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Baked Banana Oatmeal -- back to top
Baked Banana Oatmeal
Balsamic Broccoli -- back to top
from 2014-10-02 but without the agave
Combine all ingredients up to the red pepper. Beat/mix well. Add the canola oil to a hot wok and stir-fry the garlic until cooked and flavorful. Add to the rest of the sauce
Add whatever oil you want for the stir-fry and, once hot, add the vegetables. Let sit for 20-30 second to develop some char and then toss. Repeat a few times and then keep tossing to cook evenly. If there is a lot or it isn't cooking well, you can add a tiny bit of water and then keep tossing while that steams out but try to avoid if possible.
When fully cooked, add the sauce and stir to combine. Keep stirring until it is bubbling and thickens. About 1 minute.
This is an older recipe that I have not been very happy with recently. See2014-10-02 for my reattempt. I will update this page as it progresses~~
This is most recently based on 2013-07-18. Last Updated2013-09-18
Mix together:
Take out some liquid and add:
Add everything back together and add
Set aside. Cut up
Steam the broccoli for 4 minutes or until mostly done. Possibly in batches
Meanwhile. cut
Into strips. Coat with flour as needed. Add just enough canola oil to the pan to coat most of it and then also use pan. When hot (set to about 8/10) add the chicken. Let it cook until mostly done. Add the broccoli and the sauce. Stir and let the broccoli cook more. Keep stirring as more liquid from the broccoli mixes. Reduce the heat to 4-5 and let it keep cooking down. Keep stirring until everything is well coated and most of the sauce is thick and mixed well.
Notes: As noted above, this was much thicker dressing but I liked it. It is also worth noting that there aren't any chemicals, etc in it. It's all pretty natural
~~
[cut out nutrition on old version]
Change log
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6640, 2013-09-18_120631
Broccoli Beef (or Chicken, or Seitan, etc) -- back to top
Recipe originally from 2013-04-15. Last Updated:2014-10-29
Beef with Broccoli (Adapted from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Quick and Easy Dishes to Prepare at Home Hardcover by Diana Kuan via Serious Eats)
(Go heavy on all marinade stuff)
Marinate the beef: In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the beef and stir gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove and add to the sauce
Reheat the wok and add another tbsp of oil. Add the beef and stir-fry until lightly brown on the outside but not yet cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. If using meat alternative, either skip this step or stir-fry briefly
Reheat the wok and add 1 Tbsp of oil. When hot, add the broccoli. Stir to coat well in oil and then let sit for 20-30 seconds to develop some sear. Stir and repeat. After a few times, keep stirring. If it is taking a long time, add a bit of water and stir to steam the broccoli. Position broccoli (or mix of veggies) so that items needing more cooking are in contact with the bottom and the rest on the sides.
Combine all and pour in the sauce and bring it to a simmer. A Season with pepper to taste. Note that liquid will come out as it cooks. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6650, 2013-09-18_135143
Buffalo Cauliflower -- back to top
This was originally done for a party on 2013-01-25 and can also be used to do other vegetables as well
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower (from Day Dream Kitchen)
Ingredients:
Batter:
For the Buffalo sauce:
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix together the batter ingredients in a small bowl. Chop cauliflower into pieces.Dip the cauliflower in the batter until coated evenly then place on greased baking sheet (or, use non-stick aluminum foil). Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Mix together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Once the cauliflower is done baking, toss cauliflower in sauce and return to the oven for 5 minutes to crisp more.
Remove from oven. You may want to add a bit more buffalo sauce to taste.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7087, 2014-01-07_170007
Carne Adovada
Originally made 2018-03-12 and moved here
I based it on Rancho De Chimayo's but kind of did my own thing.
Carrot Cake Pancakes -- back to top
I have made this a few times. I am staying pretty true to the recipe. The biggest changes are that I double the spices. Original Recipe
Combine in a bowl using a whisk
In a separate dish, combine
Add this to the flour mixture and and stir until just moist. Fold in
The batter is thick. Cook on medium heat with cooking spray as needed. Original recipe says about 2 minutes but I think it needs longer. Cook until the edges look look cooked and then flip to brown the other side.
