Hello Anyone and Everyone that reads this!
As you may have noticed there are a ton of recipes up all of a sudden!
No, we didn't cook those all last night, those are several months of recipes we have totally forgotten to get to.
We just bought a house (exciting!) moved (not so fun) painted (even less fun) started working in the yard (pretty cool, but a LOT to do) and for two weeks we ate out almost every meal (NOT FUN).
So we're back to cooking, but we're falling in a rut. We want to try new foods all the time, but don't have the energy to look up new recipes all the time. We also joined a CSA(community supported agricultre - http://www.communityfarmofaa.org/) and have been getting TONS of summer squash and learning that it can be incorperated into just about anything. It also freezes well, so we've been doing a lot of blanching and freezing based on the directions from this website http://www.pickyourown.org/
We ended up buying a deep freezer because we have so much food and the season isn't even half way over!
I thought I was going to be all about canning, but that does drasticly change the texture and flavor of the food and can require some things to make it acidic for food saftey. However with freezing it's more blanch (cook quickly for 1-3 minutes) strain, put in bags, suck out air, freeze. It also makes veggie broth if you use the same water several times (which we did) and we froze that too!
However with tomato season starting, I am going to get the canner out. Tomatoes do NOT freeze easily. I'm excited to see how this goes!
I love our city because we have such easy access to fresh, local, no spray/organic/biodynamic/lightly sprayed/whateveryouwant fruits, vegetables, and animal products. With the CSA I'm learning about new foods, how to cook them, preserve them, and how they taste. What I've learned is there are few vegetables I don't like (tell me that this time 2 years ago and I would have been extremely skeptical). It's just how they are prepared is the question. Vegetables add texture and some flavor to the food around them but what is truley important is the spices. If you are going to invest in something in your kitchen before you get new cabinets, get a large collection of spices and try them out. They make food wonderful!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Chili, Again
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spicy-vegetarian-chili-recipe/index.html
As always, we're trying to find the perfect Chili recipe.
We tried this one. It was pretty darn good. However, we decided to go without the cauliflower just because I don't like cauliflower very much. I'd definatley give this one the time of day. I really like the flavors each part adds - especially the cilantro. As you all may have noticed, that is my favorite flavor :)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large bell peppers (1 green, 1 red),
chopped 3 medium carrots,
finely chopped Kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 to 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce,
chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus torn leaves for topping (optional)
Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese,
sliced scallions and/ or plain low-fat Greek yogurt, for topping (optional)
Directions Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, chipotle, tomato paste and tortillas and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is brick red, about 4 minutes (add a splash of water if the mixture begins to stick).
Add the coffee and simmer until almost completely reduced, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, cocoa powder, beans and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the large stems off the cauliflower and coarsely grate the florets on a box grater. About 10 minutes before the chili is done cooking, stir in the grated cauliflower. Cook 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro and season with salt. Add some water if the chili is too thick. Ladle into bowls and add toppings.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large bell peppers (1 green, 1 red),
chopped 3 medium carrots,
finely chopped Kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 to 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce,
chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus torn leaves for topping (optional)
Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese,
sliced scallions and/ or plain low-fat Greek yogurt, for topping (optional)
Directions Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, chipotle, tomato paste and tortillas and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is brick red, about 4 minutes (add a splash of water if the mixture begins to stick).
Add the coffee and simmer until almost completely reduced, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, cocoa powder, beans and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the large stems off the cauliflower and coarsely grate the florets on a box grater. About 10 minutes before the chili is done cooking, stir in the grated cauliflower. Cook 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro and season with salt. Add some water if the chili is too thick. Ladle into bowls and add toppings.
Mac and Cheese
I was really, really surprised at how well this turned out, especially considering how some of our other mac-and-cheese attempts came out (As my wife tells me: we're never going to try a mac and cheese recipe from a lowfat cookbook again...). It's got some weird ingredients, but bear with it!
Quick and Creamy Mac-and-cheese
Ingredients:
Now, if you're weird, you can add more nutmeg on top of the mac and cheese, but that's just gross.
Gotta admit. While this tasted pretty freakin' good and was super-low in sodium (compared to Kraft), the texture was a little bit grainy. We used whole grain pasta, so maybe that was part of it. I think that it was probably the squash that was responsible, though. You might want to consider really liquifying it in a food processor before mixing it with the evaporated milk.
On making the squash.
While this turned out good considering the ingredients - nothing we have made yet tops Stoffer's mac and cheese. So if you're looking for comfort food - this is not what you want...
Quick and Creamy Mac-and-cheese
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces uncooked pasta (of your choice... but everyone knows that the shells are the best, and elbow macaroni is a distant second)
- 12 ounces of Butternut Squash (Trust us! Gives a great color and texture, plus lots of nutritious benefits! Also, see my note below.)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 2 cups shredded six-cheese italian blend (feel free to substitute other types of cheeses or mixes here. I suspect that the exact variety isn't particularly important.)
