tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23873030568048743592024-02-18T18:53:45.893-08:00Mormons Going VeggieA <em>nice</em> vegetarian blog--with the occasional fishVermonterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00517103415047134650noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-86283591556567474582013-01-09T18:42:00.000-08:002013-01-09T18:42:28.673-08:00Naan<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTkgs1yGJS8XLIP0ixHuqAKfL_gD6JTTutvgeQ5uFO9-Jgdn1O8PFCG18_CsE06msm9HOEDCrXSrnaqR1N9n0d-HmB5bY4PuUoBdCVfaib8CMJfG2Vk7-Dk3kH5wHpDNH58-UoZjssjlt/s1600/photo-705146.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTkgs1yGJS8XLIP0ixHuqAKfL_gD6JTTutvgeQ5uFO9-Jgdn1O8PFCG18_CsE06msm9HOEDCrXSrnaqR1N9n0d-HmB5bY4PuUoBdCVfaib8CMJfG2Vk7-Dk3kH5wHpDNH58-UoZjssjlt/s320/photo-705146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5831645199561399938" /></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-38718255079996567752013-01-09T16:13:00.000-08:002013-01-09T16:14:02.726-08:00Make Naan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Nothing sells dinner like a bread baked that day: whether we're talking actual loaves, or rolls, tortillas, biscuits, or naan. All over the world, or among our ancestors, bread baked that day was UNUSUAL. That's why being a bakers is the third oldest profession, and that's why so often a village has only one oven, and it's shared.<br />
<br />
That said, if today's a day you want to bake a bread, here's this great recipe for naan I've been using. Note well: plan on three+ hours for the rise.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/05/22/naan-bread/">http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/05/22/naan-bread/</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-72771226343665971282012-07-05T23:22:00.003-07:002012-07-05T23:26:59.252-07:00Easy Pantry Thai Curry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
An <a href="http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaiseafoodrecipes/r/easyfishcurry.htm">easy pantry curry from about.com's thaifood subsite, for when you don't have a good curry paste on hand.</a>. The entire page is a nice fish curry recipe, but you can make just the curry sauce portion, to use as you like.<br />
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How easy? How pantry? Here's the ingredients I used tonight:<br />
<br />
<b>not pantry, but often in my house anyhow:</b><br />
fresh cilantro<br />
fresh basil<br />
fresh ginger<br />
garlic in cloves<br />
green onions<br />
<br />
<b>pantry</b><br />
can coconut milk<br />
fish sauce<br />
chili powder (yeah, like you make chili with)<br />
ground cumin<br />
brown sugar<br />
turmeric<br />
cayenne<br />
<br />
<b>I dropped without substitution:</b><br />
ground coriander<br />
shrimp paste<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaiseafoodrecipes/r/easyfishcurry.htm">See Fish Curry Recipe for amounts and real directions</a><br />
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I'm pretty excited, because I don't have a brand of curry paste I'm excited about these days, it uses ingredients I'd stock for various dishes. And this falls somewhere between curry paste and mortar/pestle in effort.<br />
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Why a curry sauce? Over rice with a bell pepper, mushrooms, tomato, and potato it's a fabulous meal. Add tofu if you like, or fish, or cashews or peanuts.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-87074052304302927872011-08-25T06:05:00.000-07:002011-08-25T06:06:31.343-07:00Roast Vegetables in Pita<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucc_VVbnmekoQB_xhupNVyEtGyYF7gysuoEF-2JPlJ305hQJoPcz3OvgQwNF_gfzTvB18SGNTBb9AoFFQeyEwr8jUZoL2EU4UfAbm-1WnhKKcITebopFHXkoZZqj9AI4vPB7mg_sKCN0/s1600/roast+vegetables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucc_VVbnmekoQB_xhupNVyEtGyYF7gysuoEF-2JPlJ305hQJoPcz3OvgQwNF_gfzTvB18SGNTBb9AoFFQeyEwr8jUZoL2EU4UfAbm-1WnhKKcITebopFHXkoZZqj9AI4vPB7mg_sKCN0/s400/roast+vegetables.jpg" /></a></div><br />
School started, and looking for a little convenience, I bought a tray of those pre-cut roasting vegetables in the produce department for the first time.<br />
<br />
What's cool: when you toss them in a little olive oil, they completely loose that exposed-to-air look. I tossed in some fresh thyme and basil I had leftover, and salt and pepper. Into the oven for 30 minutes at 450F, more than enough time to have them well cooked.<br />
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Serve with pita bread, and a little whole milk yogurt for those who want some creaminess and more sense of the Greek. I offered cubed meat leftovers to add for the insistently non-vegetarian.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sVpJXY08OVPg_Kca1MUyOY_as_df43qoc00E0rHF-ZVSiVwoPI4bgWSzsunay2aRCXtLSIf3UJhaTFH49dYhvSgaT1RBt2pXaKAkR7t9m5ZuuvgjLvDm7WzT9yku-TKXwp_IokAoV50/s1600/closeup-veggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="389" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sVpJXY08OVPg_Kca1MUyOY_as_df43qoc00E0rHF-ZVSiVwoPI4bgWSzsunay2aRCXtLSIf3UJhaTFH49dYhvSgaT1RBt2pXaKAkR7t9m5ZuuvgjLvDm7WzT9yku-TKXwp_IokAoV50/s400/closeup-veggie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<i>Okay, and what was in the tray of pre-cut vegetables? Carrots, green beans, zucchini, summer squash, onion, yam. I thought I would be sad I didn't have mushrooms, but really, I didn't miss them.</i><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-64400541820545228572011-08-18T11:18:00.000-07:002011-08-18T11:37:30.885-07:00Vegetarian Enchilada Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is my riff on a Utah standby Chicken Enchilada Pie, that my dear friend Nicole taught me how to make back in Ohio in 1995. The Chicken version layered tortillas with sour cream, cream of chicken soup, sauteed onions, cheese, and cooked chicken. My new version, adapted to vegetarian tastes and my progress at Weight Watchers (25 pounds down, yay!) is a different kind of yummy, and it has that quality I love about a good casserole: leftovers that last in the fridge, handy for lunching or snacks for me and other adults in the house for the days that follow.<br />
