Peanut Rice Noodle Salad with Tofu

This is my new favorite lunch. This came together pretty quickly. It was best fresh but I did eat it for lunch today and it was really good, let it come to room temp a bit so the noodles will be soft.

Peanut Rice Noodle Salad
Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound tofu

salt

8 ounces rice noodles (linguine shape)

½ inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

¼ cup warm water

1 medium cucumber, sliced into half moons

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

2 green onions (green parts only), sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the tofu lengthwise into ½-inch thick slabs; pat dry on a dishtowel. Transfer the tofu to the oil and cook, without moving, for 4-6 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Flip the tofu and brown the second side. Remove the tofu from the skillet and cut into bite-sized cubes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a large pinch of salt and the rice noodles; cook until tender. (Check the package instructions for exact cooking times.) Drain and rinse the pasta.

In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and until smooth. Fold the tofu into the sauce, then add the remaining ingredients, reserving some of the green onions and cilantro for a garnish.

Pulled Pork Panini

Last week I took a day off work to spend with my best friend. She is the same age as me - early 30s - and owns three restaurants in the town of Belfast, Maine (a pub, an Italian place, and a Mexican place). She is pretty amazing.

So of course I had to make her an awesome lunch. Every time we go to visit her she treats us to lunch at whichever restaurant of hers that we want to go. Believe me, the good life is eating at a nice restaurant with the owner at your table.

I decided on pulled pork paninis and a curried carrot soup. We had recently had pulled pork and coleslaw (cabbage and carrots came in the winter CSA) for supper and I had made some bread just for this. I've been wanting to make a cake and decided this was a good opportunity. I'll include the pulled pork, coleslaw and panini recipes here and the cake one will be separate.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Source: Pioneer Woman

1 medium sized pork butt/shoulder
1 large onion, quartered
1 bottle soda (I used Dr. Pepper)
1/2 small can chipolte peppers
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Lay the onion quarters on the bottle of the crock pot. Put the pork on top of them and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the pork and pull, removing the fat from the meat. (Pioneer Woman suggests adding the pulled pork to the sauce in the crock pot but I think it would have been too spicy for my toddler so I left it as is and loved it.)

Creamy Coleslaw
Source: Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I did half mayo and half yogurt)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small green cabbage, finely shredded

2 medium carrots, coarsely grated

Whisk together mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a small bowl. Refrigerate dressing, covered, until ready to use, or up to 2 days.

Put cabbage, carrots, and onion (if desired) in a large bowl. Pour in dressing, and toss thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered, until slaw begins to soften, 1 to 2 hours. If not using immediately, refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days. Just before serving, toss coleslaw again.

Pulled Pork Panini
Source: ME!

Sour dough bread or focaccia

Salted butter

Pulled pork

Coleslaw

BBQ sauce (I used an awesome maple sauce made in VT)

Cheddar cheese, shredded

**I wanted to add caramelized onion but I forgot to make them ahead of time**

Heat panini press or grill pan on medium. Butter the bread and then layer all the ingredients on one slice, putting cheese on top and bottom. Top with the other piece of bread and panini press it! YUM.

Salmon Burger with Cilantro Mayo

I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats quite some time ago. I usually do an Asian style glaze on my salmon and Abe and I love it. I will tell him it is good for his brain and he pats his head. I decided that we needed an alternate way to have salmon and remembered this recipe. Oh my. YUM! Comes together in a pinch and is so delicious. Abe is a big fan as well.

Salmon Burgers with Cilantro Mayo
Source: Annie's Eats

½ cup red bell pepper, diced
6 tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 lb. salmon fillets, skinned, boned and finely chopped
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1½ tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
1-2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil

For the cilantro mayo:
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup mayo
½ cup cilantro
Dash of cayenne pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

For serving: Burger buns
Green lettuce
Sliced red onion
Sliced tomatoes

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced bell pepper, panko, garlic and salmon. In a small bowl combine the egg white, soy sauce, lemon juice and salt. Add the liquid mixture to the bowl with the salmon and toss gently until well incorporated. Form the mixture into four equal patties.

