dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme, for serving
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.
Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. Season the chicken with the herbes de Provence. Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, then add the vermouth to the pan.
Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. Continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.
SLOW-COOKER CHOCOLATE MARBLE CHEESECAKE
This decadent dessert is from Grace Parisi, a New York City-based food writer, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. Grace wrote, “The beauty of using a slow cooker to make cheesecake is the steady, moist heat. Allowing the cheesecake to sit in the slow cooker for an hour after it's cooked (not on the "keep warm" setting, but off completely) ensures a gradual cooling which keeps the top from cracking. Don't let the size fool you—this little gem is rich beyond rich and can easily serve 6 people. And don't be tempted to use reduced or fat-free cream cheese—it won't cook properly and the texture won't be nearly as silky and luscious. Before starting, make sure your spring-form pan fits into your slow cooker. Some pans have a 1-inch lip and will only fit into round slow cookers. The cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.” Cook Time: 3 hours 0minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Yield One 6-inch cheesecake; Servings: 6 (and this is me speaking: that's 6 servings – preferrably so that you can SHARE WITH OTHERS!)
To view this yummy recipe online, click here..
Ingredients
2/3 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat vanilla yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Preparation
Tear a 2-foot length of aluminum foil and loosely crumple it into a long snake. Coil the snake and set it in the slow-cooker. This will elevate the cheesecake above the water. Add a 1/2-inch of water.
Spray a 6-inch spring-form pan with vegetable spray. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and press it into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan.
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and process until smooth. Add the yogurt and process until smooth.
Transfer 1 cup of the batter to a bowl and stir in the melted chocolate.
Pour half of the vanilla batter into the pan and dollop half of the chocolate batter. Repeat with the remaining batters.
Using a table knife, make a few swirls through the batter to create a marble effect. Don't swirl too many times.
Set the pan into the slow cooker and cover with a large, clean kitchen towel (this prevents condensation from dripping onto the cake)
Cook on high for 2 hours, until the cheesecake reaches 155° to 165° on an instant read thermometer. Turn off the slow cooker and let sit, covered for 1 hour. Carefully transfer to a rack to cool, then refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Carefully remove the ring and set the cake on a plate. Using a slightly moistened knife, cut into wedges, wiping the blade each time.
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Of course, now that I've mentioned jarred spaghetti sauce, I had to post my homemade version, right? This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over a pound of hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
Note:If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
SAUSAGE & KALE STUFFED SHELLS
This comes from the GE Appliances e-newsletter. It begins, “A hearty and delicious meal your family will eat any night of the week! We upped the nutrition on this classic Italian dish by adding leafy green kale to the traditional sausage and ricotta cheese filling.” Makes 8 – 10 servings (about 36 shells); Time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, bulk or links with casing removed
1 heavy pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped (preferably Lacinato or Tuscan Kale)
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
Freshly cracked pepper
Pinch kosher salt
6-7 cups marinara
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage and red pepper flakes; cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 4-5 minutes. Add onion and saute with the sausage until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add chopped kale and continue to cook until kale softens, another 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, making sure not to brown garlic. Turn off heat and let sausage and kale mixture cool.
While your sausage mixture cools, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain noodles, and lay shells on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl mix ricotta, egg, oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley. Stir in sausage and kale mixture. Season with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of kosher salt, stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cover the bottom of a 13 x9 baking dish with 2-3 cups marinara. Fill each shell with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sausage kale mixture. Layer shells in the prepared baking dish and pour remaining marinara on top, making sure to cover each shell. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella, cover baking dish with aluminum foil bake for 30 minutes.
Take off aluminum foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is lightly browned and sauce is bubbling.
Chef's Notes:
For a week where you need to get dinner on the table for your family fast, simply divide the recipe into two smaller baking dishes and place one in the freezer before baking. When ready, remove the pan from the freezer and bake for 45 - 50 minutes at 375 degrees F.
SPICY SAUSAGE, POTATO & KALE SOUP
It's amazing some of the places you can find really yummy recipes. This also comes from the GE Appliances e-newsletter. This makes 6 – 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Crushed red pepper
2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced
8 cups chicken stock
Directions
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage from the casing (if it's in a casing) and add it to the skillet. Cook until the sausage is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
Add butter to the skillet and let it melt, then add the onions and garlic. Saute until the garlic and onions begin to soften and then add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped kale to the onions and garlic. If it seems too much for the pan, work in batches until the kale is wilted down. Once the kale is fully cooked and wilted down, sprinkle in the nutmeg.