<br />
I hear Nicole's in China now. She's lived around the world since our days in Ohio. She's such an excellent cook (and seamstress and business manager) I wonder what great things she's done since our daughters were small.<br />
<br />
1.5 to 2 TB oil<br />
1 medium summer squash<br />
1 medium-small zucchini<br />
1 red bell pepper<br />
red or other onion, half a large<br />
8-10 oz mushrooms<br />
half a pound frozen corn kernels<br />
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese<br />
5-7 corn tortillas, which tend to be small.<br />
28-ounce can of enchilada sauce, I like the green kind.<br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F, because that's how to cook any casserole.<br />
<br />
2. dice up small the vegetables, medium-high heat the oil in the pan, then add the vegetables and saute. Here you can see the proportions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm4kjwBtQp_c80y_EVNvekfi28Gc3KaPKc_JCywpAeceYNV-UX8ZJNgLEqfmRh7VhMu13W1Lr36aETwF23H9bEqBh3d7qufzqPoB3la8f9qtyubC1Jf4-gMS5Law-UkdwGmue82m-nU8/s1600/IMG_1592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm4kjwBtQp_c80y_EVNvekfi28Gc3KaPKc_JCywpAeceYNV-UX8ZJNgLEqfmRh7VhMu13W1Lr36aETwF23H9bEqBh3d7qufzqPoB3la8f9qtyubC1Jf4-gMS5Law-UkdwGmue82m-nU8/s400/IMG_1592.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Oh, I forgot to add the mushrooms and corn. I buy the pre-sliced mushrooms, and then chop them further from there. The corn really ought to be microwave cooked first, but I just threw it in the pan, slowing down and reducing the quality of the vegetables cooking. Oh well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji69mg7X4gUrMrZ7J-O2Ik5jdnubEATAT9YV9xLdgoU_KypK9BbJmVDUdBrMn5QOY3p3ah9gfXz2ixGpwaXkT8kK3c2dc_jFUHfP5aGX0QojDmcUsRwd9mJEC-_YOaCKFsXycnDmNTAV8/s1600/IMG_1593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji69mg7X4gUrMrZ7J-O2Ik5jdnubEATAT9YV9xLdgoU_KypK9BbJmVDUdBrMn5QOY3p3ah9gfXz2ixGpwaXkT8kK3c2dc_jFUHfP5aGX0QojDmcUsRwd9mJEC-_YOaCKFsXycnDmNTAV8/s400/IMG_1593.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Now it's all mixed together. I really love the colors--this is why one of my Christmas side dishes for years was zucchini-bell.pepper-corn. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h8oKYnW3u4JBHRunHz_TUfLeyoFZpbYB_wFhTFL6WnWGOyKH7EQAZmfcEnxbQf5s3a38G5EINj59HABdXv2BHu5kJ_LXMfdb01TmGUIigKP64lhyphenhyphenJtazCjMVt4M4dfHOfFDfo4LL8VU/s1600/IMG_1594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h8oKYnW3u4JBHRunHz_TUfLeyoFZpbYB_wFhTFL6WnWGOyKH7EQAZmfcEnxbQf5s3a38G5EINj59HABdXv2BHu5kJ_LXMfdb01TmGUIigKP64lhyphenhyphenJtazCjMVt4M4dfHOfFDfo4LL8VU/s400/IMG_1594.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Now that's cooked; it's time to layer. Cover the bottom of the pan with 1/4 of the sauce, layer two tortillas, half of the vegetables, and another dose of sauce, and some (1/3 of) cheese. <br />
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Let's peek ahead with this layers diagram for the finished casserole. The fraction is how much of that item to put in that layer.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">cheese (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">sauce (1/4)</div><div style="text-align: center;">tortillas (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">cheese (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">sauce (1/4)</div><div style="text-align: center;">vegetables (1/2)</div><div style="text-align: center;">tortillas (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">cheese (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">sauce (1/4)</div><div style="text-align: center;">vegetables (1/2)</div><div style="text-align: center;">tortillas (1/3)</div><div style="text-align: center;">sauce (1/4)</div><div style="text-align: center;">\________pan________/</div><br />
Here I'm in process covering those first tortillas with my first layer of veggies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy5kyWhYSw4pzy_ExLktBjOcX06e_1dn4gqk1IXh0gVeQqHbghzrn2VnWoPAjfWd1MXnkUT19G9vdNXbUcsPnHy-7MhyBbsDeL1Y8xm2Ul8FZ14e1wstW7C9jNmYwdqFLtB2YjkTHQR8/s1600/IMG_1595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy5kyWhYSw4pzy_ExLktBjOcX06e_1dn4gqk1IXh0gVeQqHbghzrn2VnWoPAjfWd1MXnkUT19G9vdNXbUcsPnHy-7MhyBbsDeL1Y8xm2Ul8FZ14e1wstW7C9jNmYwdqFLtB2YjkTHQR8/s400/IMG_1595.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sauce on the second layer, and repeat as before.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFAyW53EHxKOpauJrBsFfJ5V-WN9xJd08lFjNRo9Nbvad_0I-cYMj4QjpfyMvC6k2tweWpmgrD5s7EcAQecFg5V8_SCAgPChDqQ9yVNwPlJXOI1xh1lLMU4yQzZkaSMlOZT4O6mndlxw/s1600/IMG_1596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFAyW53EHxKOpauJrBsFfJ5V-WN9xJd08lFjNRo9Nbvad_0I-cYMj4QjpfyMvC6k2tweWpmgrD5s7EcAQecFg5V8_SCAgPChDqQ9yVNwPlJXOI1xh1lLMU4yQzZkaSMlOZT4O6mndlxw/s400/IMG_1596.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Cheese going on just before another layer of tortilla. If I'm going to use cheese, I use real cheese, not reduced-fat stuff. It doesn't take much (relative to what I used to do, perhaps) to give it that cheese-in-mix taste. I would have loved a Jack cheese here, but was happy to use the sharp cheddar that was in the house. I think it really adds to the nourishing deliciousness of the meal to use what I have.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D2zu5FqiR8C6Zai7DwO7RJUPUuT8ZtVvvXJ-kodIH3v1GEbZcaf8j8104_8D9n4wu1veKm8RHbaCE2V1jiOSuLFyUEEHgCKwNwjBHSZts50MW8GQy9qvBqia9E2ihMbSxBxT3zjpUfg/s1600/IMG_1597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D2zu5FqiR8C6Zai7DwO7RJUPUuT8ZtVvvXJ-kodIH3v1GEbZcaf8j8104_8D9n4wu1veKm8RHbaCE2V1jiOSuLFyUEEHgCKwNwjBHSZts50MW8GQy9qvBqia9E2ihMbSxBxT3zjpUfg/s400/IMG_1597.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And on that front, I wasn't stopped by the fact I only had five corn tortillas in the house. I tore the last one into pieces and spread it around for the top layer thus. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARutQjdAN7RXIhOx36SknB6H-vA7GZfut9Yc-S0Qk5l8Xiv1KMRheBl2YuP4WmStOng0blT7jjN-flBoITVb7vsIh1GnM3SPjNucrncvuHNOe_Z0m9eV2d2BlDHcUgc4cdETb_G2_8BQ/s1600/IMG_1598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARutQjdAN7RXIhOx36SknB6H-vA7GZfut9Yc-S0Qk5l8Xiv1KMRheBl2YuP4WmStOng0blT7jjN-flBoITVb7vsIh1GnM3SPjNucrncvuHNOe_Z0m9eV2d2BlDHcUgc4cdETb_G2_8BQ/s400/IMG_1598.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Last layer of sauce and cheese.<br />
