Thursday, December 15, 2011

Kelley's Pot Roast

My recipe is similar to cooks illustrated. I think it is important to brown the pot roast prior to putting in the oven as caramelizing the meat helps gives it great flavor! It is a large piece of meat, so I salt and pepper it generously...which I think helps as well. Don’t be afraid to turn the heat up when you’re browning the roast! Be fearless! :)

Ingredients

1-2 TBS canola oil (vegetable or olive oil are fine too)
1 (3-4 pounds) boneless chuck roast, trimmed (you can use any type of roast, really)
1-2 coarsely chopped onions
1 coarsely chopped carrot
1 coarsely chopped celery stalk
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups organic chicken broth (or homemade chicken or beef stock)
1 1/2 cups water
2 sprigs thyme or 1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 pounds Yukon gold (or Russet) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 pounds carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks (peeled if you desire a more “pretty” presentation)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325º.

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Trim and dry the chuck roast (drying keeps the roast from spitting at you while it’s browning). Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Add roast to pan, turning to brown on all sides; about 10 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, and celery to pan; sauté 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and sugar, and cook a minute longer.

Return browned roast to pan. Add the red wine, broth, water, until the liquid reaches halfway up the side fo the roast. Add the thyme or rosemary, and bay leaf and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the pot and bake at 300° for 2 hours or until the roast is almost tender, turning the roast half way through.

Add additional carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake an additional 1 hour plus (or until vegetables are tender).

Remove thyme or rosemary sprigs and bay leaf from pan; discard. Gently pull apart meat with 2 forks. Serve roast and vegetables with cooking liquid (as gravy). Garnish with fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Madeleines From Dax

Madeleines From Dax

Makes about 18 3-inch cakes or 24 2-inch cakes

Begin 1 day in advance!

2 “large” eggs
Pinch of salt
7 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 ½ teaspoons orange flower water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
5 ½ tablespoons cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons clarified butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter

1. 1 DAY IN ADVANCE, in a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, salt, and sugar. Beat with a whisk until thick and light. Add the orange flour water and the vanilla extract; whisk to combine.

2. Sift the fours with the baking powder. Gradually stir into the egg-sugar mixture. Do not overbeat. Add the butter and the cream; stir gently until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.

3. THE FOLLOWING DAY, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

4. Coat the ridged hollows of the Madeleine pan with softened butter using a pastry brush (it is not necessary to dust with flour). Use a teaspoon and a small spatula to barely fill each hollow with batter – about two thirds full. Tap the mold on the table to allow batter to settle (it is not necessary to smooth the surface or fill the bottom of each hollow).

5. Bake on upper middle oven rack for 5 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake 7-10 minutes longer.

6. When the madeleines are golden and just turning brown around the edges, remove from oven. Use the tip of a knife at the base of each to turn out onto wire racks to cool. Serve warm and freshly baked with fruit compotes, sorbets, and granitas. Leftover madeleines may be stored in an airtight tin and reheated gently before serving.

California Cioppino


California Cioppino
From San Francisco a la Carte
The Junior League of San Francisco

Serves 8

2 freshly cooked whole Dungeness crabs, approximately 1 ½ to 2 pounds each
24 clams, well scrubbed
3 cups white wine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh basil (or ½ teaspoon dried)
2 pounds fresh white fish such as sea bass, rock cod, halibut, ling cod, cut into large pieces
¾ pound scallops
¾ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Remove the legs and claws from the crab and break the body in half, reserving as much of the soft, mustard colored center (“crab butter”) as possible. Set crab pieces aside and force the crab butter through a sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the clams in a pan, add 1 cup of wine and steam, covered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes (or until the clams open). Remove clams, discarding any that do not open. Strain the stock through cheesecloth and reserve.

