Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I'd like to post more side dishes, I'm posting a rare Double-Post Wednesday. Here are six more sides to help through tomorrow's meal, including DIY Cranberry Juice Cocktail and Cranberry Tart with Nut Crust. Enjoy!
SPICY PUMPKIN PIE
Servings: 8
View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/154.shtml
Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=154
Ingredients
1 (9-inch) pastry shell
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cup pumpkin (canned)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs; beaten
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp Salt
3 tbsp liquid cal-free sweetener
1 pinch ground cloves
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
Light vanilla ice cream
Directions
Prick pastry shell with a fork. Bake in 450F oven for 8 min.
Stir together pumpkin, egg, milk, sweetener, sugar and seasonings. Pour into partially baked pie shell.
Bake in 350F oven for 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool slightly and then refrigerate.
Cut into 8 wedges and serve each with 2 tbsp light vanilla ice cream.
Nutritional Information Per Serving; Calories: 173; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch/Bread, 1-1/2 Fat, 1 Dairy, 1/2 Fruit
DIY CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL
This recipe and the next (Cranberry-Pecan Salad) are from an article on healing foods, titled Cranberries by Maria Lissandrello in the November/December 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. (Both of these recipes can be found online here.) This one starts off, “One of the biggest complaints about bottled cranberry juice is the high sugar (and low cranberry) contest: a 1-cup serving contains more than 130 calories – beating out a sugary soft drink! For an easy homemade version that delivers a higher concentration of cranberry juice and a lot less sugar, follow these steps:
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. agave nectar
2-inch cinnamon stick
4 cups boiling water
Mix unsweetened cranberry juice with the agave nectar in a heatproof, 1-quart measuring cup.
Add the cinnamon stick to the mixture.
Stir in the boiling water. Cool, and enjoy.
SPICED ALMONDS
This is from page 48 of the March 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Tapas-style almonds are traditionally deep-fried in oil, but this recipe gets the same crunchy results from oven roasting.” This vegan, gluten-free recipe makes 2 cups.
4 tsp. olive oil
1 1/4 tsp. hot smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups blanched whole almonds
1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt, or to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Warm oil in small saucepan over low heat. Add paprika and cumin, and stir 1 minute to blend and release flavors. Remove from heat when mixture just begins to bubble. Transfer to medium bowl, and stir in almonds.
Transfrer almonds to parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake 10 minutes. Aprinkle immediately with salt, and transfer to wire rack. Let dry at least 2 hours before serving.
Per 1/4-cup serving: 233 cal; 8 g protein; 21 g total fat (2 g saturated fat); 8 g carb; 0 mg cholesterol; 131 mg sodium; 4 g fiber; 2 g sugars
CRANBERRY TART WITH NUT CRUST
This is from The Kitchn, one of my favorite email newsletters. Serves 6. Makes one 9-inch tart.
To view online, click here.
For the pie:
4 cups (16 ounces) fresh (or defrosted) whole cranberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup golden syrup
Zest of 1/2 unwaxed lemon
For the crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup nut flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 to 3 tablespoons cold water
In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar and golden syrup over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Add the cranberries and lemon zest and turn over several times to coat evenly with the sugar mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Prepare the dough: If using a food processor, combine the dry ingredients in the processor bowl and pulse to combine. Drop in the butter pieces and pulse several times until the consistency of oatmeal. If preparing by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter pieces and cut in with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is the consistency of oatmeal.
Continue preparing the dough by adding the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just barely comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto the counter and gather up and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Unwrap the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a rough 9-inch circle. Carefully transfer to a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan and then form a lip around the edge by turning the pan while gently pinching the lip between your left thumb on the outside and right thumb and forefinger on the inside. Chill the prepared pan for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
When ready to bake, remove the prepared pan from the refrigerator and prick the bottom a few times with the tines of a fork. Line the bottom of the tart shell with pie weights or a layer of parchment paper and uncooked beans. Bake for 10 minutes or until crust begins to show some drying and browning.
Remove the tart shell from the oven and pour the cool cranberry mixture into the shell, spreading it out from the middle so as not to drip on the lip of the crust. Drizzle any remaining sugar mixture from the pan throughout the shell, again avoiding the lip of the tart.
Bake for another 30 minutes, or until crust deepens in color and the filling is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack. Carefully remove the outer ring, and serve while still warm, or at room temperature. Top with a scoop of ice cream, or a dollop of cream.
CHOCOLATE-CRUSTED PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, "Tweak the holiday pie tradition with a chocolate crust and pumpkin filling that's thickened with cornstarch, not eggs." Makes 1 9-inch pie (serves 8)
This recipe can be viewed online here.
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick Earth Balance margarine, cubed
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
1 1/2 cups Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Purée or 1 15-oz. can puréed pumpkin
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
6 Tbs. Earth Balance margarine, melted
To make Crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until combined. Add margarine, and process until mixture resembles sand. With processor running, add vanilla and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, and process until smooth dough forms. Chill 2 hours.
Roll out dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Press into 9-inch pie pan. Chill 30 minutes.
To make Filling: Drain pumpkin in mesh strainer over bowl 30 minutes.
Combine almond milk and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in bowl. Whisk in almond milk mixture, then pumpkin and margarine.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place Crust on baking sheet, top with parchment paper, and fill with dried beans to weigh down. Reduce oven heat to 350˚F, and bake Crust 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, and bake 5 minutes.
Pour Filling into Crust, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until Filling is bubbling in center. Cool completely before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 377; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 361 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 24 g; Vegan
SWEET POTATO PUREE WITH CANDIED PECANS
This comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 52. It starts off, This recipe straddles the line between luscious side dish and low-key dessert. To bring the dish to a potluck, keep the candied pecans crunchy by packing them separately and sprinkling them on the dish just before serving.
Candied Pecans
1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
2 Tbs. raw organic cane sugar
Sweet Potato Purée
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk, warmed
To make Candied Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Spread pecans on prepared baking sheet, and toast 4 minutes.