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Cover and bake the standard 350F for 30 minutes. This pretty dish (from IKEA years ago) didn't have a lid, so I used foil.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5GIUkOH4l_xZkVi8l2zUOnohFhUZ1Tfv5fq_ZfUq5UFUELYLB5m_tgsgCyyX1V83GL-upJ0k1wRG7bNgwsUlpggNO0IUL1_-qVxmh3nea2A-tJXZd5mlrr-6JP_nRbnTql7ZdEo540o/s1600/IMG_1599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5GIUkOH4l_xZkVi8l2zUOnohFhUZ1Tfv5fq_ZfUq5UFUELYLB5m_tgsgCyyX1V83GL-upJ0k1wRG7bNgwsUlpggNO0IUL1_-qVxmh3nea2A-tJXZd5mlrr-6JP_nRbnTql7ZdEo540o/s400/IMG_1599.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And it's done! I suppose you could remove the foil at the end, if you want the cheese browned as well as bubbly, but for me this is good. Too often I burn the cheese at the end trying to do that. Feel free to send me an acetylene torch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeeWzmvLLqM5T747EjAQZ_oxU8e9818A8QhEdxnDe5DiMZJGF4JON0oHoXkHrJp-wQZm6K1FzB3PAM0GRKziDlpgIBSgtLLvTA0JE5iU4VI4x657EBqvcAbUoNLSuNEOIaS6xycxootA/s1600/IMG_1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeeWzmvLLqM5T747EjAQZ_oxU8e9818A8QhEdxnDe5DiMZJGF4JON0oHoXkHrJp-wQZm6K1FzB3PAM0GRKziDlpgIBSgtLLvTA0JE5iU4VI4x657EBqvcAbUoNLSuNEOIaS6xycxootA/s400/IMG_1600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Was delish, and delish as leftovers for a couple days. Loved and appreciated by everyone over the age of 16--probably could have won the heart of the younger teen if it didn't fall into the inaccurately-named category "Mexican Food." Apparently my love of all things bean, cheese, and tortilla more than met her quota five years ago. <br />
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But never mine. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-49252769439305505632011-05-15T13:31:00.000-07:002011-05-15T13:33:45.759-07:00Laziest Vegetarian Posole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cwbAwlf5ur4PNaXOP8i5qholHmPrlu2_ohAq1YuVbGDu163KjhkyIp1ydS86EwgwjOwhh5xkrbt-JxJMM1iLpyLBfzvPBd534VP4bugK_lW6XC1Ko189FuvvfR4TU57RkxYS8eN4T6I/s1600/posole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cwbAwlf5ur4PNaXOP8i5qholHmPrlu2_ohAq1YuVbGDu163KjhkyIp1ydS86EwgwjOwhh5xkrbt-JxJMM1iLpyLBfzvPBd534VP4bugK_lW6XC1Ko189FuvvfR4TU57RkxYS8eN4T6I/s400/posole.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Sometime I want to try this <a href="http://elitisttaco.blogspot.com/2010/09/vegetarian-posole.htm">a real recipe for vegetarian posole like this one.</a><br />
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But today, I did the simplest thing. I put hominy in a vegetarian broth, and topped it with those yummy things I like to put on top of posole: radish, watercress, salsa, cilantro. Cheese is good too, if you take dairy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-18553806925290301802011-05-08T18:57:00.000-07:002011-05-08T18:57:06.465-07:00Mother's Day Feast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmGFUVQAEiFnTpzugQJKcELGLPX7Kio08om6f6UVadlj9rYpoHcj3BUBCJJWxvOGtYZXf9PcsHjFPR-XxKyvh3zPKUBXRnH6djth_YbBAyrr6UA5vnBGuwBmddb3DuxQF_neXeTi1DKU/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmGFUVQAEiFnTpzugQJKcELGLPX7Kio08om6f6UVadlj9rYpoHcj3BUBCJJWxvOGtYZXf9PcsHjFPR-XxKyvh3zPKUBXRnH6djth_YbBAyrr6UA5vnBGuwBmddb3DuxQF_neXeTi1DKU/s320/IMG_0685.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Which I didn't prepare. My vegetarian daughter, now in high school, prepared an full dinner from scratch for us in fulfillment of her Foods class requirements.<br />
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Veggie Daughter has been a vegetarian for seven years now, and is the reason I resurrected my college vegetarian meal planning skills. Daughter reintroduced fish back into her diet two years ago; this is a fish menu we had tonight.<br />
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Gazpacho<br />
Trout<br />
Spinach-Strawberry Salad<br />
Homemade rolls<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX59TtefwTwR0BYEH1cccdzDhZi4t7lijEH4UalmXkbeXu2EJsTmcmBmvaSLFurMt0XOHxfNuX_oTuCKaTUutUKHV4CglPbskhr5zpcrK21icvhHYJHqzkm4Ng1SmE9yfY7VIXpBEoRs/s1600/IMG_0681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX59TtefwTwR0BYEH1cccdzDhZi4t7lijEH4UalmXkbeXu2EJsTmcmBmvaSLFurMt0XOHxfNuX_oTuCKaTUutUKHV4CglPbskhr5zpcrK21icvhHYJHqzkm4Ng1SmE9yfY7VIXpBEoRs/s200/IMG_0681.jpg" width="149" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCLMtMtJGZsBdb8wQpwKPaGeFF7O6GiQjw1TiEhlFzX-05j97UQuVmhB1aLDDQm9uFWcsr09Xm8jfHKWkYvRM8qz56PSt5knSqLD6Dz1c5w8fdR1O-d9XG1m_zfUxsmvD_X8fFiQequs/s1600/IMG_0683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCLMtMtJGZsBdb8wQpwKPaGeFF7O6GiQjw1TiEhlFzX-05j97UQuVmhB1aLDDQm9uFWcsr09Xm8jfHKWkYvRM8qz56PSt5knSqLD6Dz1c5w8fdR1O-d9XG1m_zfUxsmvD_X8fFiQequs/s200/IMG_0683.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5824WvnpZa0sNIalUYqreCFeawC5uDyoGZ2k-fTCg1icbG3ZHKxGiTSIcTCebcLPkYHhL5WkJ-OKPCQX7Ua-8F-Snl-3tOfmtMq1vTLkE6Q0vzSLUDogQN3ybMhLKDwwLnazcl8djkk/s1600/IMG_0680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5824WvnpZa0sNIalUYqreCFeawC5uDyoGZ2k-fTCg1icbG3ZHKxGiTSIcTCebcLPkYHhL5WkJ-OKPCQX7Ua-8F-Snl-3tOfmtMq1vTLkE6Q0vzSLUDogQN3ybMhLKDwwLnazcl8djkk/s200/IMG_0680.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i><br />
</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-12360775395975643442011-04-21T18:50:00.000-07:002011-08-25T06:08:04.434-07:00Asparagus Dudes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Tonight's quick dinner was penne pasta with asparagus and cherry tomatoes in an alfredo-type sauce. We had honeydew as a side. It was my riff on the Bertollini frozen pasta dinner.<br />
<br />
First, I boiled penne pasta in a separate pot.<br />
<br />
I melted butter in a saute pan, added asparagus cut in 2 inch pieces, threw in some shredded parmesan, added cream. When it was getting warm and melty, I added the pasta and the cherry tomatoes and mixed that in.<br />
<br />