Make honey-butter (optional) by combining
If desired, use a butter-milk substitute. (from Joy The Baker). Mix the following
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 8982, 2014-10-06_165330
This has been perfected over a few iterations. This version is the last made. See2013-03-02
Either:
--- OR: ---
Put the milk and the smart balance in the pressure cooker. Heat/bring close to boil. Grate the carrots and add to hot milk mixture. Mix all the dry ingredients separately then add them to the carrots in batches stirring in between. Bring pressure cooker to full pressure (on medium to medium-high) and then cook on setting 2/10 for 15 minutes (that timing starts when the regulator starts venting).
Release the pressure quickly (just with the gauge). Then cook on medium to reduce until it is the desired consistency. You may have to scrape the pan a bit.
For the sugar, I found that the 100g/9 packets was very good with lots of caramelization and not too much "fake" flavor. A good mix. However, the 50g/13-14 packets is also still tasty, but tastes_slightly_more fake and less carmely (in flavor and color). It comes down to whether you're will to add the calories. Obviously, a mix in between is fine too.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6667, 2013-09-19_094758
Cauliflower Couscous/Rice -- back to top
I have made this a few times so I am now making it it's own recipe.
Heat oven to 450°F 400°F. Grate cauliflower (with food processor). You can grate the core as well.
Spread cauliflower on a greased (and lined) baking tray (or two). Bake for 25-35 (lower end if using cheese) minutes until well roasted with some darkened spots. Top with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from oven and add parmesan cheese if using. Toss and replace tray for another 7-10 minutes until browned.
If using cheese, go lighter on the initial time. Otherwise, adjust accordingly
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 9663, 2015-02-25_101256
Cauliflower or Broccoli Fritters -- back to top
I made cauliflower fritters a few times. The recipes are all based on 2013-09-11 which itself is based on The Smitten Kitchen. Also done with broccoli
I have been mixing it up each time but here is the basic recipe:
Base Recipe
Additions: I've done these some or all of the time. Really anything can go in
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425
Cut the cauliflower and steam until tender. About 7-10 minutes. Drain and try to get out much of the water
Mash with a potato masher in a large bowl until broken into small pieces (pea sized or so). Add all remaining ingredients and stir/mix until combined. Adjust flour and others to make a good consistency.
Line a baking sheet with_non-stick_ aluminum foil and spray with pam. Form into patties and spray again.
Bake at 425 for 30 minutes on a lower rack (unless you have convection). If you have more than one pan in the oven, rotate the pans half way through
Remove from oven, spray a fine mist of pam and flip patties. Gently press patties to make better contact with the pan. Bake for 10 more minutes.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6913, 2013-11-18_092350
Recipe from2013-07-22. Last Updated 2013-07-22
(Original recipe with my changes as well included as opposed to internal source recipe)
Chicken Hash (from Serious Eats)
If using chicken breasts, slice breasts on the bias so that they are of equal thickness. Heat 2 cups broth over medium heat in medium saucepan to simmer. Add chicken and gently simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. When cool, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
If using meat alternative such as seitan, chop into cubes.
Add potatoes to broth and add water (if necessary) to just cover. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are easily pierced with knife, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and reserve 1/2 cup or so s(discard any remaining potato-cooking liquid)
In large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat to shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until onions have softened and are beginning to turn golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, garlic, za-atar, paprika, and tumeric, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add 2 tablespoon oil to pan. Stir in potatoes. Cook, stirring, until potatoes have browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in chicken, harissa, and remaining 1/2 cup broth. Cook, stirring, until broth has evaporated. Season to taste and stir in parsley.