In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and green pepper. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 3 minutes (or until the vegetables start to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining 2 cups of wine, pepper, herbs, and clam stock. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fish, scallops, shrimp, crab, and crab butter. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the seafood is cooked. Do not stir! Add the clams and heat for a scant 1 minute. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately from the cooking pot.


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 4

Small shells can be substituted for the elbows. Pre-shredded cheese works just fine here.

3 ½ cups water, plus more as needed.
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
12 ounces elbow macaroni (3 cups)
salt and ground black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp Franks Red Hot
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 TBS unsalted butter

1. Simmer Macaroni: Bring water, 1 cup evaporated milk, macaroni, and ½ tsp salt to simmer in a 12 inch non-stick skillet (over high heat), stirring often until macaroni is tender; 8-10 minutes.

2. Thicken and Flavor Sauce: Whisk Remaining ½ cup evaporated milk, cornstarch, mustard, and Franks Red Hot together, then stir into skillet. Continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

3. Add Cheese: Off heat, stir in cheeses, one handful at a time, adding additional water as needed to adjust sauce consistency. Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve!

Add ins – with the cornstarch, you can also add:
• diced ham and peas
• Rotel, drained
• frozen broccoli florets
• browned and thinly sliced kielbasa and 1 TBS whole-grain brown mustard

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Sam's Sandwich

I adore these sandwiches - a thing of the past for me now as I live far far away from Burlingame. If you want to attempt one at home, here's what's in it!

Mortadella, Ham, Chopped Ham, White American Cheese, Cooked Salami & Dry Salami topped with Mayo, Mustard, Pickles, Lettuce, Tomato & Italian Dressing.

This sandwich must be built, of course, on crusty, good-quality french bread!

Wish I could have one right now!

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Peach Fuzz - Frozen Concoction

Ingredients:
3 large, ripe peaches
3/4 Cup sugar (more/less to taste)
2 Cans of frozen lemonade concentrate
1 3/4 Can (use lemonade can) of your favorite vodka or rum

Instructions:
1. Peel peaches. Remove and discard pits.
2. Cut into large chunks.
3. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and pulverize.
4. You can create the mix ahead of time, so when you are ready, combine half of the peach mixture and fill the blender up halfway with ice. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Peach Bellini (Maggiano's Style)

INGREDIENTS
¾ oz. Absolut Raspberri
1 oz. Champagne
1 oz. Peach Puree

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fill Martini glass with ice and pour ice into blender.
2. Add ¾ oz. of Absolut Raspberri, 1 oz. Champagne and 1 oz. Peach Puree.
3. Blend.
4. Pour blended mix carefully into glass and enjoy!

Easy Pina Coladas

2-3 ounces light rum
4 ounces Master of Mixes Piña Colada Mix

Blend with crushed ice until smooth!

The Master of Mixes brand is the best mix...even better than a scratch recipe...and what's even better is it's lower in fat and calories than making them with actual cream of coconut, which is messy to work with! This mix available at Wal-Mart...it's easy to find.

Easy Margaritas!

1/2 can (3 oz) frozen limeade concentrate
3 ounces tequila
1 ounce triple sec

Blend with crushed ice until smooth!

If you add a half oz of OJ to the original recipe, it's even better. Plus, it never hurts to add the juice of a lemon or lime as it's blending. You can even do a half oz of Chambord or Grand Marnier "float" after you've poured them (Chambord is delish!!). Or, add some fresh or frozen fruit to the original recipe and make fruit margaritas. If you don't have fruit but have some flavored liquors, throw some in (sour apple pucker is very popular right now). Easy recipe to work with...the variations are endless!

Italian Dressing and Salad (Olive Garden Style)

My husband loves the salad at Olive Garden! Be sure to chill the salad and serving bowls and forks thoroughly before serving.

FOR THE DRESSING:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing (Wishbone)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (Kraft)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, raw (you can also use Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup oil

Preparation:
Blend dressing, cheese, sugar and egg in blender on high speed 1/2 minute or until smooth. Pour this mixture into the top of a double boiler and add oil. Stir gently with a whisk over gently boiling water until it begins to thicken and egg is completely cooked. Chill several hours or overnight before using. If the dressing is too thick, add more Italian dressing as needed.