Transfer pecans to large bowl, and stir in maple syrup and coconut oil. Stir in sugar until pecans are thoroughly coated. Return to baking sheet, and bake 3 to 5 minutes more, or until pecans look dry. Cool. Transfer to food processor, and pulse several times, or until pecans resemble chunky crumble. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
To make Sweet Potato Purée: Preheat oven to 400°F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Toss together sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and coconut oil in large bowl. Transfer sweet potatoes to prepared baking sheet, and roast 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Purée sweet potatoes and coconut milk in food processor until creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and spread in 2-qt. casserole. Sprinkle Candied Pecans over top.
nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 285; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 23 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 15 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
MULLED APPLE-CRANBERRY CIDER
This comes from Weight Watchers. Unfortunately, it was sent to me a number of years ago (try 2006) and while I tried to find the link for it on the WW site, I couldn’t locate it. If anyone reading this can shed light on this, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know.
POINTS® Value | 2; Servings | 6; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time | 15 min; Level of Difficulty | Easy
This begins, “This hot drink is perfect for chilly autumn nights. Curl up with a good book and indulge.”
Ingredients
3 cup apple cider
3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp orange zest
3 average cinnamon stick
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes and then strain into mugs. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Thanksgiving Recipes
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I'm posting six more recipes to help you with your Thanksgiving dinner, including Simple Roast Turkey and Garlicky Green Beans with Crispy Onions. (Of course, you can fix these yummy recipes at any time.) Enjoy!
Note: Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, there won't any posts tomorrow. However, I'll be back here on Friday. (I might try posting another couple of recipes later today.) Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her site, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
SALTED MAPLE CHESS PIE
This also comes from The Baker Chick.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Single layer Pie Crust*
4 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, cooled
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Flakey sea salt (Like Maldon)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large bowl beat the eggs until fluffy and blended. Add in the cream, vanilla, maple syrup and brown sugar, mixing on medium high until smooth. Add butter, cornmeal and vinegar and mix everything until smooth and free of any clumps or streaks.
Roll your pie crust into a 11 inch circle and drape onto your pie plate.crimp or flute the edges with a fork or your fingers. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 325F and bake for 40 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still wobbly. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
Allow to cool completely before serving, or chill and serve cold. Serve plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
*If you'd like to add the braided crust like I did, I recommend making 1 1/2 times the regular pie crust recipe. Having a little extra allows you to try a few times and use your favorite braid on the crust. To attach it, brush the edge of your crust with egg wash and then gently press it on. Then brush the whole this with the egg wash and chill for 20 minutes before baking.
**If you like a crisper crust on the bottom, I recommend par baking the crust before adding the filling. Fill with parchment and beans or pie weights and then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and then add your filling.
SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY
This comes from Melissa Clark of the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Melissa writes, “For all the attention we lavish on Thanksgiving turkeys, the truth is more work does not necessarily yield a better bird. That's right: You can skip brining, stuffing, trussing and basting. Instead of a messy wet brine, use a dry rub (well, technically a dry brine) — a salt and pepper massage that locks in moisture and seasons the flesh. No stuffing or trussing allows the bird to cook more quickly, with the white and dark meat finishing closer to the same time. And if you oil but don’t baste your turkey, you’ll get crisp skin without constantly opening the oven.” Makes 10 to 12 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015474-simple-roast-turkey.
Ingredients
1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 lemon, zested and quartered
1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
12 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bottle hard apple cider (12 ounces)
Dry white wine, as needed
2 onions, peeled and quartered
3 bay leaves
Olive oil or melted butter, as needed
Preparation
Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
BREAD STUFFING
This comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times' cooking newsletter, and goes well with the Simple Roast Turkey. According to the newsletter, “Mark Bittman writes that this bread stuffing, based on a James Beard recipe, has been a staple on his Thanksgiving table for decades. First you make fresh bread crumbs: just whiz a few cups of slightly stale cubes of decent bread (crust and all, unless it’s super-hard) in a food processor. Keep the crumbs very, very coarse. Cook them with plenty of butter (yes, you can use olive oil) and good seasonings. Baked in a pan, this is delicious, with or without gravy. You could use it to stuff the turkey if you’d like — but once you've tried it cooked on its own, you won't look back.” Time: 1 hour; makes 6 to 8 cups, enough for a 12-pound bird.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/147-bread-stuffing.
Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
6 to 8 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (see tip)
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon or sage, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preparation
Melt butter over medium heat in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven or casserole. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add bread crumbs and tarragon or sage and toss to mix. Turn heat to low. Add salt, pepper and scallions. Toss again; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add parsley and stir. Turn off heat. (You may prepare recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate, well wrapped or in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)
Pack into chicken or turkey if you like before roasting, or roast in an ovenproof glass or enameled casserole for about 45 minutes, at 350 to 400 degrees; you can bake this dish next to the bird, if you like. (Or you can cook it up to 3 days in advance and warm it up right before dinner.)
Tip: To make the bread crumbs, tear bread into chunks and put them in the container of a food processor; you may need to do this in batches. Pulse until you have coarse, irregular crumbs, no smaller than a pea and preferably larger.
MAKE-AHEAD GRAVY
This also comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Mark writes, “You need gravy on Thanksgiving to lubricate the turkey, moisten the potatoes, douse the stuffing. But traditionally it's made at the last minute, after the turkey has been removed from the roasting pan. Here’s a secret: There's no need to make gravy right before serving. You can make it up to five days ahead. Then, as you reheat it, whisk in the turkey pan drippings for extra flavor. The result is every bit as good as last-minute gravy — and far less crazy-making.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 5 to 6 cups.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015197-make-ahead-gravy.
Ingredients
1 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 cups rich stock, warmed
Turkey drippings and giblets (optional)
Preparation
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on the onions, stirring constantly, and cook until flour is golden to brown. Adjust heat so mixture does not burn.
Gradually whisk in 4 cups stock until mixture thickens and is smooth. If it is too thick, add liquid. Cool, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, reheat mixture over low heat, stirring. Scrape bottom of turkey pan and add drippings or giblets to gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.
Note: Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, there won't any posts tomorrow. However, I'll be back here on Friday. (I might try posting another couple of recipes later today.) Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her site, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
SALTED MAPLE CHESS PIE
This also comes from The Baker Chick.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Single layer Pie Crust*
4 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, cooled
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Flakey sea salt (Like Maldon)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large bowl beat the eggs until fluffy and blended. Add in the cream, vanilla, maple syrup and brown sugar, mixing on medium high until smooth. Add butter, cornmeal and vinegar and mix everything until smooth and free of any clumps or streaks.