In separate pan, heat remaining tablespoon oil to shimmering, and fry eggs. Serve with hash with extra harissa on the side.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6647, 2013-09-18_121331
Crispy Seared Salmon -- back to top
First of all, this is distinct from Seared Salmon as this does everything on the hot "griddle". And assumes there is no skin on the salmon
This makes delicious, salmon with a crispy flesh. It may not be for everyone but we really like it.
The ingredients are inspired by Spiced Salmon Kebabs [Bon Appétit via Epicurious] and the method has been made (1) a (2) few (3) different (4) times (5), but we've been doing it a lot more now.
Dry-Brine the salmon. (Optional). Slide salmon into 1.5 to 2 in slices. Lightly sprinkle kosher salt from about 8" above the salmon. Do both sides. Let sit in fridge for 45-90 min (or more but Serious Eats says it can get a cured texture). This step is optional but the flavor and texture is better.
Combine all ingredients except the salmon in a large bowl. Set aside
Combine salmon and spices in a large bowl. Really coat all of the salmon
Let rest while griddle heats up. You want it super hot. I measured ours at ~600°F.
Cook the salmon. Lay out all of the pieces on the griddle. Be careful as once the salmon touches the griddle, it will stick for a bit. Cook for 1-3 minutes depending on thickness
Flip the salmon and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes. Use a "fish flipper" to really get under the fish. If the pieces are particularly large, you can also cook the sides for a minute or two. A good judge is whether they are big enough to stand up on their own.
Curry Roasted Cauliflower -- back to top
From the 2011-02-25 page.
Curried Cauliflower
(Based on Summer Tomato)
Heat oven to 500 degrees.
Cut/break cauliflower into medium sized pieces. Uniformity is good.
Toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and seasoning of your choice. Go by eye and to taste. You do not need much oil.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Put cauliflower on the sheet. Use a second one if needed to avoid over-crowding the pan (or don't but it won't get as crispy). A single layer is best.
Cover with foil and roast (steam) for about 10-15 minutes. Remove cover and continue to roast. Toss/stir every 10-15 minutes until pieces are starting to brown and become crispy. About 30-50 minutes
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6675, 2013-09-19_134648
Dinner Cupcakes -- back to top
This is more of a technique than a recipe. The idea of cupcakes are as follows:
Use wonton wrappers and regular muffin/cupcake tins. Spray the tins with pam and lay a wonton wrapper in each tin. Press into the bottom and parcook at 350 for about 4-5 minutes. You just want to par cook it and make it harder. (this step was added 2013-08-22)
(Optionally) sprinkle a bit of cheese at the bottom. Then, fill a layer of filling and add a small amount of cheese (optional but helps the next layer stick). Add a layer of wonton wrapper and press well. Add the final layer of filling and top with cheese (again optional).
Spray everything with pam and cook for 14-18 minutes at 350 until the edges are crispy. Carefully remove with a fork around the edges.
I do not know the exact amount of filling. In general, about 2/3 lbs of protein and lots of veggies for the filling (maybe 1-2 zucchinis, some red peppers, etc). Also, I like to french-cut onions since they take up more room than diced.
A general idea with filling is to use some type of cheese (laughing cow works well) to make a more coherent filling.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6653, 2013-09-18_140939
Egg Stuffed Tortillas (Egg Quesadilla / Tortilla Omelet) -- back to top
These were originally documented on 2020-04-22 but I have changed the process a bit.
I am calling them "eggs stuffed tortilla" or "egg quesadilla" or "tortilla omelets"
Photos to come later
Preheat the pan to medium. It is important that the pan be preheated to greatly facilitate flipping. Spray the pan with oil
Beat together two eggs with a splash of water or milk. Add salt though go light as more will be added later
Add eggs to the pan and tilt pan to make sure it is fully covered.
Reduce heat to medium-low
Add cheese and toppings to half the tortilla. Add cheese and seasonings (we usually use Badia Adobo)
Cover and cook until melted. You can add a tiny bit of water to create steam.
Fold and slide onto cutting board.
