Below is a menu which will lead you to many of the recipes in my repetoire that I consider tried and true. So much so, indeed, that they are here on my webpage - now I travel with them, too! You, fair reader, are invited along for the ride. Enjoy.
Breakfast
Soups
Bean & Lentil Dishes (the most important section!)
Pastas
Eggplant/Squash Dishes
Vegetable (Side) Dishes
East Asian Dishes
South Asian Dishes (my favorite food - more learning needed!)
Big Daddy's Burrito Madness (RIP, Joe Sauer)
A Polenta Primer (making it from scratch with variety)
Fish (okay, really just salmon)
Dips, Dressings, Gravies
Cookies
Pastries, Breads
Puddings, Jellos, Pies, Cobblers, Ice Cream
Liquid Refreshments
Ingredient Substitutes
Ingredient Preparation, Jams & Jellies
A CATCHALL SECTION OF FOODIE MADNESS
Skinny Pancakes
1-1/2 cups flour (300 mg)
2 cups (almond/oat) milk
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2-4 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup oil/melted butter
Blend in blender for at least 1 minute, then let it rest for 5 minutes. Drop onto hot griddle with no need to grease skillet.
Joespudcake (Bro Joe's potato pancakes, from Grandma Mrazik originally)
one medium idaho spud, shredded
one egg
one heaping teaspoon of flour
3 scallions, sliced finely
pepper (Grandma) or marjoram (Czech) to taste
minced garlic to taste (Czech)
salt to taste, AFTER cooked and sprinkled on top after papered
oil
Mix the motley crew together, using only a drizzle of oil in the mix. Fry in oil PRE-heated to med-hi heat. Brown one side and, when the uncooked side has mostly changed color or you can see enough browning on the edges, flip to cook the other. Adjust the heat to brown without burning too quickly; perhaps use a spatula to flatten and shape only a little the 'cakes a bit while frying.
NOTE: add the salt afterward, as the potato will leak a lot more water if the salt is added to the batter prior to frying.
Crepes
1 cup flour (200 mg)
250ml milk (not skim)
1 egg
pinch of salt (optional)
vegetable or corn oil
This works well as it is and can be adjusted to your taste: if you want to add one more egg or a bit more flour, it will still work.
Put all ingredients in a blender, turn it on and let go for about 30 seconds or until everything is mixed in well. You should have a fairly runny and smooth batter. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to get rid of bubbles or break them up with a spoon, if you don't want to wait.
Choose a skillet according to the size of the crepes you want to make. Warm it up over medium heat and put a few drops of oil (half a teaspoon) on it turning around to coat. Pour some of the batter onto the skillet carefully but quickly turning it so that the batter spreads thinly. It should start setting as soon as you drop the batter onto the skillet.
When the batter is set and the egdes start to come loose, do whatever you want to flip the crepe over. You can turn it with the help of a spatula or just toss it up in the air to flip it. Cook the other side for a minute or so. Repeat the procedure until you use up all the batter.
You can spread a little butter on each crepe and:
a. drizzle some honey on it
b. sprinkle it with a little bit of lime or lemon juice and fine sugar
c. spread marmelade or some kind of fruit topping
Or else you can use it to make an entree. Fill each crepe with your favorite filling, roll it up and cover with a good sauce.
French Toast
2-3 eggs cinnamon (to taste)
nutmeg (to taste)
1/2 cup milk
4-6 slices bread
Mix all of the ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip bread one at time into the batter/mixture, immediately placing it on a buttered skillet at medium heat. Fry one side at a time, flipping only once and removing when "toasted". When all slices have been made, cut into 1 inch squares and sprinkle sugar over them.
Violeta's Spanish Omelet
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 potatoes, sliced thin
5 eggs
diced pimientos
In olive oil over medium heat, cook the chopped onion and the potatoes until soft. Separately in a bowl, beat the eggs together. When the potatoes/onions are cooked, mix with the eggs and then dump into the skillet. When ready to flip a few minutes later, use a plate to help do the job quickly by sliding the omelet from the pan to the plate and then flipping the plate back onto the (newly oiled) pan. Cook until cooked through. Serve with diced pimientos.
West Coast Granola
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup peanut/canola oil
1-3/4 cups honey (or half!)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 cups slivered almonds/coconut
2 cups raisins/date pieces
Preheat the oven to 325F, then over medium heat combine the oil, honey, water, vanilla, and salt. Bring this to a boil while stirring, then pour this over the oats in a bowl before mixing. Spread this mix over two rimmed cookie sheets and bake ten minutes before rotating for another five minutes. Now put on the almonds/coconut and bake for five minutes more. Take out to cool and mix in raisins/dates.
Minestrone D'inverno (Winter Vegetable Soup/Mush)
4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
4 cups of vegetable broth
3 medium (russet) potatoes, cubed
4 cabbage leaves, chopped bite-size
5 tsp tomato paste
2/3 cup rice (short grain)
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
grated parmesan to taste
olive oil
Cover the bottom of a stockpot with the oil and cook carrots, onions, and celery until onions are soft. Add the potatoes, cabbage, broth, and tomato paste and cook this slowly for 30 minutes (lowest temperature that keeps a boil of any sort). This will be quite liquid, but one can add boiling water should it start to dry up. After those 30 minutes, add rice and parsley and continue to cook on low heat until rice is cooked. Typically when the rice is cooked one is left with more of a mush than a soup - adjust water if wanting more of a soup, but the mush is fine as is. Add grated parmesan on top as desired.
OTHER OPTIONS: can replace the potatoes and cabbage with peas, tomatoes, and zucchini for a more springtime soup. Leafy vegetables mean less water needed. Can use a parmesan rind from the beginning of cooking phase for added flavor.
Carabaccia...the original French onion soup from Italy?
3 large red onions
2 medium carrots
4 celery stalks
salt and pepper to taste
Italian bread, possibly 3 days old
olive oil
grated parmesan cheese
Coarsely chop the onions, carrots and celery. Place them in a large pot with abundant olive oil (cover the bottom of the pot and get some heat going first). Add salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on low heat for about 1 hour. Stir often, but do not add water - the vegetables will produce enough.
After one hour, when the veggies are fragrant, toast 4-6 thick slices of the bread. Quickly dip them in hot water and place one in each soup bowl. Cover the bread with the carabaccia and serve after sprinkling with abundant grated parmesan cheese.
IMPROVEMENTS TO TRY: measure and steadily lower the olive oil while maintaining taste
Thubu wa Jugu (African Bean Soup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch spinach, coarsely chopped (can add late)
1 cup red yam, peeled and cubed
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 large zucchini, or other squash, sliced
1 medium bell (or red) pepper, chopped
1 cup precooked black beans (or cubed eggplant)
1 cup red lentils (not soaked)
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup peanuts, unsalted and roasted (or cashews)
salt to taste
1/4 cup minced cilantro
Sauté onions and garlic in oil in large soup pot until soft. Add vegetables, beans, and lentils and sauté for around 5 minutes. Add curry powder and pepper and just enough water to cover (at most an inch above veggies). Bring to a boil.
Add peanuts and salt, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 25 minutes. Add cilantro (important to add this late not to lost flavor), stir, and turn off the heat with the pot covered. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestion: cook and mash plantains or even bananas as a side dish.
Cauliflower and Bread Soup (Zuppa Di Cavolo E Pane)
1 Head Cauliflower with leaves
Italian bread
salt and pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil
parmesan cheese, grated
Remove the outside leaves of the cauliflower (kale can be a substitute, perhaps) and boil them in a large quantity of salted water in a soupl pot for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cauliflower (or use hands to avoid crumbling) into florets and add them to the pot. When the florets are tender, remove the leaves and the florets, keeping the water they were cooked in. Coarsely chop the leaves so that they are bite-size.
Toast thick slices of the bread (2 or 3 for each person) in the oven, then rub them (both sides) with the peeled garlic cloves. Soak the bread in the water you have kept, and place one slice in each soup bowl.
Sprinkle the bread the salt, pepper, olive oil, and parmesan. Spread a layer of florets and leaves, add some water over it and continue the layers until the soup bowl is full. Also very good the next day left out at room temperature.
Serves 4 or 6.
My Favorite Piroshky Borscht
1/3 of a green cabbage, chopped in small strips (2 cm. long or so)
1 red pepper
4 medium potatoes, cubed
1 green pepper
1 tsp-1 tbsp sugar
pepper
fresh dill
fresh parsley
sauté ingredients (as soon as bubbling, stop - must stay red!):
3 beets, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
sour cream (dollop per bowl or to taste)
Get a pot of water (14 cups) boiling. Throw the potatoes in. 5-7 minutes later, throw in the cabbage. 2-3 minutes later, throw in the sauté mix. Salt and boil this, plus whole red and green peppers. Later, add sugar, pepper, fresh dill and fresh parsley to taste. Serve each bowl with a dollop of sour cream.
Squash Soup
2 delicata squashes
olive oil
leeks chopped finely, many
carrots chopped finely, not many
onions chopped finely, not many
celery chopped finely, not many
vegetable boullion
salt
pepper
sage
hazelnuts or pecans,crushed/roasted
peanut butter (little)
Cook squashes by halving, removing seed innards, then baking at 375F for 30-45 minutes by putting olive oil on a cookie sheet and placing the squashes on it cut-side down. When done, scoop out the innards pure in a blender.
Meanwhile sauté finely chopped carrots, leeks, onions, and celery in oil. Then pure in a blender to desired texture.
In a pot with 2-3 cups water, put in boullion, salt, pepper, and sage to taste. Simmer/cook as long as possible. Add pures at some point, then cook for however long you want. Can add roasted and crushed hazelnuts or pecans, cream, peanut butter...
Ukrainian Soup (Marcela)
1/2 onion
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large can (20+ oz.) sour kraut
3 heaping tbsp spoons of flour
2 cans kidney/red/white beans
8 cups of water
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
bread crumbs (~4 slices worth)
3 cubes vegetable boullion
Fry the onion in the oil, then mix altogether and heat.
Mushroom Soup (Marcela)
1/2 onion, chopped
4-5 potatoes
many mushrooms (more dry kind the better)
4 eggs
4 heaping tbsp flour
container whipped cream
vetetable broth
salt
Start boiling the potatoes in salt. When nearly done, throw in the mushrooms and vegetable broth. Later, crack the eggs and put in. Aside, mix cream and flour. When potatoes are cooked, add in cream mixure, bring to a boil, then simmer.
K-2's Potato-Mushroom Soup
1-2 tbsp butter
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 yukon gold/red potatoes, cubed
many mushrooms (more dry kind the better), chopped
2 tbsp flour
salt
Melt butter in pan, then add the carrot, garlic, onion and sautée for 2 minutes. Pour 3 cups of water over this and add mushrooms and potatoes. Boil until the mushrooms and potatoes are soft. Added 1/4 cup water already mixed with the flour to thicken the soup. Keep this boiling for 5 minutes. Bring down the temperature, add some salt and pepper to taste. Can add herbs/spices, but avoid strong spices like oregano or thyme.
Tomato Soup
(use more tomatoes for more soup!)
10-1000 tomatoes (adjust accordingly)
1-1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
several cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
fresh basil
salt, pepper
optional: sour cream
optional: vegebase broth. 1-2 cups worth.
Tomato prep: score the bottom of each tomato, and core out the stem. Skin the 'maters by dipping them into boiling water and removing them when the skin loosens. Cool and remove skins. Cut tomatoes in half to squeeze out the seeds. Then place the maters in a pot and mush them up.
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent (onions). Put the onion/garlic mush in with the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Then simmer a looooooong time. At some point, throw this in a blender with some sour cream and blend away. Be careful to only blend a little at a time as it may explode. Let this concoction simmer some more and add a handful of chopped basil. Simmer, simmer, simmer to reduce. Then serve, topped with cheddar cheese.