Roll your pie crust into a 11 inch circle and drape onto your pie plate.crimp or flute the edges with a fork or your fingers. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 325F and bake for 40 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still wobbly. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
Allow to cool completely before serving, or chill and serve cold. Serve plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
*If you'd like to add the braided crust like I did, I recommend making 1 1/2 times the regular pie crust recipe. Having a little extra allows you to try a few times and use your favorite braid on the crust. To attach it, brush the edge of your crust with egg wash and then gently press it on. Then brush the whole this with the egg wash and chill for 20 minutes before baking.
**If you like a crisper crust on the bottom, I recommend par baking the crust before adding the filling. Fill with parchment and beans or pie weights and then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and then add your filling.
SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY
This comes from Melissa Clark of the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Melissa writes, “For all the attention we lavish on Thanksgiving turkeys, the truth is more work does not necessarily yield a better bird. That's right: You can skip brining, stuffing, trussing and basting. Instead of a messy wet brine, use a dry rub (well, technically a dry brine) — a salt and pepper massage that locks in moisture and seasons the flesh. No stuffing or trussing allows the bird to cook more quickly, with the white and dark meat finishing closer to the same time. And if you oil but don’t baste your turkey, you’ll get crisp skin without constantly opening the oven.” Makes 10 to 12 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015474-simple-roast-turkey.
Ingredients
1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 lemon, zested and quartered
1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
12 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bottle hard apple cider (12 ounces)
Dry white wine, as needed
2 onions, peeled and quartered
3 bay leaves
Olive oil or melted butter, as needed
Preparation
Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
BREAD STUFFING
This comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times' cooking newsletter, and goes well with the Simple Roast Turkey. According to the newsletter, “Mark Bittman writes that this bread stuffing, based on a James Beard recipe, has been a staple on his Thanksgiving table for decades. First you make fresh bread crumbs: just whiz a few cups of slightly stale cubes of decent bread (crust and all, unless it’s super-hard) in a food processor. Keep the crumbs very, very coarse. Cook them with plenty of butter (yes, you can use olive oil) and good seasonings. Baked in a pan, this is delicious, with or without gravy. You could use it to stuff the turkey if you’d like — but once you've tried it cooked on its own, you won't look back.” Time: 1 hour; makes 6 to 8 cups, enough for a 12-pound bird.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/147-bread-stuffing.
Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
6 to 8 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (see tip)
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon or sage, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preparation
Melt butter over medium heat in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven or casserole. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add bread crumbs and tarragon or sage and toss to mix. Turn heat to low. Add salt, pepper and scallions. Toss again; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add parsley and stir. Turn off heat. (You may prepare recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate, well wrapped or in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)
Pack into chicken or turkey if you like before roasting, or roast in an ovenproof glass or enameled casserole for about 45 minutes, at 350 to 400 degrees; you can bake this dish next to the bird, if you like. (Or you can cook it up to 3 days in advance and warm it up right before dinner.)
Tip: To make the bread crumbs, tear bread into chunks and put them in the container of a food processor; you may need to do this in batches. Pulse until you have coarse, irregular crumbs, no smaller than a pea and preferably larger.
MAKE-AHEAD GRAVY
This also comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Mark writes, “You need gravy on Thanksgiving to lubricate the turkey, moisten the potatoes, douse the stuffing. But traditionally it's made at the last minute, after the turkey has been removed from the roasting pan. Here’s a secret: There's no need to make gravy right before serving. You can make it up to five days ahead. Then, as you reheat it, whisk in the turkey pan drippings for extra flavor. The result is every bit as good as last-minute gravy — and far less crazy-making.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 5 to 6 cups.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015197-make-ahead-gravy.
Ingredients
1 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 cups rich stock, warmed
Turkey drippings and giblets (optional)
Preparation
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on the onions, stirring constantly, and cook until flour is golden to brown. Adjust heat so mixture does not burn.
Gradually whisk in 4 cups stock until mixture thickens and is smooth. If it is too thick, add liquid. Cool, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, reheat mixture over low heat, stirring. Scrape bottom of turkey pan and add drippings or giblets to gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Sides! - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help with your holiday meal, including Cranberry Orange Quick Bread and Easy Cranberry Sauce. Enjoy!
LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 15 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD
This comes from Elizabeth Yetter, About.com's Bread Baking expert. Elizabeth wrote, “Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 75 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
rind and juice from medium orange
milk (see instructions)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
water
Preparation:
Grease 3 mini loaf pans.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in brown sugar.
Stir in cranberries.
Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.
Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.
Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.
Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.
In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.
EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE
This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”
To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.
12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 Tbs. Water or orange juice
Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
BAKED BUTTER CARROTS
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
These are from my Grandma Hallock, who was a fantastic cook. She wrote, “Good with Veal Birds (Beef Rolls).” Eat & enjoy!
2 1/2 lbs. carrots
1 T salt
2 T oleo or butter
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
dash of pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice
Peel carrots. Cut into lengthwise slices. Put them & rest of ingredients into casserole. Cover & bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover & brown on top for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE AND APPLES
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A vegetarian and vegan recipe for acorn squash stuffed with vegetarian sausage and apples. Use store-bought vegetarian sausage to make this fall entree for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion meal. Stuffed acorn squash makes a very presentable centerpiece for a vegetarian of vegan meal. It's filled with a bread stuffing with plenty of fresh herbs, including sage and thyme - it's these herbs which will fill your kitchen and your entire home with that fabulous Thanksgiving aroma as it bakes.
“If you're looking for a gluten-free stuffed squash recipe, try using a quinoa stuffing instead of bread.
“This vegetarian and vegan stuffed acorn squash recipe serves four, but the portions are generous, so plan on it serving 6-8 if you're serving it as a side dish.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 4 as a main, 6 - 8 as a side.
Ingredients
1 package vegetarian sausage (use Gimme Lean brand)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fresh sage OR 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp fresh thyme OR 1 tsp dried
6 oz plain stuffing cubes, OR 8 cups toasted bread crumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium apple, any kind, diced
1/3 cup apple cider
2 large acorn squash, cut in half, with seeds removed
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.
Lightly brown the vegetarian sausage in a non-stick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil, breaking it up and crumbling it with a spatula as it browns, just as you would with a meat sausage. Set aside.