Badia Seasoning we like, though it’s optional:
Empanada/Samosa Dough -- back to top
I have made these a few times but I figured I would try to nail down the dough a little bit more and maybe get some nutritional information for it as well. Recipe after the break!
The recipe is:
Combine the flours and salt then slowly add the margarine and egg beaters while beating it. Add the skim milk until it comes together. You may need a bit more or less. I prefer to use the stand mixer with the beater blade until things start coming together and then I switch to a dough hook
Knead with dough hook for at least 10 minutes. Let sit for about 30 minutes or more
For Empanadas: Cut into 6 even pieces and roll to as good of a circle as possible. Add filling to half of it leaving a 1/2 inch (approximately) edge. Rub a wet finger around edge of the entire dough. Fold over and press to seal. Start at the far end and pull the sealed edge and then twist and fold over.
For Samosa: Cut into half as many balls as final samosas. Roll into a thin circle and cut in half. Fold over the cut side but keep the pocket open. Seal with water and then crimp with fork. You should have a cone of sorts. Fill with filling then stretch and crimp the other end.
Put on a greased cooking sheet. Spray top with pam. Cook for about 25 minutes at 400 or until browned and hard, but not too crispy.
Milk Note: When Ifirst did this I just said to add milk until it comes together. In my latest test (link to follow), I measured it to be as stated. In general, you are looking for a dough that has fully absorbed everything and is just a little bit sticky. You may need more or less milk.
2011-01-09 Note: As we didhere, you can use almond milk and it works fine. Changes the points too but not by much.
2011-07-20 Note: I added somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp of salt. It made the dough much tastier. Good addition!
Nutritional fat/carbs/protein/fiber/calories:
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour: 1/46/8/8/220
1/2 cup all purpose flour: 0/44/6/0/200
1 Tbsp egg beaters: 0/(1/8)/(3/2)/0/7.5
1 Tbsp Smart Balance: 5/0/0/0/50
1/4 cup skim milk 0/3.25/2/0/22.5
----------------------------------------------
The total for 6 is:
6/93.4/11.5/8/500
That is 12 Points plus. So each one has 2 Points plus
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7505, 2014-02-23_123135
Enchilada Casserole (Beef, Chicken, etc) -- back to top
This is an adaptation of Hungry Girl's Chicken Enchilada Casserole on page 66 of Hungry Girl 1-2-3. I have also found reprinted versions of the recipe here.
Originally made: 2010-10-27(I think). Recipe added2013-12-05.
HG's Calories Count (Lower than this version since she uses fat free cheese and different tortillas)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, combine everything but cheese and tortillas.
Spray an 8x8 (or whatever) casserole dish with Pam. Layer the following from bottom to top
Bake for 35 minutes or until brown and crispy. Cook for 5 minutes or so for the sauce to set and thicken.
Makes 3 large or 4 medium-small servings
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6976, 2013-12-05_094017
Enchilada Casserole, Christmas Style -- back to top
This is just a rough guide. It is based on A, B, C, and D. The basic ingredients are
Sauté the onions, bell peppers and other veggies such as zucchini. When they are ready, add the chicken and then red sauce to help combine and fully sauced.
Slice the tortillas in half and lay a layer of six halved on the bottom, overlaying them as needed.
Add half the filling, then half of the filling. Spread a layer of green chile over the chicken mixture and then cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients
Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes and let congeal when you take it out.