FOR THE SALAD:

Ingredients:
10-ounce bag American salad blend
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
4 small pepperoncini, lightly dried
1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered
2-3 whole black olives
1/2 cup large croutons
2-4 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, to taste

Preparation:
Toss salad, onion, pepperoncini, tomato and olives in a chilled salad bowl. Right before serving, add croutons and toss with Italian dressing (to taste). Sprinkle cheese over top and serve immediately!

Zuppa Toscano (Olive Garden Style)

My husband loves this soup from the Olive Garden. Here is a similar version you can make at home!

Makes: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 large white onion, diced
4 Tbsp bacon, chopped
2 tsp garlic, smashed
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes (clean potatoes thoroughly and leave the skin on)
¼ of a bunch of kale, torn into medium size pieces

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, and refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions, and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it comes to a boil. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

Stir in the sausage, kale and cream, and heat until gently simmering and hot (do not let soup boil after you add the cream). Serve immediately!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Kelley's Favorite Pie Crust

Pie Dough - makes enough for 2 crusts...

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch cubes
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled
1/3 cup water , chilled with ice, increasing up to 3/8 cup, if needed

1. Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue to cut it in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon of remaining ice water if dough does not come together. Divide dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.

4. Roll dough disks on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving dough that overhangs the lip in place.

This pie crust bakes best in a 400 degree oven for 25 min; if longer cooking time is needed, reduce oven to 350 after 25 min and bake until done!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Cowboy Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup diced jalapeno (you can use banana peppers if you want less spice)
1/3 cup shredded cheese (I use the mexican blend)
2 -3 pieces bacon (can use real bacon pieces in a pinch)
1 tablespoon andouille seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns


1 Cook bacon and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.
2 Mix all ingredients, except buns of course, in a large bowl.
3 Form into four 1/4 lb patties.
4 Grill until cooked to your preferred doneness.
5 Place on buns and enjoy!

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Tanya's Broccoli Salad

This is one of my favorites!

Monday, September 05, 2011

Baked Corn Tortilla Cups

Lightly spray or oil 6-inch corn tortillas.

Press each into an oversized muffin pan.

Bake at 450 degrees until slightly crisp and starting to color.

Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce

4-5 cups grape tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup white vermouth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh basil

Heat oil in medium sized sauté pan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for a few minutes until they start to color. Add grape tomatoes and vermouth, and salt. Cover and simmer for about twenty minutes. Remove lid and smash down with a potato mashed. Cook uncovered until desired thickness is reached. Add fresh basil pieces.

Crock-navy beans

1 pound small white Navy beans, rinsed
1 large sweet onion, medium dice
8 cloves garlic, peeled

Put beans, onion, and garlic in a 4 quart crock pot. Fill to about two-thirds with cold water. Put lid on and cook on high for about 6 to 8 hours. If beans seem too dry, add a little water. If beans seem to wet, cook with lid of for a while until desired consistency is reached.

These beans will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days. I sprinkle on a little kosher salt when eating them. They taste a lot like baked beans.

Sunday, August 07, 2011

Dirty Martinis

2 ounces frozen vodka
1 ounce dry vermouth (Noilly Prat brand, please)
Splash of Mezzetta Bleu Cheese stuffed olives juice


Shake over ice and serve neat with an olive.

Strict limit: 4 per person

Golden Corn Cakes with Critus Greens

1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 1/4 cups corn kernels, cut from 1-2 ears of corn
1 large shallot, diced fine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly smashed
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
3/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for frying
3 eggs, separated
4 cups arugula
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2-1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sour cream

1. In a large bowl mix polenta with corn, shallots, jalapeño, cumin, salt and pepper. Add yogurt, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 egg yolk (discard the other 2 yolks). Mix well with a fork.