Bring water and olive oil to a boil in a covered pot over high heat. Stir in onion, celery, sage, and thyme. Cook, covered, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in stuffing cubes, salt and pepper, applesauce, apple cider, and the browned sausage, mixing to combine. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.
Divide the stuffing evenly among the acorn squash halves. Arrange the halves in a roasting pan and pour water around (not on) the squash to 1 inch.
Lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan with olive oil spray. This will prevent it from sticking to the stuffing. Cover the pan tightly, tending slightly with the sprayed side down.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 15 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD
This comes from Elizabeth Yetter, About.com's Bread Baking expert. Elizabeth wrote, “Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 75 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
rind and juice from medium orange
milk (see instructions)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
water
Preparation:
Grease 3 mini loaf pans.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in brown sugar.
Stir in cranberries.
Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.
Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.
Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.
Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.
In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.
EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE
This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”
To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.
12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 Tbs. Water or orange juice
Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
BAKED BUTTER CARROTS
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
These are from my Grandma Hallock, who was a fantastic cook. She wrote, “Good with Veal Birds (Beef Rolls).” Eat & enjoy!
2 1/2 lbs. carrots
1 T salt
2 T oleo or butter
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
dash of pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice
Peel carrots. Cut into lengthwise slices. Put them & rest of ingredients into casserole. Cover & bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover & brown on top for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE AND APPLES
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A vegetarian and vegan recipe for acorn squash stuffed with vegetarian sausage and apples. Use store-bought vegetarian sausage to make this fall entree for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion meal. Stuffed acorn squash makes a very presentable centerpiece for a vegetarian of vegan meal. It's filled with a bread stuffing with plenty of fresh herbs, including sage and thyme - it's these herbs which will fill your kitchen and your entire home with that fabulous Thanksgiving aroma as it bakes.
“If you're looking for a gluten-free stuffed squash recipe, try using a quinoa stuffing instead of bread.
“This vegetarian and vegan stuffed acorn squash recipe serves four, but the portions are generous, so plan on it serving 6-8 if you're serving it as a side dish.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 4 as a main, 6 - 8 as a side.
Ingredients
1 package vegetarian sausage (use Gimme Lean brand)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fresh sage OR 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp fresh thyme OR 1 tsp dried
6 oz plain stuffing cubes, OR 8 cups toasted bread crumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium apple, any kind, diced
1/3 cup apple cider
2 large acorn squash, cut in half, with seeds removed
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.
Lightly brown the vegetarian sausage in a non-stick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil, breaking it up and crumbling it with a spatula as it browns, just as you would with a meat sausage. Set aside.
Bring water and olive oil to a boil in a covered pot over high heat. Stir in onion, celery, sage, and thyme. Cook, covered, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in stuffing cubes, salt and pepper, applesauce, apple cider, and the browned sausage, mixing to combine. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.
Divide the stuffing evenly among the acorn squash halves. Arrange the halves in a roasting pan and pour water around (not on) the squash to 1 inch.
Lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan with olive oil spray. This will prevent it from sticking to the stuffing. Cover the pan tightly, tending slightly with the sprayed side down.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
Taco Tuesday
Yay! It's Taco Tuesday! Here are six yummy taco recipes to help you through the day, including Cheeseburger Tacos and Spicy Turkey Tacos. Enjoy!
GRILLED STEAK TACOS WITH CHERRY TOMATO-AVOCADO SALSA
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “In this supremely summery taco recipe, chile-rubbed grilled steak is topped with a spicy tomato-avocado salsa before being rolled into warm corn tortillas. Grilling the onions, garlic and jalapeño for the salsa adds a concentrated sweetness, while lime zest keeps everything sharp and bright. If you don’t have access to a grill, feel free to use your broiler.”
Yield: 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Steak:
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2 teaspoons New Mexican or other mild chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove, finely grated or minced
Finely grated zest of 1 lime (cut lime into wedges for serving)
2 1/2 pounds skirt steak (usually 2 steaks)
For the Salsa:
1 white onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch-thick slices
2 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 jalapeños
1 quart cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
Corn or flour tortillas, for serving
Sliced radishes, for serving
Mexican crema or sour cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the steak: In a small bowl, mix together the salt, chile powder, coriander, cumin, garlic and lime zest. Rub mixture all over the steaks, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Prepare the salsa: Light the grill or heat to medium-high (or heat the broiler). Grill onion, garlic and 1 jalapeño until tender and charred on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes (or place on a broiler pan and broil). Remove from heat until cool enough to handle, then roughly chop onions, peel garlic and remove seeds and stem from jalapeño.
Transfer grilled onion, garlic and jalapeño to a blender or mini food processor. Halve the fresh jalapeño and seed it, if desired, then add it to the blender. Process to a chunky paste. Scrape into a serving bowl and toss with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime juice and salt.
Add more charcoal to the grill, if needed, and grill the steaks until done to taste, about 2 minutes per side for rare (or broil). Let meat rest on a cutting board covered with foil for at least 7 minutes. Meanwhile, grill or broil the tortillas until warm.
To serve, slice the meat across the grain, and serve with the warm tortillas, radishes, lime wedges, salsa and crema. Let people assemble their own tacos at the table.
CHEESEBURGER TACOS
This is from Family Time, and begins, “Cheeseburger tacos are a tasty take on tried-and-true burgers. Try them filled with lettuce, onion and pickle relish and seasoned with savory taco seasoning mix.”
Serves: 6; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound lean lean beef
3/4 cup water
1 packet (1.25-oz.) ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix
8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
12 ORTEGA® Taco Shells or White Corn Taco Shells, warmed
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup sweet pickle relish
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ORTEGA® Medium Taco Sauce
Directions
Brown beef; drain. Stir in water and seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and mustard; stir until cheese is melted.
Fill taco shells with beef mixture. Top with lettuce, tomato, relish, onion and taco sauce.
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACOS
This is from TasteforLife, and can be viewed online here.
Prep Time: 35 minutes prep time + 1 hour marinate time;Number of Servings: Serves 4 (2 tacos each); Recipe Source: From the Taste for Life test kitchen
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c thinly sliced red radish
1 c thinly sliced red cabbage
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce*
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb raw small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 soft corn taco shells
Diced cucumber, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
Place garlic, radish, and cabbage in a medium bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Place in fridge for 1 to 2 hours to allow vegetables to marinate.
Combine yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl. Set aside in fridge while making shrimp.