2018-09-05 - Noted you can use ground meat
pound thin and/or slice into chunks. Salt and then steam for 15 minutes or so. "Shred" in the mixer with the beater blade. ↩
Originally from 2011-04-13: Last Updated: 2016-02-07
This can also be pre-made, frozen, and cooked as noted 2013-07-23
Baked Falafel (Inspired by ChowVegan)
Parsley and Cilantro Note: The exact amount doesn't really matter. If doing a single batch I use most of a bunch and not try to get every leaf. If I am doubling, I work harder on getting all of it.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put all ingredients in food processor and pulse to break up chickpeas and combine. Do not over mix. Form into small to medium ball with about 1.5 Tbsp of dough. (tip: use a cookie scoop and pam it ) Place onto a pammed Non-Stick Aluminum Foil (preferred), pammed silpat or pammed parchment paper. Spray them again. Press down very lightly to flatten the bottom.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until nicely browned. Spray with pam, flip and press very slightly to more of the other side touches the pan. Pam the new side and bake for 15-20 or until nicely browned
Walafels/Fawafles: Use 1/2 of the dough per waffle and cook for 7-10 minutes. See 2015-02-23. Remember to coat the waffle iron in oil first since this dough is sticky
Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber. Or make a dip out of za'atar, greek yogurt, and salt
Makes about 12-15/batch
The dough can be frozen and then made at a later time.
Grilled, Glazed Mushrooms with Bacon -- back to top
Originally based on Serious Eats (LOCAL)
These super simple and delicious skewers make great use the grill's radiant heat to get nice, crispy bacon, and the sugars in the sauce to yield an almost bacon-candy like flavor.
The general idea is that the mushrooms will absorb some of the bacon fat and also isolate it from burning too much.
(per skewer)
Slice the bacon into thirds. Skewer a mushroom through the stem (easier) and then fold a piece of bacon and skewer. Repeat until there are four mushrooms and three folded bacon slices.
Press together as close as possible. The mushroom stems may need to be trimmed if they are too long.
Grill on medium to medium-high for about 15-20 minutes turning every 4-5. Sprinkle salt and pepper as needed. After that brush on the sauce and let cook for 30-60 seconds. Repeat another time or two until the mushrooms are nicely glazed. The bacon should be fully cooked but not burnt.
Dripping bacon fat may cause flare ups. Keep the lid closed when possible and press the mushrooms close to the bacon to absorb some of the fat (and flavor).
Hard "Boiled" [Steamed] Eggs -- back to top
This is a boring recipe but I keep trying to find it for reference.
There is lots of information about the best ways to do the eggs and it is often diametrically opposing. The point of contention is whether or not you get more peel able eggs from stating cold or hot. Serious Eats dives deep and says "hot". The Kitchn says "cold".
I chose the Serious Eats way. And steaming since it gets to temp much faster!
Hard "Boiled" (steamed) Eggs
Ingredients:
Bring water to a full boil for steaming. Then (!!!) place eggs in the steamer. I used to do 10-12 minutes. At high altitude, I did 11-13 with good results. (update: From 2020-05-16, 15 minutes is good for deviled eggs)
If you can, immediately move into an ice bath to cool. Pull from the ice when cool and spin the eggs around in a bowl to thoroughly chip the shells. Peel under water.
This makes just barely "hard" eggs. You can see in the picture that the yolk is certainly solid but just barely set.
2016-09-21 Update: See the 2016-09-21 post for other timings (at altitude).
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 9983, 2015-06-01_231933
Huevos Rancheros / Motuleños -- back to top
I make this pretty often. It is all based on this post which is partially copied below (with modifications)
Heat a pan on medium and add pam. Immediately heat three corn tortillas until they are crispy. Once it has started ot crips, flip them over. Spray the other side with pam and let them start to crisp (about 20-30 seconds)
Heating
Spray again with pam making sure to get any exposed metal. Then top it with two eggs and a handful of drained beans (of your choosing), sauce/salsa (eg, Green chili sauce, Pace Pecante Salsa, etc) and maybe a protein (eg, rotisserie chicken, bacon, etc). Try to keep everything centered on the tortillas
Eggs, and beans
Ready to cook
Cover and let cook for a little on medium (You want to cook but not burn the tortilla). Top with cheese of your choosing. Cover and cook some more
All cooked
You may have to broil to get the tops to cook as you wish.
Carefully slide off the pan and onto a plate
Slid onto a plate and topped with bacon
There are tons of variations but they all revolve around changing the sauce, beans or protein. See for example Allevatori Uova done italian style
Based on my reading, this dish can easily be Rancheros or Motuleños. Not sure.