For some reason, I have it in my head that asparagus must always been steamed. But this saute method worked well, the asparagus came out great.<br />
<br />
I cut the cherry tomatoes in half. I don't like my food to explode when I bite into it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dQcItywU2k83yPw0mY6K80KR_SsnvuP0Ze9lXZw9qMAkrheb_LCZDy4Ih6uq6jmi2P87M8wMBqXLsOWq9uYzxl8pqfZCMpmRpwym97mg0D-arfulcuCfO2BPN0sVsW6R4UZjBxHTkiQ/s1600/IMG_0649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dQcItywU2k83yPw0mY6K80KR_SsnvuP0Ze9lXZw9qMAkrheb_LCZDy4Ih6uq6jmi2P87M8wMBqXLsOWq9uYzxl8pqfZCMpmRpwym97mg0D-arfulcuCfO2BPN0sVsW6R4UZjBxHTkiQ/s320/IMG_0649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anyway was delicious--why not with all that cream. My son was bored though, and put the asparagus pieces into the penne pasta to make Asparagus Dudes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO66QFLt2ZdtssCY82dfC2kHdQbrhdL8x6n-ETdEidNbUVgps8QfeP_c0iXOmzTTiEUD0cdY0z_4KWe0GCeo1R-uc_KVxt_MX80MEnv4ErMePliR6gDNEro0vqiMDzgzwE6ob6d10OLio/s1600/IMG_0650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO66QFLt2ZdtssCY82dfC2kHdQbrhdL8x6n-ETdEidNbUVgps8QfeP_c0iXOmzTTiEUD0cdY0z_4KWe0GCeo1R-uc_KVxt_MX80MEnv4ErMePliR6gDNEro0vqiMDzgzwE6ob6d10OLio/s320/IMG_0650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This could be a split-meal for part-vegetarian families by serving slices of cooked chicken breast separately, for the meat-eaters to mix in on their plates. My husband had to be away from us for dinner tonight, so only the youngest child wanted any meat.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-48857661345793426942011-02-09T22:37:00.000-08:002011-02-09T22:37:54.930-08:00Vegetarian French Onion Soup in Crockpot--Bad Idea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Today I made Vegetarian French Soup in the Crockpot, which I've been wanting to do for some time. <br />
<br />
And now I know, it is a bad idea. Don't do it.<br />
<br />
I sliced four large onions, and put them in a crockpot on high with a melted half a stick of butter, to carmelize.<br />
<br />
About three hours later, I added two cups of vegetable stock, and turned it down to low.<br />
<br />
Probably, I should not have added the stock, since the onions had no all carmelized. If it is possible for them to carmelize in a crockpot.<br />
<br />
About five more hours later, I broiled swiss cheese onto sliced french bread in the broiler. I put the cheese toasts into bowls, and ladled soup over them. <br />
<br />
But the soup was short of liquid. The bread absorbed most of what little liquid there was, giving me soggy cheese toasts with cooked onion sitting on top.<br />
<br />
Which wouldn't have mattered if it were delicious. But I'm sorry, Knorr vegetarian broth was not enough to stand up to the beef stock flavor I expect in french onion soup, and cooking onions in it all day did not enrichen it enough.<br />
<br />
Everyone hated it.<br />
<br />
I've heard it would work better if I cooked it on the stove, carmelizing the onions thoroughly first, and then simmered on the stove all day. I hear it would have worked better if I added some miso soup for broth, to give it the umami flavor. <br />
<br />
But frankly, I'm not going to try again. I don't want to get anywhere near this disaster again.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-67823202249698626202011-01-23T21:14:00.000-08:002011-01-23T21:18:33.020-08:00Onigiri<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Cute like sugar cookies, without actually being a dessert. </i><br />
<i>We like it as an afternoon snack or in a packed lunch.</i><br />
<br />
Leftover rice, about 2 cups<br />
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon sugar<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmoVQy5zY1GIEIozneApS8n9hfQNi9OqUmDylpF6tGEG2maz9ZLv8Xe9svU0iMAXY5I3UuOW3gjtM0_CIiEFDdtPemkJWcpfADhyphenhyphenetg4fle4aiSQdWnFZwTdwYUUm2nXX9ws5S5bGOSU/s1600/IMG_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmoVQy5zY1GIEIozneApS8n9hfQNi9OqUmDylpF6tGEG2maz9ZLv8Xe9svU0iMAXY5I3UuOW3gjtM0_CIiEFDdtPemkJWcpfADhyphenhyphenetg4fle4aiSQdWnFZwTdwYUUm2nXX9ws5S5bGOSU/s320/IMG_0440.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I spread the rice out on a plate.<br />
I mix the vinegar, salt, and sugar to make a dressing.<br />
I sprinkle the dressing on the rice.<br />
<br />
I pack the rice into molds to make shapes, using my rice paddle to push the rice into the mold and level it. I've got a little onigiri mold with three little shapes, which I bought in a japanese market a few years back. Before that I used to just mold with a 1/4 cup measure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFbDdG65LX4iIqW_dzBm3PCuPA6jhxGKC1aDTeI0x5tOUAK-wuOe4GbyPRlQnNO0nmFXz3ksPjzyzPusRK5830aeZPQNGOH4pBYhLPaBd-euPqX9PEG4KDyGcbkBHd77rQ96QKxdQKvA/s1600/IMG_0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFbDdG65LX4iIqW_dzBm3PCuPA6jhxGKC1aDTeI0x5tOUAK-wuOe4GbyPRlQnNO0nmFXz3ksPjzyzPusRK5830aeZPQNGOH4pBYhLPaBd-euPqX9PEG4KDyGcbkBHd77rQ96QKxdQKvA/s320/IMG_0441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Real onigiri would have something hidden in the middle, like pickled plum. I've never met a pickled plum. We usually just make them plain--haven't come up with a filling that interests any of us.<br />
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<b>Do you make onigiri? Is your vinegar-salt-sugar dressing different? Do you put a little filling in the middle?</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-31327460481236218282011-01-12T01:01:00.000-08:002011-01-11T23:04:03.770-08:00Applesauce Cake<i>Happy Birthday Captain Awesome!</i><br />
<br />
I use my KitchenAid mixer for this one, because I believe in overkill.<br />
<br />
<b>Two sticks of butter</b> with <b>1 1/2 cups brown sugar</b> until creamy.<br />
Mix in <b>2 eggs</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>3 cups flour</b><br />
<b>1/2 Tablespoon baking soda</b><br />
<b>2 teaspoons cinnamon</b>, unless it's in the applesauce already<br />
<b>1 teaspoon cloves</b><br />
<b>1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</b><br />
<b>1 teaspoon or less salt</b><br />
<b>2 cups applesauce.</b><br />
