Veggie by Season

Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's of 2010 quite sick due to my pregnancy, and was unable to enjoy the delicious meals and treats throughout the season. That was my reasoning for pigging out this past holiday season. However, I tried to keep it semi-healthy, beginning with this dish! I'm a huge green bean casserole fan. The canned beans and condensed soup version just don't cut it though, fresh beans, a quick cream sauce, and a sprinkle of fresh onions are a million times tastier!

I used Alton Brown's "Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole" as my starting point, but green bean casserole really isn't rocket science. This side dish will definitely be gracing our table all year long, not just at the holidays. Here's an extra tip - make double, or triple the onions - you won't be able to stop snacking on them while making the rest of the dish!

Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole

from Alton Brown (slightly adapted from link above)

2 yellow onions, sliced 1/4" thick, separated into rings

1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. Italian style breadcrumbs

1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs

2 lbs. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" segments

1 tbsp. butter

8 oz. button mushrooms, chopped

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

2 tbsp. flour

1-2 c. 2% milk

Preheat oven to 450*

Add onions to a bowl, toss in flour, remove and place in another bowl, toss in buttermilk, remove and place in a final bowl of breadcrumbs, toss gently to coat.

Spread out on a lined cookie sheet, bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes to ensure even crisping.

Remove from the oven, set aside.

Bring 1" of water to a boil, place a steamer basket over water and steam beans for 7-10 minutes, until tender and still bright green.

In a deep saute' pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Saute' for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and mushrooms are soft.

Sprinkle with flour, stir to coat, add 1 c. milk and nutmeg, whisk and bring to a bubble, cook to desired thickness of sauce, adding more milk as necessary.

Add green beans, toss to coat in sauce, taste and adjust seasonings.

Remove from heat, pour into a dish, top with onions and serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Poblanos and Cream

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

When I first saw this recipe on Elly's blog months ago, I starred it in my Google reader. Then, when she had it listed in her Favorites from 2011 post, I decided it was about time I make it! It's an unusual combination, poblanos and butternut, but it's a match made in heaven. Coincidentally, butternut squash is one of my absolute favorite foods, and poblanos are one of my husbands. Not so surprisingly, we both absolute loved this, and it will be a staple in our "what do you want for dinner this week...?" conversations.

When it comes to poblanos, in my opinion, it's a crap shoot. Sometimes they're pretty spicy, like an overgrown jalapeno, and sometimes they're really mild and almost sweet. Just as I had hoped, JJ picked out 2 of each, so our dish was a little spicy, a little sweet, and super cheesy. I made this dish pretty much as written, but didn't have any farmer's cheese (Elly used queso fresco) so I used goat cheese. I also omitted the cream completely, so the dish actually wasn't exceptionally rich, and the vegetables really were the star of the show.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Poblanos and Cream

adapted from Elly Says Opa and Food and Wine

4 poblano peppers

1 large butternut squash, about 2 lbs, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

1/2 c. light sour cream

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese

Heat broiler to high. Slice poblanos in half, seed and place skin side up on a lined cookie sheet.

Broil for 5-10 minutes, until entire skin is charred and blistered.

Remove from the broiler, turn broiler off and oven on to 400*

Place poblanos in a tupperware container and set aside.

Place butternut squash slices on another lined cookie sheet, season with salt and pepper, roast for 25 minutes, or until edges begin to crisp.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO, onion and garlic, saute' for 5 minutes.

Peel skin off poblanos, slice and add to the onions and garlic.

Turn heat off, season with salt and pepper.

Add sour cream, use a spatula to fold it in the vegetable mixture.

Remove squash from the oven.

Grease a casserole dish.

Place a layer of squash, followed by 1/2 the poblano mixture, and a sprinkle of the cheeses.

Top with another layer of squash, poblanos and cheese.

Finish with one final layer of squash and the remaining cheese.

Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Vegetarian Zuppe Toscana

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you read many food blogs, you'll see lots of 2011 "best of" and "top 10" posts... not here! While 2011 was a wonderful year for me personally, it was very quiet on the blog front because of pregnancy + newborn. This year, I plan to make blogging a top priority as I have been cooking up some delicious dishes and want to share them with you!

On New Years Day, I planned to make Black Eye Peas, Collared Greens and Cornbread for dinner. I put the peas in the crockpot with vegetable stock, garlic and onions and let it cook while we went to church and the beach. Yes, we went to the beach on January 1! It was a gorgeous day and I knew we'd be watching football all afternoon. I told JJ it was time we take Violet to the beach and enjoy the day before planting ourselves in front of the TV. No need to be jealous, friends in the north, it's now in the 40-50's here...

After we got home from the beach, we both grabbed a bowl of peas from the crock pot. And then another, and another. And soon enough, 1/3 of our dinner was consumed at lunch time. So I had to go to plan B.

Zuppe Toscana is one of my favorites, but I never thought to make a vegetarian version. It's usually made with sausage, so I used the flavors of sausage for the broth (as I did with this soup), and lentils for meaty part of the soup. I also have seen cream or milk in Zuppe Toscana, but I found the starch from the potatoes made the broth thick enough that it was unnecessary. This soup was just as delicious as it's meaty counterpart, and much healthier.

Happy New Year!

Vegetarian Zuppe Toscana

Veggie by Season Original

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

1/4 c. sherry

4 c. vegetable stock (I love these stock cubes)

4 small/medium russet potatoes, sliced in 1/4" rounds

1 1/2 c. brown lentils

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground fennel seed

1 tsp. dried rubbed sage

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

4 c. kale leaves, chopped

Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute' for 5 minutes.

Add sherry, scrape bits off the pan.

Add stock, potatoes, lentils, oregano, fennel, sage and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a simmer, then turn to low and cover.

Simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes and lentils are tender.

Add kale to the top, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Kale should be wilted, carefully mix into the soup - some potatoes will break, but try to keep them as in tact as possible.

Taste, adjust seasonings, and be sure lentils are tender.

Serve with grated parmesan.

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought I was finished making Christmas cookies for the year, I realized Violet and I never made any to leave out for Santa! While I know she won't remember making them for the next several years, I will, and I love creating traditions with her.

While Skyping with my sister in Geneva, she told me I should make Apple Cider Snickerdoodles, she saw the recipe pop up in the Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies. It just so happened that I had 1/2 gallon of apple cider in the fridge to use up, these cookies were meant to be!

I strapped Violet in the Bjorn and we got to work!

These cookies were delicious. The apple cider added such delicious, fresh flavor, which can be hard to get in a cookie. Thanks for the recommendation, Becky! Santa loved these cookies.

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles

adapted from Food Network

1 1/2 c. apple cider

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter at room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. apple pie spice (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/8 tsp. cloves, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg)

Preheat oven to 400*

Bring apple cider to a boil in a small sauce pot, reduce to medium and simmer until reduced to about 2-3 tbsp. of syrupy liquid.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Scrape down sides, add apple cider and egg, beat until mixed well.

Add remaining ingredients except apple pie spice.

Beat on low until mixed dough comes together.

Mix 1/4 c. granulated sugar with apple pie spice in a shallow dish.

Break dough into walnut sized balls and roll in sugar, place on cookie sheet lined with parchment, and press gently.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes, cool on pan for 2-3, then on a wire rack until they're at room temperature.

Store in a cookie jar, or on a plate for Santa!

Gingerbread Loaf Cake

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, my husband and I hosted an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. I told everyone there would be a prize for the winner. After the votes came in, my husband won! However, I didn't want him to get the prize, so I gave it to his two friends tied for second. When I told them what the prize was, a loaf of delicious gingerbread, they were less than excited. Crazy talk, right?

JJ told them that it was really good, and they should at least try it. He cut them each a piece, and of course, they loved it! Silly boys - what's not to love, spicy ginger and cinnamon, tender cake all topped with cream cheese frosting and bits of candied ginger. This loaf cake is reminiscent of my favorite Starbucks loaf cake, but it's a bit less dense. Perfect to whip up with simple ingredients from the pantry and spice rack. I love it as a holiday breakfast treat without the icing, but it's a little more fancy and dessert worthy with it.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

adapted from allrecipes.com

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

1 c. molasses

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

1 c. Guinness or hot water

Optional:

Cream Cheese Frosting

(cream together 2 oz. cream cheese with 2 tbsp. butter, add 2 c. powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla, whip until incorporated, thinning with milk if necessary)

Candied ginger pieces

Preheat oven to 350*

Grease a loaf pan, line with parchment.

In a stand mixer, cream sugar and butter.

Add egg, molasses and vanilla, mix until light and fluffy.

Turn mixer off, add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt, turn mixer on slow until flour is just absorbed, add the Guinness or water and mix until it's absorbed, do not overmix!

Pour batter into loaf pan and place in the oven.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool on a rack until room temperature.

Smear with frosting and dot with ginger pieces.

Sell Your Soul Pumpkin Cookies

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

When browsing through "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar" for Christmas cookie recipes, I flipped past this recipe without giving it much thought. Then I saw the picture that accompanied the recipe, and had second thoughts. The cookies looked chewy and dense, not cakey and round like more pumpkin cookies. After reading the description, the author claims to make a chewy pumpkin cookie, you can sell your soul, or you can reduce the moisture content in the pumpkin - genius!

These cookies are a bit of work because you have to cook the pumpkin down, but they're so worth it. I quadrupled this batch, and put the pumpkin in the crock pot to reduce all day while baking other cookies, but the original recipe calls for cooking out the moisture in a pan. Either method works, it just depends on how much attention you have for the pumpkin.

My sister, the one I made the Nutella Thumbprints for, already told me these are her new favorite. Add some cinnamon ice cream and make yourself an amazing fall/winter flavored ice cream sandwich!

Sell Your Soul Pumpkin Cookies

from "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar"

1 c. canned solid pack pumpkin

1/2 c. earth balance (or butter, for the non-vegans)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 c. oat flour (put some oatmeal in a blender)

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Pumpkin seeds, shelled, for garnish if desired

First, reduce the pumpkin.

Either place in a crock pot on high for several hours, stirring occasionally, or place in a saucepan over medium heat for about 45 minutes, stirring often. You can either weigh or measure, you want to reduce the pumpkin by half, ending with 1/2 c. or 4 oz. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350*

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, cream earth balance with the sugars, when soft and fluffy, add the vanilla and pumpkin, mix until incorporated.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Spoon walnut sized balls and roll in your hands, then press lightly on a cookie sheet.

Press pumpkin seeds on top, if desired.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden and no longer glossy in centers.

Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Yield 24 cookies

Nutella Hazelnut Thumbprints

2011-12-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

When I make my Christmas Cookie list each year, I keep a few traditional favorites, but then try to include some new cookies. I always keep my recipients in mind, and look for cookies I know they'd enjoy. My older sister is a Nutella fiend, so I thought rather than make my traditional jam thumbprints, I'd use Nutella. When I was contacted by Oh Nuts! to choose a few products to assist in my holiday baking, I decided on Hazelnuts because I thought I'd combine the nuts with Nutella somehow. I google searched Nutella Hazelnut Thumbprints, and this recipe popped right up! It was exactly what I was looking for, really showcasing the delicious Hazelnuts as well as the Nutella. The Hazelnuts get toasty in the baking process and encrust the cookies perfectly. Not a traditional Christmas cookie by any means, but I'm guessing Kristine will hope they stay in the rotation for years to come!

Hazelnut Nutella Thumbprints

slightly adapted from The Curvy Carrot

(I quadrupled this recipe and got about 70 cookies!)

1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter at room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg, separated, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. unbleached, all purpose flour

1 c. Hazelnuts, chopped (I like bigger chunks, it's up to you how finely)

1/2 c. Nutella (or any other chocolate hazelnut spread)

Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla, beat until incorporated.

Scrape down sides, add the flour and beat on low until absorbed.

Cover with saran wrap and place bowl in the refrigerator for an hour.

Beat the egg yolk until it's frothy.

Add hazelnuts to a shallow dish.

Preheat oven to 350*

Pull off walnut sized dough balls, roll in egg white, then coat in nuts.

Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Repeat until all cookies are rolled in nuts, gently press a small divot in the center of each cookie.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes, remove, press hole again, and bake for another 8 minutes, or until nuts are golden brown.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Press again in the center, if necessary.

When cookies have cooled, add Nutella to a piping bag and pipe a mound in the center of each cookie.

Cool for an additional hour or two, until Nutella has set, before placing in a cookie jar or packaging.

Christmas Cookies 2011

2011-12-11T09:41:00.001-05:00

As always, I spent a December weekend baking dozens of cookies, and mailing them out to friends and family. I also have a few friends who purchase them as gifts. One of my loyal customers put in a special request this year, vegan cookies! I've never baked vegan cookies before, so I spent some time researching recipes and learning how to cut the butter and eggs. The end result was 7 batches of cookies that were fantastic!

After each batch was baked, my husband and I sat down and did a taste test, as photographed above! The vegan cookies seemed a bit more dense than their dairy-full counterparts, but I don't think you'd realize their vegan unless you were told so.

I'll be posting a few new recipes in the next few days, and linking to my trusty old recipes below.

Merry baking to all :)

Vegan Cookies, beginning with bottom left and going clockwise:

-City Girl Snickerdoodles

-Chocolate Chunkers

-Sell Your Soul Pumpkin Cookies

-Roll and Cut Sugar Cookies

-Gingerbread Men

-Cherry Coconut Oatmeal (adapted from Oatmeal Raisin Cookies)

-Blackstrap Gingersnaps

all recipes are from "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar"

Christmas Cookies, 2011 (non linked will be blogged soon!):

-Snickerdoodles

-M&M Chocolate Chip

-Almond Roca

-Butterscotch Walnut Chunk

-Cherry Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip

-Hazelnut Nutella Thumbprints

-Gingerbread Biscotti

-Gingerbread Men

-Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

-Sell Your Soul Pumpkin Cookies

Spaghetti and Spaghetti Squash with Lemon Garlic Sauce and Ricotta

2011-11-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Just when I think I can't eat any more eggplant and zucchini, squash invade the market and save me. Then I finally get to go back into my google reader, and scroll through the millions of recipes I have starred to try that showcase squash! I have to say, spaghetti squash is probably my least favorite, but if I find a recipe where it looks amazing, I'm willing to use it rather than my beloved butternut.

I found this recipe on Eats Well With Others, so I knew it was going to be good. Joanne never steers me wrong, and has the same appreciation for squash that I do. I made this recipe as written, but added a handful of frozen sweet peas. Something about non-traditional pasta dishes with peas, I just love'em! For the pasta component, I only had vegetable fettuccini on hand, which made this bowl sure look weird! However, don't let the weirdness steer you away (or look at Joanne's photos, which look luscious and creamy). This is a great squashy, but not will-burn-you-out-on-it's-squashness dish.

Spaghetti and Spaghetti Squash with Lemon Garlic Sauce and Ricotta

changed a bit from Eats Well With Others

1 spaghetti squash

8 oz. pasta

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 c. olive oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. fresh chopped basil

2 tbsp. parmesan, plus extra for serving

1 c. ricotta cheese

Preheat oven to 375*

Slice squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.

Place cut side down, fill halfway with water, roast for 45 minutes, or until fork tender.

Cool for 10 minutes.

Boil a pot of water for spaghetti, cook until al dente.

Heat a skillet over medium, add EVOO and garlic, saute' until tender.

Add zest, butter, juice, season with salt and pepper.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes, add peas and basil, stir, remove from heat.

Scrape squash into a large bowl, add pasta and toss.

Pour sauce over spaghetti mixture, toss parmesan cheese in, place in serving dishes.

Top with a generous scoop of ricotta, extra parmesan, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Eggplant Bhartha with Saffron Quinoa

2011-10-31T08:00:00.001-04:00

This is one of my absolute favorite Indian dishes. I've been buying eggplant at the farmer's market, but then am stumped to think of what to do besides tossing it with pasta. I've always got peas in the freezer and grains in the pantry, so this dish came together in a matter of minutes. I love cooking Indian food at home now that my spice rack is stocked with traditional spices. It's easy to adjust the heat level, you can serve it with whatever grain you'd like, and best of all, it's a fraction of the price for a lot more food.