To make the cilantro may, combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined and smooth.

Lightly coat a grill pan or skillet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the patties about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Place the burgers on the buns, spreading one side of the bun with the cilantro mayo. Top as desired with lettuce, onion and tomato.

My Favorite Mac and Cheese

I've made my fair share of macaroni and cheese recipes. My mother always just winged it and it worked but not so much for me. My father prefers Velveeta. I now prefer this!

This is my favorite mac and cheese recipe and I will use this from now on. I will post the original recipe which I halved. It seems like you are buying a ton of expensive cheese but that cheese lasted me a batch of this plus I used it in multiple other dishes. By halving the recipe I made four of these little ramekins. Abe and I can eat one ramekin between the two of us as long as we have sides like salad or fruit.

My Favorite Mac and Cheese
Source: Martha Stewart

Yield: 8 servings

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
5 cups whole milk 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (10 ounces) 
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (4 ounces) 
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese (4 ounces) 
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
1/4 teaspoon paprika 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 pound elbow macaroni


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 10 mini (1 cup) pie plates or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Warm milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter is bubbling. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually pour warm milk into butter mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 3 cups cheddar, 1 cup Gruyere, 1 cup fontina, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the nutmeg, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and transfer pasta to cheese sauce. Stir to coat. Divide mixture among mini pie plates or transfer to baking dish. Scatter remaining cup cheddar, 1/2 cup Gruyere, and 1/2 cup fontina over top, and sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs. Bake until cheese is melted and pasta is warmed through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans

It has come to the point where I am going to post recipes without pictures or with pictures from other sites (with credit of course). It is dark when we eat dinner so taking photos is a challenge. Plus I'm trying to feed a toddler and he is impatient. We are eating some really great stuff!

Pinterest and I are really great friends and I pin food things all the time. This is one that I found on there. The original recipe calls for chard but I like spinach or kale better.

Here is a picture from the Eat Well site:

Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans
Source: Eat Well
Yield: 4-6 servings

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 cups chopped spinach (or kale)
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 
  
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add  spinach and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Chicken Burger

I've been making chicken burgers a lot this summer. When picking out your ground poultry make sure it is fairly lean. I picked up one that was not on sale and the fat in it was outrageous. I can't remember how much fat is in a patty...not much.

I stir in salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder and maybe a touch of breadcrumbs (I don't even know why). Once they are done (you can easily tell because they will be come firm) I top mine with cheddar. DO NOT over cook these. I went to a BBQ and was served the same kind of chicken burger but way over done and dry and gross. I still ate it.

I also like to top mine with avocado.

Or fresh tomatoes.

Or thick sweet onion.

OH. And use good buns. Hun.

Gnocchi with Summer Veggies

This is one of my favorite recipes and this is the perfect time of year to make it. I'm really surprised that I haven't blogged this before. It is super simple and it is so easy to get the ingredients fresh from the market. In the past few years I've been able to go out in the back yard and just pick the veggies and basil to make this recipe. I've frozen the base for this and it worked out really well too.

This year I made it and blended a bit for Abe. He loved it!

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables
Source: Martha Stewart
Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, or one of each (about 2 pounds total), quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 package (15 to 16 ounces) frozen gnocchi
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1.In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add squash and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet. Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create a sauce. Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

Tofu Parm Two Ways

I love when things do double duty. You know, kill two birds with one stone. Initially I hadn't planned this to serve us twice but it did!

The first night we had tofu parmesan sandwiches. I found this recipe from Hannaford Fresh Magazine (which I adore). It's rare that you find tofu recipes in the magazine but when you do, they are good! These were messy but oh so delicious and satisfying. And best of all, healthy!


The next night I made myself tofu parmesan with penne and fresh tomatoes drizzled with some olive oil. This worked out so well. I just baked the tofu to get it crisp again and then added the sauce and mozzarella towards the end. Perfect.