Vegan German-ish Lentil Thick Soup
350 g brown lentils
200 g carrots
200 g knob celery (celeriac)
600 g potatoes
1 onion
2-3 bay leafs
1.5 to 2 L vegetable broth
olive oil
Salt, Pepper, Marjoram
(optional) lemon juice/vinegar and sugar
Chop all the veggies in pieces of the same size. Gently roast the onions with a bit of oil in your pot. Add carrots and celery and roast for a bit. Add the veggy broth, bay leafs, and marjoram. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your vegetable slices). Don’t forget to stir from time to time to avoid burning. Add potatoes and lentils and season with salt and pepper. Let "simmer" on medium for 15 minutes or until the potatoes and lentils are done. Season to your taste with lemon juice or vinegar and sugar.
Tips: The most important ingredient for this soup and many other stews is knob celery. It adds lots of flavour to the dish. Celery is seasonal from July to November. Other important ingredients in this recipe are potatoes and carrots, both can be harvested from June to November. Highly recommended to season the soup with lemon juice or vinegar and sugar. The mix of sourness and sweetness completes the dish.
Lentil-Chickpea Sauté With Apple and Curry
1 cup uncooked lentils
1 16oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 small red onion, diced
1-2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1-1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup water
1 apple, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups cooked brown rice (1-1/3 cups uncooked)
In a medium saucepan, cook the lentils in water to cover over medium heat until tender, about 25 minutes, drain. Stir in the chickpeas and set aside. In a large saucepan, cook the onion and the garlic in the oil, stirring, over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the curry, ginger, and cayenne, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the soy sauce, raisins, and water, and cook 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the apple during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Just before serving, sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over rice, accompany with plain yogurt or a small salad.
Red Lentil Curry
1/2 cup uncooked red lentils
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 5oz can coconut milk
1/2 onion, diced
2 cups water
1 small carrot, diced(br) 1 rib celery, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup yams/sweet potatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
cooked brown rice (optional)
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cover and bring to a boil. Add more water if necessary. Stir well, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft. Serve over rice.
Hummus de Itay
1/2 kg garbanzo beans, pre-soaked
1/3-1/2 tsp salt
tahini (1/3-1/2 amount of beans)
1-2 lemons
Cook the beans to a boil, simmering long enough to easily finger-crush. Blend with a little water (the leftover liquid from the boiling is better). Cool for 10 minutes+, until less than room temperature. Mix in tahini to about 1/3 to 1/2 of the amount of beans. In a bowl, fold in tahini with beans, adding the juice of 1-2 lemons, then 1/3-1/2 tsp salt and fold more by scooping around the edges. Add a little water if necessary. For more thickness, add tahini. The hummus should fall relatively easily from spoon.
Another method (hot): withhold some beans after cooked, use about double the tahini, and increase the lemons as well. Can add pressed garlic, pickled chili juice, pinch of cumin, pinch of chili powder, adding withheld beans late.
Manny's Cuban Black Beans
4 15oz cans black beans
2 large green peppers
2/3 cp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp. oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil (for last minute)
2 tbsp. dry wine
(saffron) rice (to serve over)
[meat monkeys can add ham hocks]
Cook beans in water 1.5cm over level until beans are soft (~15 minutes). In a frying pan, heat 2/3 cup olive oil and saute the onion and the green peppers (now diced), then garlic as well after onion is translucent. Pour about 1 cup of beans into frying pan and mash them to combine with the ingredients in the frying pan. Add frying pan contents to bean pot. Add dry spices. Cook on high heat for 1 hour, then add vinegar and dry wine. Cook on low for another 30 minutes-1 hour (until soft). Add a little water as necessary. When ready, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Serve over rice.
Black Beans Cuban Style
2 cups (1 lb.) dry black beans
1 medium tomato, chunked
4 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, chunked
2 cloves garlic, chunked
1 medium green pepper, cut in large strips
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 medium green pepper, chopped finely
1 tsp hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp crushed oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
3 1/2 tbsp wine vinegar
Wash beans; place in a deep bowl and cover with water 2 inches above beans; soak overnight. Next day, pour beans into 3-4 qt kettle with same soaking water (if necessary, add water so that beans will be covered by an inch layer of water). Add first set of ingredients. Bring to a boil; lower heat to medium; cover and cook 1 hour. Remove and discard tomato, onion, green pepper, garlic.
Saute chopped onions and green pepper in oil. Remove some excess oil. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, wine vinegar, and salt. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then add to beans. Stir in hot sauce; cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot with cooked yellow rice and chopped raw onions.
Moroccan Lentil Mush-To-Soup
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp curry powder (good quality goes a long way!!!)
1 can (19 oz) lentil soup
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained well
1 can (15 oz) peeled and dice tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup water
2 cups prewashed spinach leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
rice - to serve over; perhaps a pilaf
In pan heat olive oil over med-lo heat, then add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add curry powder and stir another 30 seconds. Add lentil soup, garbanzo beans, tomatoes and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to med-lo and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir spinach into soup and simmer a few minutes or until wilted. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
NOTE: Can easily increase the beans and lentils to make more quantity.
Brazilian Beans
Choose your favourite non-black and non-white beans (pinto, cranberry, red kidney, etc). Soak them overnight and cook them in plenty of water and a couple of bay leaves (you can skip soaking if you have a pressure cooker and let them go for 20 minutes after the pressure has built up). No salt yet or else they get too tough.
After they've cooked to the point of being tender rather than still crunchy, take them off the heat and prepare the following:
1 large onion finely chopped
4+ garlic cloves crushed
1/2 cup of diced green pepper
1/2 cup of diced red pepper
1 cup cilantro leaves torn coarsely
1 cup of diced tomatoes
Put some oil on a skillet, heat it up and add the onions. Sautee for about 2 minutes at medium heat and add the garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep sauteeing until the onions become translucent but not browned. Add the whole thing to the beans with the rest of the vegetables except for the cilantro. Boil the beans for another 20 minutes or until they begin to thicken and then add the cilantro and cook for another 5 minutes.
Note you can add your favourite seasoning with the vegetables. I recommend cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, chopped fresh chiles (habanero, jalapeno or the Brazilian malagueta and pimenta de cheiro). Also remember to taste and adjust the salt after you add the vegetables. Optionally, you can add the juice of one lime or some red wine vinegar.
Bill Duffy's Red Beans and Rice
4 cans kidney beans
1 medium sized onion
Chef Prudhomme's Cajun or Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (tofu?) cooked sausage
2 bay leaves
1 cup rice
Drain and rinse the beans. Cube and optionally brown the sausage (or marinate the cubed sausage in beer instead of browning). In a pot, place the beans, 4 cups water, bay leaves, cayenne pepper and the sausage. Boil for 30 minutes on HI (covered). Add the seasoning (heavy dashes) intermittantly while boiling; Chop the onion up on the side. When done boiling, mash the beans with a spoon against the side of the pot a bit. Add the onion. Cover and simmer (LOW or MED-LOW heat) for 10-20 minutes. Cook the rice while this simmering. If the pot doesn't have a good seal, then increase the water by 50%. You can also lower the heat and cook longer for enhanced mushiness.
A Lentils Template
lentils
pepper
carraway seeds
salt
zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onion, garlic, green pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, tomatoes...
(olive, sesame) oil
curry powder
rice
Cook lentils apart in boiling water. Fry vegetables in oil in order of need and taste release: Broccoli, carrots and cauliflower first, then zucchini, onions, peppers next; seeds, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes in oil. Mix all and then add curry powder, salt, and pepper - saute more. Serve over rice. A good subset of veggies would be: garlic, onion, mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, pineapple. These have good contrasting tastes.
Mountain Biker's Veggie Chili
1 tbsp.+ olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 anaheim pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeños, chopped
OPTIONAL 3 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. chili powder
6 oz. can pineapple juice
1 28 oz. can chopped (plum) tomatoes
1 onion OPTIONAL
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
In a large pot, heat the oil and then sauté the onions and peppers until soft (~ 10 minutes). Sauté the garlic only in the last 30 seconds or so. Stir in spices, then dump in everything else. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes. NOTE: cornbread is a great side, as is serving this over rice. Can add more cumin and chili powder to taste.
Black Beans and Couscous Santa Fe Style
1 package (10 oz) quick-cooking couscous
6 lettuce leaves
1 large fresh lime or lemon
3 tbsp ex. virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Blue corn chips (optional)
1 to 2 bunches scallions (green onions, for 3/4 cup chopped)
1 medium red or green bell pepper (for 1 cup chopped)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, tightly packed (optional)
1 cup frozen corn kernels, preferably extra-sweet
1. Bring 2 1/4 cups unsalted water to a boil in a 2-quart or larger saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 mins. (Note - just follow the instructions on the couscous box which calls for butter and salt in the water.)
2. Meanwhile, if the lettuce isn't prewashed, rinse it, drain, and spin or pat dry. Place a lettuce leaf on each serving plate.
3. Cut the lime or lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a 3-quart or larger serving bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, and cumin and whish to blend well. Chop the scallions, including enough of the tender green tops to make 3/4 cup. Add to the bowl with the dressing. Seed the bell pepper and chop it into bite-size pieces, adding it to the bowl as you chop. Chop and add the cilantro or parsley (if using).
4. Place the frozen corn in a colander and rinse under cold water to defrost slightly. Shake vigorously to drain well and add to the bowl. Drain the black beans in the colander and rinse under cold water. Shake to remove as much water as possible, then add the beans to the bowl. Stir to mix the vegetables and dressing.
5. [If you're in a hurry - pour couscous into the colander, throw in 2 handfuls of ice cubes and rinse under cold water, tossing with the ice cubes until the couscous reaches room temperature. Drain well, removing ice cubes.] Fluff couscous to break up chunks, then add to the bowl and stir well. Season with salt and black pepper. Top the lettuce with the salad and serve with blue corn chips (if using).
Tomato-Lentil-Onion Goulash
1 cup lentils
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions (or less) chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can tomatoes, reserve juice
1 lb. real/tofu kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
Rinse lentils; place in a heavy, covered saucepan. Add enough water to just cover lentils. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until lentils are softened. While lentils cook, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil; add to lentils along with all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on lowest heat for 2-3 hours, occasionally adding a cup of water when needed to keep from getting too reduced in moisture. "Serves 8."
Influenced Vegetable Stew
3/4 cup raw kidney beans, soaked overnight, then cooked in boiling water until tender (1-1/2 to 2 hours), drained
3 tbsp olive oil
4 medium cloves crushed garlic
1-1/2 cp chopped onion
1-1/4 tsp salt
1 cup thinly sliced potatoes
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
lots of fresh black pepper
crushed red hot pepper, to taste
juice from 1 large lemon
2 large carrots, sliced
1 small cauliflower, broken into small flowerettes
4 medium-szied fresh, ripe tomatoes, cubed
2 tsp honey
In a very large skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil, with salt, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add potatoes, spices, and lemon juice. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Add small amounts of water if it appears to be sticking.)
Add remaining ingredients, except beans. Cover, and let it stew over medium heat about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked beans, stir, cover, and let it simmer about 10 minutes more.
Alison Roman's Shallot Pasta
1 lb shallots, sliced finely (1mm)
1 tin anchovy filets
5 cloves garlic, sliced finely (1mm)
pasta - preferred thin and hollow, bucatini?
tube/can of tomato paste
light olive oil to saute
topping:
1 clove fresh garlic, knife-minced
parsley, chopped
flaky salt
Saute shallots and sliced garlic in a wide (12in) skillet on med-hi in a healthy amount of olive oil. Go for crispy-fried-toast-ish browned more than carmelized. Then drop in the anchovies (not its oil!) and the tomato paste. Keep stirring, but not too long. This will turn into a paste as the liquid evaporates. Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente, then drop it into the skillet along with a small amount of the water in which it was boiled. Each strand should be lightly coated with the paste and it should be done when a bit sticky.
Near serving time, chop the parsley, mince the fresh garlic and sprinkle the salt on top, tossing lightly in a bowl. Serve the pasta with this topping generously plopped on top. Parmesan can be added, too.
The remaining paste can be used on roasted veggies, added as a dollop to rice, put in a stew/soup, saute shrimp/seafood in, mix in with scrambled eggs or put on a fried one, slathered on (avocado, perhaps?) toast... Treat it as a condiment.