I loosely used this recipe, mostly as a guide for the spice amounts, which I then adjusted to my tastes. I also roasted the eggplant, then tossed it in the sauce. I served this with saffron laced quinoa, the saffron just added a touch of flavor and made it a little more than just plain quinoa. Get to the market and buy up the last of this season's eggplant so you can make this dish soon!

Eggplant Bhartha with Saffron Quinoa

adapted from this recipe

1 medium eggplant, diced

2 tbsp. EVOO, divided

Salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground corriander

1 tsp. garam masala

1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 c. frozen peas

optional garnishes: plain yogurt, cilantro

2 c. prepared quinoa tossed with a pinch of saffron threads

Preheat oven to 400*

Toss eggplant with EVOO, salt and pepper on a baking sheet.

Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown on the edges.

In a nonstick skillet over medium, saute' onion and garlic in 1 tbsp. EVOO until onions begin to brown.

Add tomatoes, spices and peas.

Bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.

Add eggplant, stir gently until combined, serve with quinoa.

Temp-fakin' (Tempeh Bacon)

2011-10-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

It seems like bacon fever has calmed down a bit in the past few years. For a while, it was everywhere, on cupcakes, donuts, cookies, in chocolate and even ice cream. I can't say that I love bacon that much to eat it in ice cream, but there are several dishes I've had to forego over the years as a vegetarian. Sure, there's fake bacon out there, but it's full of chemicals and who knows what else.

I saw tempeh bacon at Whole Foods, and though I'd give it a try. Then I saw it was double the price of regular tempeh, so I took the challenge on and tried making my own. I can't say this tastes exactly like bacon, but boy is it close! My husband even commented that it smelled like bacon as I was cooking. Since coming up with this recipe, I've used it in many dishes, like Hawaiian Pizza (shown below), wedge salads, with eggs and English Muffins, and on BLTs. It's a keeper for sure!

Temp-fakin' (Tempeh Bacon)

1 package of plain tempeh, sliced into strips

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. liquid smoke

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder (or smash a clove and leave it in the marinade)

Whisk together EVOO, syrup, soy sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Add tempeh, toss to coat evenly.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 day, tossing occasionally.

Heat a skillet over medium-high, cook tempeh until golden crisp on each side, about 3-5 minutes (be careful not to burn it!)

Curried Butternut Squash

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

Simplicity is key these days, as are meals that sit for five minutes or two hours. Just when I am about to take a bite of food, I hear a crying baby, and dinner is set aside for who knows how long. I try to tell Violet that if I don't eat, she won't eat, but she doesn't quite grasp that concept yet!

Well, butternut squash have finally made their presence known at the farmer's market! I grabbed three last weekend, and then had some brainstorming to do. It had cooled down a bit here, to like, the 70's! I snapped up the opportunity to make a warm bowl of something squashy, and this is what I came up with! It's really simple, but packed with flavor. The quinoa works as a hybrid protein/starch to make this a well-rounded meal. I did throw a dollop or yogurt on right before eating, which I highly recommend!

Curried Butternut Squash

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 4-5lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp. yellow curry powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-2 c. vegetable stock

Quinoa, Rice or another grain for serving

Optional toppers:

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 c. chopped cashews

Heat a soup pot or deep skillet over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onions and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' until onions are just golden, about 5 minutes.

Add butternut squash, curry powder and cinnamon, season with salt and pepper, stir well.

Add 1 c. vegetable stock, cover and turn to low heat.

Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and reduce liquid as desired, or add more if necessary.

Taste and adjust all seasonings.

Serve over quinoa, top with yogurt, cilantro, cashews, etc.

Note: For an added burst of sweetness, add 1/4 c. golden raisins just before simmering

Honey Spiced Madeleines

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have a problem with honey. Specifically, honey in glass jars. A month ago when I was at the farmer's market, I bought a large jar of Gallberry honey (my favorite, which I discovered when I went to a Jewish Group's Honey Tasting for Rosh Hashanah at Native Sun). When I had about 1/4 of the jar left, my sticky fingers dropped it and it smashed all over the kitchen floor. That was fun to clean up!

Luckily I remembered I had a jar of honey in the pantry that my sister brought me from Greece recently. Yes, this is the same sister who brought saffron from Morocco, chocolate from Switzerland, and even went to France just for me because I wanted Herbes de Provence. For the record, she's in Copenhagen right now earning her masters degree!

So anyway, I saw these Madeleines on a few blogs because they were chosen for a Dorie cooking group. I love Madeleines, but rarely think to make them. The pans just collect dust in my baking closet, such a shame! These madeleines were a nice change from a classic, delicious with a small cup of coffee. Just don't forget when you make madeleines, the way to get the signature hump is by letting the batter chill as long as possible! I went 5 hours before I absolutely had to bake them!

And after I made these madeleines, sure enough, I dropped my jar of Greek honey on the floor. Seriously, I about cried. Plastic honeybears it is, for me anyway...

I'm simply going to link Dorie's blog, because she has some great tips that go along with these, and I think her blog is worth reading!

http://doriegreenspan.com/2008/12/madeleines-honeyed-and-spiced-for-the-holidays.html

Fruity Carrot Salad

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Growing up in New York and Ohio, I never was around a Chick-fil-a. When I went to school in North Carolina, one opened just before my freshman year, and everyone raved about it. They were very generous with their coupons being handed out around campus, so JJ and I went one night. It was by far the best fried chicken I've ever had from a fast food restaurant, and the pickles just make the sandwich that much better, in my opinion! After the novelty wore off, we rarely went. But it always seemed that when we were craving Chick-fil-a, it was a Sunday. Does that happen to anyone else??

I hadn't been back in a couple years, but JJ had a gift card to use, so we went on Saturday afternoon. I decided to just pair a few side dishes and make a random meal. I was intrigued by the carrot salad, hoping that it was similar to my favorite carrot salad from Bloomingfoods (I miss you!), which has a bit of tang. When I took a bite of Chick-fil-a's, it was like candy! It was good for a few bites, but then far too sweet for my liking. Turns out, this is quite a popular salad combination! I looked online and found that most recipes called for carrots, raisins, pineapple, sugar and mayo. I don't like mayo, and didn't think it needed added sugar, so I tried to make it a bit healthier and not quite so sweet. The result was a very earthy salad with bits of sweetness. Exactly what I was looking for!

Fruity Carrot Salad

inspired by Chick-fil-a

2 lbs. carrots, peeled and shredded

1/4 pineapple, in a small dice (you can also used canned, tidbits or crushed, I prefer fresh)

1 c. raisins

1 c. plain yogurt

2 tbsp. - 4 tbsp. honey, depending on taste

Pinch of salt

In a small dish, whisk together yogurt, honey and salt.

Add carrots, pineapple and raisins to a bowl, toss with yogurt mixture.

Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours, serve

Spicy Lentil Vegetable Soup

2011-09-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

When my husband and I were freshman in college, and had just started dating, we discovered that we both loved the restaurant Carrabbas. There wasn't one in Hickory yet, but we found one right outside Charlotte. Of course we wanted to spend as much time together as possible, without really saying that to each other, so driving to Charlotte "for Carrabbas" was our favorite date. I didn't have a car at school, but JJ did. One Saturday night each month, he'd pick me up at my dorm room (on the third floor, his was on the second), we'd walk down to the parking lot and he'd even open the car door for me.

We would almost always order the same exact thing, I'd get Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes and Lentil and Sausage Soup, he'd get Pollo Rosa Maria with the same sides. While I can't proclaim my love for Mushrooms in Marsala anymore than I already do, the lentil soup was just as delicious. It was so spicy, full of flavor and very hearty. These days we rarely go to Carrabbas, and I wouldn't eat those dishes anymore since I went back to vegetarianism, so I'm left with trying to recreate the flavors at home.

The basics of this soup were easy to imitate, lentils, vegetables, tomato broth and spice. What was a bit more challenging was getting the sausage flavor in a vegetarian soup. To do this, I added sage and fennel. Those two distinct flavors scream sausage! I didn't add any sausage texture, but you could chop some Field Roast Italian Sausage, crumble in some tempeh, or even add some rehydrated TVP flakes. Since my husband is always in need of a soup dipper, I pulled some artichokes, roasted red peppers and mozzarella from the fridge and made a simple Italian Quesadilla, but some plain crusty bread would be equally delicious!

*To speed up cooking time, I simmer lentils separately while soup gets cooking, but you can also add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook.

Spicy Lentil Vegetable Soup

inspired by Carrabbas

1 c. dried lentils, rinsed and picked over

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 celery stalk, minced

Salt and pepper

1/2 c. white or red wine (I used Malbec)

1 28 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (crushed or whole, depending on your chunk preference)

4 c. vegetable stock

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried rubbed sage

1 tsp. whole fennel seed, crushed with a mortar and pestle (preferred, or use ground)

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

Parmesan Cheese, for serving

Fill a stock pot with water, bring to a boil, salt heavily and add lentils.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Heat a soup pot over medium.

Add EVOO, onion, garlic, carrots and celery.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes, until slightly caramelized and softened.

Add wine, reduce, and tomatoes.

Use a potato masher, if whole, to crush tomatoes to large chunks.

Drain lentils.

Add vegetable stock, lentils, red pepper flakes, sage, fennel and paprika to soup pot.

Bring to a light boil, reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Tropical Chop Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

2011-09-22T21:05:00.001-04:00

Every time I log on to Facebook,and especially when I talk to my sister in Cleveland, I'm hearing about how Fall has hit Ohio. I get it, you can drink a hot Pumpkin Spice Latte while wearing a sweater. But I'm not jealous. Yet, anyway.

As far as I'm concerned, summer can stay for another month or two as long as the produce keeps coming! See, when I was pregnant, vegetables hated me. I still loved them, and when I was stupid, I'd eat them, but inevitably I'd be sick for hours or even days. I'm finally able to go to the Farmer's Market every Saturday and buy more than peaches and watermelon (though those were my #1 craving), I'm buying peppers, cucumbers, beets, squash, and above all, fresh, sweet, delicious tomatoes!

This past weekend, I went nuts buying up produce. When I got home, I decided to throw a random bunch of my finds together into a salad. Once I had the peppers and tomato chopped, I decided to add some black beans I had in the fridge, and take it in a different direction. At first, Tex-Mex seemed to be the way to go, but then I decided to add some fruit for the sweet-savory combo I love, and finally I had a bunch of cilantro that needed to be used up. This salad just happened by chance, but was absolutely delicious!

Tropical Chop Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Salad:

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 heirloom tomato, seeded and diced

2 c. black beans (I used cooked, dried, but canned is fine too)

1 c. chopped pineapple

1 star fruit, sliced

Vinaigrette:

2 c. cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. pineapple juice

Add all salad ingredients except star fruit to a bowl, line with star fruit.

Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a blender, puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve salad with vinaigrette on the side.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

2011-09-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

Back when I was 37 weeks pregnant and planning to go back to work at my old job (8-5 with a 40 minute commute), I thought it might be smart to have a freezer stash with some dinners, so I spent a weekend cooking up a storm! When I found out I was hired for the new job, I thought all of the freezer meals seemed to be a waste of time.

How wrong was I?! Having a stocked freezer is wonderful! In the past 2 weeks, even though I hadn't been working, I still found myself exhausted at dinner time and wanting to get pizza or takeout. Then I remembered I had my freezer stash! And I'm sure that in the weeks and months to come when I'm working all day, even though it's from home, these meals will be lifesavers!

Now when you think of summer and freezer meals, soups, stews and casseroles just don't sound good, right? I had to really do some brainstorming with summer-friendly freezer meals because honestly, summer lasts until November in Florida. For this meal, I just roasted some okra from the farmer's market to serve along side the sloppy joes, quick and easy!

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

inspired by The Vegan Stoner

1 c. TVP (I use Bob's Red Mill brand, this is dehydrated soy protein found near beans in health food stores)

1 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 15 oz. can tomato puree

2-4 tbsp. light brown sugar (taste and adjust, as necessary)

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. soy sauce

salt and pepper

4 English muffins, split and toasted

Bring vegetable stock to a boil, add TVP, remove from heat and cover.

Heat a skillet over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onion, garlic and bell peppers.

Saute for 10 minutes, until softened and caramelized.

Add tomato puree, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and TVP, which should have absorbed all the stock.

Season with salt and pepper, bring to a bubble and turn to low.

Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust seasonings once more, serve on English muffins or cool and freeze in a freezer safe tupperware container.

White Bean and Vegetable Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette

2011-09-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

I've now got weeks of life with a newborn under my belt. I'm proud to say that cooking is getting quite a bit easier. I find that recipes with multiple short steps seem to work the best right now. Each morning, I think about what I'm going to make for dinner, then decide how every nap I can do a bit more. With this recipe, I had to cook the dried beans, harvest rosemary, make the dressing, chop the veggies, and let it sit and marinade. Of course this can all be done in a marathon of 10 steps, but for now, the 2-3 minute steps spread hours apart are working perfectly.

One reason cooking itself is getting better is Violet is now happy to sit in her bouncer and watch me cook! Of course, her attention span is about 10 minutes, but I get to practice my cooking show skills on her. A newborn is definitely the toughest critic, I have to say. One awkward minute of silence and she starts screaming! Now I just need to figure out a way to get the photography portion of cooking down... It's still a struggle to time dinner perfectly that I can photograph it and eat it. I've had several great dinners lately that went unphotographed, but I do intend to make them again, and again, and again, if necessary, until it's photographed!

Note: You can use canned white beans, but I find them mushier than cooked, dried beans.

White Bean and Vegetable Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette

Salad:

1 c. dried navy beans, cooked, drained and chilled

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, quartered, seeded and sliced

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Vinaigrette:

1 roasted red pepper, jarred or fresh

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, about 1 tbsp.

2 tbsp. sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave)

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

Salt and pepper

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add all salad ingredients to a bowl, pour on vinaigrette, mix well.

Chill for 30 minutes and serve.

Pumpkin Bread

2011-09-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

I can't help but think the internet has really changed how often people bake, how much more confident people are, the different recipes they try, and unfortunately, how often people have a baking failure. It's just so easy to pull up Google and type in "Pumpkin Bread". Your search will yield hundreds of recipes, some from published sources, some from blogs, some from user submitted sites, it's recipes overload! This is both good and bad, because you can easily come across a great looking and sounding recipe, but when you make it, it's a big fat fail. I've learned to stick with recipes from sources I know are tested, but occasionally I'll go to a bloggers recipe or a user-submitted site.

When I was looking for a pumpkin bread recipe, I found this one from all-recipes. What shocked me was it has a 5-star rating from over 4 thousand people! I think if 4,000 people like the recipe, I will too! I did read through the comments to see what people thought, any changes they made, and decided to implement a few of my own. Isn't it funny that I make sure I'm using a "good" recipe, but then make changes anyway? I found these changes to suit my taste and not effect the bread, so hopefully if you try them you'll have positive results, too! My changes were: subbing half the oil with yogurt, using milk instead of water, subbing some brown sugar for all granulated, and increasing the spices, because I love a spicy bread. I made 4 mini loaves of bread, 2 were frozen, but will need to be defrosted very soon!

Pumpkin Bread

adapted from Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

8 oz. (1 c.) pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. plain, nonfat yogurt

1/3 c. milk

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350*

Spray 4 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle.

Add pumpkin, eggs, oil, yogurt, milk, sugar and brown sugar to the bowl.

Turn on low speed until completely mixed, about 2 minutes.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.

Mix again on low until dry ingredients are just absorbed.

Divide equally into loaf pans, place in the oven.

Bake for 35 minutes, use a toothpick inserted in the center to determine if loaves are cooked.

Cool in pans for 30 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack for another 30 minutes.

If freezing, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and place in a freezer safe bag.