Tofu Parmesan Sandwiches

Source: Hannaford Fresh Magazine

Yield: Two sandwiches and leftovers

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, smashed
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
S&P
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 large egg
1 package firm tofu, drained and sliced into 8 pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ciabatta bread
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound baby spinach (about 8 cups)

Preheat the broiler. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Toss the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons parmesan and the Italian seasoning on a plate; season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Dip the tofu in the egg, then in the crumbs, turning to coat.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the bread cut-side up on a broiler pan; spread the bottom halves with sauce, then top with tofu, more sauce, the mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in the empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and let wilt, about 1 minute. Place on top of the cheese and cover with the bread tops.

Shaker Fish Pie

Pair this with some mashed potatoes and some peas and you have one of my favorite meals. This recipe comes from my mother in law and she makes this often. It is delicious. Make sure to flake the fish a bit when you add it at the end. You do want chunks of fish but you want them to be distributed evenly.

I know fish pie sounds REALLY odd but I swear to you...this is awesome.

Shaker Fish Pie
Source: MIL!
Yield: About 6 servings

1 9in. baked pie shell
1 lb haddock
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 T parsley (I don't always have this on hand so I don't always add it)
1/2 t thyme (I usually add a little more because I love thyme)
S&P
2 T flour
3 T butter
1 c. light cream
1/3 c. bread crumbs
2 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 325. Steam the fish. In a saute pan cook onions and celery in the butter until tender. Stir in parsley and thyme. Blend in the flour, salt and pepper to make a nice roux. Cook for a few seconds. Add the cream and stir until bubbly. Add the fish and pour into the pie crust. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and drizzle with butter. Bake for 30 minutes.

Tomato Overload

Last year my tomato crop was a bust. I ended up getting horned tomato worms and it was a very very wet season. I think I got just a handful of tomatoes and a big bowl of cherry tomatoes. So this year I bought 16 tomatoes plants. I am absolutely drowning in tomatoes. I have big beefy ones, small juicy ones, heirlooms, and cherry tomatoes. I'm not tired of them yet though!

This actually worked out really well because I figure that after the babe is born I'm not going to feel like cooking all the time. I've used my bounty to make various tomato dishes and freeze them. Then in November when I want to have a nice meal all I have to do is thaw something.

I've made 8 meals so far. I have no more room in my freezer!

This little tutorial is on making crushed and diced tomatoes to use for soups, chili, or pasta sauce. I hope you find it helpful.


What a silly little tomato this is.

To peel the tomatoes, score an X in the bottom.

Then put them in boiling water for one minute. Take them out and submerge them in an ice bath. This will peel back the skins for easy peeling.

We're in good shape!

If your recipe calls for crushed tomatoes, just crush them up in your hands. I really liked doing this.

You can also dice them.

From there you could can them, freeze them, or use them right away. I chose to use them to make pasta sauce and tomato soup.

Making Baked or Grilled Tofu

I have had a ton of questions about this process. I make this at least once a month and I can't believe it has taken me so long to do a post on this.

It took me quite a bit of time to get pretty good at cooking tofu. At first it was terrible. The taste was bland. It was a bad texture, or it would just fall apart in the pan. Now I feel like I'm fairly good at it. And I get better each time.

My biggest tip for cooking with tofu is to press it which will release all of the water (or tofu blood as Seth would say). When you release that water you allow for your marinade or whatnot to come in and flavor it.

I'm going to take you through, step by step, the making of grilled Asian tofu. One of my favorites.

First off, when grilling always use extra firm tofu.



This is the pressing process. Take the block of tofu out of the package and dump the water that it was in. Wrap the block in a clean kitchen towel, put it on a plate, and put something heavy on top of it. I always use the top to my panini pan. You could use another pan, a plate with something on it, etc. The kitchen towel will absorb all of the water in the tofu. Let this sit in the fridge for a half a day or so. (if I'm making it during the week I will put in the fridge just like this and then marinate it when I get home from work...8 hours later)

Here is the marinade for the tofu. I have adapted this from Veganomicon. 3 T soy sauce, 1 T sesame oil (god that is good stuff), 1 T rice vinegar, 2 t "cock sauce"...that red hot chili sauce that is in Thai restaurants, 1 T grated ginger, 2-3 smashed garlic cloves.

