Food goodness

(shout out to our resident all-the-time vegetarian, Kelly! whoot!) It's Lent 2009 and in our house, that means husband is being a good sport about me wanting to be vegetarian for spiritual reasons. :) I know I should post more recipes and fewer food related musings or polls on this blog. And I promise that I will look right here at the many wonderful veggie posts already on foodgoodness. I was actually wondering, though, if there are any favorite veg recipes that we shouldn't miss this time around or if there are any that have a special significance to folks. I always look forward to cooking the CRS Operation Rice Bowl recipes during Lent because they come with a little profile of a person from the recipe's culture of origin. The last two nights, we've had dinners featuring lovely, lovely farmer's market kale. This way over poached eggs, Heidi style, and this way roasted in the oven with beans and tomatoes, Shannon style. Happy Veggie and Happy Lent!

From: Smells Like Home , though apparently it's originally from Weight Watchers. This had good flavor and was different from what we normally eat. I used green bell pepper instead of the red, because we like green better. Other than that, I pretty much stuck to the recipe as is. This will feed us for several meals I think, because it made a huge pot of food. 1 1/2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 Tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp mild paprika, preferably smoked paprika 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper Two 1 1/2-pound flank steaks, trimmed of all excess fat 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced into rings 2 large red bell peppers, seeded, cored and chopped 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped 1. Whisk the broth, vinegar, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Submerge the meat, then add the...

This recipe appeared in the Washington Post's Food section a couple of weeks ago. We made it last Sunday, and it was very tasty and good. Geoff and I ate it for three days, and it was still great. Instead of buying a whole butternut squash, we bought a package of peeled and chopped squash. This worked out well, and probably meant that we had more squash than we needed. We threw it all in (except for the parts we held back for the garnish) anyway. The recipe can be found here: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2006/02/08/zuppa-di-latte-e-riso-cream-butternut-squash-soup-/

From the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times . I'm all about the back issues these days. Serves 8 but I halved the recipe because left over reheated puff pastry is never as good as when you've just baked it. I must say that we still had left overs and surprisingly it reheated pretty well. Then again, I don't really think you can go wrong with puff pastry. Ingredients: 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil, divided 1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into thin strips 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups) 1 5-oz. pkg. baby spinach leaves (I omitted because I didn't think I had any. It was still good.) 1 10-oz. log goat cheese 1 4-oz. jar prepared pesto sauce 1 large egg (I skipped this. It always seems like a waste of an egg). 1 17.3-oz. pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 16-oz. jar prepared tomato sauce* Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat 1 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, bell pe...

What do you do when your daughter eats the entire container of egg drop soup and then demands more the next day, when you have no intention of ordering more take out? You open up the great big book of everything and figure out it's not so hard to make it on your own. from the man, Mark Bittman 2 cans chicken broth (low sodium) 1/2 tsp. ginger 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. sesame oil (I left this out) 2-3 eggs, beaten Combine broth, ginger, soy sauce in a pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the egg, while you stir the pot. Cook another 2-3 minutes.

Ernie and I were watching Food Network the other day and watched the chef make this drink and both looked at each other and said "oh, we need that tonight." It was pretty tasty. from Guy Fieri 2 ounces coffee liquor 2 ounces Irish cream 1-ounce vanilla vodka 8 ounces Chai-tea concentrate (recommended: Oregon Chai Brand) 6 ounces milk or half-and-half Shaved chocolate, for garnish Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish Fresh mint sprig, for garnish Fill blender with ice, pour in all ingredients, and blend thoroughly. Pour into a tall iced tea glass. Garnish with shaved chocolate and fresh nutmeg and a mint sprig.

Yum. Really, that's all there is to say about this. adapted from Simply Recipes Olive oil 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about a half cup) 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (or 1 -2 large fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, when in season) 1/2 can diced green chiles Chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, or ground cumin to taste (optional) 4 corn tortillas Butter 4 fresh eggs Queso blanco Make the sauce first by softening the onions in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once translucent, add the tomatoes and the juice the tomatoes are packed in. Break up the tomatoes with your fingers as you put them in the pan. If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them first, then add. Note that fresh tomatoes will take longer to cook as canned tomatoes are already cooked to begin with. Add chopped green chilies. Add additional chili to taste, either chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, regular chili powder, or even ground cumin. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and ...

From: Rachael Ray Made this for dinner tonight, and it was a winner. I only had 1 lb of chicken, so I halved the recipe and made it in an 8-inch baking dish. I made 3 layers using flour tortillas. I added a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes to the mixture. * 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil * 2 pounds ground chicken breast * 2 tablespoons chili powder * 2 teaspoons ground cumin * 1/2 red onion, chopped * 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained * 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes * 1 cup frozen corn kernels * Salt * 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market * 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack * 2 scallions, finely chopped Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire r...