Blueberry-Buttermilk Wheat Pancakes

2011-09-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

When I try out a basic recipe for something and have great results, I tend to use it as a baseline for creating many new recipes. I use the same basic chocolate chip cookie recipe with many variations, and now, this Buttermilk Pancake recipe. I first made the recipe back in February, and have since made it many times. When blueberries were abundant at the Farmer's Market this summer, I knew they would be destined for pancakes. Though the recipe isn't unhealthy, I did want to make a small changes to make it healthier. I did this by simply subbing half the flour for whole wheat pastry flour. I also added a tsp. of vanilla extract, just for a bit more flavor with the blueberries. These pancakes were still light and fluffy, full of sweet berries, and perfect for Saturday morning breakfast!

Blueberry-Buttermilk Wheat Pancakes

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs, slight beaten

2 tbsp. canola oil

2 c. lowfat buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 pint blueberries

Heat griddle over medium (about 350*)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together salt, baking soda and flours.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients to wet, stir until moistened.

Add blueberries to batter and stir gently, careful to not break berries.

Spray griddle with nonstick spray, ladle batter onto griddle.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, until bubbles form all over pancakes, flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with pure maple syrup and butter.

Note: These keep well in the freezer in a food storage bag. To reheat, just place in a foil packet and cook at 350* for 10 minutes.

Mushroom Marsala Quinoa Bake

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Back when I was an omnivore, I was still quite picky about what meat I would eat. However, one of my favorites was Chicken Marsala. I love the savory and sweet wine paired with mushrooms and salty pancetta. I've made quite a few mushroom-marsala dishes, hoping to capture the best of Chicken Marsala, but it never was quite the same. I struggled to find a protein for the dish, tofu was too soft, and I'm not a fan of faux meat products. I did some brainstorming and decided to try quinoa. I love how quinoa is so high in protein, but also resembles a starch. The end result was perfect, a bowl full of savory, sweet, salty and delicious flavors!

Mushroom Marsala Quinoa Bake

2 c. quinoa

4 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. EVOO

16 oz. mushrooms, any variety or mixed

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1/2 c. dry marsala wine

salt and pepper

1/2 c. shredded Gruyere cheese

Place quinoa in a fine mesh colander, rinse under cold water for a minute, until water runs clear.

In a stock pot, bring vegetable stock to a simmer, add quinoa, turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Wipe mushrooms to remove dirt, quarter and place in a food processor fitted with the blade.

Pulse until mushrooms are minced (might have to do this in batches), or mince by hand.

Heat a skillet over medium, add EVOO, mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Saute' for 10 minutes, until mushrooms have released moisture and vegetables have begun to caramelize.

Add thyme, marsala, salt and pepper.

Cook until marsala has reduced by half, remove pan from heat.

Uncover quinoa, turn heat off. Fluff with a fork.

Spoon mushroom mixture into quinoa, add half the Gruyere, mix well.

Pour quinoa into a greased casserole dish, top with remaining cheese.

Place under a broiler on low for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

Remove from the broiler and serve.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-05T19:53:00.002-04:00

Over the past few weeks, I've been getting back in the kitchen more and more. While the baby naps, I find myself with time to do some cooking and baking. It's a little tricky to get the timing perfect, I've had a few freak out moments where the timer is going off and she's eating, but my husband doesn't mind burnt cookies! Sadly, his season is in full swing now, so he's home less and less. On his first weekend of travelling, my sister and nephew came down to keep us company. To thank her for making the epic trip from Cleveland to Jacksonville, 4 plane rides with a 10 month old, I baked some cookies and packed them up for her. These cookies are just another version of my favorite go-to recipe. They're soft, chewy, a little cakey, and delicious! I was a little timid to eat chocolate since it was a major aversion during pregnancy, but these cookies confirmed that chocolate is back!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. salted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature

1 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter.

Add brown sugar and granulated sugar, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add vanilla extract, mix, add eggs one at a time, mix until pale yellow and fluffy.

Scrape down sides of mixer, add baking soda, powder, flour and oatmeal.

Turn mixer on low until just mixed, add chocolate chips and mix until distributed.

Place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or as long as 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Break off heaping tbsp. pieces of dough, roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet 3" apart.

Bake for 15-16 minutes, until just brown.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Repeat with remaining dough, makes about 30 cookies.

Tropical Chunk Cookies

2011-08-01T16:53:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, I bought a package of mixed, dried tropical fruit on a whim. Then it was a random Sunday night, and I was hosting book club Monday. I decided a baked good was in order to pair with the quiches I made, and the bag of dried fruit was calling my name. I began pulling ingredients out and found half-used bags of dried coconut and macadamia nuts, these tropical cookies pretty much made themselves. My book club friends really liked them, and my husband absolutely loved them.

When it comes to the actual recipe, I winged it a bit today compared to last time. I've baked enough batches of cookies in my day to know a proper ratio, and I like to try to use up what I have. I know the consistency of dough I want to get the cookie I desire (chewy and thick, no crisp/pancake cookies here!).

Tropical Chunk Cookies

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened (12 tbsp. or 3/4 c.)

1 c. granulated sugar (or 1 c. packed brown sugar, omit molasses)

2 tbsp. molasses

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. almond extract (vanilla is ok too!)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. packed shredded, sweetened coconut

1 1/2 c. dried mixed tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, mango)

1 c. chopped macadamia nuts

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter, sugar and molasses.

Beat until fluffy and pale yellow.

With the mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time.

Add almond extract.

Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides.

Sift together baking soda, powder, wheat and all purpose flours, add to mixing bowl.

Turn mixer on low until flours are moistened into butter mixture, turn off.

Add coconut, fruit and nuts, turn mixer on and mix until distributed evenly and all flour is absorbed.

Use a spatula to scrape down blade and make sure dough is mixed well.

Place in the refrigerator and chill dough while oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 350*

Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

Spoon heaping tablespoons full onto baking sheet, press cookies down a bit, spacing 3-4" apart.

Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

Remove from the oven, rest on the cookie sheet for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Repeat with remaining dough, recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Crunchy Baked Zucchini Planks with Garlic-Lemon Aioli

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

About a year and a half ago, JJ and I were given a gift card to Maggiano's for our 2nd anniversary. We had never been there before, so we had the server sort of choose our menu for the night. We started with the appetizer combination platter, and the shining star of that dish was the fried zucchini with aioli. I can't say I remember much else about that meal, the zucchini was the star of the show! It was crispy and flavorful, and the aoili was the perfect pairing. I'm usually not a fan of creamy based sauces or ranch dressings, but this was phenomenal. We haven't been back to Maggiano's, but this zucchini has been on my mind since then, and I had been meaning to recreate it at home.

On our weekly Farmer's Market excursion this week, like every week, I haphazardly pointed at produce and baskets and filled up my cart. I find that it's easier to go there first, see what looks best, then take it home and plan a weekly menu around it. I bought 2 baskets of zucchini, so I began to brainstorm some meal ideas. This simple dish was easily put together with only pantry staples, it's flavorful, cheap and easy to make. While I'm sure it would taste great fried, I actually preferred the baked version. For the aioli, I used Greek Yogurt rather than mayo, and I think it tasted better than the mayo version. The tang of the yogurt replaced the need for mayo + vinegar in the aioli, and it gave a punch of additional protein to the dish.

Crunchy Baked Zucchini Planks with Garlic-Lemon Aioli

inspired by Maggiano's

3 medium zucchini

1/2 c. unbleached AP Flour

1 egg + 2 tbsp. water

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

1/2 c. Italian style breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, grated

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/2 c. plain 2% or fat-free Greek yogurt

Salt and white pepper

Minced parsley

Wash zucchini, slice off ends. Slice into 1/4" thin strips.

Line a colander with tea towels, lay zucchini slices in colander, salt, and add another towel on top, repeating the process until all zucchini are salted and covered.

Place a bowl inside to press zucchini and set aside for 30 minutes.

(This step isn't necessary, but will keep zucchini extra crisp and less mushy when cooked)

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice and zest, yogurt, salt and pepper.

Taste, add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Add minced parsley, about 1 tsp.

Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Lay 3 shallow bowls out on the counter and a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.

In the bowl closest to the baking sheet, toss together breadcrumbs.

In the center bowl, crack the egg and whisk in water and 2 tbsp. flour, salt and pepper.

In the farthest bowl, pour in the remaining flour.

Preheat the oven to 425*

Wipe down the excess moisture from zucchini slices, dredge in flour, then dip in egg, and press into the breadcrumbs.

Place on the baking sheet and repeat until all zucchini is coated.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Place planks on a platter and serve with aioli in a dish on the side.

Almond Roca Cookies

2011-05-12T07:06:00.000-04:00

I recently participated in Cara and Jen's Bloggers Bake for Hope Bakesale, and my contribution was a batch of Almond Roca Cookies. I first made these cookies several Christmases ago. I wanted something with toffee and nuts, and these popped up in my search. They quickly have become one of our favorite cookies, so caramely and crunchy, absolutely delicious.

Thank you to the winning bidder, these will be on their way to you soon!

Almond Roca Cookies

from foodnetwork.com

2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

1 package Toffee bits (1 1/4 c.)

1 c. coarsely ground almonds

1/2 c. melted milk chocolate

Preheat oven to 300*

Cream butter with brown sugar and white sugar, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add baking soda, salt, flour and toffee bits.

Turn mixer on low until ingredients are just incorporated and flour is absorbed.

Scrape down the sides and clean off the beater, place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls, roll in nuts then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and press down lightly.

Continue with all cookies (about 24-30).

Bake for 20-22 minutes, remove from the oven, cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Melt chocolate, drizzle over cookies and cool until chocolate sets.

Watermelon Baby Carriage Fruit Salad

2011-05-09T08:34:00.000-04:00

While this isn't a recipe, I felt it deserved it's own blog post. My sister and friend Vickie threw a beautiful shower, complete with delicious food, gorgeous decorations, and so many adorable gifts. When we discussed the menu, I told my sister what I'm currently able to eat, which is still carbs and fruit. She sure delivered with a huge bagel assortment as well as muffins, stratas and fruit salad. I came across a photo of a baby carriage bowl, and mentioned it to my sister. She was a little weary, but we thought my mom would love to make it. We were right. Anything with a saw, she's on it! Well, the saw wasn't necessary, but she did construct this gorgeous baby carriage fruit salad bowl. She filled it with watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and grapes. It was divine!

Bloggers Bake for Hope!

2011-05-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Hello, Veggie by Season readers! I've got some exciting news to share with you. While my time in the kitchen has been quite limited with my pregnancy, I couldn't help but get involved with this special cause. My friends Jen and Cara have teamed up for Bloggers Bake For Hope, benefiting the Susan G Komen Foundation.

If you're a long time reader, you might remember that 3.5 years ago, my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She went through radiation and chemotherapy, and is cured! Without the research and money donated to Breast Cancer causes, that would not be possible. Please check out the bake sale this Wednesday, it runs through Friday. There are many talented bakers out there with delicious items up for bid!

I will be making a batch of Almond Roca Cookies, Toffee-Brown Sugar cookies rolled in crushed Almonds and drizzled with Milk Chocolate. They are decadent and delicious, and would make a great Mother's Day gift! Please check out the website this week and bid, bid, bid!

On a personal note, thank you for your support through the past few months. My pregnancy has taken a turn for the better, but I'm still only eating bland food, carbs and fruit. Now that my husband's baseball season is over, I will be trying to cook more meals and keep the cookie jar stocked, so my hope is to get 1-2 recipes a week on the blog. I just reached my 3rd trimester (yay!) and have about 12 weeks to go!

Fried Green Tomato and BBQ Tempeh Stacks with Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes

2011-04-12T08:00:00.002-04:00

I apologize for not being more timely with blogging these recipes. Last week I had the great pleasure of going to Cincinnati for my nephew/godson's baptism. I had a wonderful time with my family, and was pretty much technology free for a few days. I admire bloggers who schedule posts when they'll be away, or even work on their blog while on vacation, but it's not for me. I like to take the time away and really disconnect.

This was the third course in my Bourbon Dinner a few weeks ago, and it was something that I put the most thought into. I wanted to make a substantial entrée, but it had to be vegetarian, semi-fancy, and Bourbon friendly, of course. While thinking about Kentucky and flavors of the south, I remembered the Fried Green Tomatoes I recently had at a restaurant, which were delicious. I thought it would be fun to stack them with a protein. Barbecue is obviously a southern favorite, and I've found that of all the vegetarian proteins out there, tempeh seems to be the best for grilling and pairing with bbq sauce. Finally I wanted a starchy base for the stack. Since the tomatoes had tang, the tempeh was salty and earthy, a creamy sweet potato puree was the perfect balance, especially laced with Bourbon as it often is at Thanksgiving. The dish came together with a sprinkle of blue cheese and parsley, and was absolutely delicious!

Fried Green Tomato and BBQ Tempeh Stacks with Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes:

adapted from this recipe by The Neelys

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked

1/3 c. whole milk or cream

1/4 c. Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

1 tbsp. molasses

2 tbsp. salted butter

Place potatoes in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil covered, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until fork tender.

Drain, pour Bourbon into the hot pot, then add potatoes and cream.

Mash or use a hand mixer to whip until potatoes begin to create a smooth appearance.

Add cayenne, salt, molasses and butter, continue to whip until incorporated.

Taste and adjust seasonings, serve or keep warm covered in a 200* oven, whipping in more milk or cream if necessary when serving.

Fried Green Tomatoes:

3 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

1 c. plus 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

1 c. cornmeal

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. paprika

Salt and pepper

Oil, for frying (I used olive oil)

Arrange 3 shallow dishes on a counter.

Add 1 c. flour to first.

Mix eggs with milk in the second.

Toss 1/2 c. flour with cornmeal, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in the last.

Heat oil over medium in a skillet about 1/2" up the side.

Arrange paper towels on a plate or a dripping rack next to frying pan.

Dredge tomato slices in flour, then dip in egg, then coat in cornmeal and place in the frying pan.

Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Place on paper towels to drain, continue with remaining tomato slices.

Serve or keep warm in a 200* oven on a wire rack nestled in a baking sheet.

BBQ Tempeh:

1/2 batch of Bourbon BBQ Sauce (I halved this recipe)

2 8 oz. packages of plain or original tempeh

Slice tempeh into 1/4" slices, then place in a tupperware storage container.

Pour 1-2 c. bbq sauce over tempeh, toss to coat.

Marinade for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

Heat a gas grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Place strips of tempeh on grill, cook until grill marks appear and bbq sauce begins to caramelize, basting as necessary.

Grill all tempeh, then serve or keep warm in a 200* oven, tossing with extra warmed sauce if necessary before serving.

To make stacks:

Take 1/4 of the sweet potato mixture, form into a mound then use the back of a spatula or spoon to smear onto the plate.

Arrange a tomato at the base of the sweet potatoes, then stack 2 slices of tempeh on top.

Place another tomato on top of tempeh, then place 2 more strips going the opposite direction of the first.

Top with one final tomato.

Sprinkle plate with parsley and blue cheese.

Southern Salad with Bourbon-Pecan-Maple Vinaigrette

2011-04-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last year for Memorial Day, my husband and I went to The Biltmore Estate for the long weekend. I had been once before, but with my parents, and I was underage. If you're not familiar with the Biltmore Estate, it's a sprawling mansion in Asheville, NC with beautiful gardens, a touristy village, and a winery with dozens of wine for sampling. While we were there, we ate at the Stable Cafe, a restaurant in the small village just outside the actual house (there's also Antler Village, a larger area near the winery). The Stable Cafe is just that, the horse barn and stables. It was completely renovated and each stable is now booth seating. The cuisine is Southern Bistro style, and everything we had was absolutely delicious. My entrée was the Southern Salad, a bed of bibb lettuce with several toppings.