<br />
Mix it all again. <br />
add <b>2 cups of raisins</b> and stir them in by hand, unless you forgot this year again.<br />
<br />
<br />
Put in that pretty big cakepan that looks like it would hold legal paper. I think it takes an hour to bake.<br />
<br />
Frosting (the last argument of kings)<br />
melt another <b>stick of butter</b> with another <b>cup of brown sugar</b>. Add a pinch of <b>salt</b> and <b>2/3 cup of cream. </b><br />
Rinse the cake batter out of the mixer bowl, and put this hot concoction in. Add four cups of powdered sugar (from my interminable food storage. Apparently we'll be eating cake during the apocalypse) and a teaspoon of vanilla.<br />
<br />
When the cake is out and cooled off, spread this on top. (The cake stays in the pan, because that's what I did the first year we were married) If you were disorganized (again) spread the frosting (still warm) on the hot cake (oh well) because if something's worth doing, it's worth doing before the birthday man arrives home.<br />
<br />
Understand that he's going to put his slice in a mug and pour milk over it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-231402212350094722011-01-11T22:39:00.000-08:002011-01-11T22:45:12.926-08:00Add the bouillon at the table<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4JOgx-gQvJObibecwBM04N9NAarfZYR3H3ffgSaBwDzZ5-2mL_s4KVdklnGagwS03YuNMGVZkj1sbnHifnmlRtFydVwBYuw0XRDm8V4FHJnQsDhpcPoL-Nhkm1ZFnEX31cJDNB0_-pQ/s1600/IMG_0397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4JOgx-gQvJObibecwBM04N9NAarfZYR3H3ffgSaBwDzZ5-2mL_s4KVdklnGagwS03YuNMGVZkj1sbnHifnmlRtFydVwBYuw0XRDm8V4FHJnQsDhpcPoL-Nhkm1ZFnEX31cJDNB0_-pQ/s1600/IMG_0397.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own copy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The kids are in finals, so of course half the kids, and me, are coming down with a cold. An excellent occasion to try at least the idea of Mark Bittman's Clean-Out-the-Fridge Vegetable Soup. My soup was comparatively limited by what I had in the fridge to clean out, and I wasn't about to go out in the rain in my mildly sick and tired state to pretend I ever had on hand as wide a range of vegetables as Bittman. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZeAiqM5KH2FeXurtNHVeD5EnOlO8WsIkJn4i7fMNuXWieV4vi3c8W5zEGfe9NedCgtLFnHaMKWL9JkJ3wZqXHsajnOdj5ZoiiDHTyw3sz9JNRA8blz3CvlDTb-0yuQjg2MgwPQHhgDM/s1600/IMG_0394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZeAiqM5KH2FeXurtNHVeD5EnOlO8WsIkJn4i7fMNuXWieV4vi3c8W5zEGfe9NedCgtLFnHaMKWL9JkJ3wZqXHsajnOdj5ZoiiDHTyw3sz9JNRA8blz3CvlDTb-0yuQjg2MgwPQHhgDM/s1600/IMG_0394.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wannabe Mirepoix: leeks, carrots, mushroom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
Mine was a leek-carrot-mushroom-tomato-potato-spinach soup. No pistou. But served with cheese sandwich or hamburgers to take the pressure off.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j8G4fHNPqWn_U_N1haexsPoBWJOEoaSqi3Ytx-CBeWhBdd5MZ1C6N21QzqP3-qJSH5qb4fmboRtgbp0w5gA_tlbWOeOT3sWLnK-t72vJDmoDqzBB5WX5FVNd9Y5LCKNnRJrIpmBXCFM/s1600/IMG_0395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j8G4fHNPqWn_U_N1haexsPoBWJOEoaSqi3Ytx-CBeWhBdd5MZ1C6N21QzqP3-qJSH5qb4fmboRtgbp0w5gA_tlbWOeOT3sWLnK-t72vJDmoDqzBB5WX5FVNd9Y5LCKNnRJrIpmBXCFM/s1600/IMG_0395.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added my bouillon paste right into my soup bowl!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I serve a vegetarian soup at more than half our dinners in the winter, but tonight I was impatient with the thought of another vegetable bouillon broth. So I did a crazy thing--I cooked the vegetables in water, and served a choice of vegetable or turkey Better than Bouillon soup base paste at the table. I know this doesn't allow the vegetables to season in the broth while cooking, but it was worth it to me to serve vegetables in turkey broth to those who wanted it, without having to divide the soup into two pots so the vegetarian version would be available to those who require it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-64937306799877748302011-01-06T12:02:00.000-08:002011-01-06T12:02:05.247-08:00Muffins using leftover Raisin Bran cereal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEile5CvqlnNLNhE5ihCBvAdOz6g9PeK1jeo7qh-hJyoopaJiOxRFi2e4B1HHmO1v1jZLi3jm95E6Wxx8LeDmoEOzqXEVB4HIfDvL5MsNdjM3hHOfP_jdjhT8wvM692CmwEwVpWaxpzL5SI/s1600/MUFFIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEile5CvqlnNLNhE5ihCBvAdOz6g9PeK1jeo7qh-hJyoopaJiOxRFi2e4B1HHmO1v1jZLi3jm95E6Wxx8LeDmoEOzqXEVB4HIfDvL5MsNdjM3hHOfP_jdjhT8wvM692CmwEwVpWaxpzL5SI/s1600/MUFFIN.jpg" /></a></div>These muffins are delicious, and a good way for us to use up the second half of the box of Raisin Bran.<br />
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<a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?ID=33">After School Muffins</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-85508107028229077282011-01-04T18:23:00.000-08:002011-01-04T19:20:52.654-08:00Pasta, Kale, and the Kids Liked It.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwZG3YN8dooZdLh31Oyi6fSZWOcfClFBgUy7YMwArV4q9PvM0sWWK07vRh4ormI-YTnJSsHUVwagJN9e4xLVsPC12x-Th2pim2-FIE7VwgOc86VbAe7Uec9be9mui22w298BQq0-ac2c/s1600/kale-close.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwZG3YN8dooZdLh31Oyi6fSZWOcfClFBgUy7YMwArV4q9PvM0sWWK07vRh4ormI-YTnJSsHUVwagJN9e4xLVsPC12x-Th2pim2-FIE7VwgOc86VbAe7Uec9be9mui22w298BQq0-ac2c/s320/kale-close.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Two tricks to Kale:<br />
1. Slice it into thin strips, disguising it as an herb. <br />
2. Serve it so there's more carb than Kale. <br />
<br />
I cooked mine in the pot after the pasta was drained, in olive oil and then a little water to wilt it, then I threw it on top of the pasta in the strainer and mixed it in. If you want pasta, you'll be eating kale.<br />
<br />
At the table to assemble themselves:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Pasta with Kale (The pasta is Campanelle instead of Penne, and it was just right.)</li>
<li>Cannellini Beans (I substituted white navy beans, and warmed them in the microwave)</li>