Preheat oven to 300°. To make shrimp, whisk together oil, chipotle chile, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Heat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Grill shrimp until cooked through, approximately 1 to 3 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp.
Lay soft corn taco shells directly over oven racks in preheated oven. Carefully, using oven mitts and a fork, and without burning yourself, gently push edges of taco shells toward bottom of oven—encouraging shells to droop over racks. Bake until shells are curved and crisp, about 30 minutes. (For soft taco shells, use shells as is without baking them.)
To assemble tacos, place some pickled radish and cabbage on bottom of a shell. Add shrimp. Garnish with yogurt sauce, cucumbers, and cilantro.
Notes:
A chipotle chile is a smoked and dried jalapeno. You can find them canned in adobo sauce in the Mexican or International foods aisle of most supermarkets.
TACO STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Lauren Miyahira on Delish, and begins, “Taco 'bout a healthy dinner!”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. Chopped cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
3 bell peppers, halved (seeds removed)
1 c. shredded Cheddar
1 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
1 c. Shredded lettuce
Pico de gallo, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat.
Add chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika to beef mixture, then season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle bell peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers, cut side up, in the baking dish and spoon meat mixture into each pepper. Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and the peppers are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.
Top each pepper with lettuce and serve with pico de gallo, hot sauce, and lime wedges.
SPICY TURKEY TACOS
This is from Judy Kim on Delish and begins, “Thought ground turkey was blah? Think again.”
According to Delish, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” Check out both Delish and The Judy Lab.
Total Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
8 hard corn taco shells
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey
4 tsp. Mexican seasoning
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 c. crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 c. grated mozzarella
1 c. Pico de Gallo
1 c. sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. Place taco shells on a sheet pan.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and add ground turkey; brown while breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with Mexican seasoning, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Add garlic and onions; sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro and stir until warmed through. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
Just before serving, bake taco shells until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Spoon spicy turkey mixture into taco shells and top with mozzarella, pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with sour cream.
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Jeanine & Jack at Love & Lemons. The recipe starts off, “I know – another taco recipe already? Well, I like tacos. I’m sure you do too because you are here after all.”
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: serves 2-3
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
GRILLED STEAK TACOS WITH CHERRY TOMATO-AVOCADO SALSA
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “In this supremely summery taco recipe, chile-rubbed grilled steak is topped with a spicy tomato-avocado salsa before being rolled into warm corn tortillas. Grilling the onions, garlic and jalapeño for the salsa adds a concentrated sweetness, while lime zest keeps everything sharp and bright. If you don’t have access to a grill, feel free to use your broiler.”
Yield: 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Steak:
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2 teaspoons New Mexican or other mild chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove, finely grated or minced
Finely grated zest of 1 lime (cut lime into wedges for serving)
2 1/2 pounds skirt steak (usually 2 steaks)
For the Salsa:
1 white onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch-thick slices
2 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 jalapeños
1 quart cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
Corn or flour tortillas, for serving
Sliced radishes, for serving
Mexican crema or sour cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the steak: In a small bowl, mix together the salt, chile powder, coriander, cumin, garlic and lime zest. Rub mixture all over the steaks, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Prepare the salsa: Light the grill or heat to medium-high (or heat the broiler). Grill onion, garlic and 1 jalapeño until tender and charred on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes (or place on a broiler pan and broil). Remove from heat until cool enough to handle, then roughly chop onions, peel garlic and remove seeds and stem from jalapeño.
Transfer grilled onion, garlic and jalapeño to a blender or mini food processor. Halve the fresh jalapeño and seed it, if desired, then add it to the blender. Process to a chunky paste. Scrape into a serving bowl and toss with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime juice and salt.
Add more charcoal to the grill, if needed, and grill the steaks until done to taste, about 2 minutes per side for rare (or broil). Let meat rest on a cutting board covered with foil for at least 7 minutes. Meanwhile, grill or broil the tortillas until warm.
To serve, slice the meat across the grain, and serve with the warm tortillas, radishes, lime wedges, salsa and crema. Let people assemble their own tacos at the table.
CHEESEBURGER TACOS
This is from Family Time, and begins, “Cheeseburger tacos are a tasty take on tried-and-true burgers. Try them filled with lettuce, onion and pickle relish and seasoned with savory taco seasoning mix.”
Serves: 6; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound lean lean beef
3/4 cup water
1 packet (1.25-oz.) ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix
8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
12 ORTEGA® Taco Shells or White Corn Taco Shells, warmed
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup sweet pickle relish
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ORTEGA® Medium Taco Sauce
Directions
Brown beef; drain. Stir in water and seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and mustard; stir until cheese is melted.
Fill taco shells with beef mixture. Top with lettuce, tomato, relish, onion and taco sauce.
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACOS
This is from TasteforLife, and can be viewed online here.
Prep Time: 35 minutes prep time + 1 hour marinate time;Number of Servings: Serves 4 (2 tacos each); Recipe Source: From the Taste for Life test kitchen
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c thinly sliced red radish
1 c thinly sliced red cabbage
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce*
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb raw small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 soft corn taco shells
Diced cucumber, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
Place garlic, radish, and cabbage in a medium bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Place in fridge for 1 to 2 hours to allow vegetables to marinate.
Combine yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl. Set aside in fridge while making shrimp.
Preheat oven to 300°. To make shrimp, whisk together oil, chipotle chile, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Heat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Grill shrimp until cooked through, approximately 1 to 3 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp.
Lay soft corn taco shells directly over oven racks in preheated oven. Carefully, using oven mitts and a fork, and without burning yourself, gently push edges of taco shells toward bottom of oven—encouraging shells to droop over racks. Bake until shells are curved and crisp, about 30 minutes. (For soft taco shells, use shells as is without baking them.)
To assemble tacos, place some pickled radish and cabbage on bottom of a shell. Add shrimp. Garnish with yogurt sauce, cucumbers, and cilantro.
Notes:
A chipotle chile is a smoked and dried jalapeno. You can find them canned in adobo sauce in the Mexican or International foods aisle of most supermarkets.
TACO STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Lauren Miyahira on Delish, and begins, “Taco 'bout a healthy dinner!”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. Chopped cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
3 bell peppers, halved (seeds removed)
1 c. shredded Cheddar
1 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
1 c. Shredded lettuce
Pico de gallo, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat.