I always slice my tofu in the same way. I don't know why. I just like it this way.

First down the middle.

Then into four.

Then into triangles. This will give you 8 pieces. This is enough for just me and Seth but it might feed three in your family.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour if not more. Flip or shake half way through marinating.

Grill on medium high heat (or you can bake it in the oven) for 5 or so minutes on each side.

Damn. That is goooooood.

Fresh Tomatoes!

My weekly grocery bill this week was $36. This is one of the many reasons I love this time of year. When it is suppertime I just walk out back, pick a couple tomatoes, a cucumber, a pepper and make a nice little salad.

This is the first tomato from the garden. I know it is an heirloom and I believe it is called Brandywine. Beautiful.

This variety of tomato is really meaty which means it makes a great sandwich!

My lunch staple in the summer, cucumber and tomato sandwich. Easy, cheap, and fresh!

Happy harvesting!

Veggie and Tofu Stack

The other night I asked Seth what he wanted for supper when he came home from work. He said, "Something light that I can eat a lot of." Erm. OK.

I get it. He wants to be able to get full and be satisfied but not be overloaded with heavy foods or fat (weekly cooking at 179 doesn't contain much fat...because of him.)

I decided on grilled veggies because you can eat a ton of them and not feel bad. Then tofu for protein. I found the recipe for this stack in my binder. Perfect. I made couscous for a carb. And then I made a little smashed caprese salad to put on a slice of sourdough bread. This was a fantastic meal!

Grilled Veggie and Tofu Stack
Source: Bon Appetit
Yield: 4 servings

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1 12-ounce container extra-firm tofu, cut crosswise into 8 slices, drained on paper towels
1 zucchini, trimmed, cut lengthwise into four 4-inch-long slices
1 red bell pepper, rounded ends trimmed, seeded, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces
1 Japanese eggplant, trimmed, cut lengthwise into four 4-inch-long slices
4 3-inch-diameter portobello or shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 small head of radicchio, quartered through root end

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place vinegar and minced garlic in large bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Stir in sliced mint. Season marinade to taste with salt and pepper.

Working in batches, add tofu to marinade and turn to coat. Transfer tofu to baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, mushrooms, and radicchio to marinade in bowl and toss to coat.

Place zucchini, pepper, eggplant, and mushrooms on grill. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until charred and softened, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet. Place tofu and radicchio on grill. Cook until tofu is charred and radicchio is charred and wilted, about 2 minutes per side.

Stack tofu and vegetables on plates. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Roasted Gahlic.

Garlic. How I love you so. Let me count the ways.

1. Some how...you are good for me.

2. I love that slight burn of you when you're fresh.

3. I adore the mellow, almost sweet flavor of you roasted.

4. You're beautiful.

It is so easy to make roasted garlic. And it is like getting an extra gift...garlic flavored olive oil!!

I like to keep a dish of roasted garlic in the fridge so I can smear it on whatever my heart desires. In the mornings I will put it on my English muffin before adding a fried egg and thick slices of tomato. When I make potatoes I will add a big spoonful for a little kick. For a snack I like to spread it on fresh bread with a big slice of mozzarella.

Divine. I feel so fancy.

Roasted Garlic

Source: ME!

Yield: I dunno. Enough for a few different things?

1 head garlic

Olive oil

Cut a little less than a quarter of the top off the garlic, just enough to expose all the cloves. Put that in some sort of dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Cover with foil and roast at 350 degrees for a little under an hour. Cloves will become golden and soft. Let it cool and then the cloves pop right out of their shell.

Save the olive oil for bread dipping or anything you would normally use olive oil for.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

This, my friends, is an awesome and easy vegetarian meal.

Seth suggested that we have stir fry and I gave him a look like, "you've got to be joking me." I SUCK at doing anything to tofu but baking or grilling it. It always sticks to the pan and falls apart and tastes more like oil than anything else.

Not this time. I found this great recipe and it turned out perfect. I wouldn't have changed a thing. The tofu was flavorful and stayed together. The veggies and sauce were perfect. This is going to be added to my list of recipes that I use often.