<li>Parmesan Cheese and That Fancy Olive Oil with Herbs we were given for Christmas.</li>
<li>(then leftover ham for the meat eaters, deliberately sweet to counteract the kale, since meat eaters are wimps.)</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PXABoOczVpBZY0oakwXzod1MHp7Ium-xUPKmYSdOVO3DslXg5oJZaCyhCuTIe7JalLy3zXQ95e4a6-tol6K14XomZRHYYoaOdQXWN6Aga-lTItPhyphenhyphenVc8i50SmDgAEH-oKYM3ecUvULw/s1600/kale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PXABoOczVpBZY0oakwXzod1MHp7Ium-xUPKmYSdOVO3DslXg5oJZaCyhCuTIe7JalLy3zXQ95e4a6-tol6K14XomZRHYYoaOdQXWN6Aga-lTItPhyphenhyphenVc8i50SmDgAEH-oKYM3ecUvULw/s400/kale.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
sides:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>bread</li>
<li>crudites</li>
<li>milk.</li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-965081939235496692011-01-03T21:48:00.000-08:002011-01-04T18:37:46.433-08:00What next? Thinking aloud about menus.The kids are back in school today, and I'm still trying to go from standstill to speed.<br />
<br />
I *bought* dinner on the way home. So pathetic. At least my son talked me out of Jack in the Box and across the street to Wahoo Fish Tacos.<br />
<br />
What I have are leeks and potatoes, cabbage (several kinds), kale that we've had more than enough of. One bunch of carrots, two tired-looking tomatoes. Lettuce, pears that may finally have ripened now the holidays are over. A couple apples and oranges. A bag of lemons (great Christmas present). Half a pan of cornbread to snack on.<br />
<br />
Soupe Pistou and Salade Nicoise require green beans.<br />
Hamburger-less cabbage-vegetable soup is really only loved by me.<br />
The potatoes are beautiful fingerlings. I'm wondering about trying the Crash Potatoes from the sidebar.<br />
I'm stuck.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-41336616225807270762010-12-17T09:02:00.000-08:002011-08-18T11:46:37.312-07:00Mormon WassailI think these days most wassail is without alcohol anyway, right? Or it that just the circles I run in? This wassail is culturally Mormon because it's the wassail I make, it's made in a crockpot, and it is frugal in how it uses relatively inexpensive ingredients to make something fancier. You can usually get a deal on the oranges this time of year.<br />
<br />
One gallon ordinary apple juice<br />
1 cup of good applesauce, to cloud up the juice.<br />
Zest of one orange (zest! not grated peel! No pith! No chunks!)<br />
Tablespoon of cinnamon, or more to taste. Stir to get that cinnamon powder to get wet and stop floating.<br />
<br />
Put that in a crock pot on high, at least an hour before you're serving this.<br />
<br />
Decorate the bottom of two or three oranges or tangerines by sticking ~20 cloves in each. I like to do circles. Slice the bottom of the fruit off, float it into the punch, peel side up. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxSS1ag_narzFG_wPHoIrz82IAR89UspZfNm8pDVE5Dk1QOO7RVCnu2fAFdwruiLrQyHVVy7W3mJPI7Gkf94iXFPPLOBomt0n9Zl9fMeuZjAugJMcgg_tgTugU6dhYLrDxE8ns1N0eyY/s1600/orangecloves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxSS1ag_narzFG_wPHoIrz82IAR89UspZfNm8pDVE5Dk1QOO7RVCnu2fAFdwruiLrQyHVVy7W3mJPI7Gkf94iXFPPLOBomt0n9Zl9fMeuZjAugJMcgg_tgTugU6dhYLrDxE8ns1N0eyY/s320/orangecloves.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Make the same number of pretty slices of the oranges or tangerines, float those as well.<br />
<br />
Serve in crock pot, with cinnamon sticks on the side for stirrers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-14486629387236448972010-12-14T18:27:00.000-08:002010-12-14T18:50:33.252-08:00December Food PlansWhat are your Christmas season food ambitions?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_bcQqPNDWvFDuatTfA-OAFJDP0GE_-x9UW9XnBN8_uX8YAuA96GgIJuIgIdkdhF-FQb7ZTSLBxdDB8-_0MeD0bjTNhxNiNQ98w0WLIvpEJ_ukdHUHWJy9gn1MEpk7_7ThrP9bZl-c2I/s1600/latke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_bcQqPNDWvFDuatTfA-OAFJDP0GE_-x9UW9XnBN8_uX8YAuA96GgIJuIgIdkdhF-FQb7ZTSLBxdDB8-_0MeD0bjTNhxNiNQ98w0WLIvpEJ_ukdHUHWJy9gn1MEpk7_7ThrP9bZl-c2I/s200/latke.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I did make Latkes during Hanukah week. <a href="http://breakfast.food.com/recipe/kinder-gentler-latkes-15257">Kinder, Gentler Latkes</a> from Food.com had good detailed instructions. And, they were delicious as leftovers too. Yes, I made that many. I also made the Un-Fried Potato Latkes, but they weren't as successful.<br />
<br />
So during the holiday my ambitions are:<br />
<br />
<b>Uh-Sides</b><br />
--make wassail tomorrow so my daughter can take it to her church activity. <br />
--I want a bunch of pomegranates in a bowl to admire and also to eat.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">--more delicious salads like lettuce/pears/fresh cranberries/cheese/dressing, like this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/10/10/magazine/potluck-recipes.html?ref=dining#/topsecret_seasonal_salad-7/">NYTimes salad winner</a>. The directions on the NYT site are better than on <a href="http://www.familyfriendlyfood.com/2010/10/ny-times-potluck-recipe-collection-and-im-in-it/">the original blog</a>.</div><br />
<b>Meals</b><br />
--I'd like to get a fondue set for Christmas and try fondues of cheese, <a href="http://www.yourveganmom.com/your_vegan_mom/2008/11/peanut-butter-fondue-party.html">of spicy peanut butter</a>, or of chocolate.<br />
--individual homemade pizzas? I've discovered I like pizza without cheese.<br />
--my daughter had some kind of delicious baked eggs in New York City. Must try to imitate.<br />
--what easy stuff dinners can we have, so we can eat but also run around shopping and having Christmas outings?<br />
<br />
<b>Desserts</b><br />
--I want to make an orange cake again, with chocolate frosting.<br />
--those frosted cookies my mom always made and we always decorated.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>And not:</b><br />