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Now, if you're weird, you can add more nutmeg on top of the mac and cheese, but that's just gross.
Gotta admit. While this tasted pretty freakin' good and was super-low in sodium (compared to Kraft), the texture was a little bit grainy. We used whole grain pasta, so maybe that was part of it. I think that it was probably the squash that was responsible, though. You might want to consider really liquifying it in a food processor before mixing it with the evaporated milk.
On making the squash.
- You can buy this frozen at the store, ready to go. Just make sure you thaw it. This will increase the sodium content.
- If you get a butternut squash from the farmer's market you can make the squash from scratch (which can be used for a lot of recipes!). Just cut it in half, gut out the seeds and strings, place face-down on a baking tray, and bake for ~40 minutes at ~400*F. Once done, scoop the squash (not the skin) into a food processor or blender and mix it until smooth (add a little water, if necessary).
While this turned out good considering the ingredients - nothing we have made yet tops Stoffer's mac and cheese. So if you're looking for comfort food - this is not what you want...
Stir Fry
So, Stir Fry.
What is the recipe for stir fry you ask?
Whatever is left in your fridge! You can add all kinds of veggies, a few spices (play around! This is really learning to be a COOK instead of just cook food!)
Try out anything.
Except beets. We tried that. Don't do beets. And don't do whole peices of fresh ginger unless you want your face to burn.
But anything else, try it. Put it on rice with a bit of soy sauce.
And if you find a good brand of soy sauce -let me know. I still can't find one I like...
Jumbalya
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 2 14.5 oz cans vegetable broth
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with chilis for spicier)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic or garlic powder
Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add can of tomatoes, broth and rice bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 30 minutes until rice is done.
The original poster has a small baby so she don't make this spicey. Her husband and she add hot sauce to our own bowls. You can add jalepenos or chilies to this while it is cooking for a spicier flavor.
Bryan and I don't like to much hot either so we added a *small* jalepeno (the ones that are like $.03 :p It does add some heat and flavor but not overpowering. If possible when cutting a jalepeno wear gloves or something. Whatever you do DONT touch the seeds, and if you do touch those DONT touch anything else! Especially your eyes. Oh goodness. I made the mistake of touching the seeds and my hands burned for hours no matter what I put them in!(washed w soap and water, baking soda, milk, whatver, IT HURT!) Be careful. Jalepenos are not kid friendly prep work :p
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 2 14.5 oz cans vegetable broth
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with chilis for spicier)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic or garlic powder
Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add can of tomatoes, broth and rice bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 30 minutes until rice is done.
The original poster has a small baby so she don't make this spicey. Her husband and she add hot sauce to our own bowls. You can add jalepenos or chilies to this while it is cooking for a spicier flavor.
Bryan and I don't like to much hot either so we added a *small* jalepeno (the ones that are like $.03 :p It does add some heat and flavor but not overpowering. If possible when cutting a jalepeno wear gloves or something. Whatever you do DONT touch the seeds, and if you do touch those DONT touch anything else! Especially your eyes. Oh goodness. I made the mistake of touching the seeds and my hands burned for hours no matter what I put them in!(washed w soap and water, baking soda, milk, whatver, IT HURT!) Be careful. Jalepenos are not kid friendly prep work :p
Enchiladas!!!
So once upon a time I helped do a cooking demo for some Purdue Athletes and the recipes were good, I just rarely (aka never) made them. Finally, while digging through a metric ton of recipes, papers, etc I decided to try this one.
BEST DECISION EVER! Okay, maybe not ever, but definitely of that day.
Chili-Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas, Adapted from Cooking Light September 2003
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t chili powder
1 t minced garlic
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 oz) bag frozen soy crumbles (I recommend Boca over Morning Star, they hold texture better)
3/4 c salsa (we used my OWN homemade CANNED salsa - more on that in a later post)
1/3 c cream cheese (1/3 fat is best)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (or more in our case)
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 (10oz) enchilada sauce
- Gluten free (except the tiny bit boca meat)
AWESOME
BEST DECISION EVER! Okay, maybe not ever, but definitely of that day.
Chili-Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas, Adapted from Cooking Light September 2003
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t chili powder
1 t minced garlic
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 oz) bag frozen soy crumbles (I recommend Boca over Morning Star, they hold texture better)
3/4 c salsa (we used my OWN homemade CANNED salsa - more on that in a later post)
1/3 c cream cheese (1/3 fat is best)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (or more in our case)
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 (10oz) enchilada sauce
- Gluten free (except the tiny bit boca meat)
AWESOME
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic, beans, and soy crumbles, and cook 2 minutes, stirring mixture frequently.