Trip's Lasagna
15-20 lasagna noodles
Sauce ingredients:
1 medium onion - chopped finely
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
32+ oz spaghetti sauce
3/4 teaspoon oregano
dash of garlic powder
dash of black pepper
green pepper - chopped finely
thyme (to taste)
Worchestershire sauce to taste
basil (to taste)
Cheese filling ingredients:
12 ounces cottage cheese
1/4 cup parmesan
3 eggs
12 ounces chopped mozzarella
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Brown the onion and green pepper in oil, removing excess grease. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to this - simmer 10 minutes. Separately mix the cheese filling ingredients together thoroughly. In a 9x13 baking dish, layer sauce, noodles, and cheese filling (in that order), ending with sauce. Sprinkle the top with parmesan if desired. Bake covered with foil at 375F for 40 to 45 minutes. Let it set for 10 minutes uncovered.
Jumbo Shells With Cheese Filling
1/2 pkg Jumbo Shells (6 oz)
16-32 oz spag. sauce (Clas.)
Filling ingredients:
6 oz mozzarella, diced or shredded
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
16 oz cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper (to taste)
dash of nutmeg (to taste)
basil (to taste)
oregano (to taste)
thyme (to taste)
garlic powder (to taste)
Prepare pasta as directed on the package, cooking for about 9 minutes. Rinse with cold water. While the pasta is cooking, mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Fill the cooked shells with the mixture. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan with some of the sauce. Arrange the shells in a single layer in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and bake covered or uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 F. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Pasta Genovese
garlic, chopped (approx. 4 cloves)
olive oil
1/4 cup basil (fresh), chopped
grated parmesan (to top)
1 lb. vermicelli
1 can sliced ripe olives
1 can marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
2 chopped, peeled, and seeded tomatoes
Put vermicelli, cooked and drained, in pan with hot olive oil (start with 1/4 cup); toss with sliced ripe olives, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes.
Tempeh Pasta Salad
Marinate Group:
2 pkg tempeh (16 oz)
1 1/2 cups sunflower oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
5 tablespoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup red wine
Saute Group:
1 lb. pasta spirals or rotini, preferably spinach
2 cups broccoli, chopped
3 quarts water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
black pepper to taste
Combine oil, vinegar, 4 tbsp. tamari, wine, and ginger in bowl. Add tempeh and marinate. Stir occasionally.
Cook pasta. Drain and pour cold water over pasta.
Saute broccoli, garlic, and basil together with 1 tbso. oil until bright green and tender but not overcooked. Set aside in a bowl to cool. Add remaining 3 tbsp. oil to frying pan. When hot, add tempeh after draining and reserving marinade. Cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Pour 1 tsp. tamari over it. Cook 1 minute more. Turn off heat and cool.
Toss 1/3 cup of marinate, remaining tsp. tamari, and the rest of ingredients with pasta. Stir well.
Pasta Primavera
2 tblsp margarine or butter
1/2 cp broccoli flowerets
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/4 cp chopped red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can broccoli cheese soup
1 cp milk
1/4 cp parmesan cheese
3 cps (8 oz uncooked) cooked fettucini
In skillet over medium heat, in hot margarine, cook broccoli, carrot, red pepper and garlic until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring often.
Stir in soup, milk, and cheese. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, Pour over futtucini; toss to coat.
Garnish with red pepper strips and basil, if desired.
Baba Ghanouj de Itay
1 eggplant
2 large cloves garlic
1+ tbsp tahini
2 pinches salt
1+ lemon, juiced
Cut off the stem of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant next in half, longwise. Heat a coverable skillet on medium-high with a layer of olive oil to cover the bottom. When pretty hot, put in the eggplant cut-side down. Over two minutes cook the eggplant, shaking the pan a bit to prevent sticking. All the oil should be absorbed.
Next put a layer of water to cover the pan's bottom, lowering the heat a bit, and covering. If the water absorbs, add more. The eggplant should be soft enough in about 15 minutes. after softened, let the eggplant cool before removing the skin by scooping the contents into a bowl.
Make the scooped eggplant into a paste, possibly adding a little water. Add two minced (or pressed, better) cloves of garlic. Mix. Add a tablespoon of tahini and a couple pinches of salt. Mix. Add about a lemon's-worth of juice and a tsp of olive oil. Mix. Can add more tahini for more thickness.
Garlicky Eggplant
1 large eggplant
1 large clove garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
pita bread
Prick eggplant with fork or knife a few times. Microwave eight minutes, turning over afterward. Microwave another eight minutes. Let sit for ten minutes afterward.
Cut open and peel out eggplant flesh into a bowl. Drain out extra water. Mash clove with salt in mortar/pestle till mushy. Add that and olive oil to eggplant, stirring thoroughly. Eat with pita.
Eggplant Parmesan
1 medium eggplant, unpared and sliced in 1/2-inch slices
2 large homegrown tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings
3/4 cup margarine, melted and divided (can half this)
2-3 slices whole wheat bread, toasted and made into crumbs
1/2 teas. dried basil 3/4 teas. garlic salt
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450F (425F if using a glass dish). Arrange eggplant in the bottom of a 9x13 aluminum baking pan; top with tomato and onion. Drizzle 1/2 cup margarine over the entire casserole; sprinkle with basil and garlic salt. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella cheese which has been cut into triangular pieces. Toss crumbs with 1/4 cup melted margarine and spread over casserole; top with parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
Mom's Eggplant Parmigiana
2 cps/1 typical jar spaghetti sauce (chunky veggie)
2 medium/1 large eggplant
2 eggs (maybe 3)
2 tbsp water (up to 6)
2/3 cp dry bread crumbs (1 cp)
1/3 cp grated parmesan (1/2 cp)
olive oil
2 cp shredded mozzarella (3)
Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch slices. Mix egg and water. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan. Dip eggplant into egg mixture, then bread mixture. Heat oil in skillet on med-hi and cook eggplant in oil, about 5 minutes each, turning once, until light brown, drain.
Place half of the eggplant in an ungreased baking dish (9x13) overlapping slightly. Spoon half of sauce over the eggplant, then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining halves.
Bake covered at 400F for about 45 minutes if using doubled (two layers of eggplant) ingredients, 25 minutes otherwise. Sauce should be bubbly and cheese light brown.
Three Sissy Stew
1 cup dried lima beans (soak for an hour)
1 can kidney beans
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. fresh or 2 teas. dried oregano
1 teas. cumin (can do seed)
1/2 teas. cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1-1/2 teas. sea salt
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups butternut squash, (peeled and) chunked
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. chili powder
1-1/2 cups fresh/frozen corn
garnish: grated cheese
Drain and rinse beans. Cook lima beans until cooked to taste/consistency desired in boiling water in one medium pot. In another small pot, cook the kidney beans until cooked to taste/consistency desired in boiling water with the whole cloves of garlic. In a third BIG pot, dry roast the oregano, cumin, and cinnamon for all of 30 seconds or so. Then add the oil, onion, salt and minced garlic to this big pot and saute until the onion is translucent. Next add the squash, tomatoes, chili powder and corn and cook on medium high heat (low boiling) until the squash is cooked. Add the beans to the big pot, mix well, and simmer on low for as long as you want.
Creole Zucchini
olive oil
2-3 tbsp chopped onion
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 cup peeled/chopped tomatoes
4 oz. tomato sauce
Sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil. Add zucchini and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, worchestershire sauce, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes - do not overcook! "Serves 4."
Delicata-Black Bean-yata
2 delicata (or butternut or dumpling) squashes
1 can black beans (can use others, too)
olive oil
cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Halve the squashes and get rid of the guts. On a cookie sheet, with a little olive oil on the sheet, place the squashes face (cutside) down on the sheet and stuff em in the oven. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes (will feel a little soft to the touch when done). Heat up the beans in a pan separately. When the squashes are done, take them out of the oven, put the beans inside, then cover with cheddar cheese. Put them back in the oven (now face up!!!) to melt the cheese. Chow down. (you can scoop out the goodness, or eat them skin and all)
Zucchini-Tomato Bake
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
4 unpeeled zucchini, finely sliced
salt
pepper
celery
2 large tomatoes, peeled, chopped
parmesan cheese
Brown onion in butter. Add zucchini and cook only until soft, adding more butter if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and celery salt. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Pour into a 1-quart casserole. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350F for 1 hour.
Comfort Curry Squash
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium butternut squash (~ 2-3/4 lb), peeled and cut into 3/4-in cubes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2-3 tbsp curry paste
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
8 oz bag fresh baby spinach, rinsed
salt
pepper
Heat oil in a large deep pan, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the squash, garlic, and curry and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and simmer for 10 minutes (add extra stock/water as necessary).
Stir in spinach, cover and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper and spoon into serving bowls, topping with plain, lowfat yogurt.
Roasting Squash Seeds
Preheat oven to 400°F. After scooping seeds and "guts" from squash, use your fingers to separate the seeds from the goopy flesh. Put seeds in a large bowl and then cover seeds with cool water and and swish around. Pull off any bits of squash still clinging to the seeds. Drain squash seeds and shake off any excess water. Spread on a clean kitchen towels or layer of paper towels and dry thoroughly. Put seeds in a bowl and toss with about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, or seasoned salt, if you like, and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until golden and crispy, about 15 minutes. Let cool at least slightly and serve warm or at room temperature. Roasted squash seeds keep well in an air-tight container for several days.
Cooking Spaghetti Squash
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F: Preheat the oven while you prep the squash. Slice the squash in half: Use a chef's knife to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise from stem to tail. Spaghetti squash are really tough and hard, so be cautious and work slowly. You can cradle the squash in a balled-up dish cloth to keep it steady as you cut.
2. Scoop out the seeds: Use a soup spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits of flesh from inside the squash. Be careful of actually digging into the flesh though — we want that! The inside should look clean and fairly smooth.
3. Place the squash in a roasting pan: Place the squash halves cut-side down in a roasting pan.
4. Pour in a little water (optional): Pour a little water in the pan, enough to cover the bottom. Your squash will roast just fine without it, but I find that the water helps the squash steam and become more tender. You can also cover the pan with aluminum foil, if you prefer.
5. Cook the squash for 30 to 45 minutes: Check the squash after 30 minutes to gauge cooking. The squash is done when tender: The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands.
6. Scrape out the squash: Use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel and to separate the flesh into strands. The strands wrap around the squash horizontally — rake your fork in the same direction as the strands to make the longest "noodles."
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.
Shiitake Fried Rice
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 inch ginger chopped
3-4 garlic cloves chopped
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms fresh or dried
1 tbsp soy sauce
Salt + pepper + paprika to taste
1/4 cup vegetable broth optional (if you don't like a dry fried rice) 1.5 cups cooked (0.5 cups uncooked) rice
freshly chopped parsley
sesame seeds toasted
For dried mushrooms, add the shrooms to a bowl and add 2 cups water. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Drain, slice into pieces, and set aside. For fresh mushrooms, simply rinse and slice into pieces. Set aside.
Heat a pan over low-medium heat. Add sesame oil. Once it's hot, add ginger + garlic + onion. Stir and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes over the same low-medium heat. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, and vegetable broth (if using). Stir and cook for 2 minutes (4-5 minutes if you're using veggie broth). Next, add the cooked rice and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with freshly chopped parsley + toasted sesame seeds and serve.
Mediterranean Beets
beets, boiled and sliced
goat cheese
fresh basil, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt
Lay down a plain of sliced beets, scattering chopped basil and crumbled cheese over them. Sprinkle oil, vinegar and salt on top.
Kaiola's Red Peppers
can/jar of preserved red peppers
garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
olive oil
salt and sugar to taste
white wine
Sauté the garlic in olive oil until they change color. Lay out red pepper strips in the oil and sauté some more, adding some white wine, salt, and sugar to taste.
Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
2 slices stale bread (French, Italian)
18-20 large (2 in./5 cm.) white or crimini mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup packed chopped fresh spinach
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp red wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
Preheat oven to 450F. Crumb the bread. Clean mushrooms and remove stems, finely chopping them. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil on medium-low heat until golden. Stir in mushroom stems and spinach; sauté for about 2 minutes. Add basil, parsley, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, then set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the wine and soy sauce. Dip the mushroom caps in this mixture, coating them thoroughly, then fill each with breadcrumb structure, mounding slightly. Put the mushrooms in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake uncovered 10-15 minutes, until they release their juices and the filling is browned and crispy. Serve hot.