Next add the potatoes, sausage and chicken stock. Cook until the stock begins to boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer until the potatoes are soft and cooked.
ROASTED CHICKEN PROVENCAL
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Sam writes, “This is a recipe I picked up from Steven Stolman, a clothing and interior designer whose 'Confessions of a Serial Entertainer' is a useful guide to the business and culture of dinner parties and general hospitality. It is a perfect dinner-party meal: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in a bath of vermouth and under a shower of herbes de Provence. They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad and a lot of baguette to mop up the sauce.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Make 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
1/3 cup dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme, for serving
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.
Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. Season the chicken with the herbes de Provence. Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, then add the vermouth to the pan.
Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. Continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Friday Food
Enjoy
HERBED ZUCCHINI PIE
This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Use up summer's favorite vegetable in this crowd-pleasing, savory veggie pie.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 2 hr. 0 min; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 zucchini
2 onions
1 Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust (from box), softened as directed on box
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Directions
With sharp knife or mandolin, slice zucchini and onions; place on large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll pie crust in bottom of 11-inch quiche dish; press in bottom and up side of dish. Set aside.
Remove vegetables from refrigerator; squeeze out excess liquid. (Squeeze with hands or press with back of spoon with vegetables in strainer.) Arrange vegetable slices in quiche dish.
In separate medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, cheese and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini slices.
Bake 45 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Store in refrigerator.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY BANANA CUSTARD PIE
Also from Tablespoon.com, this starts off, “Peel open a new version of homemade banana pie. Warm caramel topping adds a special touch.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 4 hr. 0 min; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, if desired
Caramel topping, warmed, if desired
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix bananas and lemon juice; set aside.
In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except whipped topping, walnuts and caramel topping until blended. Add banana mixture; stir until blended. Pour into pie plate.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Spread pie with whipped topping; sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.
LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE
This comes from The Baker Chick. Yield: 8 – 12 pancakes, depending on size.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 eggs separated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup water
juice of a lemon
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
zest of 1 lemon
instructions
First make the sauce:
In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently until boiling.
Add the cornstarch/water mixture and without breaking the berries- carefully stir it in. Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat, stirring until sauce is thick. Fold in lemon zest.
For the pancakes:
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ricotta, milk, lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and flour over the ricotta mixture and gently fold in.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and then add the rest, gently folding until smooth and airy.
Spoon a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto a hot skillet or griddle (either use nonstick or add spray or butter before each batch.) Flip pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.
Serve pancakes with butter and blueberry sauce.
GRILLED TOMATO AND OLIVE PIZZA
This comes from page 20 of the June 2015 issue of Taste For Life, a magazine I picked up from Rollin' Oats Market & Cafe in St. Pete, Florida. Prep Time: 35 minutes; Serves 4. Originally from Summer Cooking by the Chicago Tribune staff.
1/2 pt cocktail or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp each: pitted, drained kalamata olives; chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 package unbaked pizz dough, stretched into 12-inch round, or prepared (12-inch) pizza crust; see Note
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
2 Tbsp each: torn basil leaves; shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat grill to high.
Combine tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste ina bowl, tossing with your hands to coat. Brush remaining 1 tablesppon of oil over both sides of crust.
Place dough over direct heat on grill. Cook until puffy, about 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook 2 minutes. Move crust to a cooler part of the grill. Top with tomato-olive mixture. Sprinkle parsley, dontina, and basil over top.
Cover grill. Cook until cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover. Cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
Remove from grill; cut into wedges.
Note: If you are using a prepared crust, follow directions on the package for cooking instructions.
Per serving: Calories: 227; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 19 g (sat. fat: 4 g; mono: 12 g; poly: 2 g); sodium: 270 mg; Vitamin K; calcium
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
HERBED ZUCCHINI PIE
This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Use up summer's favorite vegetable in this crowd-pleasing, savory veggie pie.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 2 hr. 0 min; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 zucchini
2 onions
1 Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust (from box), softened as directed on box
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Directions
With sharp knife or mandolin, slice zucchini and onions; place on large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll pie crust in bottom of 11-inch quiche dish; press in bottom and up side of dish. Set aside.