--the feast of the seven fishes. I have NO impulse to do it; so much for my vaunted ambition.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-34799170047969320352010-11-29T17:52:00.000-08:002010-12-14T18:00:33.766-08:00(pescatarian) Eel for ThanksgivingMy vegetarian daughter loves Thanksgiving, and has put down my vague guilty suggestions that I should make some main dish for her, alternate to the Turkey. She loves the vegetable sides, and declares herself more than delighted just to have all those vegetarian versions of the carb ones (mushroom gravy, stuffing that baked in the oven with vegetable broth, mashed potatoes without broth, etc.)<br />
<br />
This year, early in the November, I heard a radio spot about the eel industry, how it is mostly processed, cooked, and vaccum-wrapped in China, even if you buy it in a restaurant here. And, I heard one of the inevitable "what our Pilgrim ancestors really ate," which mentioned the importance of eel.<br />
<br />
Eel. My daughter loves unagi, and now I'd learned that I wouldn't be expected to prepare it, just warm it up from frozen. All it took was a quick trip to my local <a href="http://www.99ranch.com/">Ranch 99</a> Asian market to get the prepared frozen eel. It became the "dare" food on the Thanksgiving table, and lots of people, including the kids gave it a try.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-65714019087336074112010-10-11T23:53:00.000-07:002010-10-12T07:50:09.705-07:00One-Bowl Easy Apple Slices Cake<i>Like most desserts, only ovo-lacto vegetarian, and not remotely vegan.</i><br />
<br />
Box cakes are great--except that I have a hard time remembering to keep the mix on hand for when the impulse to make cake strikes. I like this recipe because it uses vegetable oil, so it's as easy as a box cake: no separating eggs, no creaming the butter into the sugar. And, my version takes advantage of my apple peeler-corer. <br />
<br />
I suppose though it is based on a basic one-bowl cake from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fannie-Farmer-Cookbook-Marion-Cunningham/dp/0553568817">Fannie Farmer Cookbook</a>, the way we're making it would put it in the genre of Breakfast Cake or Snack Cake or Coffee Cake. Does anyone say Coffee Cake anymore?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiUnF90xLduogxl6_QRFjiSMY-Bh-u9Kl_P1H_c4-_XHP2CMq-4oELLs41MTa3yaUtnrNz4_OAFZYQFMrbmjpfQ3IchBQ9en7BQujhemqm3NXJ6m3KOF9ysVmY1Dup1cLgT-T2vQKllI/s1600/applecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiUnF90xLduogxl6_QRFjiSMY-Bh-u9Kl_P1H_c4-_XHP2CMq-4oELLs41MTa3yaUtnrNz4_OAFZYQFMrbmjpfQ3IchBQ9en7BQujhemqm3NXJ6m3KOF9ysVmY1Dup1cLgT-T2vQKllI/s320/applecake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
<br />
Grease 8x11 glass baking dish<br />
<br />
Throw in the mixing bowl:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>2 1/4 cups flour</li>
<li>1 TB baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teas salt</li>
<li>2 teas vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 1/4 cup brown sugar, not necessarily packed</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 cup milk</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
</ul><br />
Mix it like pancakes or muffins--just enough to get it barely mixed, like less than ten strokes.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Then slice/core 2 or 3 apples, depending on size. Quarter the slices, fold them in.</li>
</ul><br />
Bake an hour. The basic recipe is supposed to take 30 minutes, but it always takes an hour at my house.<br />
<br />
And no, I don't frost it. Happy FHE.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-8844364152663924022010-10-10T11:44:00.000-07:002010-10-11T23:21:17.403-07:00Family Salad Nicoise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjpumourmsuvc0edAZ1unOTHNiNo1CtqpWUubJKPIlWIavdxDIAkni_dbDZYnI-8jz5NqUSsdWkeO7UpCbQhQrXBhJ02sTGaKHIILDWCwFrESv0wxsziwsNW45MERS1_X5ZrWp7tLEdhm/s1600/nicoiselunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjpumourmsuvc0edAZ1unOTHNiNo1CtqpWUubJKPIlWIavdxDIAkni_dbDZYnI-8jz5NqUSsdWkeO7UpCbQhQrXBhJ02sTGaKHIILDWCwFrESv0wxsziwsNW45MERS1_X5ZrWp7tLEdhm/s320/nicoiselunch.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>I'd only had Salad Nicoise at a restaurant, so it never occurred to me to make a family version. Instead of composing each plate, you just compose one platter or casserole dish for everyone. In our family, this works because it lets one person take more potato, while the next person skips the spuds, another person skips tomatoes, and I require everyone to take certain number of green beans.<br />
<br />
I like the <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/nicoise_salad/">sensible Nicoise Salad recipe directions at Simply Recipes</a>, which tell me what to do while the potatoes are boiling so the salad comes together quickly, and how to lay out salad for a group beautifully.<br />
<br />
In general terms, Nicoise Salad is:<br />
Lettuce<br />
warm boiled small potatoes<br />
warm cooked green beans<br />
hard boiled egg<br />
tomato<br />
thin small slices red onion (but I use the scallions I have on hand.)<br />
capers (sometimes we forget)<br />
oil-cured olives (but we substitute familiar canned ones)<br />
tuna (canned is fine--we skip the tuna sometimes and up the eggs.)<br />
And all dressed with vinaigrette.<br />
<br />
It's really fun with french bread and Orangina. Viva la Faux France.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-79016100659382575512010-06-29T13:36:00.000-07:002010-06-29T13:49:22.821-07:00Quesadillas and a Cilantro Lime VinaigretteI made an incredibly simple meal I adapted from the Eating Well July 2010 issue and a recipe from EW's online recipes. Bean and cheese quesadillas with a simple green salad with cilantro-lime vinaigretteSurprisingly, my carnivorous husband and sons pronounced this the "Best Meatless Monday meal, ever. Can we make it again?" They made second helpings and drizzled the salad dressing over the quesadillas as well. Lesson learned: simple and familiar is much better received than complex and "weird". Next time I think I will use dried beans and stash extra in the fridge. The mix would be easy to keep on hand for quick lunches and suppers.<br /><br />I think these quesadillas would be great on the grill. Also, the vinaigrette (which will have permanent status in my fridge since it is so easy to make) would be very good drizzled over fish.