When I was brainstorming this meal, I couldn't get the Southern Salad out of my mind, but changed it a bit to suit my preferences. First, I replaced the housemade Blue Cheese dressing with a Bourbon infused vinaigrette. I chose Evan Williams because it has maple and brown sugar notes, and pairs well with pecans. For the salad, I used the Biltmore's idea and went with fried okra instead of a crouton.

Southern Salad with Bourbon-Pecan-Maple Vinaigrette

adapted from this dressing recipe by Jim Beam

Dressing:

1 tbsp. plus 1/2 c. EVOO

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 c. Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon

1/4 c. Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp. Maple Syrup

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 c. toasted pecans, finely chopped

Salad:

8 c. Bibb lettuce leaves, torn

1/2 pint Heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

4 hardboiled eggs, quartered

1 c. prepared fried okra nuggets

Optional additions: Cubed cheese (Havarti, Muenster), Shaved or Shredded Chicken or Ham

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, shallot and garlic, saute' for 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add bourbon, and reduce until it forms a thick glaze, about 80-90% of the liquid has cooked off.

Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

When bourbon mixture is at room temperature, add vinegar, maple syrup and mustard, whisk to combine.

In a slow stream, whisk in the EVOO until it emulsifies, about 1/4-1/3 c.

Taste and adjust seasonings, add more EVOO if desired.

Just before serving, toast pecans, chop and add to dressing.

Arrange salad elements, drizzle with 1/4 of the vinaigrette, serve the remainder on the side.

Bourbon Peach Chutney with Brie on Crostini

2011-03-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

For the appetizer portion of my Bourbon dinner, I immediately thought of doing some type of fruit chutney sauteed with Bourbon. I find that most liquor has a certain sweetness that pairs well with fruit, you just have to find the right combination. Old Grand-Dad 114 is strong flavored Bourbon, the alcohol has a great presence, so it seemed like a good option for cooking. This chutney is delicious now with fresh peaches coming in season, but can also be made with frozen peaches. The jalapeño adds a nice bite, and the Brie cools down the dish and gives it a creamy taste.

Bourbon Peach Chutney with Brie on Crostini

Makes 12 pieces

1 loaf of grainy wheat French bread

1 8 oz. wheel of Brie

1 batch of peach chutney, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice bread on an angle into 12 pieces.

Lay on a sheet pan and place in the oven for 4-5 minutes, until toasted.

Slice Brie into 12 pieces, discarding rind.

Flip bread, top each slice with a piece of Brie.

Place back in the oven and cook for another 4 minutes or until cheese is melted to desired.

Top each slice of bread with a heaping tbsp. of chutney and serve.

Bourbon Peach Chutney

adapted from Jimmy's Uptown via foodtv.com

1 tbsp. EVOO

2 shallots, finely diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

3 large, firm peaches, blanched, skinned and diced

1/4 c. turbinado sugar

1/4 c. Old Grand-Dad 114 KY Straight Bourbon

1/3 c. Cider vinegar

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Heat a large saute' pan over medium heat.

Add EVOO, shallots and jalapeño, season with salt.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender.

Add peaches, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add sugar, stir to combine, then deglaze pan with Bourbon.

Turn heat to low, add vinegar and allow Bourbon and vinegar to reduce, about 5-10 minutes.

When chutney is thickened, taste and adjust seasonings, remove from heat and serve warm or refrigerate until using.

Foodbuzz 24x24: KY Bourbon Inspired Dinner and Tasting Flight

2011-03-27T19:20:00.001-04:00

For this month's Foodbuzz 24x24 sponsored dinner, I chose to prepare a Kentucky Bourbon inspired dinner paired with several varieties of Bourbon. About two years ago, my husband was treated to a Bourbon tasting, and since then has been collecting it. While there are many brands and varieties of Bourbon, to be considered Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it must comply with several standards. First, it must be made in Kentucky in a region where the water flows from sandstone and limestone. Great water makes great Bourbon, and this water especially aids yeast in the fermentation process. Other requirements are that the alcohol be made from a grain recipe of at least 51% corn, distilled at less than 160 proof, mature in new, Charred White Oak barrels for a minimum of two years, and be bottled at 80 proof or higher.

It was in this research and tasting that my husband and I developed a passion for purveying great Bourbon. Each has it's own distinct characteristics and a story that can date back over 100 years. The average bottle of Bourbon is $30, but extremely small, rare, and old batches can range several hundred. For this dinner, my husband tasted each Bourbon under my watch, and described the characteristics. From this, I worked on a vegetarian, Kentucky inspired menu featuring a different Bourbon in each course as well as a Bourbon paired to taste.

Before each course, my husband poured a tasting for each of our 4 guests and himself (being 5 months pregnant resulted in a dry evening for me). The guests tasted the Bourbon, then tasted their food paired with it. Of my husband's 11 Bourbons, he chose his four favorites for the tasting portion.

For the decor, I chose to simply feature the star of the evening, Bourbon, paired with springy tulips and candles.

Our first course was Old Granddad 114 Peach Chutney with Brie on Crostini paired with Maker's Mark. We chose to start the meal with one of the most common and recognizable Bourbons, Maker's Mark. It's known for the hand-dipped red wax seal that drips down the bottle. Maker's Mark is a very clean tasting Bourbon with a light finish. It's a bit sweet on the tongue, which pairs well with the fresh bread and sweet peaches.

In the peach chutney, jalapeños are accented with Old Granddad 114, a spicy and bright Bourbon. The chutney's boldness is toned down with a slice of creamy, rich Brie.

For our next course, I chose to prepare a Southern Salad with Maple-Pecan-Bourbon Vinaigrette. During a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC last summer, I had a salad very similar to this, featuring fried okra as a crouton, hard boiled eggs and fresh, bright tomatoes. That salad was the inspiration for this salad, which was accented by an Evan Williams Bourbon Vinaigrette. Evan Williams has a heavier body, tasting of maple and brown sugar. To make the dressing, I reduced the Bourbon in a saucepan with shallots, then whisked in maple, dijon and olive oil.

The Bourbon paired with this course was Jefferson's. This Bourbon has a light body with a subtle finish, and did not overpower the light salad and dressing.

For the third course and entrée, I made my version of Fine-Dining Southern Vegetarian BBQ. The base of the dish is Bourbon Whipped Potatoes featuring Ridgewood Reserve 1792. This Bourbon has caramel notes, and is a bit spicy. Stacked on top of the potatoes were Bourbon-Barbecue Glazed Tempeh and Fried Green Tomato Stacks. I made a Barbecue Sauce with Wild Turkey 101, a Bourbon known for it's sharp, spicy heat. It's smooth when sipped, but leaves a deep burn, perfect for barbecue. The Fried Green Tomatoes added an acidic punch with Southern Flare, and the dish was finished with fresh parsley and crumbled blue cheese.

Paired with the entrée was Woodford Reserve. This Bourbon has similar characteristics to 1792, a medium body with caramel and cinnamon notes.

For our final course of the evening, I prepared a Bourbon Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce. The cheesecake has a layer of sauteed apples, which were caramelized with brown sugar and Bourbon. The actual cheesecake batter also was infused with Bourbon. Buffalo Trace has notes of vanilla and anise, which paired with the spices in the cheesecake. For the Bourbon Caramel Sauce, I chose Elijah Craig, another vanilla and brown sugar tasting Bourbon.

Russell's Reserve Bourbon was paired with this cheesecake, a stronger, spicy, heavier bodied Bourbon to stand up to the creamy cheesecake.

As the meal concluded, each of our guests gave their preference of the Bourbon tasted through the evening. They were all very impressed with the variety and history of Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and were interested in beginning a collection of their own.

To aid them in this quest, I sent them home with a favor of Bourbon Zucchini Bread with a nip of Bourbon, either Wild Turkey or Jim Beam.

Please come back each day this week to view the recipes for each dish!

Thank you so much to Foodbuzz for sponsoring this dinner, and I encourage everyone to try Kentucky Straight Bourbon, if you're not already a fan! This summer, my husband and I will be participating in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail program, which I will definitely be posting about!

www.kybourbontrail.com

Egyptian Edamame Stew

2011-03-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

In the last post, I wrote about my love for tofu, but that's not the only form of whole soy. In addition to tofu, edamame and tempeh are equally as healthy. I found this recipe in Eating Well magazine, and it sounded like a perfect quick, healthy, well rounded meal. The spice combination is perfect, of course I do have a deep love for cumin. Also, the dish includes a healthy dose of cayenne pepper, which added a nice punch of heat.
Though there were no leftovers, I'm sure this dish would be great heated back up for lunch the next day!

Egyptian Edamame Stew

adapted from Eating Well Magazine

10 oz. edamame, fresh or frozen (about 2 c.)

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 small zucchini, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes

Fresh cilantro and mint, chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Kosher salt and black pepper

In a large saucepan, bring 4 c. water to a boil, salt and add edamame, cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Drain and set aside.

Place pot back on the stove over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onion, zucchini and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander and cayenne.

Stir and bring to a simmer, reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes.

Stir in edamame until heated through, remove from heat.

Add lemon juice and half the fresh herbs, stir.

Serve over cous cous or any other grain, garnish with herbs.

**The winner of a Nasoya coupon for a free product is Joanne! I'll send your email address to the Nasoya rep and she'll be contacting you for your address. Thanks to all who entered**

Tofu Favories - Part II and a Giveaway!

2011-03-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

Here are the rest of my favorite tofu dishes! Be sure to read the end of the post for a give-away offer!

Roasted Sweet and Sour Tofu with Peanut Soy Noodles is one of my favorite meals when I have a "what am I going to make for dinner?!" moments. It's so versatile, simple, and uses basic pantry staples. The only thing I ever need to buy is vegetables, but usually I have enough on hand to make substitutes.

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot will be your new wintry go-to meal. Rather than make a beefy chili or stew, try this dish that combines wintry root vegetables with a spicy curry and crunchy almonds. It's extremely healthy and feeds a large crowd.

My absolute favorite summer lunch or appetizer with dinner are Summer rolls. They can be made a million different ways, but are super simple and always a crowd pleaser. For extra flavor, try a baked, marianted tofu and some fresh julienned basil or crushed peanuts in the rolls.

Go vegetarian this St. Patty's day with a Reuben! Like the Buffalo Blue Tofu Sandwiches, tofu can take the place of meat in your favorite sub with ease. The key is to find a sandwich that has otherwise involved flavors to ensure the tofu doesn't taste bland. In a reuben, between the sharp swiss, salty kraut, spicy mustard, and sweet 1000 Island dressing, the tofu replacing corned beef adds texture and a bit of flavor while acting as the perfect canvas for all the other elements of the sandwich.

And for the giveaway - Comment with your favorite Tofu dish, and you'll be entered to win a coupon for a free Nasoya Product. One entry per person, comments close Sunday, 3/13 at 8pm EST. Winner will be announced Monday! Good Luck!

Tofu Favorites - Part I

2011-03-10T08:12:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is part 1 of 2 of my favorite tofu dishes!

As I've said, I prefer tofu in Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern preparations, but it really is a blank slate and can be prepared in any way.

This Sweet and Spicy Tofu Curry Bowl is one of my favorite go-to tofu dishes. It's quick to prepare, and can be made with any veggies you have on hand. In this dish, I used my favorite flavored tofu, Masala Spiced Sprouted Tofu.

Island Salad with Coconut Curry Dressing is very similar to the first dish, but great for a light lunch on a hot summer day. Tofu makes a great salad topper, and can be eaten raw or cooked!

Buffalo Blue Tofu Sandwiches are quick and easy, satisfying your cravings for Buffalo Chicken! Organic tofu made with non-GMO soybeans is about 1.99/lb, while organic chicken breasts can range anywhere from $8-12/lb! Not only is tofu a money saver, but it tastes just as delicious when smothered in sauce and melted blue cheese.

General Tso's Tofu is my spin on the classic General Tso's Chicken. While Chinese take out isn't very pricey, it's filled with MSG, loads of sodium, and you can't pick and choose your veggies to serve with it. Rather than serve this dish with brown rice, I opted for wheat berries for an extra fiber and whole grain punch!

Tofu Tacos al Pastor are my favorite grilling method for tofu. When you press out the moisture really well, the tofu becomes a sponge and sucks up all of the marinade. These tacos are extremely flavorful, and combine three of my favorites - avocado, cabbage slaw, and grilled pineapple. A definite winner!

I hope you bookmark this post and try out all of these tofu recipes, and come back tomorrow for part II of my favorites as well as a giveaway offer for a free Nasoya product!

Broccoli and Tofu in Spicy Peanut Sauce and Nasoya's Tofu U

2011-03-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

As a vegetarian, tofu and soy have a strong presence in my diet. I was recently contacted by Nasoya, a tofu manufacturer, to see if I would be willing to participate in and advertise their Tofu U program (note: I was compensated with a coupon for one free Nasoya item). Being that today is Monday, and Meatless Mondays are a new trend in the food world, I felt today would be a great opportunity to talk about tofu!

As with any food item, I believe in eating tofu in moderation. Eating whole, unprocessed soy (tofu, edamame, tempeh) has been shown to reduce heart disease, diabetes, provide calcium for bone health, and many other diseases. Though I have found conflicting studies about soy's estrogen hormones, there is evidence that soy doesn't identically mimic these qualities, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. As I said, I believe in soy in moderation, and in it's whole form - like Nasoya Tofu!

When I cook with tofu, I prefer to use it in Thai, Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern applications, which means I generally choose extra-firm tofu. However, tofu can be used as a cream substitute or in smoothies, and soft tofu is a common substitute for that. Throughout the week, I'll be posting some of my favorite tofu recipes, with a recap and giveaway on Friday! In the mean time, I invite you to check out Tofu U where you can learn all about tofu and soy, and even pledge to cook with tofu once a week for the next month, which makes you eligible for a Tofu U shirt or shorts. You'll even get some coupons - so sign up now!

Broccoli and Tofu in Spicy Peanut Sauce

adapted from Mollie Katzen's Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Sauce:

1/2 c. natural, unsweetened peanut butter

1/2 c. hot water (or vegetable stock)

1/4 c. cider vinegar

2 tbsp. molasses

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 bunch of fresh broccoli, cut into florets

1 tbsp. canola oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 bunch thinly sliced scallions

1 c. coarsely chopped peanuts

2-3 tbsp. tamari (dark soy)

To make the sauce:

In a small saucepan, whisk together peanut butter and stock until melted together.

Whisk in remaining ingredients, keep over low heat and set aside.

Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Add oil and half of the garlic, salt lightly.

Saute' for 1 minute, do not let garlic burn.

Add tofu cubes, stir fry for 5 minutes, constantly tossing to ensure it doesn't burn.

Transfer tofu and garlic mixture to the saucepan with peanut sauce, gently mix.

Wipe wok out, return to the stove.

Add oil and remaining garlic, salt lightly and add scallions, black pepper and broccoli.

Add tamari and peanuts, toss and stir fry until broccoli is tender but still bright green.

Pour tofu and peanut sauce over broccoli, gently toss everything.

Serve over any grain, like rice or quinoa.

Bourbon Butterscotch Blondies

2011-02-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Over the past few years, my husband has become quite the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Connoisseur. It makes gift-giving easy, I just take him to the liquor store and let him choose, but if it was up to him we'd be there for hours! In a bit of irony, last fall we decided to go tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail this summer when we're in Cincinnati visiting family. I never was a big bourbon drinker, but now I definitely won't be involved in the sampling!

When I saw these bars on Erin's Food Files, I knew they would be a great contribution to a family pot-luck we had on the calendar. These bars are so easy to make, and taste wonderful. The bourbon flavor is present, but not overpowering. The butterscotch tastes like caramel and the buttery bars melt in your mouth. The hardest part to making these was waiting on JJ to decide which bourbon he could spare. In the end, he decided to go with his favorite, and the one he's got the most of, Maker's Mark. I made a double batch of these bars, and put them in a 1/2 sheet pan, so they were pretty thin. I also made them again in a 9x13 pan and they were thick and more chewy, either way is delicious!