2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Carefully fold whites into corn batter in two stages. Let rest 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make dressing. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Set a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Pour in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Once hot, spoon 2 tablespoons of batter per cake into pan. Repeat until pan is full. Cook cakes 2-3 minutes, or until golden. Flip and cook 1 minute longer, or until golden. Transfer to paper-lined tray. Yield about 16 cakes.

5. Toss arugula with cilantro. Add dressing and toss again. Season to taste. Serve corn cakes with a spoonful of sour cream alongside greens. If serving as an hors d'oeuvre, scatter cilantro over cakes before serving.

Dirty Martinis with Mezzetta Bleu Cheese olives made a great accompaniment. Yum!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Hard Eight Cornbread Salad


One of my fav. BBQ placed in DFW serves this dish and its great. Well last time I was in talked to the manager and he gave me the recipe so figured I would share. Its really good stuff.

Hard 8 BBQ cornbread Salad.

2 pkgs sweet cornbread mix, prepared, and crumbled
1 lg. tomato, seeded and diced
4 - 6 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 c minced red onion
1/4 c sliced green onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Approximately 2T Miracle Whip (I like a little more, but just do it to taste)

Combine first 6 ingredients. Add mayo sparingly. Cornbread should be crumbly, not stuck together! Add salt a d pepper to taste. Refrigerate before serving.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Thai Noodle Salad

Recipe By :The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:10
Categories : McDougall

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 10 oz pkg Chinese noodles
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon ground fresh chile paste
1 dash sesame oil -- (optional)
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles. Cook until tender,
about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to separate the noodles. Pour into a
colander and rinse with cold water.

Combine the remaining ingredients, except the carrot and cilantro, in a large
bowl. Stir to mix and dissolve the sugar. Add the noodles, carrot, and
cilantro. Toss to mix. Serve immediately or chill up to 4 hours.

Monday, June 06, 2011

Cucumber Salad with Olives, Oregano, and Almonds

Serves 4 to 6 .

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We started our Cucumber Salad recipe by selecting American cucumbers, which are crunchier than their English cousins. Draining the thinly sliced cucumbers on paper towels helped to wick away some of their moisture...

This salad is best served within one hour of being dressed.

INGREDIENTS
4 cucumbers , peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced very thin
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives , chopped coarse
1 shallot , sliced very thin
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
3 tablespoons sliced almonds , toasted and chopped coarse

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Evenly spread cucumber slices on paper towel–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate while preparing dressing.
2. Bring vinegar to simmer in saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer vinegar to bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. When ready to serve, add cucumbers, olives, shallot, parsley, and oregano to dressing and toss to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes; retoss, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Potato Enchiladas


1 28-ounce can Green Chili Sauce Medium by Las Palmas

4 ounces water
1/3 cup salsa
2 cups mashed potatoes made with potato water instead of milk
10 flour tortillas
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add water to can of chili sauce and stir to combine. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish. Stir the salsa into the mashed potatoes and mix well. Spread a line of potatoes down the center of each tortillas; sprinkle on some green onions, corn, and green chilies. Roll up and place seam side down in casserole. Pout remaining sauce over tortillas, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.

Mexican Rice

3/4 cup water
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup chopped green onions
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 10-ounce can Ro-tel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup cilantro

Place water in saucepan. Add green onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salsa. Stir in the hot rice and mix well. Cook until heated through. Stir in the cilantro and serve at once.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Easy (Overnight) Spelt Pancakes

From the cookbook Vegan Yum Yum!

Makes approximately 25 silver-dollar sized pancakes (about enough for two people).