This is a collection of recipes that I have modified and use often. While all recipes are "living" documents, I consider these relatively stable and "tried and true"
Koeftas
This is a combination of koftas and keftas, originally made by accident and then again intentionally.
The ingredients are a rough guide.
Combine all herbs and spices into a bowl
Combine well with meat making sure to get a homogeneous texture
Form onto skewers or into patties
If cooking on the stove, cook with oil on medium-high, around 12 minutes
If grilling, grill on medium until fully cooked. Around 3-5 min per side.
Serve with Cava Grill style harissa
Originally from 2011-08-11
Koftas (from The Kitchn)
serves 4
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and grind, using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
In a large bowls combine all ingredients. Mix together until well combined and form into 8 oval patties. Or form on to skewers for the grill
If cooking on the stove, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook the patties until browned on all dies and cooked through about 12 minutes. Divide the patties, the tomatoes and sliced cucumber among the pitas. Top generously with the yogurt-cucumber sauce, fold to enclose and serve.
If grilling, grill on medium until cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side
Lemon Garlic Shrimp -- back to top
Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Originally from Shutterbean (LOCAL)
This is pretty easy and really good.
~1/3 to 1/2 stick (2-2/3 to 4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves) or more
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp Kosher salt plus more for the shrimp
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large lemon
1 to 1.5 pounds shrimp, peeled with the tails on
Light Creamy Grits -- back to top
This is super easy but also a good way to make grits. They come out fairly creamy without a lot of additional calories. It is based on the Whole Foods instructions below.
Ingredients (and can be scaled)
Bring all ingredients but grits and cheese to a light simmer. Reduce heat and add grits. Cook for 15-20 minutes and then let sit. If using cheese, add for the last 5 minutes or so of cooking.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 9883, 2015-04-21_094138
This is the version from 2010-10-28. Last updated 2013-09-24
See below for lentil moussaka variation.
(Inspired by My recipes.com)
Note: See this Béchamel recipe for a less-healthy but tastier version
Much of this happens concurrently. The following is my general ordering:
(The instructions for the eggplant were updated on 2014-03-25 based on 2014-03-23)
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place slices of eggplant on a tray and spray with pam. Sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 15 minutes until well cooked. No need to flip and can do multiple trays at once.
(Alternatively, broiling the eggplant gives better and crispier slices but in the end, that doesn't matter. However, the original instructions are below)
Preheat broiler.
Place half of eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or on a wire wrack on baking sheet (makes them more crispy). Spray slices with pam (or olive oil). Sprinkle generously with salt (only salt one side).Broil 4 to 8 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant.
Sauté onions for about 5-10 min. If using beef, add to onions and break it up as you go. This may need to be drained if the beef is very fatty.
If using lentils, prepare as per the instructions below.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the onions. Add beef (if separate) or lentils (after cooking) and simmer for about 30 minutes.
This version of béchamel is healthier than a traditional one. But you can use this traditional recipe instead
To prepare béchamel sauce, cook 1-1/2 cups milk and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to about or below 180°F or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat.
Combine 1/2 cup milk, egg whites, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook until thick (about 15 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Slice potatoes into 1/4 in. slices. Cook potato slices in boiling water 5-15 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Arrange potatoes in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half the eggplant slices over potatoes. Pour half meat mixture over eggplant, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. Arrange remaining eggplant over cheese, and top with the remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. Spread sauce over cheese, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese.
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes. Garnish with oregano sprigs, if desired.
Cook in a separate pot, 1-1/4 cups lentils in 2-1/2 cups of water. Bring to a "rapid simmer" and reduce heat to a "gentle simmer" for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are just slightly undercooked. (older lentils take longer). Add water as needed to keep the lentils submerged. (see this Kitchn post for details)
While the lentils are cooking, make the traditional "meat" mixture (sans meat obviously). Approximately multiply all seasonings (except salt) by 1.5x. (Rather than "heaping " measures, I did a regular doubled measure).