Sweet and Sour Tofu
Source: Adapted from (Never Home)Maker
Yield: 2-4 servings (we ate it all)

1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ketchup (I used homemade with chipotle peppers)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 14 oz package of firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes

In a large bowl, mix together the cornstarch and vegetable broth, then add the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and cayenne pepper until well mixed. Add tofu and marinate an hour or so.

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the garlic, onion, and carrots in oil about 5 minutes.

Add the pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the sauce mix (NOT THE TOFU) to the veggies and cook until mixture thickens, approx 5 to 7 minutes.

Add tofu and allow to cook at least 5 more minutes.

Pumpkin Penne

I'm going to talk about copyrights for a second.

I'm lazy and didn't want to transcribe this whole recipe so I googled it so I could copy and paste. A few bloggers mentioned that they won't post recipes that come from published cookbooks because of copyright infringement. So, I went to the US Copyright Office and looked into the law on recipes. It appears that if you are just listing ingredients then you are fine. When a recipe goes into detailed directions then it gets tricky.

The purpose of a food blog, I think, is to share the love of food and recipe. So I am going to continue posting recipes even if they are from a cookbook. I own this cookbook, Veganomicon, and I think that ANY vegan or vegetarian would get a lot from it. Actually, you probably already own it because it is super popular. And awesome.

This dish is AH-MAY-ZING! The "ricotta" made of tofu, cashews, and garlic is so good I'd eat it as a dip. You would never know it was vegan...and not ricotta. Actually, it's better than ricotta.

Don't be scared that this has pumpkin in it. You can't really taste it...it lends sort of a sweetness to the dish. Plus nutrients!

Enjoy this one my friends! It is definitely a winner!


Caramelized Onion and Sage Pumpkin Penne Pasta
Source: Veganomicon
Yield: 8 servings

1 pound uncooked ziti or penne
2 onions, sliced very thinly
3 T olive oil
1 recipe cashew ricotta (follows)
1T brown sugar
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
White pepper and cayenne
2 c or 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (not pie mix)
1/4 c. vegetable broth

Cashew ricotta (makes 2 cups):
1/2 c. cashew pieces (approx. 4 oz.)
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
2 cloves fresh or roasted garlic
1 lb. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1-1/2 t. dried basil
1-1/2 t. salt

Sage bread crumbs:
2-1/2 c. bread crumbs, preferably freshly made
1/4 c. olive oil
2 t. dried, rubbed sage
1/2 t. ground paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9×11 or 9×13-inch lasagna pan with olive oil. Prepare ziti according to package directions. Drain, rinse, drain again and set aside.

While ziti is cooking, make the caramelized onions: preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute onions in oil until some onion bits are very brown and caramelized, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside.

Make the cashew ricotta: In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic until a thick creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor, working in batches if necessary, until the mixture is thick and well blended. Blend in the basil and salt.

Place cashew ricotta in large bowl and fold in pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, white pepper, cayenne, and vegetable broth. Add the cooked ziti and the caramelized onions. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and level with a spatula, pressing slightly.

Make the bread crumb topping: Melt margarine or heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, dried herbs, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the mixture is lightly coated, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and spread over pasta mixture.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes, until the top of the ziti is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Drunk Mussels

These pictures make me drool!

I first had "drunken mussels" at one of our favorite spots, The Liberal Cup. They are known for their home brews and of course they cook their mussels in the ale with some tomatoes, onions, and herbs. SO good. I do think that the mussels at Slates have them slightly beat. I think Slates cooks theirs in white wine. It's a tough life when you have to compare mussels cooked in beer vs white wine. I'm a lucky gal!!

Mussels are dirt cheap right now so I bought two pounds, scrounged around in the fridge to find an old IPA, and made a great meal.

I thought these turned out great. My favorite part is sopping up the juices with a nice crusty bread. Enjoy my friends!

**Lily Allen, Smile** (of course sung with a thick British accent at the top of my lungs) "At first when I see you cry, it makes me smile."