Broccoli and Swiss Cheese Quiche
9-inch frozen deep-dish pie crust, thawed
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup coffee cream or light cream
1/3 cup vegetable broth
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp pepper
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2-3 shakes tabasco sauce
8 oz. swiss cheese, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
10-oz frozen broccoli, cooked and well-drained OR
1 bunch fresh broccoli, cooked, chopped, and well-drained
PIE CRUST: Price pie crust in several places with fork; sprinkle bottom with parmesan cheese; cook in a preheated 400F oven for 10 minutes. Cool before filling.
QUICHE FILLING: Combine cream and broth, eggs, peppers, salt, and tabasco; stir to blend and set aside. Layer 1/2 of the Swiss cheese, onion and broccoli in prepared pie crust; repeat one time. Pour cream mixture on top and bake in a preheated 425F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until center is set.
Mexican Cheese Rice
2-2 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice (1-1/4 cups uncooked)
8 oz. (lowfat) sour cream
1 cup grated sharp cheese
1 4 oz. can mild green chiles, undrained
(4 oz. pimientos)
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients and spoon into a shallow ungreased casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese turns golden brown. "Serves 6."
This was nice, and particularly good to try with various hot sauces. I'd be very tempted at add pimientos and black pepper to up its flavors without the hot sauces. Using lowfat sour cream was fine, and I'd probably next try it with 6 or 4 ounces and a sharper cheese than medium cheddar.
Blue Cheese Potato Salad
5 lbs boiled/steamed potatoes (just tender)
1 cup blue cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp salt
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1 tsp pepper
2 bunches chopped green onions
Steam potatoes until just tender, about 18 minutes. Let cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Combine remaining ingredients, except green onions and parsley, to make a dressing. Toss cooked potatoes with dressing. Add parsley and garnish with chopped onions.
Grandma Troutman's (Pennsylvania Dutch Style) Potato Salad
8 boiled potatoes
1/2 bunch celery, diced
2 hard boiled eggs
1 medium onion minced
1 tbsp parsley, minced
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup vinegar (can use sweet pickle juice in part or all)
1/3 tsp dry mustard (or 1 tsp prepared mustard)
1/3 tsp pepper
[meat monkeys can add bacon to frying pan step, cooking it first]
Boil potatoes in jackets (I sliced them 3/4 inch thick), removing skins when soft. Mix with celery, onion, and hard boiled eggs and let stand in bowl.
Mix spices, vinegar and eggs and put into olive-oiled pan. Stir over med-low heat until it thickens (~10 minutes). Pour over potato mixture, mix lightly, and chill.
NOTE: I'm still working on this one. It came out well the first time, but the original recipe had 1-1/2 cups sugar, which made it too sweet for me - and I had only put in 1 cup, anyway. So I'll continue to lower the sugar and maybe play with the other spices - probably upping the mustard and black pepper.
German Potato Salad
3 cups diced peeled potatoes
4 slices bacon
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool. Next place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside. Next add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.
Roasted Apple Taters
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1-1/2 tbsp (cider) vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
1 granny smith apple, cored and diced
3 yukon gold fist-sized taters, sliced
Preheat oven to 400F. Mix garlic, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper together in a big bowl. Take a quarter of the mix and place it in another bowl and mix that with the apples. Toss the potatoes in the other three quarters' mixture. Bake the tatoes for 20 minutes, laying them out on a cookie sheet or like surface. Mix in the apples and respread before baking another 15 minutes. All should be tender.
Baked Sliced Taters
2 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 sweet potato, thinly sliced
1/3 onion, cut into thin, long slices
olive oil
On medium heat, just barely brown the onion strips. On a cookie sheet, lay in a single layer the slices of potatoes and sweet potatoes and onions. Sprinkle olive oil on top. Bake at 400F until edges brown. Can sprinkle spices and parmesan cheese over at the end.
Bro Joe's Tater Salad (Enhanced)
5 good-sized potatoes
4 eggs
1/2 onion
salt
curry powder
1/2 cup+ Miracle Whip
1/3 cup+ mustard
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 or 2 apples chopped
Hard boil the eggs; boil the potatoes (previously diced) with a generous dash of salt until they are cooked. Mince the onion as small as possible - cry like a baby. In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together, adding the curry (at least 1 heaping teaspoon), mustard, and Miracle Whip to taste and texture desired. Chill the thing before sticking face in it.
Ye Olde Green Bean Casserole
1 large can green beans (or 2 small)
1 can french fried onion rings
1 can cream of mushroom soup
In a skillet on a stove, heat the cream of mushroom soup. As it warms, stir in the green beans (previously drained) and the french fried onion rings. Heat until browning. Put in a casserole dish for serving warm.
Baked Beans
1 large can baked beans
1 medium can baked beans
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
2/3 large chopped onion
2/3 chopped green pepper
Fry onion and green pepper in oil until browned. Mix all and bake covered at 350F for 1 1/2 hours.
Southern Sweet Potatoes (Mom's)
2 2 pound cans yams or 5-6 (3 if large) boiled & chopped sweet potatoes
1/2 cup light packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples
1/2-1 cups raisins
Preheat oven to 325F. Slice/dice the apples - set aside. Slightly beat eggs - set aside. Mash up the yams/sweet potatoes. Mix everything together and put in a 9x13 casserole dish covered with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
Bro Joe's Cole Slaw
1 head cabbage
1 bag carrots
1 cup Miracle Whip
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
sugar (2 tbsp or so)
Grate the cabbage; mince the carrots; hand sift the sugar. Mix everything together and taste test until it is agreeable.
Overnight Cole Slaw - with numbers adjusted
1 medium head cabbage, shredded (no hard pieces)
1/2 mild white onion, thinly sliced, chopped
2 large carrots, minced
1/4 cup vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
2 teaspoons+ ground mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4- cup vegetable oil
Mix everything together and chill overnight.
A Tangy, Mustard-y Cole Slaw
For the Dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete
1 teaspoon celery seeds
For the Slaw Mix:
1 large head green cabbage (about 3 1/2 pounds), finely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt
For the Dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, and celery seeds in small bowl.
For the Slaw: Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and salt and toss to combine. Let stand five minutes, then transfer to a large colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer vegetables to a salad spinner and spin dry. Alternatively, transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and blot mixture dry with more towels. Return to large bowl.
For the mix: Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and/or sugar.
A Basic Cole Slaw
1 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium green cabbage, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1/2 medium red cabbage, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled; julienned or grated
Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, celery seeds, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add green and red cabbage and carrots to dressing and toss to coat. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Old School Cole Slaw
5 cups cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle, chopped
(optional) 1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp tarragon vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp black pepper
The original recipe called for the sour cream, but I forgot it and the slaw was still tasty and rich. On a 2nd occasion, I cut the mayonnaise to 1/2 cup and added 1/3 cup of sour cream and that was good, too. Anyway - mix the cabbage, onion, parsley, and pickle in one bowl, and all of the other ingredients in another. Then mix them together. Better chilled, if you can wait.
(Pickled) Cucumber Salad
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cider or white vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Chopped fresh dill weed or parsley, if desired
Place cucumbers in small glass or plastic bowl. In tightly covered container, shake remaining ingredients except dill weed. Pour over cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors. Drain cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill weed. Store covered in refrigerator.
No-Fail Stove Popcorn
3 Tbsp coconut, peanut, or canola oil (high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
1 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter (optional)
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a 3-quart thick-bottomed saucepan on medium high heat. If you are using coconut oil, allow all of the solid oil to melt. Next put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.) Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl. With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop, and nothing burns.
HINT: If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan. Note that if you let the butter get just a little bit brown, it will add an even more intense, buttery flavor to the butter and to your popcorn. (Here's more info on how to brown butter.) Just drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn and toss to distribute.
Add salt to taste, but if you add salt to the oil in the pan before popping, when the popcorn pops, the salt will be well distributed throughout the popcorn.
Lima Beans in Sour Cream
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp pimiento
2 cups cooked and drained lima beans
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Sauté onion and pimiento in butter until tender; stir in beans, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook until heated.
Swiss Beans
1 1/2 cup fresh green beans OR MORE
1/3 lb. swiss, cut small. Or better - monterey jack OR MORE
1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds OR MORE
1/2 cup thinly sliced red and green peppers
dressing:
5 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp crushed tarragon
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp dijon mustard
Steam beans until tender, then rinse in cold water. Combine dressing ingredients. Mix beans with dressing, then mix in peppers and cheese. Top with almonds and refrigerate overnight. Serves 3 or 4.
Artichoke Heart Fer Dippin'
Steam or boil in shallow water an entire artichoke for 0:45-1:15 (bigger = longer time). Remove leaves one at a time for dipping in melted butter. Suck out the artichoke heart. mmm mmm good.
Fried Plantains
On medium heat, melt a prodigious amount of butter (1-2 tbsp) in a frying pan. Evenly lay the slices of a plantain (1/3 cm. thick) and fry until orange has turned to yellow on the town side. Flip until the same for the other side. When done, sprinkle cinnamon liberally over the plantains, then continue frying until slightly speckled black. Chow down.
PCC Turkish Bean Salad
1 can, 15 oz. (cooked) garbanzo beans
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp- marjoram
parsley (optional)
1/2 tsp- oregano
~20 kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 tsp- paprika
~15 turkish apricots, sliced
salt 1 tbsp+
olive oil
1-2 tsp barengo vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
pepper
Mix!
Jalapeno corn
3 corn cobs, corn sliced off
3 small jalapenos, minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1-1/2 tbsp butter
salt, pepper to taste
Fry them.
Peanut Sauce
1 can coconut milk - or cream (Mae Ploy)
1-2 tbsp red thai curry paste
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar (or fruit sug.)
1/2 cup peanut butter - more for thicker
1 teaspoon salt - or substitute
Cook coconut milk and curry until color comes through, stirring constantly (don't allow to burn on bottom). Fill milk can with water and add at some point. Stir some more. Should get darker. Now add sugar. Let it sit a bit (heating). Stir in peanut butter. Then salt. Add chunky peanut butter in a bit. Can leave overnight and add water to increase thickness.
Veggie Stir-Fry
some chopped cloves of garlic
spinach, chopped
zucchini chopped
cauliflower chopped
broccoli chopped
peanut sauce (see above)
Heat oil in wok. Throw in garlic first. Then spinach. Remove spinach relatively quickly, as it doesn't take much to cook. Put rest of veggies in and cook covered in wok, stirring as necessary. Can stir-fry tofu as well. When cooked, stir fry a little with peanut sauce. Serve with raw shredded carrots.
Shiitake Fried Rice
1 small carrot, chopped into small cubes
1 celery stalk, chopped as carrot
2 to 3 stalks scallion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 (or 10!) fresh shiitake mushrooms, into half-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cooking oil
salt
pepper
2 cups day-old rice
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan. Over high heat, stir fry the carrot, celery, scallions, garlic and mushrooms with a little salt and pepper. Add the rice, sprinkle in a bit more salt and pepper, and continue stir frying until the rice is heated through. Off the heat, drizzle in perhaps 1 tbsp sesame seed oil, stir the shiitake fried rice and serve. Soy or teriyaki sauce go perfect with this.
Phad Thai
1 can tomato sauce
1 can sugar
1/2 can vinegar
1/2 can tamarind juice
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 red onion, chopped
1 head garlic, crushed
1 can fish sauce
3 eggs
1 bag rice noodles
ground peanuts
chopped green onions
bean sprouts
Ahead of time, soak noodles in cold water - overnight is best.
Fry onions in vegetable oil, adding when done to rest of first set. This is the phad thai sauce.
Put oil in wok and heat it up. Using wood utensils and a non-stick wok (best), crack eggs into wok and put in meat, too. Cook all, stirring often. When fully cooked, add phad thai sauce and later noodles. While frying, add crushed red peppers for heat. When pretty cooked, add bean sprouts, chopped green onions, ground peanuts. Adjust ingredients to taste.