Butterscotch Bourbon Bars

from Erin's Food Files, adapted from frites and fries

1 c. unbleached, AP Flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/4 c. butter, melted

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. butterscotch chips

2 tbsp. Bourbon (great with both Maker's Mark and Old Granddad, Erin recommended Bulleit as well)

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk butter, milk, vanilla and egg.

Pour wet into dry, add the bourbon and chips, and stir until flour is absorbed.

(Batter will be thick, do not overmix!)

Pour into a parchment lined 9" square pan, press with a spatula into an even layer.

Place in the oven, bake for 20 minutes, using a toothpick to test the center for doneness.

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and slice into bars.

Waffles of Insane Greatness

2011-02-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, I posted a recipe for the most delicious, fluffy and perfect Buttermilk Pancakes. I declared that I would make them every Saturday for the rest of my life. But, as we all know, I change my mind... often. And I get bored when I restrict my cooking creativity. And well, you can't blog very well when you make the same recipes over and over again, though it's tempting at times!

So I decided to try the next best thing, Buttermilk Waffles! I did a search on the food network's website and came across these Waffles of Insane Greatness. They had a 5-star rating from users, so I was confident that they would be a winner. I've never seen a waffle recipe that called for cornstarch, so I also searched the internet to find out it's purpose - to create a crisper waffle with a fluffy inside. There's nothing worse than a soggy waffle, in my opinion!

I decided to double the recipe, and store the leftover waffles in the freezer for quick mid-week breakfasts, and they only lasted about a week. With my 8" circle waffle iron, I made about 9-10 waffles by doubling the recipe.

Waffles of Insane Greatness

from foodnetwork.com, Aretha Frankenstein's Restaurant

3/4 c. All-purpose flour

1/4 c. Cornstarch

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. buttermilk

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Butter and Syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk.

Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla, whisk to incorporate.

Let batter sit for 30 minutes.

Heat waffle iron (I used setting 3/4 out of 5).

Do not use nonstick spray, ladle batter onto iron and cook as waffle iron specifies.

Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

Tex-Mex Black Eyed Pea Dip

2011-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

For Superbowl Sunday, we were invited to a family get together that was pot luck style. I signed up to make an appetizer and dessert weeks ago, and figured I'd decide what to make closer to the date. A few weeks later, I had a strange craving for Black Eyed Peas, so I bought a pound of dried beans at the grocery store. After cooking them, I ate a small bowl and then put the remaining 7-8 c. of cooked beans in the fridge. And I was stumped... what to do, what to do?

Finally, the morning of the Superbowl, I searched the pantry and fridge for ingredients to make a dessert and appetizer, and kept coming back to the Black Eyes Peas. Surely there was some sort of dip or croquette I could make with them, so I did a little google-ing. I found a Paula Deen recipe that was shockingly healthy, and looked really delicious. I even had most of the ingredients on hand, so I got to work on it. I made a few changes, Paula's recipe seemed pretty basic (read: bland), so I decided to give it a Tex-Mex flavor, a cross between Chipotle's two salsas with the addition of beans. The end result was a delicious, fresh salsa/dip that was perfect with Tostitos scoops chips! This also made a little over 2 quarts of dip, so it was plentiful.

Note: I highly recommend cooking dried beans for this, canned tend to be mushy, and for this dip you want the peas to hold their shape and have a bit of a bite. I simply added 1 lb. beans to 8 c. salted water, brought to a boil, reduced and simmered for 45 minutes/1 hour, drained, cooled and stored in the refrigerator.

Tex-Mex Black Eyed Pea Dip

heavily adapted from Paula Deen

3/4 lb. dried Black Eyed Peas, cooked

2 c. frozen corn kernels

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

4 scallions, minced (or 1/4 red onion)

1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro

1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

dressing:

1 garlic clove, pasted with salt

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. honey

1/2 c. EVOO

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Add all salad ingredients to a large plastic storage container or serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, cumin and honey.

Slowly add EVOO, whisking constantly.

Taste, season with kosher salt and pepper.

Add dressing to the dip, toss well and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Toss well before serving, chilled, with scoops chips.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, my mother in law gave me a 1 lb. tub of Amish Blue Cheese crumbles. While I've read conflicting reports about whether you can eat blue cheese or not when pregnant, it didn't even sound appetizing to me. So the cheese sat in the fridge for a couple of weeks, untouched. During my month-long stint watching Food Network and eating only bagels, I saw a holiday appetizer episode where Ina baked savory blue cheese shortbread crackers. The recipe called for 8 oz. of cheese, which I knew would make a substantial dent in the tub of crumbles, and it would cook the cheese so there wouldn't be the question of whether or not I could eat it.

These crackers take very few ingredients, in fact I had all of the ingredients on hand last Saturday when I was cleaning out the fridge and came across the blue cheese hidden in the back. After making the dough, it needs to be formed into a log and chilled, so these crackers can be made ahead of time for a party, and kept in the freezer for slicing and baking at any time - even just for a snack! I was worried that the blue cheese would be too strong, or they would taste too much like a cookie gone bad, but they were outstanding! The bite of the blue cheese was dulled down, but still present, the nuts added a nice crunch, and the pepper reinforced the savory flavor. They were reminiscent of a cheese straw or a really fancy Cheez-It!

As for the actual recipe, the only changes I made were subbing 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour for 1/2 c. of the all purpose, and omitting an egg wash for adhering the nuts, I had no trouble getting them to stick when pressing firmly. While the crackers were exceptional on their own, I couldn't help but think some kind of dip, smear, or spread would pair with it, but I couldn't think of anything that wouldn't make these too heavy, or too overpowering. My husband said buffalo chicken dip... any ideas?

Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers

from Ina Garten seen on Barefoot Contessa

1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

8 oz. blue cheese, at room temperature

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and blue cheese for 1 minutes, or until smooth.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flours, salt and pepper and mix until dough comes together, adding water 1 tsp. at a time if necessary (I added 2 tsp.)

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, use a spatula to remove dough from the bowl and onto the saran wrap.

Using your fingers, form into a log about 12" long and 2" wide, wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake the crackers, or double wrap in foil and freeze.

After at least 1 hour, preheat oven to 350*

Unwrap dough log and sprinkle walnuts around the log, turn the log and press down on the nuts to encase the surface.

Line a baking sheet with parchment, slice the dough into 1/4" rounds and place 1" apart on the baking sheet, you should get around 30-36 crackers.

Place the crackers in the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Using a spatula, place crackers on a wire cooling rack, and cool for at least an hour so crackers begin to harden.

To store, place in an unsealed plastic bag or in an uncovered plastic storage container, sealing or covering will cause the crackers to soften, serve within a day or freeze baked crackers.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2011-02-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

When it comes to breakfast, I much prefer savory over sweet. I think in my mind, loading up on sugar and carbs early makes me lethargic the rest of the day, so I rarely make things like pancakes, waffles, crepes, french toast, etc. I know these things can be made healthful with whole grains, fruit and added protein, but if I'm going to indulge at breakfast or brunch, it's going to be a cheesy omelette and hash browns.

However, pregnancy has my tastes quite mixed up! Some of my favorite foods are now aversions, like brussels sprouts, dark greens, and tomato-ey dishes. I saw a commercial for Ihop's all you can eat pancakes, and almost grabbed my keys and bolted for the car. All week long, pancakes were all I could think about! I sent out a request for a standard, light and fluffy buttermilk pancake recipe, and Brianna from Oishii delivered with The Buttermilk Pancakes from her Childhood. They were absolutely perfect, light, fluffy, slightly tangy and not at all sweet, so with my addition of a little pure maple syrup, it was perfect! I used a white whole wheat flour, which made them slightly healthier, and canola oil rather than butter, but these still felt like and tasted like an indulgence.

The Buttermilk Pancakes from my Childhood

from Brianna of Oishii

1 c. unbleached AP flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 c. lowfat buttermilk

Nonstick cooking spray

Optional toppers:

Pure maple syrup

Butter

Fruit (I added sliced peaches)

Heat a griddle over medium heat (I used the 350* setting)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg, canola oil and buttermilk.

Add wet ingredients to dry, whisk until flour is absorbed, set aside while griddle heats.

Spray griddle with nonstick spray, ladle batter onto griddle.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the griddle and serve.

Yields 7-8 4" pancakes

Seven-Layer Cookies

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am a visual person; I remember directions by sight, things I read and math problems solved on the chalkboard. I'm often flooded with memories by the simple sight or mention of an ingredient, food, or other tangible item. When my friend Jen asked if there was a bakery in Jacksonville that made her beloved Seven-Layer Cookies, I did a google search to see what she was talking about. One glance at the cakey, striped cookies encased in chocolate and I was standing in my Nanny and Grandpa's kitchen, eying up the assorted cookie platter Grandpa brought home from the bakery. I can still remember picking out a cookie, placing it on a paper towel and sitting at the kitchen table, always covered in a plastic, seasonal table cloth, and eating it with a juice box to drink.

I found Grandpa's recipe from the bakery in his stack of note cards, but as all of the recipes are, it was measured in 20 lbs. of butter, 30 lbs. of flour, and 25 lbs. or sugar, enough for thousands of cookies. Luckily, I had remembered seeing the cookies on Joanne's blog back in December, so I pulled up the recipe, originally from Gourmet. These cookies aren't something you can make on a whim, they take some planning and time, but it's well worth it. I had great luck with the chilled cookies slicing well, I just didn't really measure them out, I like the random shapes and sizes! One change I did make was substituting the apricot jam layer between the red and white cookies with raspberry (seedless) per Jen's request.

Seven-Layer Cookies (Italian Rainbow/Flag Cookies)

from Gourmet Magazine, Seen on Eats Well with Others

4 large eggs, separated
1 c. sugar
1 8-oz. can almond paste
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
25 drops red food coloring
25 drops green food coloring
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/2 c. seedless raspberry preserves
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Place a rack in the center of the oven, preheat to 350*
Butter a 9" baking pan, line the bottom with parchment leaving overhang on the sides, butter paper.
Beat egg whites in a mixer with the whisk attachment on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Add 1/4 c. of sugar, a little at a time, transfer to another bowl.
Switch to the paddle attachment, add butter, almond paste and remaining 3/4 c. sugar, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add yolks and almond extract, beat until combined.
Reduce speed to low, add flour and salt, mix until just combined.
Fold half of the egg white mixture in gently but thoroughly, then the rest.
Divide batter into 3 bowls, dye one red and one green, leave one white.
Set red and white aside, place green in the refrigerator.
Pour red into the prepared pan, spread out in an even layer with an offset spatula.
Bake for 10 minutes, until set, it will look undercooked.
Transfer to a wire cooling rack, reline pan with parchment, butter and add white batter.
Remove green batter from the refrigerator.
Spread white batter in an even layer, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until set.
Transfer on parchment to a wire cooling rack.
Repeat with green batter (do not stack layers on parchment/racks, use 3 separate racks).
Warm the raspberry preserves so it's spreadable, then spread over red layer in a thin, even layer.
Peel parchment from white layer, and stack on top of red layer/jam.
Warm apricot preserves and spread over white layer, removing any large pieces.
Peel parchment off green layer, and press on top.
Wrap the three filled layers tightly in saran wrap, and refrigerate overnight with a weighted sheet pan on top.
The next day, heat chocolate over a double boiler until melted.
Peel back saran wrap from one side, spread evenly which chocolate in a thin layer, place back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
When chocolate is chilled and set, gently flip cookies and spread chocolate on the opposite side in an even layer.
Place back in the refrigerator until set, about 10 minutes.
With a serrated knife, cut cookies into 1" cubes, and place on a serving platter (or keep cookies refrigerated until ready to cut and serve, cookies cut best when chilled).
Yield around 64 cookies, depending on size.

Broccoli and Dill Raita Slaw

2011-01-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

During the holidays, I was benched due to my food aversions and sicknesses. I spent most of my time on the couch, snuggled up with my dogs, and watched hours upon hours of TV. My husband was more than happy with this arrangement, which generally consisted of Food Network during the day, and NCAA Bowl Games at night.

While I used to watch Food Network like it was going out of style, I found that it was pretty redundant, and I was getting tired of many of the chefs on TV. I probably hadn't turned on the channel in a few years, but since I couldn't muster the energy to cook, I found that watching them cook was second best. What I found were many new chefs that I had never seen before, including Aarti Sequeira a Next Food Network Star winner. One of the episodes I watched contained this slaw recipe, which she served with a brisket and Mac and Cheese. I thought the slaw looked delicious and easy for a weeknight, but didn't care for the other dishes. I printed up the recipe, and stuck it in my binder, waiting for my desire to cook to return.

When I was working on my menu last week, I found this recipe in my binder and decided to try to brainstorm a vegetarian meal in which it would fit. Aarti is Indian, and though the slaw isn't overwhelmingly Indian in flavors, I decided to use other Indian elements to complete the dish. I love slaws on burgers, so I took the basic elements of a burger, and made them both Indian and vegetarian. For the bun aspect, I made a sun-dried tomato and garlic naan. The tomatoes were a last minute addition, but I have an abundance in the pantry - this recipe will be coming soon. For the burger, I thought of my favorite Indian dish - Chana Masala, a spicy tomatoey chick pea mixture. I used those same spices and created a chick pea patty to place on the naan, and top with the slaw. It was an absolutely delicious meal, and terrific compliment to the sweet slaw.

Though I've kind of stopped watching the Food Network again, I am glad to see some new, fresh content, and find myself looking up recipes for the shows I saw often! Do you still watch Food Network? Who are some of your favorites?

Broccoli and Dill Raita Slaw

adapted from Aarti Sequiera

3/4 c. 2% Greek Yogurt

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 c. cilantro, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. fresh chopped dill

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp. ginger root, grated

1 scallion, sliced thin

1 10 oz. bag broccoli slaw

1/4 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. almonds, roughly chopped

Salt and white pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon zest and juice, cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger and scallion.

Add broccoli slaw and toss to coat.

Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust.

Add cranberries and almonds, gently toss to distribute.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes, toss before serving, serve chilled.

Grilled Zucchini and Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

2011-01-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

This pizza may look familiar to you, if you're a long time reader. It's one that I brain stormed to create, and was my first attempt at grilled pizza... which was a giant fail. But I turned it into quesadillas, and it was a big hit! I decided to try the pizza version again, just grilling the vegetables and baking the crust, which worked well. But when we purchased a gas grill rather than charcoal, I was able to grill the crust as well, and it was delicious.

One of the main components to the pizza is prosciutto, but since that's not in my diet anymore, I had to change it up a bit. For this recreation, I decided to make a sauce layer by creating a puree of cannelini beans and ricotta. It definitely added body and protein to the pizza, but also took it in a much different direction. While I loved this variation, I think I want to tweak it a bit more, and find that saltiness that the prosciutto added in a vegetarian form. Any ideas??

Grilled Zucchini and Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

1 ball of pizza dough (my favorite whole wheat recipe is here)

1 15 oz. can cannelini beans

1/2 c. ricotta cheese

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1" rounds on a bias

1 red onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds

1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese

1 c. aged balsamic vinegar

Preheat a grill to 400*

In a small saucepot, add vinegar, turn to low heat and simmer to reduce to a thick syrup.

Roll pizza dough out into a circle, place on a pizza pan.

Drain beans well, add to a food processor with ricotta, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, puree.

Place pizza dough on the grill, smear with bean mixture.

Place zucchini and onions on the grill, sprinkle with salt and pepper, close the lid on the grill.

After 4-5 minutes, flip zucchini and onions.

After 4-5 more minutes place zucchini and onions on the pizza, sprinkle with goat cheese and close lid again.

Cook for 2-5 more minutes, until pizza is crisp and cooked through.

Remove from the grill, drizzle with balsamic, slice and serve.

Pumpkin, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Tamales

2011-01-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Back in November, I had an urge to make tamales after finding an Eating Well recipe that looked delicious. I went to several grocery stores over the course of three weeks before I finally found dried corn husks, and then Thanksgiving came, and then the pregnancy made me so sick I took a month off from cooking. While cleaning out the pantry last weekend, I found the corn husks smashed in the back behind a sack of flour, and immediately decided the tamales had to be made!