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Pinto Bean Quesadillas<br />Serves 4</strong><br />1 14-oz can pinto beans, rinsed, and smashed with a potato masher. Don't completely obliviate them. You want the texture.<br />1/4 teaspoon cumin<br />1/2 Cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese<br />1/2 Cup prepared fresh salsa, divided<br />4 8-inch whole wheat tortillas<br />2 teaspoons canola oil, divided<br />1 ripe avocado diced<br /><br />Combine beans, cheese, and 1/4 Cup of salsa in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup of bean mix over healf of each tortilla. Fold tortilla over mixture and press a bit to flatten.<br /><br />Heat on teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over med-hi heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook on each side for 2-4 minutes or until heated through. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. <br /><br />Serve topped with avocado and remaining salsa.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Cilantro-Lime Dressing</strong><br /><strong>makes 1 1/4 Cups total</strong><br /><br />1 Cup packed cilantro (I just use one bunch)<br />1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />1/4 cup lime juice<br />1 teaspoon lime zest<br />1/4 Cup orange juice<br />zest from one orange<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />1 small clove of garlic, minced or pressed<br /><br />Puree everything in a blender until smooth.Scarehaircarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17785592779981159999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-64380797352093528612010-05-13T12:33:00.000-07:002010-05-13T12:33:02.946-07:00Quinoa and Black Beans - All RecipesI recently bought several pounds of quinoa at a local store that sells damaged and close-to-date items. So, I've been looking around for yummy recipes to use it up. Here's one we tried last week and everyone loved it! I served it with tortilla chips to make it more kid-friendly and had salsa, sour cream and guac on the side. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-and-Black-Beans/Detail.aspx">http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-and-Black-Beans/Detail.aspx</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 teaspoon vegetable oil</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 onion, chopped</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 teaspoon ground cumin</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 cup frozen corn kernels</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro</li>
</ul><div style="border-top: 1px dotted rgb(204, 204, 204); margin-top: 20px; width: 300px;"> </div><div class="directions" style="margin-top: 10px;"> <h3> Directions</h3><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro. </span></li>
</ol></div>nikkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00513640054479376205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-71134294499229522062010-05-12T19:16:00.000-07:002010-05-12T19:21:02.323-07:00Lemon Spaghetti with Cauliflower, Asparagus, and Good StuffPosted a new recipe on my blog. Find it <a href="http://scarehaircare.blogspot.com/2010/05/lemon-spaghetti-with-cauliflower.html#links">here</a>.Scarehaircarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17785592779981159999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-88491419639099260222010-04-24T16:00:00.000-07:002010-04-24T16:13:27.626-07:00Skillet gnocchi with Chard & White BeansThis has been the favorite recipe on the <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/">www.eatingwell.com</a> site for weeks. We tried it this past week and gave it two thumbs up. My notes: be sure to use petite diced tomatoes (I used regular and added my own spices) and cut the chard into small pieces. This would easily be adapted to different flavors such as chickpeas, spinach, oregano and feta, or white beans with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">havarti</span> and dill. I'm keeping the shelf-stable gnocchi stocked in my pantry from now on.<br /><br /><strong>Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans</strong><br /><em>from Eating Well Magazine Jan/Feb 2009</em><br /><br />Eating well suggests serving it with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil<br />1 16-oz pkg shelf-stable gnocchi<br />1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced<br />4 garlic cloves, minced<br />1/2 cup water<br />6 cups chopped chard leaves<br />1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings<br />1 15-oz can white beans, rinsed<br />1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<br />1/2 cup shredded part-skim <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mozzarella</span> cheese<br />1/4 Cup finely shredded <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Parmesan</span> cheese<br /><br />Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">starting</span> to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to a bowl.<br /><br />Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook, until onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and peppers and bring to a simmer. Stir int he gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Parmesan</span>. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about three minutes.<br /><br />325 Cal; 7 g fat; 2 g Sat; 3 g mono; 8 mg <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">chol</span>; 55 g <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carb</span>; 14 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 616 mg Sodium; 360 mg PotassiumScarehaircarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17785592779981159999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387303056804874359.post-53134472188896026352010-04-11T14:17:00.001-07:002010-04-27T20:50:21.521-07:00Just a post I thought I'd share<a href="http://mormonmatters.org/2010/04/11/mormon-vegetarianism/">http://mormonmatters.org/2010/04/11/mormon-vegetarianism/</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Johnna, why don't you go over there and make a smart comment? I'm intimidated by those folk. </span>Elizabeth-Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12215621448451413460noreply@blogger.com0