Elizabeth's Sushi
Roasted dried seaweed (Nori 7-pk)
3 cups Sushi rice
Sugar
Rice Vinegar
1 avocado, cut in strips
1/2 Cucumber, cut in strips
1 Carrot, cut in strips
Wasabe for dipping
Tamari for dipping
(optional) 1/2 lb extra firm Tofu (optional)
sesame oil
(optional) garlic
(optional) Saute Tofu: Drain and blot/press the tofu; cut in large slices (1 cm. thick). Cover pan with sesame oil and heat up to medium. Lay the slices in the oil. Only turn once, when browned. Add garlic near the end of this process.
Cook the rice. Heat sugar and vinegar until sugar is dissolved. Add this mixture to the cooked rice. After this has cooled a bit, lay out a sheet of seaweed on a bamboo roller. Put on enough rice to press down and cover the sheet to about 1/2 centimeter of thickness (dipping fingers in water as necessary), leaving the last couple of centimeters close and away from you uncovered. Line the center with vegetables and tofu (optional). Lightly wet and fold over the uncovered seaweed near you and roll the sushi using the bamboo rollers. Use a little water when done to seal the edge. Slice the sushi roll with a knife that has a wet edge. Dip in tamari or wasabe. Feeds 7 if making spring rolls, too.
Elizabeth's Spring Rolls
1 1/2 bundles rice noodles
spring roll skin
carrots, cut in strips
cucumber, cut in strips
avocado, cut in strips
mint
cilantro
peanut sauce for dipping
mint tea from leftover mint
(optional) 1/2 lb Tofu extra firm (optional) sesame oil
(optional) garlic
(optional) Saute Tofu: Drain and blot/press the tofu; cut in large slices (1 cm. thick). Cover pan with sesame oil and heat up to medium. Lay the slices in the oil. Only turn once, when browned. Add garlic near the end of this process.
Cook the noodles by putting them in boiling water for three minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain. Dip skin into bowl of hot water until soft, but not rippled. Put other vegetable and tofu ingredients into middle of skin and roll together by folding two edges into the center and then rolling. Dip in peanut sauce.
James's Noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp sugar
2 tblsp hot chili oil
2 tblsp sesame oil
Sliced green onions (1 or 2 stalks)
Sesame seeds(2 tbsp? I usually just sprinkle it on)
1 box Marco Polo noodles
After the noodles are cooked, mix all the liquids and sugar together and then mix w/ the noodles. Add onions and sesame seeds; mix again.
Indian-Style Cumin Curried Potatoes
2 lbs new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cumin seed
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon *not too* coarse sea salt (lowered from 2)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Place whole potatoes into a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until *just* tender (not boiled through). Drain and cut potatoes into so that ¼+ inch thick slices have a surface area of up to a half-dollar coin. Set aside to keep warm.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the cumin, turmeric, and curry powder for 1 minute. Add potatoes and sauté until toasted. Toss potatoes with sea salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro and serve hot!
Indian-Style Vegetable Curry
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots; cook and stir until tender. Season with curry powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Add the cauliflower and potatoes to the pan and stir to coat with spices. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.
...as related from the fast-choppah Joe Sauer to the plebian Dave Ryan
A Cast of Swarthy and Shifty Characters
onion(s)
cloves(/bulbs!) garlic
potatoes
bunch(es) of cilantro
roma tomatoes
fresh jalapeño pepper(s)
fresh serrano pepper(s)
fresh poblano pepper(s)
fresh red pepper(s)
fresh green pepper(s)
lime(s)
lemon(s)
can(s) of black beans
frozen/canned corn
frozen/canned peas
can(s) of tomato sauce
can(s) of vegetable broth
rice
can(s) chipotle peppers
dried aji mirasol pepper
dried oaxaca pepper
dried ancho pepper
dried guajillo pepper
canola oil olive oil
Vegebase powder or vegetable bouillion cubes
salt
pepper
butter
sour cream
yogurt
(dark chocolate)
(peanut butter)
(brown sugar)
-------<<< The First Testament: Fillers and Their Ilk >>>-------
The Holy Rice Filler Roller
canola oil
3/4 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cp rice
1/2 can tomato sauce
olive oil
1/2 can vegetable broth
1 cup (canned) corn
1-2 cups peas
cilantro to taste
1/2-2 cups Pico de Gallo de...
Fry onion in olive and canola oils until translucent but not brown. Add in garlic. Coat and stir fry rice in oil for ~1.5 minutes, then add it to onion/garlic mix and then add tomato sauce, vegetable broth. When this comes to a boil, add corn and peas and bring to a boil again. 5 minutes later, cilantro, pico de gallo. Simmer very low for 15-30 minutes.
El Black Bean Filler Sagrado
3/4 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans black beans, drained
1/2 can vegetable broth
1/2 can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp vegebase (or equiv.)
tomato seeds, juice (from other salsas)
??? Salsa #1 2 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo...
Brown onion, adding garlic enroute (don't burn!!!). Add beans. Add vegetable broth and tomato sauce. 10 minutes later, add vegebase, tomato seeds/juice. Put in a little of salsa #1. Cook for 30-120 minutes. When near reduced, add pico de gallo.
Psalm of the Potato Filler, A Sacred Music
4 poblano peppers, roasted
2 serrano peppers, roasted
1 green peppers, roasted
1 red peppers, roasted
2 jalapeño peppers, roasted
2 anaheim peppers, roasted
4-5 potatoes, chunked
1 cp onion, finely chopped
olive oil
1 can corn, drained
1 cp vegetable broth
salt
pepper
green salsa (opt.)
Roast peppers until turning black. Remove and cool for 5 minutes. optionally peel skin off. Or not! Remove seeds, chopping the peppers into coarse pieces. In a pan, put chunked potatoes and sauté on high until starting to brown. Then add onion. In a different pan, put corn in and fry in olive oil until just toasting. Then dump the oil out, putting the corn into the potato mix. Stir, add broth, then add peppers, bring to a boil, then simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Can add green salsa, too.
-----<<< Les chapitres nouveaux: Las Salsas del Diablo >>>----
Salsa #1: Ajiaca Anchajillo
aji mirasol pepper, chopped small w/o veins or seeds
oaxaca pepper, chopped small w/o veins or seeds
ancho pepper, chopped small w/o veins or seeds
guajillo pepper, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
1/2 cp onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 can chipotle peppers (not juice)
1+ cp tomato sauce
several dashes salt
1/4 lemon, juiced
1/4 lime, juiced
1 serrano pepper, chopped
??? cilantro
1 cup vegetable broth
peanut butter (opt.)
cumin (opt., a bit to taste)
dark chocolate (opt.)
brown sugar (opt.)
almond butter (opt.)
Put aji mirasol, oaxaca, ancho, and guajillo peppers into 1-2 cups of boiling water w/ onions and garlic. Bring back to boil. Add chipotle, tomato sauce. Cook to reduce to paste. Add salt. Blend all until smooth, adding at end lemon and lime juices, serrano/jalapeño mix, and cilantro. Could also add any or all of peanut butter, dark chocolate, or brown sugar.
Salsa #2: Pico de Gallo de José Papa Grande
1-1/2 onions, chopped
1/2-1 lemon, juiced
1/2-1 lime, juiced
jalapeño pepper, minced
serrano pepper, minced
2 dashes salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch cilantro, fully chopped - no stems
5-6 roma tomatoes, chopped (3/4 cm), juice and seeds set aside
In a bowl put onions, romas. Add some of lemon juice, lime juice. Add jalapeño and serrano peppers. Add cilantro. Add more of lemon/lime juice. Add salt and olive oil.
Salsa #3: Chipotcoolzal
1/3 of a can of chipotle peppers (3-4+ of them, including can mush)
small handful cilantro
1/3 lime, juiced
1/3 cp sour cream
1/3 cp yogurt
Put chipotles in a blender. Add cilantro, lime juice, sour cream, yogurt. Blend.
Salsa #4: Chipotlicatl
7-10 cloves garlic, whole, peeled
olive oil
2-3+ chipotles
salt
lime juice (to taste)
cilantro (to taste)
On medium heat in olive oil, sautee garlic until very soft, not browned. Set aside oil. Add chipotles. Mash in mortar and pestle and add salt to taste. Add lime juice and/or cilantro, too.
Salsa #5: Jalapeñogurtán
handful of cilantro, chopped very fine
1 cp sour cream
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 serrano pepper, minced
salt
1/3 cup yogurt
4 raw scallions (opt., rec.)
Mix cilantro with sour cream. Squeeze lime over this. Add jalapeño and serrano peppers. Add a little salt. Add yogurt (and scallions). Blend or mix by hand.
Salsa #6: La Verde Enojada
handful cilantro, chopped
2 serrano peppers
1 jalapeño pepper
1 tbsp chipotle juice
tbsp juice of Black Bean Filler ???
lime, juiced
1/2 cp yogurt
1 cp sour cream
1 onion
Blend. Add salt.
Salsa #7: El Pueblo del Poblano
4 poblano peppers
1 can corn, drained
olive oil (from Salsa #4)
butter
2 jalapeño peppers
handful of onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
pinch of cilantro, chopped
1/4 lime, juiced
Roast poblano peppers in oven. Brown corn in butter and olive oil until turning brown. Drain oil. Roast jalapeños in oven until almost black (rotate as necessary). Add & sautée onions in oil/corn mix, then add garlic. De-seed, de-vein and chop the roasted peppers, then add to mix. Mix and add a cilantro and lime juice.
Salsa #8: Anaranjado Llorando
2 bulbs garlic, all cloves peeled whole
olive oil
1-2 cp sour cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt
2 tbsp vegetable broth
1/2 cup yogurt (opt.)
2 tbsp Black Bean Filler
3/4-1 can chipotle (all)
Cover garlic in olive oil, then heat until soft and only slightly brown. Put in blender with other ingredients. Blend!
Salsa #9: Fruta-Gruta
2 small cans minced pineapple (opt. roast, then cool)
1 can/2 fresh ripe mangos, chunked
1/2 cup Pico de gallo...
1/4 cup Salsa #6, la verde enojada
orange juice
1 onion (opt.), quartered and roasted (carmelized), then chopped
Mix by hand.
En el nombre del Dios del Pimiento, ¡Rezamos!
A primer on how to do somthing with polenta. Be creative and just use this as a template.
Topping ingredients:
1 medium onion - chopped finely
salt to taste
spaghetti sauce (as a bed)
1 cup quartered artichokes
1-1/2 - 2 cups
1/4-in sliced mushrooms
several garlic cloves
minced italian seasoning to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Polenta ingredients:
3 cups+ water
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillion
1-1/2 cup polenta (coarse corn meal)
oregano to taste
1 bay leaf
basil to taste
1/2 cup minced sundried tomatoes
parmesan to taste
Making Polenta: Bring water to boil. Add corn meal, bay leaf, simmer, stirring frequently. Eventually as hardening, add tomatoes. Nearly hardened, add parmesan, basil, oregano. When stiff to liking, can serve some immediately, perhaps over tomato sauce of choice. Also can put in cake mold for cooling in freezer for perhaps 45 minutes (this can be cut and fried).
Making a bed: Heat spaghetti sauce with some red wine on low, bringing to a boil only momentarily. This can make a nice bed for the polenta to rest on. Making a topping: On medium heat, fry garlic and onion slowly until translucent without browning - releases gasses. In separate pan, heat to high. then add 2 tbsp oil and mushrooms, toss frying (pay attention). After enough water comes out, this water can be added to polenta cooking. After 5-10 minutes toss in quartered artichokes and start lowering heat. After several more minutes, add seasoning. Later salt. very late, pepper. If it tastes good, it is good.
Frying Polenta: slice from polenta "mold", around 1 cm thick. Heat a pan with olive oil just covering the surface on Med Hi. When hot, drop slices in pan. Fry until bottom crusts (edges will brown). Flip only once. Sometimes, before flipping, use the spatula to loosen the slices so that more oil rolls underneath to avoid sticking.