1 1/2 cup almond or soy milk
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS oil
1 cup spelt flour (you can substitute all-purpose flour*, but the spelt flour adds an amazing sweet flavor to this recipe)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp extract (any flavor, I used orange, but vanilla is a no-brainer)
1-2 TBS water, to thin batter (if needed)


Add milk to your blender. Add remaining ingredients, except the water, and blend for a few seconds until combined. Scrape down any dry flour stuck to the side of the jar and blend again. Place the top on the blender and refrigerate overnight. You can also use the batter immediately.

In the morning, place the blender back on the base and add 1-2 Tbs of water, blend to mix. This re-thins the batter that had thickened overnight.

Preheat oven to 200º F and put an oven-safe plate on the middle rack. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour the batter directly into the center of the ungreased, heated pan. I prefer silver dollar sized pancakes (2 1/2 to 3″ in diameter), but you can make any size you want. This batter will create fairly thin pancakes, which are great for staking and eating!

After a few minutes of cooking, the batter will start to bubble and set; flip your pancake! If your pancake doesn't look properly brown by this time, turn the heat up. If the pancake looks overly brown, turn the heat down.

As the pancakes finish cooking, stack them on the plate in the oven (this will keep the whole stack warm and soft while you’re cooking the others).

Serve with vegan margarine (Earth Balance) and real maple syrup.

Vegan or not, these are simply wonderful pancakes to make and share!

*If using only all-purpose flour for this recipe, you may need to add more liquid. Regular flour absorbs more moisture than spelt.

Basic White Bread (Bread Machine)

1 cup lukewarm water.
2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast (1 package rapid rise yeast will also work)
3 TBS honey
3 cups white bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tbs olive oil

Place water, yeast and honey in bread machine and stir lightly; allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, so the yeast can get started. Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Set-up the machine for "white bread" and press "start." The cycle time should take about 3 hours and 40 minutes to complete the loaf.

My Friend Monique's Amazing Potato and Leek Soup

5-6 large russet potatoes (or 10-12 small/medium)
2-3 leeks
water
salt
white pepper
Tofutti sour cream (blue tub brand which is not hydrogenated)

Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place potatoes into a soup pot and barely cover with water (my friend Monique never writes this recipe down and when she recites it verbally to friends, she always cautions, "don't put too much water in the pot!"); so don't put too much water in the pot!

Slice the roots off the leeks and discard any ragged or coarse outer leaves. Also trim the darkest green part off each stalk as you'll only use the tender light green and white portion of the vegetable for this recipe! Slice the leeks down the center and then slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Place in a bowl of cold water and bounce the leeks to remove the dirt (the dirt and grit will sink to the bottom). Repeat as necessary to ensure the leeks are clean! Place them in the pot with the potatoes, and add a little water if needed.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and bring soup to a simmer over medium heat; cook 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. When the potatoes pierce easily with a fork, use a hand-held potato masher to lightly mash everything into a creamy soup! Adjust seasoning if needed.

Place hot soup immediately in bowls and serve with a large dollop of Tofutti sour cream!

Serves 4-6 as a main course!

Note: Monique always makes this soup with regular sour cream; she will generally stir a whole, small container of sour cream right into the soup before serving. Although not vegan, this is a most excellent variation! If you are having guests and dairy is not a problem, this version makes an elegant first course.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Skillet Cajun Cabbage and Rice

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (you can also omit the oil to make this dish fat-free by sauteing using small amount of water)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) can Rotelle (diced tomatoes
with mild green chilies), un-drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup water
1 head Napa cabbage, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil (or simply use water if making the recipe without fat) in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sautee green pepper, onion, and garlic until the vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes.

2. Stir in Rotelle, tomato sauce, rice, salt, basil, oregano, the cayenne, white pepper, black pepper (adding more pepper to taste, if desired) and 1/3 cup of water; heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is gently simmering. Sprinkle chopped cabbage on top without stirring, turn heat to medium-low (you do not want the tomato sauce to burn) and cover tightly with a lid (if the cabbage is too high, smoosh a little with the lid until closed; the cabbage will cook down).