From: The Healthy Slow Cooker I really liked this, but Todd was indifferent. He wasn't crazy about the combination of oregano and prunes, I think, but I thought this was tasty. We don't cook with chicken thighs very often, but after this dish I want to use them more often. 1 1/2 cups chopped pitted prunes 1 1/2 cups water 1 Tbsp liquid honey (Huh? I don't know what that means. I used reg honey) 1 tsp grated lemon zest 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper 2 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 8) (I used boneless) 2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 3 cups water 1 1/2 cups quinoa (or use couscous or rice instead) In a bowl, combine prunes, 1 1/2 cups water, honey and 1 tsp lemon zest. Cover and set aside. In a slow cooker stoneware, combine garlic, oregano, remaining lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at lea...

Courtesy of Vegetarian Times Jan/Feb 2008 issue. Okay, I was supposed to be making potato and chickpea stew from Deborah Madison but I was running out of time and I was planning to make this recipe by the end of the week anyway. 6 C cauliflower florets (I used a big bag of frozen--don't remember the weight)* 2 15.5 oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 lg leeks, white and light green parts, sliced in 1" half moons [1.5 C] (I used a regular onion) 1 C tomato sauce (I used a big can of crushed tomatoes) 1/4 C white wine (I omitted and added water instead. I added about 1 C) 2 T minced fresh ginger 2 T curry powder (I used curry paste from the market) 2 t ground cumin 1 t ground cinnamon 1 t chili paste or hot sauce 3 T chopped cilantro (I omitted) S&P to taste 3 C cooked basmati rice (I used brown) *you can substitute 3 C potatoes for half the cauliflower. I used potatoes and a lot of cauliflower. Combine all ingredients except rice and cilantro in your slow cooker....

Another one from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. This is REALLY good -- it tastes like actual Indian food. 3 T vegetable oil 1-inch stick cinnamon 4 cardamom pods 2 bay leaves (I omitted -- why don't we own any bay leaves) 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 t finely grated ginger 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken or turkey (I used leftover shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken I'd bought at the supermarket... it worked fine) 6-7 oz. fresh or frozen peas, lightly cooked 1/4 t ground turmeric 1 t store-bought garam masala 1/4 t cayenne 1/2 t salt 2 T fresh lemon juice freshly ground pepper Put the oil in a wide pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the connamom, cardamom, and bay leaves. Stir for a few seconds. Put in the onion. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges. Put in the garlic and stir for a few seconds.Put in the ginger and stir for another few seconds. Now put in the c...

I am not sure about the Willie Nelson connection, but if it's good enough for Everybody Likes Sandwiches , it's good enough for me. I only deviated from our tried-and-true banana bread recipes because I didn't have any yogurt or milk and didn't want to use butter, but this is good too. It's more like cake than the other recipes, and it's pretty sweet -- next time I will cut down on the sugar -- but I really like the crust on the top. And I did not cut down on the chocolate chips as suggested... I do not believe in cutting down on chocolate under any circumstances. 3 really ripe bananas, mashed 2 large eggs 1 1/2 c flour 1 1/4 c sugar 1 t baking soda 1 t vanilla 1 T cinnamon 1 c chocolate chips 1/4 c sugar mixed with cinnamon 1. Mix bananas with eggs and stir well. Add flour, sugar, soda, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix well. Add 3/4 c of the chocolate chips into the batter. 2. Pour batter into a buttered square cake pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mix and th...

adapted from Simply Recipes I know this is not the right time of the year for zucchini anything, but I had some shredded zucchini in the freezer from the end of the summer, and I supplemented with shredded carrot for the remainder of the veggie component. I'm quite certain these would be perfectly delicious with all carrot. These are quite good, and I'm happy that I get to eat these for breakfast this week. And snacks. Yum. Also, I used a little less butter than this calls for. I just used one stick of melted butter, and added about 1/2 cup of applesauce. The muffins were plenty moist, and I think you could even decrease the butter by another couple of tablespoons and they would still be fine. Elise says you can also sub 1 C vegetable oil instead of the butter, but she said the butter version tastes better. * 3 cups grated fresh zucchini (or carrot) * 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter (I used 1/4 cup and added some applesauce) * 1 1/3 cup sugar * 2 eggs, ...

adapted from Elly Says Opa! I was intrigued by this recipe but not sure how it would come out. It's certainly not the healthiest soup you could possibly make, but it's pretty tasty! It also satisfies my "it's not real food if it doesn't have meat" husband, who isn't always convinced that my veggie soups are substantial enough for a meal. I used a little less beef broth than the original recipe, but I made up for it by adding a can of diced tomatoes with their juice, and I swished some water around the tomato cans and added that as well. I skipped the rice step because I'm lazy like that. The soup is spicy, but not too spicy for us. If you don't like it as spicy, cut back on the chili powder or cut out the cayenne. 2 tsp. canola oil 1 large onion, diced 1 lb. extra lean ground beef 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce 5 cups beef broth (I used 2 small cans, which was 4 cups) 1 can diced tomatoes 2 Tbsp. aleppo (or any chili powde...