Salmon Over Green Beans Baked In Foil
Handful of green beans
1 thick salmon filet (w/ skin)
pesto
lemon
salt
pepper
olive oil
Preheat oven to 400F. With 3 feet/1 meter of aluminum foil, fold in half lengthwise and place beans in middle in heap. Drape fish over beans with skin side down. Slather a paste of pesto over the fish, then drizzle olive oil and squeeze lemon over fish as well before seasoning finally with more pepper and salt. Fold foil to completely cover the fish, then put in the oven for 20 minutes or until fish is cooked.
Salmon Marinade
1.5 tbsp brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1.5 cups soy sauce
Rinse the salmon in cold water. Mix marinade and dump 3/4 of it over the salmon in a pan. Refrigerate 1-3 hours. Grill and then pour remaining marinade over cooked salmon.
Baked Salmon
lemon
onion
olive oil
garlic paste
basil
Preheat the oven to 350F. Create a dish out of aluminum foil that is a little larger than the fish, with lipped edges. Put the fish in there, douse a bit of olive oil on it, and smear the garlic paste and basil on top. Cover with slices of onion and lemon. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Lemon Grilled Salmon - untried
4 salmon steaks or filets
1 large lemon, juiced
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried dill
Put salmon in shallow bowl and cover with the above marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Grill over medium heat and continue basting with marinade until fish flakes easily.
Apricot Glaze For Salmon - eaten, but not tried
Onion
Brown Sugar
Broth
Apricot Jelly
Chunks Of Dried Apricots
Maple Syrup
Mustard
Reduce the above, then add chipotle. Glaze over fish.
Baked Mustard Brown Sugar Salmon
1 tsp. mustard 1/2 tsp brown sugar
Glaze with above ingredients (can add a little water, too). Put in at 350F for 20 min.
Trip's Guacamole
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced
3 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, mushed
4 tablespoons salsa (Emerald Valley!!!)
Put in a bowl and mix well. Leave avocado seed in dip to keep fresh.
Garlic Cream Cheese Spread
1 tub cream cheese
cloves minced garlic
shredded cheese
sour cream to help spreading
Mix well in a bowl.
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
1/2 cup Balsamic/red/white wine Vinegar
1 cup Olive Oil
any/all of the following:
Thyme
Basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
ground pepper to taste
2 tsp salt to taste
Blend by hand or even in blender (mixes oil/vinegar better). Great for dipping breads, etc.
Fruit Dip
marshmallows
cottage cheese
Melt marshmallows and mix these together to get a great dip for strawberries.
Blue-Cheese Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
1-2 tbsp lemon juice/red wine vinegar
6 dashes worcestershire sauce
salt,pepper to taste
4 oz. blue cheese
Blend.
Vegetarian Gravy
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp (nutritional) yeast
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, yeast, and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the broth. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add water as necessary.
Apricot Chutney With Sultanas and Currants
1kg fresh or 1 lb/450g dried apricots
10 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1x3in/2.5x8cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 pt/3 dl red wine vinegar
14 oz/395 g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 ox/85 g sultanas
2 oz/60 g currants
Put apricots in a bowl. Pour 1-1/2 pt/8-1/2 dl of hot water over them and let them soak for an hour.
Put the garlic and ginger into the container of an electric blender/food processor along with 2 oz/1/2 dl vinegar. Blend until smooth.
Empty the apricots and their soaking liquid into a heavy stainless steel or porcelain-lined pot. Add the garlic-giner mixture, the remaining vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Simmer on a medium flame, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes. Do not let the chutney catch at the bottom of the pot. Lower heat if necessary. Add the sultanas and currants and cook, stirring, another half hour or until chutney takes on a thick, glazed look. (It will thicken later as it cools.) Let the chutney cool and store, refrigerated, in lidded glass olr ceramic jars.
Russian Tea-ish/Christmas Cookies
1 cup soft butter
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 cup flour
1-2 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all thoroughly, then make into crescent moon shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
7 Step Cookies
1 stick margarine/butter
1 packet crushed graham crackers
6 ounces chocolate chips
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Melt the margarine into a 9x13 metal/foil pan. Add the graham cracker crumbs and shape into a crust. In a bowl mix the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts together. Pour this mixture over the graham cracker crust. Pour the condensed milk over the entire mixture. Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let it cool before cutting it into squares.
Chinese Noodle Cookies
24 ounces butterscotch bits
Large can chinese noodles
Large jar dry roasted peanuts
Melt the butterscotch bits in a double boiler. Add the peanuts. Mix well - gradually add and coat the chinese noodles. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. This makes approximately 70-80 cookies.
Orange Cookies
2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup chopped nuts (grinder)
2 tbsp orange juice
1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
Mix flour, salt, soda. Set aside. Cream butter and then add sugars, egg yolks and orange stuff together - beat well. Mix all together. Roll like playdough into logs. Chill thoroughly on wax paper overnight. Slice thinly. Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes.
Karen's Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Mix first group together. Add and mix second group. Bake at 350F for 7-8 minutes (looks undercooked). Cool before removing from pan.
Boomerang Cookies (Marcela)
280 g. flour
210 g. butter
40 g. sugar
100 g. crushed walnuts/hazelnuts/almonds
2 egg yolks
1/2-1 shredded lemon peel
1 tsp baking powder
Mix. Refrigerate. Make shapes. Bake at 300F on greased cookie sheet (no flour) until done (~15 minutes). Toss in powdered sugar.
Stolen Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oats
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
3/8 lbs butter
1 cups brown sugar
3/16 cups water
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups raisins
Mix. Make lil' cookies (tablespoon-sized: roll into balls and then flatten in hand to about 2 inches in diameter) and put on cookie sheet. Bake at 275F for 20 minutes. DO NOT LET BURN!!! Makes 4-1/2 dozen cookies.
Mike's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 cup packed dk. brown sugar
8 oz (1 to 1-1/2 cups) raisins
2 tblsp honey
2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Preheat oven to 300F. In one bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and oats. In another bowl on medium speed, use an electric mixer to blend the sugars, later adding butter to form a grainy paste. Scrape down the side of the bowl, then add honey, vanilla, and eggs. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Then add flour mixture and the raisins and blend on a low speed. Don't overmix! Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes, then immediately transfer with a spatula to a cool, flat surface.
Naan
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 1/2 cups bread flour
3 tbsp milk 1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1. In a lage bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down the dough, and knead in the garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil the grill, then place the dough on it and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned another 2-4 minutes. Remove from the grill and continue the same process until all the naan has been prepared.
Plum Tart
pitted (small) Italian plums
1 puff pastry rectangle
sugar
1 egg, beaten in bowl
1 tbsp butter, melted
flour for rolling dough
Use a good puff pastry, like Pepperidge Farms, first thawing it in the fridge. Roll out and doc the pastry with a fork to make many holes. Put the dough on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and buttered, then brush the pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle the dough with sugar, then cover it with plums as tightly as desired, finally sprinkling with sugar again. Bake at 425F, or until there are golden brown edges and the dough is cooked. You can cut the pastry into squares as well, or fold over the edges and brush with egg to make a galette style.
Good Mood Food Scone
Dry ingredients:
4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup *softened* (to mix well) unsalted butter
Wet ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups fruit (frozen)
Mix the dry ingredients, not too thoroughly, and refrigerate overnight. Getting the butter cold is key.
Next day, preheat the oven at 360F. Mix in the wet to the dry ingredients, not too thoroughly, forming scones and putting them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Optionally sprinkle sugar on top before putting the sheets in the oven and cooking them for 20+ minutes.
Zucchini Bread
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4-1 cup sugar (I prefer 3/4-7/8)
2-3 eggs
1/2 cup raisins
3 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
7/8-1 cup oil (I prefer 7/8)
Mix in large bowl, then put the mixture into a loaf or cake pan that has been lightly greased with oil. Bake at 350F (preheated) for 55-60 minutes (maybe longer as a loaf - stick a knife in it and continue baking until it comes out cleanly). Makes 1 loaf.
Kolachi
2 packets Fleischman's dry yeast
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
6 cups flour
3 flat tablespoons sugar
2 soft sticks butter
dash of salt
4 cans Solo filling - almond, poppy seed, prune, apricot, etc.
Put the yeast into 1 cup of very hot tap water (as hot as it gets from the tap) and set this mixture aside. Slightly beat 2 eggs in a bowl and set this aside. Put 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water in a small kettle and heat to a boil (remove from heat when boiling) while continuing with the next step.
Put the flour, sugar, shortening, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Knead this by hand until mixed (should be grainy). Add the eggs, yeast/water mixture and warmed milk. First stir this mixture with a spoon before kneading with hands again. If the dough is too sticky add 1 cup or more flour. When well-kneaded, set aside the mixture for 1 hour to let it rise. Split the dough into 4 pieces. With each piece, roll the dough on a heavily floured dough board. Each should roll out to about 13 inches in diameter, not too thin. Spread 1 can of filling (or see below to make from scratch) over the dough before rolling/folding (tiny folds) it like a jelly roll. Prick it several times with a fork before using a basting brush to spread evaporated milk over it for a glazed topping.
Put 2 rolls at a time on a greased cookie sheet (or lined with foil) into the oven. Bake uncovered at 325F-350F for 45-55 minutes or until nice and brown. Eat like a pig.
To make a poppyseed filling, here's one way: Heat 2 cups of milk, adding about 1/2lb of ground poppyseed and bring to a boil before letting stand for 10 minutes. Add about a tbsp of butter and sugar to taste. Let it cool completely, then add an egg or two, perhaps some lemon peep or crushed nuts.
To make almond filling from almond paste, use about equal amounts of milk and paste and mix thoroughtly.
Banana Bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) soft margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas
Cream (thoroughly mix) the sugar and margarine together. Add the eggs and cream again. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and bananas. Mix everything together. Pour the mixture into 1 greased and floured bread loaf.
Bake at 350F for approximately 1:15 hrs, or until a butter knife can penetrate it cleanly. Run a butter knife along the edge and remove immediately.
Ladrón Pumpkin Ginger Bread
1 Tbsp 2 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
15 cups granulated sugar
12 eggs
3 lbs butter
4 Tbsp 2 tsp ginger
2 2/3 cups water
1 Tbsp 2 tsp cinnamon
20 cups flour
2 Tbsp 2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp 1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cloves
10 cups pumpkin
12 shots espresso
Mix. Bake at 275F for 90 minutes. 10 loaves.
Monkey Bread (a coffee cake)
1 1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon (to taste)
1 1/4 stick butter/margarine
4 packs of dinner rolls
Make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Melt the butter. Pour a little of the butter into the bottom of an angel food or bundt pan. Dip a roll in the butter (both sides), then dip it in the cinnamon/sugar. Place the roll in the pan. Do this for each roll. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until done.
"Yeast Dough" Pastries
Yeast Dough (use for proportions)
1lb 2oz wheat flour
1lb 2oz pastry flour
120g cane sugar
100g unsalted butter
15g salt
60g yeast (50g if hot outside)
100g egg yolk
400g 2% milk
If not doing some of the pastries below, one can use yeast dough to make cinnamon rolls. Make a ball, then a log, then roll the yeast dough to 8"x14". Brush water on this surface, sprinkle cane sugar over this, then cinnamon. Alternately add raisins. Roll this dough longwise to make a 14" log, using a little water on the end to help the dough adhese and close the log. Roll this log out to a much thinner one, about 2-1/2' long, then do the following twists: Curl 1/3 of the log to meet and press at the 2/3 point. Twist the loop over and toward the stranded third. Loop the stranded third over and through the loophole, then twist the remaining amount of loop back in the opposite direction of the original twist. Now bring the stranded part through. Place this twisted mess into a lightly oiled pan and bake.
For some other more pastry-like items, mix the above amount, then separately mix a butter and flour combination that is one-third the above's amount in weight, using two parts butter to one part flour.