Add chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika to beef mixture, then season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle bell peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers, cut side up, in the baking dish and spoon meat mixture into each pepper. Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and the peppers are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.
Top each pepper with lettuce and serve with pico de gallo, hot sauce, and lime wedges.
SPICY TURKEY TACOS
This is from Judy Kim on Delish and begins, “Thought ground turkey was blah? Think again.”
According to Delish, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” Check out both Delish and The Judy Lab.
Total Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
8 hard corn taco shells
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey
4 tsp. Mexican seasoning
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 c. crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 c. grated mozzarella
1 c. Pico de Gallo
1 c. sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. Place taco shells on a sheet pan.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and add ground turkey; brown while breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with Mexican seasoning, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Add garlic and onions; sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro and stir until warmed through. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
Just before serving, bake taco shells until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Spoon spicy turkey mixture into taco shells and top with mozzarella, pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with sour cream.
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Jeanine & Jack at Love & Lemons. The recipe starts off, “I know – another taco recipe already? Well, I like tacos. I’m sure you do too because you are here after all.”
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: serves 2-3
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
Monday, November 20, 2017
Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. This week's post deals with Thanksgiving.
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I'm almost there...
If you're in the U.S., you know that this Thursday is Thanksgiving. It seems that everyone has some way to celebrate, whether it's a large gathering for a large, extended family, or a smaller, intimate affair. We all have our traditions, which seem to evolve over the years.
While turkey is frequently the main thing many people think of when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, we all seem to love desserts, too. (Well, most of us do.)
Here are six dessert recipes to help you through your Thanksgiving, as well as any other time, including Quick Vegan Crock Pot Apple Crumble and Cranberry Peach Cobbler. Hope your Thanksgiving is nice. Enjoy!
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
In a mixing bowl combine milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
A friend of mine, Kevin, used to regale me with stories of making tons of cheesecake for family holiday meals. While his weren't diabetic-friendly, this still reminded me of Kevin. Since Kev isn't well, I wanted to post this in honor of him.
9 servings
Source: The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/794.shtml
Ingredients
3/4 cup very finely ground pecans (1 cup whole pecans)
1 (15 ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup Splenda
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
2 tablespoons white flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest (grated rind) of one small lemon
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
Sprinkle the ground pecans evenly over the pan bottom, patting them into place. The crust layer will be very light and may not entirely cover the bottom of the pan.
In a food processor, combine the ricotta, yogurt, Splenda, egg substitute, flour, vanilla, and lemon zest. Process until partially smoothed, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Cut the cream cheese into 9 or 10 chunks. One at a time, add the chunks through the feed tube. Process after each addition. Process until smooth - an additional 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
Carefully spoon the mixture over the ground pecans.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for an additional 50 to 60 minutes or until the cheesecake edges have begun to brown and the center is puffed and seems set when the surface is lightly tapped.
Remove to a rack and cool for 20 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight until cooled. When cooled, cover with plastic wrap. If desired, top with cut fruit.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 272; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 21 g; Sodium: 178 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1 Medium-Fat Meat, 3 Fat, 1 Carbohydrate
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
APPLE PIE
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “In 2013, at least, one of the great pie makers in New York City was Kierin Baldwin, the pastry chef at The Dutch in the SoHo neighborhood. This recipe is adapted from hers, for a plain apple pie. It benefits from heeding her advice to pre-cook the filling before baking. “Apple pies that have crunchy, raw apples in them are a pet peeve of mine,” Ms. Baldwin said. Peel and core the fruit, cut it into slices, then macerate them in a plume of sugar. Cook these soft with a splash of acid (like lemon juice or cider vinegar) and a hint of cinnamon and allspice, then add some starch to thicken the whole. Allow the mixture to cool completely before using it in the pie. (For everything you need to know to make the perfect pie crust, visit our pie guide.)” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
This was featured in “Pie Fidelity” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds apples, peeled and cored, then cut into wedges (5 large honeycrisps will do it)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 recipe all-purpose pie dough (next recipe)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preparations
Melt butter in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat and add apples to the pan. Stir to coat fruit with butter and cook, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk together the spices, salt and .75 cup sugar, and sprinkle this over the pan, stirring to combine. Lower heat and cook until apples have started to soften, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the apples and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add cider vinegar, stir and scrape fruit mixture into a bowl and allow to cool completely. (The fruit mixture will cool faster if spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.)
Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack of oven and preheat to 425. Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and, using a pin, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 12 inches in diameter. Fit this crust into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming it to leave a .5-inch overhang. Place this plate, with the dough, in the freezer.
Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 10 or 11 inches in diameter.
Remove pie crust from freezer and put the cooled pie filling into it. Cover with remaining dough. Press the edges together, trim the excess, then crimp the edges with the tines of a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut three or four steam vents in the top of the crust. Lightly brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Place pie in oven and bake on hot baking sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375. Continue to cook until the interior is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Remove and allow to cool on a windowsill or kitchen rack, about two hours.
ALL-PURPOSE PIE DOUGH
This also comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This can be found online here.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
Yolk of 1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup water, from 3/4 cup ice water
Preparations
Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, fats and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.
Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golfball-size bit of dough and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather together into a rough ball. You want to be careful not to overwork the flour, but not too careful; the dough should hold together. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create eight portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.
Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc and dust lightly with flour. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I'm almost there...
If you're in the U.S., you know that this Thursday is Thanksgiving. It seems that everyone has some way to celebrate, whether it's a large gathering for a large, extended family, or a smaller, intimate affair. We all have our traditions, which seem to evolve over the years.
While turkey is frequently the main thing many people think of when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, we all seem to love desserts, too. (Well, most of us do.)
Here are six dessert recipes to help you through your Thanksgiving, as well as any other time, including Quick Vegan Crock Pot Apple Crumble and Cranberry Peach Cobbler. Hope your Thanksgiving is nice. Enjoy!
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
In a mixing bowl combine milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
A friend of mine, Kevin, used to regale me with stories of making tons of cheesecake for family holiday meals. While his weren't diabetic-friendly, this still reminded me of Kevin. Since Kev isn't well, I wanted to post this in honor of him.