Drain the lentils and add to the other mixture. Proceed as usual
(Lentil variation based on 2013-03-02 and 2013-09-23)
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6671, 2013-09-19_095942
This is Meredith's recipe. It always comes out very good with lots of flavor. Certainly tastes mushroomy but reminiscent enough of pâté. Takes its place very well.
The recipe is rather forgiving. The base is equal amount (about on "standard pack") the following two:
Finely chop and caramelize onions in butter or oil in a wide not non-stick pan. Add chopped mushrooms. Cook until they have released all of their liquid. Degalze with balsamic and let cook until sticking again. Deglaze with sherry or marsala. Salt to taste.
Meanwhile toast walnuts however you want (Dry frying pan on the stove tossing often works well. Or use the oven). Chop and add to the mushroom mixture. Add anything else.
Add a bit of olive oil (around ~1 Tbsp). Blend with immersion blender, or food processor (or whatever you have). Serve Cold.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7440, 2014-02-16_174156
When updated on 2022-03-07, this amount wasn't on there. It is a rough guess ↩
This recipe is originally posted on 2011-07-19 but it is really just a base idea. For potatoes, I roast them in the oven. Alternatively, see 2013-11-05 for using rutabagas instead of potatoes. To further enhance the flavor, roast the potatoes with paprika
Patatas Bravas Sauce
(Based on Taste book)
Adjust spices to taste and feel free to go heavy!
All of the seasonings are a rough guide. This sauce benefits from a heavy hand with the seasonings.
Put the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
Add the paprika and cayenne, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook about 20 seconds or so, then add the remaining ingredients.
Turn the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
Optionally, if you used diced, use an immersion blender to blend about half of the sauce. You want to reduce this to a thick sauce, about halfway between spaghetti sauce and tomato paste.
Taste for seasoning and add vinegar or salt as needed.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7083, 2014-01-07_101552
Pumpkin-Oatmeal breakfast bars -- back to top
There is a lot of freedom in the recipe. Below is a basic idea that can be modified.
From the 2013-07-26 post
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
Preheat oven to 375. Mix all of the ingredients well (a mixer makes this easy). Spread onto an oiled pan and cook for 30-40 minutes. Tip: spray pam on the spatula to ease in spreading
4
150
2.50
28.00
5.00
4.00
3.82
15.28
Pumpkin
3.5
50
0.00
10.00
1.00
4.00
0.86
3.00
Almonds (1oz)
2
160
14.00
6.00
6.00
3.00
4.56
9.12
Total
1095.00
38.00
159.00
35.50
36.00
27.40
Per Serving
4
273.75
9.50
39.75
8.88
9.00
6.85
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6684, 2013-09-20_131849
Use The Kitchn's Quiche Recipe as a baseline
See 2020-12-23. 5 eggs, 1/3 cup egg white, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup half and half, 2 tsp kosher salt.
Based on 2018-12-01 and 2020-07-16
Sautés a few big handfuls of tomatoes and then, when they cool, add that to the custard. Add a big squeeze of basil paste (from the supermarket) or use pesto. If using pesto, reduce salt to account for the saltiness of the pesto. Use shredded mozzarella as the cheese. Optionally, top with sliced mozzarella
Roasted Cabbage -- back to top
Originally made on 2012-10-31 and made a good number of times after. I like the recipe a lot and I have made it a lot, though I got sick of it after eating_too_ much of it.
Roasted Savoy Cabbage with Parmesan (from Daily Unadventurous in Cooking)
Preheat oven to 475°F.
To shred the cabbage, cut into quarters and remove the corse. Use a mandolin on either the largest (1/4") or the next size down setting. Slice into a bowl. (Tip: Slice with the long end of the cabbage hitting the blade first so that it gets chopped well).
Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasoning.