On wax paper or something similar, make a rectangle less than 1cm high of the butter-flour mix. This best done by first making a ball of the mix, then a log. Press down the log with hands before rolling out to the desired rectangle.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle twice the area of the butter flour rectangle such that if the rectangle were folded it would have the same rectangle size/shape as the butter-flour mix. Place the butter-flour mix on the yeast dough, fold the yeast dough over it, then turn it sideways and roll it out a bit to make an elongated rectangle. Fold one-third of this rectangle over the second two-thirds, then fold the final one-third of the first two-thirds. Match corners well. Place this in plastic to rise overnight.
In the morning, turn the dough sideways from the previous triple-fold and roll out the dough again into an elongated rectangle to again make the triple fold with matching corners. Let it rest some minutes, then turn it and roll out an elongated rectangle to again do a triple fold. Turn this again and roll this out into a large rectangle of less than 1/2cm thickness. Ideally, this will be 55cm deep in one direction to make strips of various widths out of it.
Croissants: Cut a 13cm strip from the above, rolling it out to 90cm. Cut this into three sections of 30cm each. Cut each of these on a long diagonal and separate these six resulting pieces. For each piece, on a very lightly floured area roll it less then 1/4cm thin. Make a small slit at the bottom of this triangle, folding tabs from the interior out before rolling the croissant out toward its tip. Brush a little water on the tip before finishing the rolling, then curl the tips together to make a twisted connection. Place this is a heated proofbox to rise some for 10-15 minutes. Take out of the proofing box to brush egg yolk (with a dot of milk as well) over all the exposed surface and then place again in the proofbox for a while longer. Bake in the oven at .
Poppyseed "claw": Cut an 11cm strip from the above, dividing into five 11cm squares. Roll each square out to less than 1/4cm thinness, then place some poppyseed filling into the interior rectangle area of the lower half of the dough. Fold over and press down the resulting three connecting sides which should be dough to dough for an edge of just less than a centimeter or so. Crimp these three edges with a blunt plastic edge, brush water over the top, then flip upsidedown to press onto a bed of butter crumbs (flour, sugar, butter, salt, baking powder). Flip back upright to place in proofing box for some 20 minutes or so and then bake at .
Cinnamon Rolls: Wet a surface of the enhanced yeast dough with butter flour addition, sprinkle on cane sugar and then cinnamon and raisins. Roll this into a log, wetting the end to allow the dough to stick. Roll this log until it has a diameter of perhaps 10cm. Slice the log in about 1.5cm increments, placing each on a papered tray. Press down on each cinnamon roll and then place tray in oven to bake. When removing from the oven, immediately glaze with some melted apricot jam.
"Brotchen/Pretzel/Laugenbröaut;tli Dough" Pastries
One mix, from the Bavarian Bakery:
1lb flour
9g salt
20g yeast
Another mix, from Tanja:
1kg(8 cups) flour
20g(2 tbsp) salt
20g(2 tbsp) sugar
5dl(2-1/8 cups) lukewarm milk
100g melted butter
40g(6 tbsp) yeast
Make mix, then make a dough ball to sit for a bit for cutting it up to then separate out pieces in 5.5oz chunks for pretzels, carraway rolls (larger) and brotchen.
To make pretzels, roll 2 pieces at a time into balls one per hand against a non-floured surface. Then roll both pieces simultaneously into dough turds of about 6-in width that are thicker in the center and tapered at the end. Let these sit for perhaps ten minutes (covered with plastic). Then roll again one at a time with both hands to make thinner turds of 12-in length, still thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Let these sit for perhaps another 10 minutess (covered with plastic) before rolling one at time with both hands again to very long turds. Cross ends over each other twice before bending them back to put the tips onto the thicker part of the center to form the pretzels. Dip these in a 4% solution of lye/water before slitting a little of the thick top part and salting with thick sea salt. Bake at 420F for 15 minutes on waxpaper.
To make carraway rolls, roll out turds by the same first step of the pretzel process. Let this rise (covering with plastic) some before going straight to the dipping process of 4% lye solution like the above with the pretzels. Knife a slit for most of the turd length before pressing on carraway seeds and then salting with sea salt. Also bake at 420F for 15 minutes on waxpaper.
For brotchen, merely roll out the dough balls two at a time and one per hand. Press half-deep creases onto surfaces by using a crimping/cookie cutter tool. Let these sit for a bit for brushing water on their surfaces, then pressing the wet surface into a bed of poppyseeds or sesame seeds. Bake at 420F.
Kerry's No Knead Bread Template
3 cups hard red flour
3 cups hard white flour
2 cups rye flour
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1/2 cup vidal wheat gluten
5 teaspoons salt
3 tbsp vinegar/apple cider
3 tbsp molasses
4-6 cups lukewarm water
Mix the above until it has the gloppy texture of Adams peanut butter after it has been mixed, adding water as necessary. Put this in a covered (with plastic) bowl, and let it sit for 12-18 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 500F with an iron skillet inside. To the mix, add flour as necessary until it is reasonably handle-able (not overly sticking to hands). Form a loaf immediately or put in the fridge for an hour or so before doing so (in which case put off the oven preheating). Before actually baking, lower the temperate of the oven to 425F, then drop the loaf/ball onto the skillet, slit the surface a few times to allow release in the baking process, and cover with an iron pot. Bake this little Dutch oven for 20 minutes, then remove the pot top to have another 20 minutes of baking time uncovered.
Crisp Cobbler Topping
(reflects adjusting oats up and sugar down by 1/4 cup each)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup or more oats
1/3 cup butter (soft)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix the topping ingredients with a fork in a bowl, then fill the (possibly greased) pie/8x10 pan with fruit as needed before putting the topping over it. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350F.
Christmas Salad
1 6 ounce cherry jello-o
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
3 mashed bananas
Mix and cool 1-1/2 cups boiling water, the jello-o, and the cranberry sauce. Blend in the bananas and the sour cream. Put in a mold or a 9x13 size pan. Refrigerate.
Berry Cobbler
FILLING
pie pan's amount of berries, mashed
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oats
3/4 stick butter (soft)
1/2 cup flour
Mix filling in bowl, fill pie pan. Mush/mix topping in bowl, cover filling. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Can broil it at the end for more browning.
Old-Fashioned Corn Pudding
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh corn/16-oz can white shoepeg corn
Preheat oven to 375F. Cream butter with sugar; add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add flour and salt, mix. Add milk and corn and mix completely. Pour into greased 1 qt baking dish (of even depth). Bake for 45 minutes.
"Serves 6."
Vanilla Ice Cream
4 eggs, separated at room temperature
100g castor (fine, not powder or typical granulated) sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence or other flavoring
250ml cream at room temperature
Whisk egg whites until stiff. Add half of sugar and whick again until glassy. Whisk egg yolks with flavor, until thick and creamy. Whip the cream. Fold all together and freeze.
NON-ALCOHOLIC
Dave's Chai
1 star of anise, crushed
1 cinnamon stick, smashed
10 pods cardamon, cracked
1/2 - 1 tsp powdered ginger
5 whole cloves
2-4 bags of black tea (pick your poison strength)
2 cups soy milk
2 cups water
1-3 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Bring soy milk, water, and dry spice ingredients to a boil. Lower temperature to minimum heat to continue boiling and then put in the tea. I usually swish the bags about for 30 seconds to a minute only, then remove them. Also it's a good idea to scrape the pot bottom with a spoon occasionally in case the soy milk wants to burn onto the bottom. Next add the honey and vanilla, stirring them around thoroughly. Serve by pouring chai through a strainer into cup.
Homebrew chai
2 tsp peppercorn not crushed
3 stars anise
4 cinnamon sticks crushed
2 tsp cardomon pod seeds
2 tsp corriander crushed
2 tsp cloves crushed
thumb of ginger shaved
dash of red pepper flakes
To make the core mixture, put all of the above in a big pot and bring it to a boil before simmering it for a good long while.
To serve, put a coffee cup's worth amount of the above mixture into a pot. Bring this to a boil, then throw in a black tea bag and some milk and and bring this to a boil again while moving the tea bag around a bit (like 30 seconds). Serve, adding honey to taste.
Colombian Lemonade
1 large lemon
30 leaves mint - too much!
3 tsp cane sugar
6 ice cubes
1 cup cold water
Put it all in a blender and let 'er rip.
ALCOHOLIC
Chilean Pisco Sour
3 oz. Chilean pisco
1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 egg white
3-4 ice cubes
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Fjellbeck
1 shot aquavit
1 shot vodka
1 shot lime juice
7Up/Sprite
ice
Alcohol/Liqueur
When making substitutions for alcohols, it is important to keep the volume of liquid in the recipe the same as originally called for. Depending on the recipe, apple juice or chicken broth often makes a good substitution for wine. When using flavored liqueurs, extracts can be substituted if you make up the balance of the liquid with water. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier you could use 1/2 teaspoon orange extract. Just be sure to get the same level of orange flavor. This may take some experimentation.
Allspice, Ground
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves plus 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg can be substituted for 1 teaspoon ground allspice.
Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar can be substituted for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
Baking Soda
There is no recommended substitute for baking soda.
Butter
Unsalted butter can be substituted for regular butter in any recipe. It is NOT necessary to add salt.
Whipped butter may be used as a substitute, based on weight, not volume. LAND O LAKES® Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil can also be substituted for regular butter in any baking recipe right from the refrigerator -- no need to soften! Stick margarine made from vegetable oil can also be substituted for butter.
Buttermilk
1 tablespoon vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1 cup OR 2/3 cup plain yogurt plus 1/3 cup milk can be substituted for 1 cup buttermilk.
Chicken or Beef Broth
1 cup hot water and 1 teaspoon instant bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube) can be substituted for 1 cup broth.
Cinnamon, Ground
1/2 teaspoon ground all spice or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom can be substituted for 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Coffee
1/2 cup hot water and 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules can be substituted for 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee.
Cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch can be substituted for 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
Cream (20% fat) (Coffee Cream)
3 tablespoon butter plus 7/8 cup milk can be substituted for 1 cup cream (in baking and cooking).
Cream (40% fat) (Whipping Cream)
1/3 cup butter plus 3/4 cup milk can be substituted for 1 cup cream (in baking and cooking).
Cream of Tartar
There is no recommended substitution for cream of tartar.
Eggs
2 egg whites can be substituted for 1 whole egg. 1/4 cup refrigerated egg substitute can be substituted for one egg.
Egg Whites
Meringue powder can be substituted for egg whites in a meringue application only. Three egg whites equal approximately 3 tablespoons meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water. Powdered egg whites may be substituted in most recipes requiring egg whites.
Follow directions on powdered egg whites container.
Flour (as thickener)
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, potato starch, rice starch, arrowroot starch, or 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca can be substituted for 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour.
Garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon instant minced garlic or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder can be substituted for 1 clove minced garlic.
Ginger, ground
1/2 teaspoon ground mace plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel can be substituted for 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
Herbs
1 tablespoon fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Honey
1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/3 cup liquid (use whatever liquid is called for in the recipe) can be substituted for 1 cup honey.
Italian Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon EACH dried oregano leaves, dried marjoram leaves and dried basil leaves plus 1/8 teaspoon rubbed dried sage can be substituted for 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.
Milk, Sweetened Condensed
1 cup instant nonfat dry milk plus 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons melted butter can be substituted for 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.
Milk, Whole
1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water OR 1 cup water plus 1/3 cup nonfat evaporated dry milk powder OR 1 cup skim milk plus 2 teaspoons melted butter can be substituted for 1 cup whole milk. NOTE: Whole milk is higher in total fat than low-fat milk. If a baking recipe calls for whole milk, you may be able to substitute a low-fat milk variety like skim, 1% or 2% fat. Be cautious about substituting skim milk in pudding, custard and sauce recipes. These recipes rely on the dairy fat for added texture and flavor. Baked items such as cakes and cookies can usually tolerate the use of low-fat milk.
Molasses
1 cup honey can be substituted for 1 cup molasses. (and vice versa) Note: flavor will be affected. 1 cup light molasses can be substituted for 1 cup dark molasses.
Mustard, Dry
1 tablespoon prepared mustard can be substituted for 1 teaspoon dry mustard.
Mustard, Prepared
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard plus 2 teaspoons vinegar can be substituted for 1 tablespoon prepared mustard.