I knew that because of the steps in the recipe, the assembling of each tamale and cooking time, it would be an all day affair. I followed the recipe exactly as written, only substituting a 15 oz. can of solid pack pumpkin for the frozen squash. In the end, I had close to 30 tamales, with extra filling and masa leftover, so I think this recipe could easily be halved if you are aiming to make 16 tamales. Also, I stuffed my tamales a little full, so I double wrapped each one, I also didn't tie them closed, just packed them snugly so they remained wrapped well. I chose to serve my tamales with guacamole, but you can serve them plain or with sour cream, queso or scrambled eggs, a traditional side.

As I was documenting the tamale making, something tragic happened... my camera fell off the kitchen table and now the lens is stuck. I'm hoping it won't be too costly to repair, but this means I'm back to the kodak easy share point and shoot from the early college years. If I wasn't so eager to blog the awesome recipes I have coming up, I'd hold off, but I'll do my best!

Pumpkin, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Tamales

from Eating Well

4 oz. dried corn husks - This was about 50 of different shapes and sizes

Batter:
1 3/4 c. masa
1 1/4 c. hot water
1 1/2 c. part skim ricotta
1/4 c. canola oil
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 c. grits or cornmeal
1/2-3/4 c. vegetable stock

Filling:
1 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin puree
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained or 2 c. cooked and chilled
1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. crumbed goat cheese

For serving:
Guacamole and lime wedges

Preparation:
Place corn husks in a bowl, fill with hot water and soak for 30 minutes, loosely separating them

Prepare Batter: Put masa and water in a large bowl, stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms (I added another 1/2 c. water as I used instant masa). In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat ricotta, oil, baking powder and salt. Beat in grits/cornmeal, then add masa mixture until incorporated, add stock until batter is smooth and spreadable, but not runny.

Prepare filling: Pour pumpkin into a strainer and set to drain, gently pressing to release water. Pour into a bowl, add black beans and drained chiles, stir and season with salt.

Assemble tamales: Drain water from husks, gently pat dry with a towel. Place a steamer basket in a large pot, fill with water just to the stop of the steamer. Spread 1/3 c. masa into the center of the husk, spoon 2 tbsp. filling in and sprinkle with goat cheese, fold the sides in then roll from the bottom. Place the tamale seam side down into the steamer basket, repeat with remaining husks.

Cover the pot and place on a burner over high, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Set a kitchen timer for 60 minutes, and check tamales for water often. (I refilled my water 2 times to make sure there was always enough).
Use tongs to remove from the pot, masa should be firm and pulling away from husks.
Serve with guacamole, if desired.
Store leftover tamales in a tupperware still in husks. To reheat, steam for 10 minutes.
Leftovers are good for 2-3 days.

L - Masa, R - Filling, C - Goat Cheese

Note: I used an offset icing spatula for spreading masa

Corn husks and steamer

Filling a tamale

Cooked tamales, still in husks. Tying a knot to hold them together is optional if wrapped tightly.

Vegetarian Cubana

2011-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate with some friends; their engagement and our pregnancy. Since they live in Daytona, we decided to meet in St. Augustine for dinner. My husband was born and raised in St. Augustine, and knows the restaurants well, so we had a hard time deciding where to go. We finally settled on The Columbia. We had an absolutely delicious meal, and I am hoping we can make it back there again soon! They specialize in Spanish, Cuban, and Mexican food, and since we're in Florida, the seafood is top notch. We each ordered something different: the paella, ropa vieja, mariscos diablo (spicy pasta dish with the entire ocean of seafood), and the vegetarian cubana.

The Vegetarian Cubana was simply listed as yucca, black beans, rice, plantains and sauteed fresh vegetables. It wasn't as intriguing as the other vegetarian dishes, but it had all of my favorite ingredients, and I knew The Columbia would put their twist on it. The meal was a bed of soft white rice topped with simply seasoned, tender black beans, two tostones, two maduros, a piece of steamed yucca topped with a spicy tomato relish, sauteed snap peas with strips of bell pepper, and the dish was sprinkled with diced raw onion. Though each element wasn't very complex, when it was all together it made a complete, delicious meal. Each individual component was perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, and complimentary of one another.

I couldn't get the meal out of my head since we left the restaurant, and knew I'd have to recreate it at home. After all, it costs only pennies to make (but wasn't too expensive at $16.95 in the upscale-restaurant). While I loved the yucca and two kinds of plantains, I decided to skip them this time to make this meal weeknight-friendly with less cooking time and preparation. A few other options are to make your rice ahead of time (I prefer brown rice, which takes 30 minutes to cook, sometimes I make a big batch on the weekends) and to use your slow cooker to make beans (dried beans are cheaper and cans don't contain BPA, organic is easily available as well!).

While scouring recipes for tostones and maduros, I found there were no baked versions, but I was determined to not fry them. If you'd like to see authentic fried tostones, I've made them here. Instead I opted for Maduros made in the oven in a foil packet, they still caramelized and were tender and sweet with a crisp coating, very similar to the fried version and my new go-to for plantains! I hope you try this meal out and enjoy it, it's simple but fancy-looking and absolutely delicious!

Vegetarian Cubana

black beans, rice, roasted maduros, vegetable saute'

2/3 c. brown rice blend

1 1/3 c. water or vegetable stock

2 c. black beans (or 1 15 oz. can drained)

1/2 c. water or vegetable stock

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

Salt

2 very ripe plantains

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tsp. turbinado sugar

2 c. sugar snap peas

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 tsp. EVOO

1 tsp. adobo seasoning or chili powder

Salt and pepper

Diced raw onion, if desired

Preheat oven to 425*

In a small stock pot, bring water to a boil, add rice and turn to simmer.

Cook covered for 30 minutes, or how long package directs.

In another small stock pot, bring beans, water, garlic, bay and salt to a boil.

Turn to low and simmer uncovered while rice cooks.

Place a piece of foil on a sheet pan.

Peel plantains and cut 1" rounds on a bias.

Place on half the foil, drizzle with EVOO and sugar, toss to coat.

Bring the other half of the foil over and pinch closed, making a packet.

Place in the oven, bake for 15 minutes, open, flip and close, baking for another 10 minutes.

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add EVOO, snap peas, peppers and adobo.

Toss and cook for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables are just softened.

Plate rice, top with black beans, arrange plantains and snap peas on the side and sprinkle the dish with raw onion.

Spiced Apricot Chickpea Patties

2011-01-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

As I said in the last post, JJ and I went to Mandaloun last weekend, my favorite Lebanese restaurant. We first learned about Mandaloun when they signed up to host a Bite Club event when I was the host. We had such an amazing meal there, when Mandaloun offered a Groupon a few weeks later, I jumped right on it. When we ordered, I went with the Vegetarian Mezze because I knew it was delicious, but JJ opted for something new. He chose the Chicken Schwarma, which was much different than most versions. The chicken was cooked in a cumin and cinnamon laced sauce with pieces of plump apricot. I tasted a bit of the sauce and apricot drenched pita, and it was so delicious. I love cinnamon in savory dishes, but rarely use it myself.

Later in the week, I couldn't get the flavors out of my head, so I decided to make it into a vegetarian dish. I thought about just subbing chickpeas for the chicken, but instead made a patty that could be stuffed in a pita and served with the tabbouli. The patties are a simple mixture, full of flavor and spice. The apricots get so plump and juicy, and the greek yogurt adds a nice tang.

Spiced Apricot Chickpea Patties

1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 c. diced dried apricots

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 scallions, sliced thin

1 egg white

1/4-1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs

For serving:

Greek yogurt

Pita

Tabbouli

Add chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.

Using a potato masher, mash the chickpeas until about half are pasty and half are broken into pieces.

Add apricots, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt, pepper and scallions.

In a small dish, whip egg white to a froth, add to chickpea mixture.

Using a spatula, begin folding ingredients together, adding breadcrumbs as necessary to hold mixture together.

Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat.

Add a thin layer of olive oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Score chickpea mixture into fourths, form 4 patties and drop into the skillet.

Cook for 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes, until browned.

Serve with pitas, yogurt and tabbouli.

My 3rd Blogiversary & Tabbouli, Mandaloun Style

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today is a very momentous occasion on Veggie by Season, it's my third Blogiversary! Looking back over the past three years, beginning a blog has been absolutely one of the best decisions of my life. I have met so many other bloggers and enjoyed reading theirs through the tight-knit community, I have challenged myself to cook with new ingredients, techniques, and cuisines, and I have really tapped into my creative mind constructing recipes as well as writing about them.

Looking back over the last year, my proudest blogging accomplishment was the POM Party victory. Being chosen in the top 10 among over 100 talented bloggers was really a special moment for me. Also, the Bakesale for Molly was another great moment during the last year. I was completely floored by the generosity of both the bakers and the bidders, and the way word spread among the blogging community and beyond. (As an aside, we were able to cover all of Molly's medical expenses, and I purchased 6 months of medication for her to take to her foster home, where she continues to reside awaiting adoption.)

Now in the past, I have celebrated my blogiversary in different ways. The first Blogiversary I made meatloaf cupcakes with whipped potato frosting, and last year I recapped my favorite recipes from the year. This year, I'm going in a little different direction. As I've said, blogging has led me to try many new ingredients, and even re-try things I thought I didn't like (cucumbers, turnips, lima beans, pears) and... parsley! I've always been completely opposed to parsley, and would substitute any other herb in it's place. Then, about a year ago, I tried tabbouli and I loved it. How could it be, I hated parsley?! More recently, I went to a Lebanese restaurant and ordered the Vegetarian Mezze platter, which featured tabbouli. Only this tabbouli was different - no blugur! It was completely parsley based, and I absolutely loved it.

I thought about it some more, and realized that when the parsley is minced into a fine piece, its flavors really come out, and it smells like lemon. I made this tabbouli based on my memory of the style of Mandaloun's, and it was very, very similar. Though I think I prefer just a bit of bulgur mixed in, this tabbouli is also something special.

Thank you so much to everyone for your readership through the years. I never thought a blog would bring me so much joy and connect me with so many wonderful people.

Tabbouli, Mandaloun Style

(no bulgur, authentic Lebanese)

3 bunches of parsley, stemmed

1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, stemmed

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2 English cucumber

3 garlic cloves

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp. Red Wine vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Wash parsley and mint in a large colander, shake and dry well.

In batches, place mint and parsley leaves in a food processor, pulse and process until leaves are in small, minced pieces.

Place in a large plastic storage container and repeat until all herbs are minced.

Quarter tomatoes, add to herbs.

Mince cucumber, add to herbs.

Using a microplane, grate garlic into vegetable mixture.

Zest the lemon into vegetable mixture, then slice in half and squeeze juice into mixture.

Add vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper.

Place a sealed lid on and shake the mixture to mix well.

Taste, adjust seasonings.

Refrigerate over night or for several hours, taste again before serving to adjust seasonings.

Banana-Bran Muffins

2011-01-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, I finally packed up all of my Christmas decorations, including the three Christmas cookie jars I have. I think my husband was especially sad to see those go, he's quite the cookie monster! I don't have an every-day cookie jar on the counter because I rarely have cookies sitting around for us. Lately though, in the evenings or on the weekend we're looking for a small, sweet snack. I always seem to over-buy bananas, and have some in the freezer or ripening on the counter to use. While these aren't cookies, they still pretty sweet, relatively healthy, inexpensive and a great little snack.

The recipe comes from Eating Well, one of my absolute favorite magazines. Not only is it very vegetarian friendly, but like many magazines it's seasonal and it is full of great literature. The muffins were a bit on the sweet side for me, and I even reduced the sugar from 2/3 c. to 1/2 c. I think my bananas were very sweet. In order to keep these frugal, I purchased wheat bran from the bulk bin in the amount I needed for 50 cents rather than a large jar or bag for several dollars. I love pairing nutmeg with banana, so I added a few swipes of fresh grated to the batter. I also made my own buttermilk by adding 1 tbsp. cider vinegar to the milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. Finally, I had some banana chips in the pantry, so I dotted the tops with them just so my husband would know what kind of muffins they were (not that it matters, he's gone from cookie monster to muffin monster!)

Banana-Bran Muffins

slightly adapted from Eating Well

2 large eggs

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. unprocessed wheat bran (plus extra for dusting tops)

1/4 c. canola oil

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

Optional mix-ins: Walnuts, Chocolate chips, Crushed Banana Chips

Preheat oven to 400*

Line a muffin tin with 12 wrappers, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs; add sugar, bananas, buttermilk, wheat bran and oil, whisk well.

Pour wet ingredients into dry, use a spatula to fold mixture together until flour is absorbed.

Spoon equally into muffin tins, place in the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

Place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes, remove muffins and serve or store in an air-tight container once cooled.

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

2011-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of my splurge items at the grocery store tends to be for frozen sweet potato fries, specifically the Alexia brand Chiptole flavor. Though they're not fried, they are really crispy and have delicious flavor. While I continue to trim the budget and keep our meals healthy, I decided spending $4 on a bag of fries was wasteful when I could pick up two sweet potatoes for a dollar and concoct a seasoning blend at home.

I did a quick internet search and found this recipe on epicurious, originally from Gourmet for Roasted Spiced Sweet Potato Fries, and it sounded like a definite winner. I love fennel seed, crushed red pepper, and because of Symon Sundays, I have quite the stockpile of coriander seed. I wasn't sure just how crispy they'd get with a coating of olive oil and high heat, but they came out quite crisp and very flavorful. I served these with steamed broccoli (cheap and in season!) and Barbeque Lentil Loaf, another inexpensive healthy dish!

Note: Crushing your spices at home is the way to go - I always buy whole seeds! You can use your muscle with a mortar and pestle or use a coffee grinder, just be sure to clean it well between uses! My mortar and pestle are from www.serrv.org, which is a company that sources goods from third world countries, paying a fair price. I encourage you to check out their products!

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

from epicurious.com and Gourmet January 2002

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. EVOO

2 lbs. Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425*

Place coriander, fennel, oregano and red pepper in a mortar and pestle, crush well.

Scrub potatoes well, slice into wedges.

Add to a mixing bowl, drizzle with EVOO, salt and spice blend.

Toss well to coat.

Arrange on a baking sheet spaced evenly apart, roast for 20 minutes.

Flip and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes, until crisp and browned.

Supreme Pizza Quinoa Casserole

2011-01-17T09:31:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone for your sweet comments on my last post. I will probably keep the pregnancy details to a minimum on here, it is a food blog after all!

I am so happy to be cooking again, and have wholesome meals. When I saw this recipe on Peas and Thank You last week, I knew I'd have to make it soon. While I love pizza, it's not always the healthiest option. Plus, vegetarian protein is hard to come by on a pizza!

This recipe is originally written vegan, but I made a few changes. First, I used cottage cheese in place of a raw cashew puree, but you can also use ricotta or cream cheese. I prefer cottage cheese because it's full of protein and low in fat and calories. My favorite brand is Organic Valley's 2% Small Curd. Next, I sprinkled the top of this bake with a tiny amount of parmesan and mozzarella, to really make it seem like a baked pasta dish.

The last change I made was to saute' vegetables separately, then mix them with the quinoa mixture before baking rather than top the bowls with topping like Mama Pea did. I used my favorite pizza toppings - peppers, mushrooms, onions and sun dried tomatoes.

This dish is extremely versatile, and can be made for 2 to twenty with some simple adjustments with ingredient amounts. I made a large casserole, serving 4-6. This is a great make ahead meal that you can prep on the weekend for weeknight dinner, or something you can make a big batch of and eat over several days. You can also take it back to vegan or add pepperoni, sausage, ham or other non-vegetarian pizza toppings! And best of all, this dish was extremely cheap to make, the only splurge was buying organic cheeses, but they were on sale plus I had coupons at Whole Foods, so the entire casserole was around $10 (with lots of leftover cheese).