I made this bread a few weeks ago, and for my second attempt at homemade bread, it went pretty well. I'm still getting loaves that are fairly dense...not sure if that means I need to knead the bread more or if it's not rising enough. Advice, seasoned bread bakers? In any case, I'll be making this one again once I get some more yeast and buttermilk. from Annie's Eats Yield: 2 loaves (rectangular or free form) 3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F) 1 tbsp. instant yeast 1 tsp. sugar 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, warmed to take off the chill (or brought to room temperature) 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 3 tbsp. honey, warmed until runny 1 tbsp. salt 6 - 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk or cream (for egg wash) Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping (optional) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the water, yeast, sugar, buttermilk, butter, honey, salt, and 4 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed just until a dough has...

This was our Valentine's dinner last night, and everyone gobbled it up -- including Gaby. Pretty easy to make, and so tasty. adapted from Smitten Kitchen , only because I don't read instructions well 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter, softened 2 pounds baby portobello mushrooms, cut in half 1/2 carrot, finely diced (I used a handful of baby carrots) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup full-bodied red wine 2 cups beef or vegetable broth 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried) 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen) Egg noodles, for serving Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional) Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan. Lower the flame to medium and add the ...

Courtesy of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone . Note: this is good right after making it but it is even better the next day. 3/4 C quinoa, rinsed 2 T olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 jalapeno, minced (I used 1 T of diced jalapenos from a can) 1 t ground cumin or to taste (I added more) S&P 1/2 lb boiling potatoes cut into 1/4" chunks 1 bunch scallions including 1" of the greens, cut into thin rounds 3 C finely sliced spinach 1/4 lb feta, crumbled 1/3 C cilantro, chopped 1 hard cooked egg, chopped (I omitted) Put quinoa and 2 Q water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. while you chop the remaining veg. Drain and reserve liquid. Heat the oil in a pot (I used my dutch oven--I used it for the quinoa, too. Why dirty more pots than you have to?) over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeno. Cook for about 30 seconds and add cumin, salt and potatoes. Cook for a few minutes (be careful not to burn garlic), stirring frequently. A...

I found this from Google Recipes, by typing in the random ingredients I happened to have on hand, and I was very happy I did. Note that the recipe things it makes two casseroles in 9x9 dishes; I halved it and somehow came out with one casserole in a very full 9x13 dish. Whatever, math. 1 pound penne or elbow macaroni (I used ziti) 4 T olive oil 1 head broccoli, trimmed into florets, stems peeled and sliced 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into thin strips 3 T margarine or butter (I skipped) 1 large onion, chopped 5 garlic cloves, fine chopped 5 T flour 2 t dried thyme 2 t dried basil 1 cup dry white wine 1 can chicken broth (13 oz) plus enough water to make 2 cups 3 cups low-fat milk 2 bay leaves (I skipped) Pinch ground nutmeg 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided (I used romano) (I added panko; regular bread crumbs would also work) 1 carton part-skim (16-oz) ricotta cheese Preheat the oven to 350. Bring a large pot of water...

This is a slightly modified version of Shannon's recipe and the one from the Joy of Cooking. There is a stand at the market that sells yummy baked goods like cookies, tarts, etc. and they always have macaroons. Every Sunday I walk by the stand and think about how good their treats look and this morning we finally indulged. We shared a (you guessed it) coconut macaroon with choc chips and it was divine. It tasted so good that I insisted we stop by the grocery store on the way home for some shredded coconut. 2/3 C sweetened condensed milk 1 lg egg white 1/8 t salt 1/2 t vanilla extract 1/2 t almond extract 3.5 C shredded coconut (sweetened--they didn't carry the unsweetened kind at the store) 1/2 C semi-sweet choc chips (mini chips work best here) Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment. Beat eggwhite until foamy and add salt, milk and extracts. Stir in coconut then choc chips. Drop by the tablespoonfull onto the baking sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Let r...