Nutmeg, Ground
1 teaspoon ground allspice or 1 teaspooon ground cloves or 1 teaspoon ground mace can be substituted for 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Oats
Old fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats can be used interchangeably in baking recipes.
Oil
1 cup melted butter, margarine or shortening can be substituted for 1 cup oil. Note: Recipe results may vary. Texture and appearance may be affected.
Onion
1/4 cup instant minced onion, flaked onion OR 1 teaspoon onion powder can be substituted for 1 cup (1 medium) chopped onion.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/8 teaspoon EACH ground nutmeg and ground cloves can be substituted for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
Raisins
Substitute another chopped dried fruit for raisins. Golden raisins, dark raisins and currants can be used interchangeably in baking recipes.
Salt
Kosher salt, iodized salt, sea salt, or a non-sodium containing salt substitute may be used for table salt in baking.
Shortening
1 cup butter or margarine can be substituted for 1 cup shortening. When using shortening in place of butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon milk or water for each 1/2 cup shortening used may need to be added. DO NOT substitute vegetable oil for shortening when recipe calls for melting the shortening.
Sour Cream
1 cup plain yogurt can be substituted for 1 cup sour cream.
Sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar can be substituted for 1 cup sugar. Note: Flavor will be affected somewhat.
3/4 cup honey (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup) can be substituted for 1 cup granulated sugar.
1/2 cup corn syrup or molasses (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup) can be substituted for 1 cup granulated sugar.
1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch processed in a food processor fitted with a metal blade can be substituted for powdered sugar.
If you are interested in reducing your carbohydrate intake, you can substitute honey for granulated white sugar. 3/4 cup honey (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup) can be substituted for 1 cup granulated sugar. Honey is a natural sweetener. It tastes sweeter than sugar, so you can use less of it.
Sugar, Light Brown
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar can be substituted for 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar. (Slight flavor differences will occur.) 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses can be substituted for 1 cup light brown sugar.
Tomato Sauce
3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water can be substituted for 1 cup tomato sauce.
Vanilla Extract
Imitation vanilla flavoring can be substituted for vanilla extract. Other flavorings, such as almond, peppermint, rum or lemon may be substituted for vanilla extract (flavor differences will occur.)
Wine
1/2 cup fruit juice can be substituted for 1/2 cup wine in desserts. 1/2 cup chicken broth can be substituted for 1/2 cup wine in savory recipes.
Yeast
1 (.6-ounce) cake of compressed yeast can be substituted for 1 (1/4-ounce) packet of active dry yeast. 2 1/2 teaspoons quick rise or 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast can be substituted for 1 (1/4-ounce) packet of active dry yeast.
Homemade Curry Powder
Version #1
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp caram masala
1 tsp corriander
1 chile, crushed
Version #2
2 parts turmeric
3 parts cumin
1 part corriander
1 part ginger powder
Play with the numbers for your own special curries.
Applesauce
Peel and slice apples, putting them in lemon-juiced water until done with cutting and peeling. Drain pot, put on stove on med-med/low to break down the apples. When it's mushy, it's done! May need to add water as cooking. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
SunDried Tomatoes
(without the sun)
50 roma tomatoes
salt
pepper
10 minced garlic cloves
olive oil
Toss all ingredients in a bowl, then lay out on a cookie sheet or parchment paper cut side up. Bake at 150F until dry, keeping the oven door slightly ajar. Can can (jar) the result packed in olive oil and refrigerated, or use in a timely fashion in various meals. Or just snack on them.
Roasting (Raw) Nuts
Hazelnuts:
Crack/shell them, then put them in the oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes.
Remove skinlike covering, then smash them with anything handy.
Almonds:
If slivers, put in oven at 400F for only about 5 minutes, until just starting to brown.
Making A Sweet Almond Filling From Almond Paste
3/4-1 lb. almond paste at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
Chop up almond paste and place in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and eggs and mix.
How To Cook Beans in a Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker provides one of the easiest and energy efficient ways to cook healthy beans. This tutorial take away the mystery.
Pressure cooking beans is fast and easy, but you MUST use oil when doing so. It keeps the beans from foaming up as well as keeping the skins from popping off and clogging up the vent tube. Remember not to fill cooker over 2/3 full.
Here is the basic recipe:
1 cup beans
4 cups water
1 tablespoon oil (unless otherwise noted)
Cook according to the chart below. Soaking for 8 hours will greatly reduce the cooking time. You can also "presoak" beans by putting them in the cooker with the amount of water above and bringing the cooker up to pressure. Turn off the cooker and let it sit for 1 hour. Then proceed by cooking the beans for the "presoak" time below.
Unsoaked beans take the longest. When the cooking time is up, quick-release the pressure cooker under cold water to avoid foaming or sputtering at the vent. If you do hear a sputtering sound, place the cooker in the sink and run cold water over the entire cooker to bring the pressure down quickly. Remove and clean the lid, vent, and rubber gasket. Lock the lid back in place and proceed with cooking.
Important: ALWAYS clean the lid and vent thoroughly after cooking beans! Be sure to check the vent tube to make sure no bean skins are stuck in it.
Note: Black Eyed Peas, Split Peas and Lentils do not need to be soaked or even presoaked. You can use them unsoaked and they cook very quickly.
Beans (1 cup dry): Soaked (12 hrs), Presoak, Unsoaked, Yield
Black (turtle): 9-11 min, 14-18 min, 20-25 min, 2 cups
Black-eyed (cow) peas: -----, -----, 9-11 min, 2 1/4 cups
Cannellini: 9-12 min, 14-17 min, 22-25 min, 2 cups
Chickpeas (garbanzo): 10-12 min, 21-25 min, 30-40 min, 2 1/2 cups
Fava*: 12-18 min, 16-22 min, 22-28 min, 2 cups
Great Northern: 8-12 min, 14-18 min, 25-30 min, 2 1/4 cups
Lentils: ------, ------, 7-10 min, 2 cups
Lima (large)***: 4-7**min, 8-12 min**, 12-16 min, 2 1/2 cups
Lima (baby): 5-7 min, 8-12 min, 12-15 min, 2 1/2 cups
Peas (split, green): ------, ------, 8-10 min, 2 cups
Peas (whole, green): ------, ------, 16-18 min, 2 cups
Pinto: 4-6 min 7-10 min, 22-25 min, 2 1/4 cups
Navy (pea): 6-8 min, 10-13 min 16-25 min, 2 cups
Red kidney: 10-12 min, 12-15 min, 20-25 min, 2 cups
Soy beans: 9-12 min, 15-20 min, 28-35 min, 2 1/4 cups
*Skins remain leathery after cooking and must be removed before serving unless the beans are pureed.
**Be sure to remove loose skins before cooking
***Requires 2 tablespoons of oil for each cup of dried beans
Directions for Freezing Peppers
Equipment
1 Large pot of boiling water
2 large bowls, one filled with cold water and ice
1 sharp knife
"ziploc" type freezer bags
Step 1 - Start with fresh peppers - as fresh as you can get. Select crisp, tender, green or bright peppers. If there is a delay between harvesting and freezing, put it in the refrigerator or put ice on it. Don't use peppers that are old, limp, overripe or dried out.
Step 2 - Wash the peppers!
Step 3 - Slice the peppers in half, scooping out the seeds and cutting into smaller pieces. Cut out stems, cut in half and remove seeds. If desired, cut into 1/2-inch strips or rings. Of course, if your prefer Julianne cut peppers, you can cut the peppers lengthwise in thin strips instead or chop into smaller pieces.
Step 4 - Decide how you will be using them later, as this determines how you will prepare them. If you will be using them heated (in cooking), then you will need to water blanch them - go on to Step 5. If you will be using them in uncooked foods where you need a crisper texture, or possibly still use them in cooked foods - skip to Step 7.
Step 5 - Blanch the peppers by getting the pots ready first. Get the pot of boiling water ready (about 2/3 filled) and a LARGE bowl with ice and cold water. All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color, flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. peppers requires a brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Blanch the pepper halves for 3 minutes; and strips or rings for 2 minutes. The duration is intended to be just long enough to stop the action of the enzymes and kill the bacteria. NOTE: Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the peppers in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.
Step 6 - After vegetables are blanched, cool them quickly to prevent overcooking. Plunge the peppers into a large quantity of ice-cold water (I keep adding more ice to it). A good rule of thumb: Cool for the same amount of time as the blanch step. For instance, if you blanch sweet peppers for 7 minutes, then cool in ice water for 7 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Step 7 - Bag the peppers: ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. Try to remove as much air as possible to prevent drying and freezer burn. TIP: If you don't own a vacuum food sealer to freeze foods, place food in a Ziploc bags, zip the top shut but leave enough space to insert the tip of a soda straw. When straw is in place, remove air by sucking the air out. To remove straw, press straw closed where inserted and finish pressing the bag closed as you remove straw.
Pickling Green Beans Capri Style
3 lbs green beans (3 quarts)
6 bunches dill
6 cups of vinegar
6 small cloves of garlic
2 cups water
1 cup salt
Wash beans and cut off stems. Heat the vinegar water and salt to boiling. In each of the 6 pint jars (sterilized) place a pinch of dill, a pod of pepper, and a clove of garlic. Pack beans in each (hot) jar to within an inch of the top, pouring hot vinegar solution over beans. Seal with hot lids and store 3 weeks before using; it's not a bad idea to keep them in the refrigerator.
THE ABOVE AMOUNTS FILLED 3 LARGE MASON JARS AND 1 SMALL ONE ALMOST EXACTLY (AFTER STUFFING THEM WITH BEANS)
What's with the sayings about twice boiled water?
Supposedly tea tastes better with freshly boiled water (as opposed to twice-or-more boiled water) because of the oxygen content in the fresh water. That's because water contains dissolved oxygen, which helps bring out flavors from tea and coffee. When it’s brought to a boil, though, oxygen is released and minerals are concentrated. Thus you are left with higher concentrations of dissolved minerals and potentially any contaminants from the utensil it is heated in. Considering that lead pots were commonly used in the past, and something that tastes bad, well, tastes bad, the saying has merit. Nowadays it would be most applicable when making tea or coffee.
How can you avoid tearing up over cutting onions?
Lots of ways, apparently. Here are a number of home remedies...
1. Cut out the core of the onion - where the root comes out. This is the section that has the most tear-inducing properties.
2. Soak the onion in water before cutting - water will dilute the sulphuric compounds.
3. Freeze or chill the onion before cutting. (This is the most effective, supposedly.) The sulphuric compound that leads to tears will not react as quickly when it's cold. However, don't freeze it for too long because it can affect taste. 10 minutes should do it.
4. Cut the onion in a well-ventilated room. Give the fumes a chance to escape.
5. Light a candle. A burning flame can burn away the sulphuric fumes.
6. Use a very sharp knife when cutting onions. The enzymes are released when cells are broken or crushed; using a sharp knife slices through the onion rather than crushing and thus, fewer enzymes are released.
7. Turn on the exhaust fan above your stove, stand close to the fan, and when you cut your onion, make sure that the onion is between you and the stove.
8. Chew gum or a piece of bread while cutting the onion.
Can that pungent garlic smell be removed from the fingers after touching it?
Try rubbing the garlic-inflicted hand(s) on the inside of a steel tub to kill the smell.
What's the difference between sorbet, ice cream, sherbert, and gelato?
Not as much as you think, at least between ice cream and gelato. Their main difference is... drum roll... AIR. Ice cream can have up to 60% air, while gelato is fluffed up with only about 20% of the invisible stuff. The more tangible stuff comes from cream, flavorings and, possibly, milk.
A sorbet is made from fruit purée, possibly including the flavorings of herbs and spices but no milk. It is then whipped to lighten its texture. A sherbet is merely a sorbet with some milk (usually no more than 2% milkfat) added to it for a more creamy texture.
What are grits?
So glad you asked so politely, and in an unaccented way - if there were such a thing. Grits come from coarsely ground corn kernels (boiled with water or milk) - and nothing more. Very close to polenta (which is thicker) and farina (which is thinner), grits are usually eaten for breakfast from about Texas to Virginia and all points between and south of thereabouts.