Supreme Pizza Quinoa Casserole

adapted from a vegan version on Peas and Thank You

3 c. vegetable stock

1 1/2 c. quinoa

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 c. 2% Small Curd Organic Cottage Cheese

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 c. grated parmesan, divided

1 tbsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

10 sun-dried tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 350*

Bring stock to a boil in a pot.

Rinse quinoa under running water for a minute, until no longer murky.

Add quinoa to vegetable stock, stirr and turn to simmer.

Cook for 15-18 minutes, until stock is absorbed, stirring every few minutes.

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. olive oil.

Add mushrooms, peppers, onion and garlic, stir and saute' for 10 minutes, until liquid is cooked out and vegetables begin to caramelize.

Remove from heat.

When quinoa is cooked, add tomato sauce, cottage cheese, half of the mozzarella and parmesan, basil, oregano, fennel, crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir well, add vegetables from pan and sun-dried tomatoes, stir well.

Pour into a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until cheesei s golden and casserole is bubbly.

Serve immediately, refrigerate leftovers for a few days, if it lasts that long!

Oh Nuts Holiday Giveaway Winner!

2010-12-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Natalie of The Sweets Life for winning the Oh Nuts $25 gift certificate!
"ah these giveaways with oh nuts are all over the place and i'm dying to win one! I'd take any of the treats but the candy house is cute :)"
http://www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/christmas-nuts-gifts-baskets/holiday-candy-house

Send me an email at veggiebyseason at gmail.com and we'll get your certificate to you asap!

Thanks for all who entered. My Christmas Cookie Baking session is this weekend, so I should have some great recipes posted next week!

Spicy Garlic Kale

2010-12-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

When I was home at Thanksgiving, my parents gave me a bunch of kale they had just received from their CSA, as well as a jar of homemade picked jalapeños from my dad's garden (via the plants I gave him from my garden). I had a pretty unfortunate year in the garden with bugs and drought, but my dad's garden went absolutely crazy. It was so exciting for me to hear about his daily harvests.

Their CSA is from an Amish Farmer in the Southern Ohio area, and their box was full of wonderful produce including this kale. If you remember my guinea pig-kale post from a while back, you know my family isn't big on eating kale, so they gifted it to me. While I love kale in soup, I wanted it to be a side dish or salad type portion of my meal, so I came up with this simple recipe. It's spicy and packs a punch, but I loved it!

Spicy Garlic Kale

1 tbsp. EVOO

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 head of kale, washed and roughly chopped

1/4 c. vegetable stock

Generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Heat a deep pot over medium-low, add EVOO.

Arrange sliced garlic on the bottom of the pan in a single layer.

Add kale on top, cover pot and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Stir garlic up from the bottom of the pot and mix into kale, add stock and turn heat up to medium-high.

Cook kale, making sure garlic doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.

Add crushed red pepper, toss and plate, arranging garlic on top of kale.

Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce

2010-12-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

There's nothing better than a simmering pot of tomato sauce on the stove all Sunday long. It seemed like my mom always had a pot of marinara on the stove every weekend, especially when she had fresh tomatoes from the garden.

This week, Kim chose Chef Symon's Italian Braised Beef with Root Vegetables in Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce. I couldn't think of a vegetarian substitute for braised beef, so I just made Yia Yia's sauce. Chef Symon places beef bones in his to give off more flavor, but I decided to use some balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock. This sauce was delicious, very simple and perfect over a steaming bowl of pasta.

All of the Symon Sundays ladies made beef, so please check out their blogs and thanks to Kim for a great choice!

Kim - Stirring the Pot

Joanne - Eats Well With Others

Natashya - Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Oh Nuts Holiday Giveaway

2010-12-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned, Oh Nuts has offered to host a giveaway on my blog. If you remember, earlier this year I was sent some nuts from them and created these recipes: Cilantro-Macadamia Pesto, Pumpkin-Mango Casserole with Macadamia Crumble, and Spinach and Chestnut Pesto!
I was very impressed with the quality of the product, and love that they offer organic products!

To enter the giveaway, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the Oh Nuts Christmas gift baskets page. Choose your favorite Christmas Gift and leave a comment on this blog post with the name and url of the gift you like the most.

Go to the Oh Nuts Hanukkah gifts page. Choose your favorite Hanukkah Gift and leave a comment on this blog post with the name and url of the gift you like the most.

2. Go to the Oh Nuts facebook page and post on the wall the url and name of your favorite Hanukkah Gift OR Christmas Gift. Please note that you're posting because you saw this giveaway on Veggie by Season.

3. Follow @ohnuts and @veggieash and Tweet

" Win a free Hanukkah Gift from http://bit.ly/6nIsCi Follow @ohnuts & Retweet to enter. "

" Win a free Christmas Gift from http://bit.ly/dUpizt Follow @ohnuts & Retweet to enter. "

Be sure to leave a comment if you've tweeted, please!

On Friday, December 10 I will select a winner via random.org to win a $25 gift certificate to Oh Nuts, so get your entries in by Midnight, EST on Thursday, December 9, 2010!

POM Party Winner!

2010-12-02T07:14:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to announce that I am a runner-up in the POM Party competition! I placed in the 4th-10th section of 100 entries! I've won a Williams-Sonoma gift card, so now it's time to decide what to get! Practical Food Processor? Splurge for an Espresso Machine? I don't know! But I can't wait to decide :)

Thanks so much for your comments and support, I appreciate it.

Here is a full listing of the winners, if you'd like to check out their parties and congratulate them: http://www.pomwonderful.com/dinnerparty/

Updates!

2010-12-01T08:35:00.000-05:00

Hello, blog world! I know, I pretty much dropped off the face of the earth since the POM Party and for the month of November.

I am very proud to say that I am a NaNoWriMo winner, I finished writing my 50,520 word novel last night! Because NaNo took so much time, blogging fell by the wayside. I'm happy to say that I should be back to my regular blogging very soon!

Today is a very special day, it's JJ and my 3rd Anniversary! Hard to believe it's been three years already!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We drove up to Cincinnati and I was able to meet my nephew, Evan for the first time. We had a great time watching Ohio State beat Michigan, and JJ enjoyed FSU beating up Florida. There was delicious food and desserts, and my pomegranate cranberry sauce took the award for best dish at Thanksgiving dinner!

In the meantime while I get posts in the works, Oh! Nuts has offered to host a giveaway, so look for that post soon!

Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-11-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

For my final Pom Party post, I am posting the recipe for Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies. I made these for each guests swag bag, which was also filled with a jar of pomegranate-cranberry relish and the goodies from POM Wonderful.

I used my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, but added 1/4 c. flour tossed with the arils and mixed them in after the dough was completely mixed. The cookies need to be stored in a non-airtight container or the moisture in the arils will cause them to soften. They need a bit longer to bake, but still stay fairly chewy.

Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from these, which are adapted from the Levain Bakery

1 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. light brown sugar

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3 c. plus 1/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

1 c. pomegranate arils

Cream butter, add sugars and beat on high speed for 2 minutes, until pale, light and fluffy.

Turn speed to low, add vanilla, eggs, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, mix.

Add 3 c. of flour, mix until flour is moistened.

In a small dish, toss pomegranate arils and 1/4 c. flour, set aside.

Add chocolate chips to the mixer, mix until all flour is absorbed.

Use a spatula and gently fold arils into the dough.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375*

Line baking sheets with parchment, scoop heaping tbsp. fulls of dough on cookie sheet 3" apart.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until centers are set and cookies are golden brown.

Cool on sheet for a minute then transfer to a wire rack for an hour.

Store uncovered in a non-airtight container (I used un-sealed pastry bags tied with ribbon).

Makes about 24 large cookies.

Two-Toned Ravioli with Pom-Braised Mushroom Filling and Sauce Duo

2010-11-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

For the entrée portion of the Pom Party, I decided to make pasta. I recently purchased a ravioli form which makes ravioli making much easier. These can be made by using cutters or a pizza slicer, but the ravioli form seems to seal the edges better, in my opinion.

To make these pom party worthy, I made half of the ravioli dough with pomegranate juice to create a pretty purple hue. I didn't know how sweet it would make the dough, so I went with half pom-infused and half regular egg dough. For the filling, I braised cremini mushrooms, garlic and shallots in pomegranate juice, then mixed it with parmesan and ricotta cheeses.

To make the ravioli really pop with flavor, I made two sauces. The first was a basil pesto, the second was a creamy roasted red pepper parmesan sauce. They were very well balanced and brought a lightness to the cheesy pasta dish.

Two-Toned Ravioli with Pom-Braised Mushroom Filling

with Pesto and Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce Duo

Pasta:

6 cups flour, divided

4 eggs, divided

1 cup POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate Juice

2 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 c. EVOO, divided

1/4 c. water

Filling:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 lb. mushrooms, any variety

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 c. POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice

2 c. ricotta cheese

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Pesto:

4 c. packed basil leaves

1/4 c. pine nuts

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Kosher salt and pepper

1/4 c. water

1/4-1/2 c. EVOO

Red Pepper Parmesan Cream Sauce:

2 roasted red peppers, fresh or jarred

1/2 c. vegetable stock

1 c. half and half

Kosher salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Egg pasta: Beat together 3 eggs and 1/4 c. EVOO, add 3 cups of flour and 1 tsp. salt, whisk together with a fork. Add water 1 tbsp. full at a time to make a dough, knead with hands for 5 minutes, dough should be just a bit sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

POM Pasta: Beat together 1 egg and 1 c. pom juice, add 3 cups of flour and 1 tsp. salt. whisk together with a fork. Add EVOO 1 tbsp. at a time to make a dough, alternately add flour if dough is too wet. Knead with hands for 5 minutes, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Use a pasta roller and roll dough into thin sheets, dusting with semolina flour as necessary.

Filling: Add EVOO, mushrooms, shallots and garlic to a saute pan over medium heat. Toss and cook for about five minutes, until mushrooms are soft and onions are caramelized. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Add pom juice and reduce until evaporated. Cool mixture then add to a mixing bowl with ricotta and parmesan. Mix well. Refrigerate until you stuff pasta.

Pesto: Add all ingredients except EVOO to a food processor, pulse to get things moving, then run machine while steaming in EVOO to desired consistency. Served or wrap tightly and refrigerate.

Red Pepper Cream Sauce: Add red peppers and stock to a blender, puree until smooth. Add to a small soup pot, pour in half and half, parmesan cheese and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, reduce for 5 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve.

Pomegranate-Red Wine Poached Pear Salad with Creamy Pom-Yogurt Vinaigrette

2010-11-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

When I decided to make a five-course meal, it seemed fitting to make a salad following the soup course. In my latest issue of Vegetarian Times, there was a poached pear salad featured in the Thanksgiving menu section. In order to make it pomtastic, I used a combination of red wine and pomegranate juice in the poaching liquid. I'm also a huge fan of pairing pears with nuts and gorgonzola. To finish the salad, I candied some pecans and sprinkled airls on top for crunch. I love creamy, vinegar based salad dressings, so I used a pomegranate reduction combined with yogurt.

This salad may look complicated, but you can peel and core the pears ahead of time and then poach them right before serving the salad so it doesn't interrupt the flow of the meal. The dressing will separate because of the yogurt, but just give it a shake or whisk before serving and it will come back together.

Pomegranate-Red Wine Poached Pear Salad

with Creamy Pom-Yogurt Vinaigrette

Serves 8

4 pears, peeled and cored

2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pure Pomegranate Juice

4 cups dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon)

8 cups mixed baby greens

1/2 c. pomegranate arils

1/2 c. crumbled gorgonzola

1/2 c. candied pecans

vinaigrette:

1 c. POM Wonderful 100% pure pomegranate juice

1/2 c. aged balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. plain greek yogurt

1/4-1/2 c. EVOO

1-2 tbsp. honey

Kosher salt and white pepper

Place pears in a deep soup pot, pour in pom wonderful and red wine.

Place over high heat, bring to a boil and turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Arrange greens on a serving plate, sprinkle with cheese, arils and nuts.

Remove pears from poaching liquid, place on a cutting board, slice in half.

Make several slices into each half, angled toward the stem, never cutting completely off.

Fan pears out on salad platter, top with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette:

In a small stock pot, bring pom juice and vinegar to a boil, simmer and reduce to 1/2 c. of liquid remains.

Cool.

Whisk together cooled vinegar mixture with yogurt, honey, salt and pepper.

Slowly add in 1/4 c. EVOO while whisking.

Taste, adjust seasonings, add more olive oil if necessary.

Serve with salad immediately.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2010-11-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

There's nothing more delicious than a bowl of velvety butternut squash soup in the fall. I've seen millions of variations, paring the butternut with both sweet ingredients like apple and cranberry to savory like leeks and potatoes. Obviously I used pomegranate in this, but to balance the sweet roasted squash and sweet-tart pomegranate juice, I used a base of caramelized onions. I cooked the onions for several hours over low heat with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. The squash was roasted and pureed with the onions, and vegetable stock, cream and pomegranate juice finished out the dish.

For a final touch of elegance, I swirled around a dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkled toasted hazelnuts and pomegranate arils on top so my guests would know there was pomegranate in the soup. This soup would be the perfect dipper to pair with your classic day-after-Thanksgiving leftover sandwich!

*Note: This photo is from my recipe testing for the party. At the party, I also topped each bowl with a puffed pastry crouton, which is optional as well.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 10-12 started portions

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 lbs. yellow onions, peeled and sliced thinly

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs

1 large butternut squash (about 4-5 lbs.)

1 c. POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

4 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. half and half

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

garnishes:

creme fraiche

pomegranate arils

toasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice squash in half, place cut side down on a lined baking sheet, place in the oven.

Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until skin has puckered and flesh is tender (pierce with a knife).

Remove from the oven and cool.

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, onions, a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Stir onions to coat in fat, then turn heat to low, add thyme.

Stir onions every 5-10 minutes for a few hours, until golden and not browned.

Place the onions and 1 c. vegetable stock in a blender, puree and pour back into the pot.

Place half the squash in the blender, puree with another cup of stock, pour into the pot.

Proceed with the rest of the squash, add to the pot.

Add the pomegranate juice, half and half, bay leaves and cayenne pepper to the soup.

Bring to a simmer, stir and taste.

Add additional stock, if necessary, cover and simmer over low for 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves, ladle into bowls and top with creme fraiche, arils and toasted nuts.

Pomegranate-Cranberry Relish

2010-11-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love cranberry sauces, relishes and chutneys featured in fall recipes because I'm a huge fan of sweet and savory combinations. A very popular combination is cranberries with brie and puff pastry. Rather than make brie en croute, which can be messy, I made bite size pastry puffs with brie and relish.

In order to make this a pomegranate-centered dish, I cooked the cranberries in pomegranate juice and stirred in arils at the end so they would stay crisp and fresh. The end result was a delicious, spicy, tangy relish, perfect for spreading on crackers, as a sandwich condiment, or even stirred into your morning oatmeal (as I've been doing for the past two weeks!)

This dish would be perfect for Thanksgiving, and you can even jar any leftovers and distribute them to guests as I did, or keep them for yourself!

Pomegranate-Cranberry Relish

Makes about 12 cups

2 lbs. fresh cranberries

2 c. granulated sugar

2 c. POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

2 c. water

2 cinnamon sticks

1 lemon, zested into large ribbons

1/2 tsp. salt

2 pomegranates, arils removed

Add cranberries, sugar, pomegranate juice, water, cinnamon sticks, lemon zest and salt to a large, non-reactive pot.

Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil.

Stir to keep sugar off the bottom of the pot, turn heat to low and simmer uncovered for an hour.

When mixture has thickened (and it will thicken as it cools), turn heat off and stir in pomegranate arils.

Remove cinnamon sticks and lemon peel ribbon, and spoon into jars or storage containers.

This keeps in the refrigerator for two weeks, and can be frozen.

If you can it and seal it, it will stay much longer.