9 servings
Source: The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/794.shtml
Ingredients
3/4 cup very finely ground pecans (1 cup whole pecans)
1 (15 ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup Splenda
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
2 tablespoons white flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest (grated rind) of one small lemon
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
Sprinkle the ground pecans evenly over the pan bottom, patting them into place. The crust layer will be very light and may not entirely cover the bottom of the pan.
In a food processor, combine the ricotta, yogurt, Splenda, egg substitute, flour, vanilla, and lemon zest. Process until partially smoothed, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Cut the cream cheese into 9 or 10 chunks. One at a time, add the chunks through the feed tube. Process after each addition. Process until smooth - an additional 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
Carefully spoon the mixture over the ground pecans.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for an additional 50 to 60 minutes or until the cheesecake edges have begun to brown and the center is puffed and seems set when the surface is lightly tapped.
Remove to a rack and cool for 20 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight until cooled. When cooled, cover with plastic wrap. If desired, top with cut fruit.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 272; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 21 g; Sodium: 178 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1 Medium-Fat Meat, 3 Fat, 1 Carbohydrate
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
APPLE PIE
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “In 2013, at least, one of the great pie makers in New York City was Kierin Baldwin, the pastry chef at The Dutch in the SoHo neighborhood. This recipe is adapted from hers, for a plain apple pie. It benefits from heeding her advice to pre-cook the filling before baking. “Apple pies that have crunchy, raw apples in them are a pet peeve of mine,” Ms. Baldwin said. Peel and core the fruit, cut it into slices, then macerate them in a plume of sugar. Cook these soft with a splash of acid (like lemon juice or cider vinegar) and a hint of cinnamon and allspice, then add some starch to thicken the whole. Allow the mixture to cool completely before using it in the pie. (For everything you need to know to make the perfect pie crust, visit our pie guide.)” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
This was featured in “Pie Fidelity” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds apples, peeled and cored, then cut into wedges (5 large honeycrisps will do it)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 recipe all-purpose pie dough (next recipe)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preparations
Melt butter in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat and add apples to the pan. Stir to coat fruit with butter and cook, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk together the spices, salt and .75 cup sugar, and sprinkle this over the pan, stirring to combine. Lower heat and cook until apples have started to soften, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the apples and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add cider vinegar, stir and scrape fruit mixture into a bowl and allow to cool completely. (The fruit mixture will cool faster if spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.)
Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack of oven and preheat to 425. Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and, using a pin, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 12 inches in diameter. Fit this crust into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming it to leave a .5-inch overhang. Place this plate, with the dough, in the freezer.
Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 10 or 11 inches in diameter.
Remove pie crust from freezer and put the cooled pie filling into it. Cover with remaining dough. Press the edges together, trim the excess, then crimp the edges with the tines of a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut three or four steam vents in the top of the crust. Lightly brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Place pie in oven and bake on hot baking sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375. Continue to cook until the interior is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Remove and allow to cool on a windowsill or kitchen rack, about two hours.
ALL-PURPOSE PIE DOUGH
This also comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This can be found online here.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
Yolk of 1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup water, from 3/4 cup ice water
Preparations
Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, fats and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.
Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golfball-size bit of dough and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather together into a rough ball. You want to be careful not to overwork the flour, but not too careful; the dough should hold together. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create eight portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.
Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc and dust lightly with flour. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
Meatless Monday, Thanksgiving-Style
This Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I'll be posting food over the next few days that can be used for your Thanksgiving meal. Of course, since today is Meatless Monday, today's offerings will be vegetarian recipes that you can add to your Thanksgiving feast.
So, without any more chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through the day while getting ready for Thursday, including Easy Cranberry Sauce and Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy. Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. I may also try doing a double-post on Wednesday, though I haven't absolutely decided on that yet. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
THANKSGIVING POT PIE
This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Filling
2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)
2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup plain soymilk
3 Tbs. red wine
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
To make Filling:
Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.
Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.
Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.
To make Crust:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan
EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE
This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”
To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.
12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 Tbs. Water or orange juice
Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.
CARROT CORNBREAD
This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.
Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.
Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.
nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan
HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA
Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.
1/4 cup sugar
2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface
1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl
1 large egg
1/2 cup melted butter, optional
Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.
Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.
Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.
Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.
Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.
Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.
nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g
FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES
This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8
2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)
1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)
24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)
8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved
2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 tsp. honey
2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning
Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.
Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.
Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.
nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free
ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY
This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)
1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine, optional
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs marjoram
2 sprigs rosemary
Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.
nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g
So, without any more chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through the day while getting ready for Thursday, including Easy Cranberry Sauce and Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy. Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. I may also try doing a double-post on Wednesday, though I haven't absolutely decided on that yet. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
THANKSGIVING POT PIE
This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Filling
2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)
2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup plain soymilk
3 Tbs. red wine
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
To make Filling:
Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.
Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.
Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.
To make Crust:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan
EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE
This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”
To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.
12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 Tbs. Water or orange juice
Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.
CARROT CORNBREAD
This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.
Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.
Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.
nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan
HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA
Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.
1/4 cup sugar
2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface
1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl
1 large egg
1/2 cup melted butter, optional
Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.
Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.
Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.
Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.
Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.
Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.
nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g
FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES
This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8
2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)
1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)
24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)
8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved
2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 tsp. honey
2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning
Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.
Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.
Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.
nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free
ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY
This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)
1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine, optional
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs marjoram
2 sprigs rosemary
Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.
nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Thanksgiving, Sunday Edition
This Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I'll be posting food over the next few days that can be used for your Thanksgiving meal (or anytime). While today's posts could easily fit on a Meatless Monday (no meat here today), I already have a post for tomorrow's Meatless Monday. But no matter, these are also good side-dishes to help round out your Thanksgiving meal.
And so, without further chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through Thanksgiving, including Roasted Green Bean Bundles and Blotkake (Norwegian Cream Cake). Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Mashed potatoes are very forgiving, and with a good masher, hot potatoes and enough butter and salt, cooks can accommodate religionists of the fluffy style and partisans of the creamy and dense. Be openhanded with salt and butter but stingy with milk, which will flatten out the bright, earthy potato taste. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 45 minutes.
This was featured in “The Secret? It’s Not the Potatoes” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
Salt
2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), preferably a combination of russet (baking) potatoes and large Yukon Golds, or all Yukon Golds
4 tablespoons butter, more for dotting
1/3 cup whole milk
Preparation
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)
In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.
Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)
To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.
Tip:
This recipe can be doubled, tripled and more.