Remove vegetables from refrigerator; squeeze out excess liquid. (Squeeze with hands or press with back of spoon with vegetables in strainer.) Arrange vegetable slices in quiche dish.
In separate medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, cheese and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini slices.
Bake 45 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Store in refrigerator.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY BANANA CUSTARD PIE
Also from Tablespoon.com, this starts off, “Peel open a new version of homemade banana pie. Warm caramel topping adds a special touch.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 4 hr. 0 min; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, if desired
Caramel topping, warmed, if desired
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix bananas and lemon juice; set aside.
In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except whipped topping, walnuts and caramel topping until blended. Add banana mixture; stir until blended. Pour into pie plate.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Spread pie with whipped topping; sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.
LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE
This comes from The Baker Chick. Yield: 8 – 12 pancakes, depending on size.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 eggs separated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup water
juice of a lemon
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
zest of 1 lemon
instructions
First make the sauce:
In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently until boiling.
Add the cornstarch/water mixture and without breaking the berries- carefully stir it in. Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat, stirring until sauce is thick. Fold in lemon zest.
For the pancakes:
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ricotta, milk, lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and flour over the ricotta mixture and gently fold in.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and then add the rest, gently folding until smooth and airy.
Spoon a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto a hot skillet or griddle (either use nonstick or add spray or butter before each batch.) Flip pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.
Serve pancakes with butter and blueberry sauce.
GRILLED TOMATO AND OLIVE PIZZA
This comes from page 20 of the June 2015 issue of Taste For Life, a magazine I picked up from Rollin' Oats Market & Cafe in St. Pete, Florida. Prep Time: 35 minutes; Serves 4. Originally from Summer Cooking by the Chicago Tribune staff.
1/2 pt cocktail or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp each: pitted, drained kalamata olives; chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 package unbaked pizz dough, stretched into 12-inch round, or prepared (12-inch) pizza crust; see Note
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
2 Tbsp each: torn basil leaves; shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat grill to high.
Combine tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste ina bowl, tossing with your hands to coat. Brush remaining 1 tablesppon of oil over both sides of crust.
Place dough over direct heat on grill. Cook until puffy, about 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook 2 minutes. Move crust to a cooler part of the grill. Top with tomato-olive mixture. Sprinkle parsley, dontina, and basil over top.
Cover grill. Cook until cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover. Cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
Remove from grill; cut into wedges.
Note: If you are using a prepared crust, follow directions on the package for cooking instructions.
Per serving: Calories: 227; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 19 g (sat. fat: 4 g; mono: 12 g; poly: 2 g); sodium: 270 mg; Vitamin K; calcium
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
1 T vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Friday Food
It's always nice to get to the weekend, especially if you have weekends off. (And if you work weekends, hopefully you have some time off during the week.) But here's to time off, whenever you have it. Enjoy!
DUTCH OVEN PEACH CRISP
One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Oh, Sweet Basil. It starts off, “A sweet, crispy recipe that will be the highlight of your backyard cookout.” She also adds, “I like to line Dutch Oven with foil for easy clean-up.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Filling
8-10 peaches peeled and sliced (any fruit works wonderful!)
#12 or #10 Dutch Oven
For the Crisp Mix together:
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Place fruit in bottom of Dutch Oven or 9x13" pan, mix the topping.
Spread topping mixture over fruit and bake for 35-45 minutes or until done. (10 briquettes on bottom, 14 on top). Or you can do it in the oven on 350.
**The top should be crisp like a cookie when it is done. If it is still soft you need to keep baking.
MY SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Okay, shameless plug time: I have an e-cookbook on Amazon.com. This recipe is in it. You can find (and buy) Off The Wall Cooking here.28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2-6 oz cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything ex-cept cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
SLOW-COOK VEGGIE CHILI
From http://www.mydailymoment.com/
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
4 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
4 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained
2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
6 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp. liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.
Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the sauted vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce; Stir gently and cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
Additional Tips: Ready in 6 hours 10 min
ZELDA'S (AND SHELLA'S) CLAM CHOWDER
I'd "met" Shella on a feminist bulletin board that has long since closed. She and her other half, Zelda, on a bulletin board that they then put together that also has long since closed. This was one of the recipes they shared.
Zelda wrote, "I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and altered it slightly." She also added at the end of the recipe, "This tastes really good with toasted sourdough bread! Yum!"
Also, since I lean towards vegetarianism, I'd probably forgo the clams and just make this into a potato soup.
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved
1 quart half-and-half cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Sauté onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add dried thyme and sauté another two minutes. Let cool about ten minutes and then blend with enough water to make a smooth paste.
In a large pot, combine potatoes, celery (I like a lot of celery so I usually add more), salt, pepper, onion mixture, and juice from clams. Augment with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
With the flour and the rest of the butter you will make a roux. This will do away with the raw flour taste and help to thicken the chowder. To make the roux, melt the butter in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), add the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes on a medium to high heat, stirring constantly. The color of the roux will be a light cream color when it is finished. Set aside.
Stir the half-and-half into the pot. Whisk roux into the chowder. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in clams and adjust seasonings. Cook another 5 minutes or until the clams are heated though.
LASAGNA PRIMAVERA
This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Serves: 8 (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep time: 40 minutes; Cook time: 45 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons light butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, , sliced (about 3 3/4 cups)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce
12 oven-ready lasagna noodle, (no boil)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP
This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen; to view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes."
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth, (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
Directions
Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.
Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.
DUTCH OVEN PEACH CRISP
One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Oh, Sweet Basil. It starts off, “A sweet, crispy recipe that will be the highlight of your backyard cookout.” She also adds, “I like to line Dutch Oven with foil for easy clean-up.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Filling
8-10 peaches peeled and sliced (any fruit works wonderful!)
#12 or #10 Dutch Oven
For the Crisp Mix together:
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Place fruit in bottom of Dutch Oven or 9x13" pan, mix the topping.
Spread topping mixture over fruit and bake for 35-45 minutes or until done. (10 briquettes on bottom, 14 on top). Or you can do it in the oven on 350.
**The top should be crisp like a cookie when it is done. If it is still soft you need to keep baking.
MY SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Okay, shameless plug time: I have an e-cookbook on Amazon.com. This recipe is in it. You can find (and buy) Off The Wall Cooking here.28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2-6 oz cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything ex-cept cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.
SLOW-COOK VEGGIE CHILI
From http://www.mydailymoment.com/
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
4 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
4 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained
2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
6 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp. liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.
Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the sauted vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce; Stir gently and cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
Additional Tips: Ready in 6 hours 10 min
ZELDA'S (AND SHELLA'S) CLAM CHOWDER
I'd "met" Shella on a feminist bulletin board that has long since closed. She and her other half, Zelda, on a bulletin board that they then put together that also has long since closed. This was one of the recipes they shared.
Zelda wrote, "I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and altered it slightly." She also added at the end of the recipe, "This tastes really good with toasted sourdough bread! Yum!"
Also, since I lean towards vegetarianism, I'd probably forgo the clams and just make this into a potato soup.
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved
1 quart half-and-half cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Sauté onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add dried thyme and sauté another two minutes. Let cool about ten minutes and then blend with enough water to make a smooth paste.
In a large pot, combine potatoes, celery (I like a lot of celery so I usually add more), salt, pepper, onion mixture, and juice from clams. Augment with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
With the flour and the rest of the butter you will make a roux. This will do away with the raw flour taste and help to thicken the chowder. To make the roux, melt the butter in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), add the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes on a medium to high heat, stirring constantly. The color of the roux will be a light cream color when it is finished. Set aside.
Stir the half-and-half into the pot. Whisk roux into the chowder. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in clams and adjust seasonings. Cook another 5 minutes or until the clams are heated though.
LASAGNA PRIMAVERA
This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Serves: 8 (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep time: 40 minutes; Cook time: 45 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons light butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, , sliced (about 3 3/4 cups)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce
12 oven-ready lasagna noodle, (no boil)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP
This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen; to view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes."
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth, (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
Directions
Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.
Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.
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