Challah Bread Pudding & Pomegranate Gelato with Hazelnut Crunch

2010-11-17T17:00:00.001-05:00

Continuing on from the previous post of Cinnamon n' Pomegranate-Craisin Challah, here is the recipe for the bread pudding made using the challah as well as the pomegranate gelato served alongside the individual puddings. For the bread pudding, I went with a simple custard, but decided a little surprise of Nutella in the center would be a great touch. The bread pudding was creamy and decadent, and a sprinkle of pomegranate arils on top added a nice crunch.

The gellato I paired the bread pudding with was absolutely delicious. It is a very basic recipe that I cooked, chilled, and churned in my ice cream maker. To top it, I candied some hazelnuts to echo the flavor of the nutella in the bread pudding. They also added a contrasting texture to the smooth gellato. The pomegranate juice made it a bit tart, but it was sweet quite sweet and tasted like velvet.

Challah Bread Pudding with Nutella

and Pomegranate Gelato with Hazelnut Crunch

Bread Pudding:

1/2 loaf of Cinnamon n' Pomegranate Cranberries Challah

8 tbsp. Nutella, divided

1/2 c. granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 c. whole milk

2 c. half and half

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Cut bread into 1 cm cubes, fill ramekins half full.

Spoon 1 tbsp. nutella into each ramekin, then top with additional bread.

In a large measuring cup, whisk sugar, eggs, milk, half and half and vanilla.

Pour equal amounts into each ramekin, press bread down, and continue to add until all of the bread is saturated.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*

Place ramekins on a baking sheet, place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until set in the center and cooked through.

Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and serve with pomegranate gelato.

Pomegranate Gelato

from Epicurious, makes One Quart

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. whole milk

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice

1/3 c. pomegranate liquor (I used amaretto)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy sauce pot.

Bring to a boil and continue to whisk for two minutes over medium-high heat.

Remove from burner, whisk in pomegranate juice, liquor and lemon juice.

Fill a large bowl with ice, set a medium sized bowl inside, pour gelato mixture into medium bowl and whisk to chill quickly.

Place mixture in the refrigerator for an hour to chill completely.

Add gellato to an ice cream maker, churn for half an hour.

Scoop into a plastic quart container and place in the freezer for at least one hour.

Serve with candied hazelnuts and pomegranate arils.

Cinnamon n' Pomegranate-Cranberry Challah

2010-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

After posting my menu and party recap, not surprisingly most people seemed to be captivated by the bread pudding. As a dessert first kind of girl, I am happy to oblige with this recipe first! The bread pudding was a several step process because I made the challah bread from scratch. I was unable to find dried pomegranate arils, and didn't know how the fresh, wet ones would react in this bread, so I went with pomegranate flavored Craisins. And I actually found the recipe for this on the Ocean Spray website, the makers of the pomegranate Craisins.

This makes two large loaves of challah, and I recommend keeping the recipe as is because this bread freezes well, and is great as leftover toast, french toast, or makes a wonderful hostess gift for a holiday dinner. I have photographed the several steps below!

Cinnamon n' Pomegranate-Cranberry Challah

from Oceanspray.com recipes

1 c. warm water

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs, 1 divided

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. sald

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 6 oz. package Craisins dried Pomegranate flavored Cranberries

1 tsp. water

Stir water, yeast and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, yeast should be foamy.

Attach paddle to mixer, add 3 eggs and 1 egg whtie (reserve yolk), oil, salt and cinnamon.

Beat until well mixed.

Stop mixer, add 5 1/2 c. flour, pulse mixer until flour is moistened.

Switch out paddle for the dough hook, turn mixer on low and knead for 5 minutes.

Add additional 1/2 c. flour, if necessary.

Remove dough and place on a floured surface, knead in Craisins.

Form dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover and rise for an hour.

Punch dough down and divide in half.

From each half, form three separate ropes of about equal size.

Form into a braid and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Cover with a towel and allow braids to rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 400*.

Beat egg yolk and water in a dish, brush on loaves with a pastry brush.

Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, rotate and flip, then bake for an additional 12 minutes.

Cool to room temperature and store wrapped in plastic.

Risen dough ball before being separated in half:

Forming into a braid:

The first braided bread:

Before the second rise:

After the second rise, you might need to re-tuck ends in after second rise:

POM Wonderful Dinner Party

2010-11-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

About a month ago, Foodbuzz and POM Wonderful teamed up and asked Featured Publishers to submit their Pomegranate inspired dinner party menus and ideas. I was selected to host a party, and POM Wonderful sent me 4 dozen pomegranates, 6 coupons for bottles of POM Wonderful juice, and canvas bags for my guests. I began brainstorming and constructed a fall inspired, 5-course dinner menu and several different decorative touches using the pomegranates. Our dinners will be judged on three criteria, menu, decorations, and a video instructing the best way to open a pomegranate.

On Saturday evening, I hosted my pomegranate inspired dinner for several of my girlfriends and myself. I spent the day getting ready for the party, beginning with an elegant, wintry dining table. I incorporated many candles in various shades of red and purple and used silver as the accent color. Each place setting had a menu and a pomegranate used for seating assignments.

In the living room where we had our appetizers, I chose simple decorations, charger plates with rose petals and silver cake stands paired with more candles.

The mantle was a bit more dramatic and autumn inspired. Golden brown and green leaf garland dotted with white pillar candles and pomegranates would be perfect for Thanksgiving decor.

In the kitchen, I set up the pomegranate opening station. I used two glass cake pedestals to create a tree and filled it with pomegranates. You could also add sprigs of rosemary for an additional centerpiece idea with Christmas in mind. I set out a red cutting board and knife, a bowl of water, a sieve over another bowl, and the compost bucket. I also included the apron that POM Wonderful sent me and the mat with pomegranate cutting instructions.

In the bathroom, I supplied guests with pomegranate candies as well as pomegranate scented hand soap.

Before my guests arrived, I filled the water glasses and pitcher on the dining room table with ice water, lemon slices and pomegranate arils. I also set out the first course of the evening.

Appetizers:
Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Hummus with Vegetables and Pita Chips
Puff Pastry with Brie and Pomegranate-Cranberry Relish

During the appetizers, I also served guests Pomegranate-Cherry Champagne Punch

After we sat and ate our appetizers, we went into the kitchen and I showed my guests how to open a pomegranate, and then let them open a few themselves.

Here is Caron modeling the apron

and opening a pomegranate.

After each guest had a chance to open a pomegranate, we took our seats at the table. I placed carafes of Pomegranate Sangria on the table for us to enjoy with dinner.

Soup:
Caramelized Onion, Pomegranate and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
with Creme Fraiche, Toasted Hazelnuts and Pomegranate Arils

The soup had great depth of flavor as a result of the caramelized onion base, the pomegranate juice added a sweet and tangy flavor, and the roasted squash tasted like velvet. The creme fraiche added a nice creaminess, and the nuts and arils offered a contrasting crunch.

Salad:
Pomegranate and Red Wine Poached Pear Salad
with Gorgonzola, Candied Pecans and Arils
& Creamy Pomegranate-Yogurt Vinaigrette

The star of the salad was the poached pears, full of flavor and spice from the poaching pomegranate juice. The Gorgonzola added tang while the candied pecans were sweet and crunchy. The vinaigrette was made with a pomegranate reduction, yogurt, pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Entrée:
Two-Tone Ravioli stuffed with Pomegranate Braised Cremini Mushrooms and Ricotta
with a Pesto and Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Duo

The pasta dough was infused with pure pomegranate juice on one side and plain egg yolk pasta dough on the other. The filling was a creamy ricotta studded with thyme and pomegranate braised mushrooms. The pesto was a classic recipe paired with a creamy, lightly spiced roasted red pepper sauce.

Following dinner, I invited my guests to try their hand at pomegranate related trivia to win a few prizes and let our dinner digest before dessert. POM Wonderful supplied each guest with a canvas tote bag, a bracelet, a chef's series pack of recipe cards and a coupon for a bottle of pomegranate juice.

I provided each guest with a bag of two Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies

and a jar of the Pomegranate-Cranberry Relish that was the topping for our appetizer.

I excused myself while my guests took their seats and changed into my Princess Pomegranate outfit for the trivia portion of the evening. I constructed this costume for the video I recorded on how to open a pomegranate. If you look at POM Wonderful literature, you'll see they often have a bottle of POM Wonderful in a cape because studies have shown pomegranates and 100% pomegranate juice have many health benefits!

Here are the note cards with the questions I asked, all numerical answers. We went around the room "Price is Right" bidding style, and each guest received a heart when they were correct. In the end, the person with the most hearts won!

The Questions:
Q: How many calories are in 100g of pom arils? A: 86
Q: How many years does it take for a tree to produce fruit? A: 9 years
Q: How many acres of pom tree orchards does POM Wonderful own? A: 18,000
Q: Where does 100% POM Wonderful juice score on the Antioxidant Potency Scale? A: 96
Q: How many arils are in the average pomegranate? A: 613
Q: Pomegranates were cultivated in Persia in what year? A: 2000BC
Q: Who brought Pomegranates to California? A: The Spainiards

After playing trivia, our dessert was ready!

Dessert:
Pomegranate-Cranberry Challah Bread Pudding with Nutella Swirl
and Pomegranate Gellato with Hazelnut Crunch

The challah was homemade, and the perfect base for soaking up the creamy milk and egg. A hidden spoonful of nutella in the center added a delicious surprising flavor. The pomegranate gellato was smooth and creamy and the candied hazelnuts added crunch to the creamy dish.

After five delicious Pomegranate inspired courses and bags of pomegranates and products to take home, my guests and I had a fabulous evening!

I hope that you try cooking and baking with pomegranates as they are in season from now until about January. They are beautiful additions to meals and decor, and will be a lovely centerpiece at your holiday gatherings. I will be posting the recipes for all of the dishes in this post throughout the week.

Disclaimer:
POM Wonderful will be selecting ten winners based on their POM Parties. Though the public cannot vote, if you think I did a good job with my party, please leave a comment on their Facebook wall or tweet a link to my post with the hashtag #pomparty and @veggieash
Thanks for all of your support!

Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas with Cous Cous

2010-11-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Another recipe that caught my eye in the last issue of Cooking Light was this Chickpea dish. I love spicy dishes, and chickpeas are a staple in my pantry, along with cous cous, so this meal was cheap and easy to make on a weeknight. I forgot to buy escarole or another leafy green at the market, so instead I used a bag of frozen chopped spinach. Though I'm sure the escarole is great, I really enjoyed it with the spinach. The apricots added a sweet bite, and the North African spices were in perfect harmony. The recipe calls for 1 tbsp. of Garam Masala, which I thought might be too much, but in the end I thought it could have used a bit more! This dish was a sure winner for us, and will be added to the rotation for quick, wintry weeknight meals.

Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas
adapted from Cooking Light November 2010

1 tbsp. EVOO

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 dozen dried apricots, chopped

1 tbsp. garam masala

Salt and black pepper

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 c. vegetable stock

Zest of a lemon peeled in thick ribbons

Juice of 1 lemon

2 c. chickpeas

1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

6 c. chopped leafy dark greens or 2 c. defrosted and drained chopped spinach

Cilanto, roughly chopped

Mint leaves, torn

Prepared cous cous

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add EVOO.

Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, stir for a minute, until fragrant, do not burn.

Add onions, apricots, garam masala, salt, pepper and cinnamon stick.

Stir and cook for another minute, until onions are lightly browned.

Add stock, lemon zest ribbons, chickpeas and tomatoes, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in greens, wilt if fresh, bring to temperature.

Remove lemon rind and cinnamon stick.

Spoon into a bowl over cous cous, squirt with lemon juice, top with mint and cilantro leaves.

Congrats to Holiday Baking Pack Winner: Rachel, who likes Libby's Pumpkin Roll best. Email me at veggiebyseason at gmail.com so I can get it off to you!
Thanks to everyone who entered, I've got another fun giveaway coming soon.

Mushroom Stew with Spaetzle

2010-11-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

With the cold weather finally reaching Florida, I've been craving bowls of warm stewed vegetables. I found this recipe in November's Cooking Light, and tore it out immediately. I'm always looking for recipes that call for spaztle because it's a childhood favorite. I figure the more I use my spaetzle press, the better I can justify the amount of space it takes up in my cabinets.

This dish was really simple and quick, I only made a few small changes. First, I added a diced carrot to the stew to incorporate more vegetables, as well as 1 c. of tomato puree for a richer sauce without having to make a roux. This tasted very similar to a paprikash dish, just without the peppers. I liked the hint of sweetness the balsamic vinegar added, and the spaetzle were great for soaking up the sauce.

Mushroom Stew with Spaetzle
adapted from Cooking Light November 2010

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. low-fat milk

2 large eggs

1/3 c. dried porcini mushrooms

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

Salt and pepper

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 tbsp. paprika

1/4 c. red wine

1 c. mushroom stock

1 c. tomato puree or sauce

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Flat leaf parsley

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt heavily.

Place porcini mushrooms in a heat safe dish, add 1 c. boiling water and let mushrooms reconstitute for 10 minutes.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onions, garlic and carrots.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 5 minutes.

Add cremini mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Drain porcini mushrooms through a coffee filter, reserve stock.

Rinse off mushrooms and roughly chop.

Add to stew along with paprika, stock, tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar.

Bring to a simmer, cover and turn to low heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, add flour and whisk until mixture comes together.

Spoon into a spaetzle press or in a colander with wide holes, press into the boiling water.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, until noodles float and are puffed.

Strain into a fine mesh sieve.

Place noodles in a bowl, top with stew and garnish with parsley.

Tamale Pie with Pumpkin Cornbread

2010-11-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

With my husband working late nights, I've been relying heavily on dinners that can sit in the oven and wait on him. As I was browsing through my Moosewood Cookbooks, I saw their tamale pie recipe that I had made once before, but wasn't very impressed with it. I decided to use it as a starting off point, but make some changes I felt it needed. I had recently purchased a bag of Arrowhead Mills Cornbread Mix, which I thought was simply cornmeal. I decided to make the cornbread healthier and seasonal, I'd add some pumpkin to the mix. This meal was warm, comforting, and a much tastier take on the original dish.

Tamale Pie with Pumpkin Cornbread

1 1/2 c. Arrowhead Mills Cornbread Mix

1 egg, beaten

1 c. skim milk

1/2 c. solid pack pumpkin

1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 ears of corn kernels or 1 c. frozen corn kernels

1 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes with jalapeños

2 c. cooked pinto beans

1 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Salt and pepper

Garnishes:

Chopped cilantro

Grated Cheddar

Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350*

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO, peppers, onion and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes, until vegetables have softened.

While veggies cook, in a mixing bowl whisk together egg, milk, pumpkin and honey.

Add cornbread mix, sprinkle of cayenne, and stir until mixture just comes together.

Drain tomatoes and add to vegetables.

Add beans and spices to vegetables, stir well and taste, adjust seasonings.

Pour into a casserole dish, then spread with cornbread topping.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown and set.

Spoon into a dish and serve with garnishes.

Giveaway: Holiday Baking Pack

2010-11-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

Because I love Thanksgiving more than any other holiday, I have decided to give away this holiday baking pack by McCormick. I saw it when I was out shopping over the weekend, and thought it would be perfect for whipping up some Pumpkin Spice Bread, Snickerdoodles, Ginger Cookies, or Apple Pie, some of my fall favorites. As always, this year I'm in charge of desserts, and I'd love some new ideas!

There are 4 ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment with your favorite Thanksgiving dessert (links are great, too)

2. Follow this blog and leave a comment stating that you do

3. Tweet about the giveaway mentioning me @veggieash and leave a comment mentioning it

4. Become a facebook fan of Veggie by Season and leave a comment mentioning it

A winner will be chosen Friday, November 12 at 8AM EST. I'll mention the winner's name, and they'll have until Saturday at noon EST to email me their address.

McCormick has nothing to do with this giveaway, it was purchased with my own money.

USA readers only, please.

Good luck!