BLOTKAKE (NORWEGIAN CREAM CAKE)
This also comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Blotkake, layered spongecake covered with drifts of whipped cream and fruit, is a dessert that Norwegians are passionate and possessive about. It is a traditional sweet finish for any festive meal, whether a long, dark winter lunch or a long, sunlit summer dinner. ‘Scandinavians really value lingering and feasting at the table,’ said Maren Waxenberg, a Norwegian-American cook who lives in New York City and serves this cake at Thanksgiving.
“Cloudberries are a protected crop in Norway and are rarely available fresh in the United States, but raspberries are a good substitute.”
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling and Frosting:
3 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cloudberry, raspberry or blackberry preserves
1/3 cup cloudberry or raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord), or berry juice of your choice
12 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries, for decorating (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions.
Pour batter into pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.
Make the frosting and filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer 1/3 of the whipped cream to a separate bowl and stir in preserves.
Use a serrated knife to slice cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Arrange top layer of the cake cut-side-up on a platter. Poke a few holes in the cake layer with a toothpick, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the liqueur or juice.
Spread half the whipped cream and preserves mixture over the cake layer, then arrange middle layer on top. Poke holes in the middle layer with a toothpick and sprinkle with another 1/3 of the liqueur or juice. Top with remaining whipped cream and preserves mixture.
Arrange the bottom cake layer on top of the stack, cut-side-down. Poke more holes and sprinkle with remaining liqueur or juice. Frost top and sides of cake with the whipped cream, using a pastry bag to pipe on stars or other designs, if you'd like. Decorate with fresh berries.
GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
Kathy Kingsley is one of About.com's American Food experts. She writes, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pastry
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Filling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey Whipped Cream
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.
On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn the edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.
Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her sit, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Note: Judy had 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Since this is a vegetarian blog – I am, after all, a vegetarian (99.9% of the time, anyway), I changed the chicken broth to vegetable broth. Judy, if you're reading this, I hope you're not offended.
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
ROASTED GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
This recipe comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 58. It starts off, “These individual bundles of seasoned, roasted green beans will impress guests and make serving a cinch.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 Tbs. garlic-flavored olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Lemon slices, for garnish, optional
Hawaiian salt, black salt, or fleur de sel, for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and red onion, and blanch 3 minutes. Drain, then pat vegetables dry with paper towels.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add beans and onion slices; toss to coat.
Group beans and onion slices into 8 bundles (about 10 to 15 beans each), and tie each bundle with 8-inch piece of kitchen twine. Place bundles tie side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, or until bean ends begin to brown. Flip bundles with spatula so tie side is up, and bake 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all bean tips are brown. Transfer bundles to serving plate, and garnish with lemon slices and Hawaiian salt, if using.
nutritional information Per Bundle: Calories: 35; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
And so, without further chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through Thanksgiving, including Roasted Green Bean Bundles and Blotkake (Norwegian Cream Cake). Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Mashed potatoes are very forgiving, and with a good masher, hot potatoes and enough butter and salt, cooks can accommodate religionists of the fluffy style and partisans of the creamy and dense. Be openhanded with salt and butter but stingy with milk, which will flatten out the bright, earthy potato taste. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 45 minutes.
This was featured in “The Secret? It’s Not the Potatoes” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
Salt
2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), preferably a combination of russet (baking) potatoes and large Yukon Golds, or all Yukon Golds
4 tablespoons butter, more for dotting
1/3 cup whole milk
Preparation
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)
In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.
Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)
To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.
Tip:
This recipe can be doubled, tripled and more.
BLOTKAKE (NORWEGIAN CREAM CAKE)
This also comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Blotkake, layered spongecake covered with drifts of whipped cream and fruit, is a dessert that Norwegians are passionate and possessive about. It is a traditional sweet finish for any festive meal, whether a long, dark winter lunch or a long, sunlit summer dinner. ‘Scandinavians really value lingering and feasting at the table,’ said Maren Waxenberg, a Norwegian-American cook who lives in New York City and serves this cake at Thanksgiving.
“Cloudberries are a protected crop in Norway and are rarely available fresh in the United States, but raspberries are a good substitute.”
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling and Frosting:
3 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cloudberry, raspberry or blackberry preserves
1/3 cup cloudberry or raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord), or berry juice of your choice
12 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries, for decorating (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions.
Pour batter into pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.
Make the frosting and filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer 1/3 of the whipped cream to a separate bowl and stir in preserves.
Use a serrated knife to slice cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Arrange top layer of the cake cut-side-up on a platter. Poke a few holes in the cake layer with a toothpick, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the liqueur or juice.
Spread half the whipped cream and preserves mixture over the cake layer, then arrange middle layer on top. Poke holes in the middle layer with a toothpick and sprinkle with another 1/3 of the liqueur or juice. Top with remaining whipped cream and preserves mixture.
Arrange the bottom cake layer on top of the stack, cut-side-down. Poke more holes and sprinkle with remaining liqueur or juice. Frost top and sides of cake with the whipped cream, using a pastry bag to pipe on stars or other designs, if you'd like. Decorate with fresh berries.
GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
Kathy Kingsley is one of About.com's American Food experts. She writes, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pastry
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Filling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey Whipped Cream
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.
On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn the edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.
Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her sit, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Note: Judy had 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Since this is a vegetarian blog – I am, after all, a vegetarian (99.9% of the time, anyway), I changed the chicken broth to vegetable broth. Judy, if you're reading this, I hope you're not offended.
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
ROASTED GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
This recipe comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 58. It starts off, “These individual bundles of seasoned, roasted green beans will impress guests and make serving a cinch.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 Tbs. garlic-flavored olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Lemon slices, for garnish, optional
Hawaiian salt, black salt, or fleur de sel, for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and red onion, and blanch 3 minutes. Drain, then pat vegetables dry with paper towels.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add beans and onion slices; toss to coat.
Group beans and onion slices into 8 bundles (about 10 to 15 beans each), and tie each bundle with 8-inch piece of kitchen twine. Place bundles tie side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, or until bean ends begin to brown. Flip bundles with spatula so tie side is up, and bake 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all bean tips are brown. Transfer bundles to serving plate, and garnish with lemon slices and Hawaiian salt, if using.
nutritional information Per Bundle: Calories: 35; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
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