- Stir in salsa, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and add cream cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
- Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread 1/3 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/3 cup black bean mixture down center of each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, crosswise in dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
http://www.momswhothink.com/salad-recipes/pasta-salad-recipe.html
Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
Salad Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rotini pasta, drained (about 1 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup cubed provolone cheese
1 carrot, cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced pitted black olives
1/4 pound salami, chopped
Dressing Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3 to 4 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, or to taste
Directions:
1. Combine pasta, red pepper, green pepper, cheese, carrot, onion, olives and salami in a large bowl.
2. Thoroughly mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard and basil in a small bowl.
3. Pour dressing mixture over pasta. Toss to coat.
4. Cover and refrigerate at leat 3 hours before serving.
So, this is AWESOME! We made this a couple of times. Instead of salami we used the Quorn Chicken we love so much(http://www.quorn.us/Home/)
Bryan was the one that made it and he said when it was hot and mixed he wasn't sure how it was going to turn out becaue the smell was just flat out BAD.
However, after it's time in the fridge it turns out GREAT! It's a great side, party dish, or even a meal!
We highly reccomend this one just as is!
We also learned that all provolone is smoked provolne when we were at the store :p
Definatley make sure to go to the deli cheese and get the chunks because slices just don't do for this.
Mexican Lasagna
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/texmex/meslas.htm
Mexican Lasagna
1 (15-ounce) can pinto, pink or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can diced crushed tomatoes
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1 clove finely minced garlic
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 C. frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 scallions, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
8 corn tortillas
1 1/2 C. grated Monterey Jack cheese sour cream, optional
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chiles, corn, scallions, cumin and oregano; mix thoroughly. Oil a 2-quart baking dish and line with 4 tortillas, overlapping if necessary. Spread half of bean mixture in a layer over tortillas. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beans and cheese. Bake 20 - 25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 1 or 2 minutes, then cut into squares to serve. Top each serving with a dollop sour cream if desired. Makes 6 servings. This is a great recipe. It's fast and easy and can be gluten free if you have any cileac friends! I personally like flour tortillas better so we use those instead of the corn unless certain people join us. As usual we use yogurt instead of sour cream to up the protein and lower the fat with the same amount of delicious! We've also experimented with this enough we've learned we should double the spices and make sure you get everything as dry as you can or it get soggy easily. Makes good left overs too!
Mexican Lasagna
1 (15-ounce) can pinto, pink or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can diced crushed tomatoes
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1 clove finely minced garlic
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 C. frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 scallions, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
8 corn tortillas
1 1/2 C. grated Monterey Jack cheese sour cream, optional
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chiles, corn, scallions, cumin and oregano; mix thoroughly. Oil a 2-quart baking dish and line with 4 tortillas, overlapping if necessary. Spread half of bean mixture in a layer over tortillas. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beans and cheese. Bake 20 - 25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 1 or 2 minutes, then cut into squares to serve. Top each serving with a dollop sour cream if desired. Makes 6 servings. This is a great recipe. It's fast and easy and can be gluten free if you have any cileac friends! I personally like flour tortillas better so we use those instead of the corn unless certain people join us. As usual we use yogurt instead of sour cream to up the protein and lower the fat with the same amount of delicious! We've also experimented with this enough we've learned we should double the spices and make sure you get everything as dry as you can or it get soggy easily. Makes good left overs too!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Secret Tofu Lasgna
So this recipe adds in Tofu when no one is looking.
It is a true cook's recipe because the measurements are, well, not really measurements! Bryan does this one....
Lasagna Noodles - no boil kind
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (we use chunky garden)
16 or so oz of cottage cheese - can't be lowfat or it gets watery
~10oz (give or take) tofu packages
oregano
basil
mozzarella cheese
1 Egg
First mash the tofu and cottage cheese together in one big high-protein lump, but not so mashed as to loose texture. Add an egg in here to hold it all together.
Add a LOT of oregano and basil.
Layer sauce, noodles, filling mix, cheese, sauce, noodles, filling, cheese.
No one will know there is tofu in it! MUAHAHAH!
It is a true cook's recipe because the measurements are, well, not really measurements! Bryan does this one....
Lasagna Noodles - no boil kind
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (we use chunky garden)
16 or so oz of cottage cheese - can't be lowfat or it gets watery
~10oz (give or take) tofu packages
oregano
basil
mozzarella cheese
1 Egg
First mash the tofu and cottage cheese together in one big high-protein lump, but not so mashed as to loose texture. Add an egg in here to hold it all together.
Add a LOT of oregano and basil.
Layer sauce, noodles, filling mix, cheese, sauce, noodles, filling, cheese.
No one will know there is tofu in it! MUAHAHAH!
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