From In My Kitchen Garden . My sister-in-law ordered the arugula pesto with pasta at the Stinking Rose and I have to say it was quite good. I'm sure they put more garlic in their pesto but what would a dish from the Stinking Rose be without a ton of garlic? Please note that this is not going to taste like basil pesto because it won't. It'll look like it but that first taste has nothing basil-y about it. I tell you this because it's easy to be caught off guard by it's non-basil-iness. 1/3 cup of your favorite olive oil 1 ounce garlic (about 6 cloves), peeled and sliced 6 ounces arugula, preferably very young leaves 3 ounces freshly grated pecorino romano or other hard cheese (about 1 cup) 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 5-1/2 ounces) You can fry the garlic first if you prefer a mellower garlic flavor. Now, put everything except the oil in a food processor or blender and whizz about until smooth. Pour in the oil and season with salt to ta...

Another delicious recipe from my old supervisor. These scrumptious treats have a layer of brownie topped with a layer of chocolate chip cookie. I took these to a Super Bowl party yesterday and they went over well. Be sure to cool these completely before cutting, or you will end up with a sticky gooey mess. I made them at the last minute and made a mess trying to cut them too early. Once they were completely cooled, though, they came out in clean squares. For the Chocolate Chip layer: 12 T (1.5 sticks) butter 1 C. brown sugar 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour 1/2 t. baking soda 1/4 t. salt 1 large egg 1 t. vanilla extract 1 C. semisweet chocolate chips For the Brownie layer: 12 T. butter (1.5 sticks) 3/4 C. Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 1/2 C. granulated sugar 1/4 t. salt 2 large eggs 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract 3/4 C. all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish; set aside. For Chocolate Chip layer: in medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter, stirring occas...

These brownies are so simple it seems almost silly to post a recipe. That being said, they're so good I keep having to restrain myself from eating the entire pan. They make me want to make a lot more brownies. Maybe the ones Gwen used to make with the peppermints on top will be next. from Paula Deen 1 (17.6-ounce) package brownie mix with walnuts Vegetable oil cooking spray 3 (6-ounce) candy bars with almonds and toffee chips (I used three Heath bars instead. Next time I will use four) Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter. Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

The shrimp wrapped in bacon this sauce was supposed to be for was not our favorite thing in the world, but the bbq sauce was really good. from Guy Fieri 1/2 cup barbecue sauce 1/4 cup canola oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Freshly ground pepper Puree the barbecue sauce, oil, lemon juice, mustard, chipotles, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper in a blender.

We really liked these wings, which were super easy to make. The salsa that he suggested using with the wings was too salty for us, but we liked them with chipotle bbq sauce. From Guy Fieri For the chicken and brine: 3/4 cup kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns 4 cloves garlic, smashed 5 pounds chicken wings, cut in half at the joint For the rub: 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 2 teaspoons ground white pepper 2 teaspoons paprika 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons granulated garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons dried basil Prepare the brine: In a large soup pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add the kosher salt, peppercorns and garlic; remove from heat. Let cool 30 minutes, then transfer to a large pot or ice chest lined with a large garbage bag. Add another 8 cups water, then add the wings and twist the bag closed. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Mix all the rub ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Drain the wings. Rinse under cool water, pat...

Mmm...meatballs... from Alton Brown 2 slices fresh white bread 1/4 cup milk 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided 1/2 cup finely chopped onion A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 pound ground chuck 3/4 pound ground pork 2 large egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups beef broth 1/4 cup heavy cream Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside. In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce po...

From a cookbook Shannon gave me, Maddhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking . As promised, these were quick and easy and also delicious. Yay Shannon! 2 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (I didn't peel) 3/4 c milk, heated, plus more if needed (I didn't need more) 4-6 T butter, cut into pieces 1 1/4 t salt or to taste freshly ground black pepper 1 fresh, hot green chile, finely chopped w/o seeds removed 1 t garam masala a pinch cayenne pepper 1 1/2 t lemon juice Boil the potatoes with water to cover. When they are tender -- 15 to 20 minutes -- drain and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the hot milk and butter and beat with a whisk or a fork, adding 1 or 2 T milk if needed for consistency. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

This is from an awesome cookbook called The Cornbread Gospels that I got from interlibrary loan (which I feel guilty for using for pleasure reading, but whatever, it's a whole cookbook about cornbread, right? it's important.) Apparently, the recipe is "typical of many African American cornbreads" and "a little sweet and extremely moist." Weirdly, there is a mistake in this recipe -- it says to use half the butter in the beginning and then never talks about the other half. I just left the other half out and it was fine. 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter (I used fake butter and it was fine; also, I only used half of this) 1 c stone-ground yellow cornmeal 3/4 c unbleached white flour 2 T sugar 1 T plus 1 t baking powder 1/2 t salt 1 c canned creamed corn (I used the whole can and it was fine) 1 c milk 1 egg 1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with oil and add half of the butter. Put the pan in the oven to let it get very hot. 2. Meanwhile, combin...