3. Cook 15 minutes, then remove lid and stir (make sure to get browned bits off bottom). If mixture looks to thick, add a little more water. Cover and cook another 5 minutes or until rice is soft and cooked-through. Stir one last time, and serve immediately!

Makes 6-8 servings depending on portion size.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Fernanda Gerhardt's Martini Prawns

Ingredients:
24 medium-large prawns, peeled and deveined
1 egg white
1/4 cup cornstarch
julienned carrots (about 2 bags)

Sauce:
3 T sugar
1 T orange juice
1 T water
1 T white vinegar
7 T mayonnaise
1 t Japanese 7 flavor chili powder
2 T Vietnamese garlic chili paste
1 T tobiko

Preparation:
Defrost the shrimp, if necessary, and pat dry.
Beat the whites of the egg, and add a little salt and pepper.
Blanch carrots in boiling water for a few minutes and drain.
Put the blanched carrots in the bottom of a martini glass, adding a spoonful of sauce to each glass.
Coat the shrimp with the cornstarch and deep fry in oil (canola or peanut) in small batches until done (1 to 2 minutes in a deep fryer).
Once the prawns are cooked, coat them with the sauce (if you are making several batches, keep them warm in the oven).
Top the carrots and sauce with the cooked, sauced pawns.

You can also serve them family style on a large platter of blanched carrots.

Monday, January 03, 2011

My Favorite Crock Pot Beans

1 pound small white Navy beans, rinsed
1 large sweet onion, medium dice
8 cloves garlic, peeled

Put beans, onion, and garlic in a 4 quart crock pot. Fill to about two-thirds with cold water. Put lid on and cook on high for about 6 to 8 hours. If beans seem too dry, add a little water. If beans seem to wet, cook with lid of for a while until desired consistency is reached.

These beans will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days. I sprinkle on a little kosher salt when eating them. They taste a lot like baked beans.

Chinese Noodle Soup


Adapted from The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook

4 cups Pacific Organic Low-sodium Vegetable Broth
1 cube Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt
2 cups water
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 inch square of fresh ginger, grated
5 ounces China Bowl Select Chinese Noodles
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/2 bottle Mezzetta Gourmet Baby Corn, drained (optional)
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and coarsely sliced (slice off stems and discard)
8 Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Saute mushrooms in a small amount of water until softened, about 5 minutes. Place broth, bouillon cube, water, garlic and ginger in a medium-large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add noodles, green onions, spinach, baby corn (if using), and sauteed mushrooms. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes stirring frequently to break apart noodles.

Serves 4

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Mushroom En Croute

Ingredients
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
3/4 pound mushrooms, chopped fine using a food processor
1 cup Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2cup)
1 TBS fresh thyme

Directions
Heat the oven to 375°F.  Beat 1 egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.

Mix the mushrooms. stuffing, remaining egg, onion and thyme in a large bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Cut slits 1-inch apart from the outer edge to the fold mark on each side of the pastry sheet.  Spoon the mushroom mixture down the center of the pastry. Starting at one end, fold the pastry strips over the mushroom mixture, alternating sides, to cover the mushroom mixture. Place the pastry onto a baking sheet.  Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the mushroom mixture is cooked through.  Let the pastry cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Tip: Serves 8 as an appetizer.

Sausage En Croute

Ingredients
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (reduced fat works well)
1 cup Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup chopped mushroom (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Heat the oven to 375°F.  Beat 1 egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.

Mix the sausage, stuffing, remaining egg, onion and mushrooms in a large bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Cut slits 1-inch apart from the outer edge to the fold mark on each side of the pastry sheet.  Spoon the sausage mixture down the center of the pastry. Starting at one end, fold the pastry strips over the sausage mixture, alternating sides, to cover the sausage mixture. Place the pastry onto a baking sheet.  Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the sausage is cooked through.  Let the pastry cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Tip: Serves 8 as an appetizer.

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