Drunk Mussels
Source: Hannaford Fresh Magazine
Yield: 4 servings

1 Tbs Olive oil
2 ea Shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 ea Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
2 lb Mussels, rinsed, debearded and scrubbed
1 pint Grape tomatoes, cut in half
8 oz Beer
1 tsp Minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup Chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs Fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
1 Tbs Unsalted butter

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until shallots just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add mussels, tomatoes, beer, and thyme and stir to combine. Cover and simmer until mussels have opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that don't open.

Divide mussels among 4 bowls. Return sauce to heat and stir in cilantro, lime juice, black pepper, and butter. Pour sauce over mussels in each bowl and serve with bread.

Fake and Cheese Bomb

As vegetarians we still want to eat the good stuff like a steak and cheese, although the thought of eating red meat makes me want to throw up. I threw these together one Sunday night. Perfect for watching my boy Rajon Rondo in high def.

You still get the feeling you are eating a steak and cheese but I subbed the meat for marinated and grilled portabello mushroom. On top is sauted onions and peppers and on top of that is cheese. Now, I'm sure you have noticed that the cheeses are different. My husband will only eat fat free cheese. I think it takes like rubber and I love full fat cheese. I had swiss. He had rubber.


Fake and Cheese Bomb
Source: ME!
Yield: 2 bombs

Awesome rolls
2 portabello mushrooms (marinated in soy sauce, garlic, EVOO, Worcestershire, S&P)
1 onion, sliced
1 pepper, sliced
Cheese

Grill the mushrooms and slice very thinly. While the mushrooms are cooking, saute the onions and peppers in a bit of EVOO. Pile it all high on the roll and top with cheese. Pop it under the broiler for a minute or two.
Oh yeah.

Cod and Shrimp Stoup with Salt and Vinegar Mashed Potatoes

Sounds weird doesn't it? Lets discuss the oddities:

a. Stoup. WTF is that?! Some of you may know that this term comes from Rachael Ray. A combination of stew and soup. It has a brothiness to it but it has a lot of chunks of good stuff...white fish and shrimp.

b. Salt and vinegar mashed potatoes? Ew? Nope. Yum. I swear to you, this is good. My husband even liked them and he is the pickiest eater I've had to cook for. The vinegar gives the potatoes a nice kick.

Rachael Ray...you are nutty but I do enjoy your recipes!


Cod-and-Shrimp Stoup with Salt-and-Vinegar Mashed Potatoes
Source: Rachael Ray
Yield: 4 servings

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 to 4 ribs celery from the heart, with leafy greens, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
Pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can diced or stewed tomatoes
1-1/2 pounds thick cod fillets, cut into chunks
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons butter

1.In a deep pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

2.In a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat the EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and lemon peel; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth and the tomatoes with their juice; bring to a simmer. Add the cod in a single layer, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Gently stir in the shrimp; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the cod and shrimp are just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice; discard the bay leaf.

3.Mash the potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, the vinegar and butter; season with salt.

4.To serve, mound the potatoes into shallow bowls. Ladle the stoup around the potatoes.

African Peanut Stew

Did you make the new year's resolution to eat more healthy? How about get fit? Or maybe just eat more vegetables. This dish will satisfy all of those in one. It is healthy, nearly fat free, full of veggies...hence full of vitamins.

Oh, and it is a cinch to make.

The first time I had this a coworker had made it in her crockpot. You could definitely do that. I chose to make mine in my cast iron pot which I use all.the.time. I served mine over rice but if you are cutting carbs for that resolution then you could just enjoy the stew itself.

And if you want to make your coworkers stomachs growl, bring the leftovers for lunch and heat it up in the community microwave. The smell of curry and ginger is really enticing!


African Peanut Stew
Source: Coworker
Yield: 6-8 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 cups finely chopped green bell pepper (about 1 large)
1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (about 2 medium stalks)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 12 ounces)
1 1/2 cups shelled edamame
1/4 cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter or almond butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (onion through celery); sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not brown garlic). Add tomatoes and bay leaf; cook, uncovered, until tomatoes are slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

3. Add broth and sweet potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes. Add edamame and peanut butter; stir to combine. Add cilantro and spinach; cook until thoroughly heated and spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.