Place onto one or more trays and roast for 10 minutes. Toss around on pan and roast for another 8-10 minutes (or until browning). Add cheese, toss, and roast for 1-2 more minutes.
Best served hot
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7108, 2014-01-08_171937
Roasted Gnocchi -- back to top
Roasted Gnocchi
This is heavily based on The Kitchn and the many times we've made it ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]).
The recipe is very forgiving and flexible but as a baseline:
Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie (Light) -- back to top
We've made this a few times before and it is always very good. It is based on this Martha Stewart Recipe (local). But we always find ourselves making the same changes so I figured I would put it in its own page.
As of 2020-11-08, there are now two versions. The regular and the less-lite-but-still-healthy version. See below
(From Martha's Recipe) (local) Stack phyllo on a work surface. Using a paring knife, cut out an 11-inch circle from the stack; discard trimmings. Stack 2 circles on work surface, and brush gently with 1 teaspoon oil; repeat with remaining circles and oil. Place phyllo stack over filling, and press down about 1/2 inch from the edge so phyllo fits inside rim of pie plate
Home Made Biscuits: First done 2015-11-09 using biscuits from here.
Toast: Make on the side and top
Heat oil in preheated cast-iron dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots, thyme and onion plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until carrots are mostly tender.
Do one of the following:
Add bouillon (may need to mix with a bit of milk) and any additional ingredients (e.g. hot sauce, green chile, garlic powder, etc). Bring to a simmer and let thicken slightly (about 1 minute).
Add chicken, peas, and lemon juice (if using). Stir. Put in to 9-inch deep dish pie plate or into small glass bowls (fits 5 of ours).
Add topping if appropriate and if you're using it.
Bake for 20 minutes until bubbling. Let cool slightly (optional)
Costco sells bags of just the breast meat all ready off the bone and without skin. We use this ↩
Salmon Croquettes -- back to top
Originally based on the Grandbaby Cakes Recipe
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Pulse the onion and red pepper in food processor until quite finely chopped.
Place everything except the grits in a large bowl and mix to combine.
Put about 3/4 cup or so of grits on a plate for coating each croquette.
Use a 2 oz cookie scoop to form the patties into balls and roll in the grits to coat.
Place on a sheet pan lined with a Silpat or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 15 min, flip then another 5.
It still needs more salt. Not sure how much, though it’s nothing a dipping sauce can’t fix.
Reheating from Frozen: Heat them at 300°F from frozen for 15 min was pretty effective. Warm, but not too hot. Perfect for baby.
Salsa Salad Dressing -- back to top
Originally from 2017-02-09
Combine well.
Bonus: To make Salsa Chicken, flatted a chicken breast and top with salsa and bake for 20-25 min at 375°F then slice. Alternatively, use pre-sliced chicken.
I originally did this back on 2011-12-25 for my friends. There is not an exact recipe per-se but the general idea is as follows.
Use cooking spray to pam the salmon (skin on, fillet) and then season both size with salt and pepper (and maybe anything else). Heat a cast iron pan (preferred) or heavy stainless steel pan (do not use non-stick) over high heat. Get it very hot. Also pre-heat the oven to 425 425°F to 500°F (or so). When it's all very hot, put the salmon flesh side down (skin-side up) and cook for 1 minute. Flip the skin-side down and put in the oven for 4-6 minutes (depending on the thickness and desired doneness).
Using this method, at its worst, the salmon was very good. At its best, it is the best salmon I've ever had (let alone made).
The skin will come off easily. You can then pan-fry it for a minute or so to make really good fish-"bacon" (see 2013-11-03)
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7074, 2014-01-06_215459
This is a collection of Seitan recipes and ways to make it. I will update them as they change a bit
[subpages]
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 9109, 2014-10-29_091359
This recipe was originally from 2011-01-20 and the original lentil version is from 2013-03-18. Note that a key to this recipe is a long, slow simmer. I wouldn't skip this step!
In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef (if using beef), onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids. If using lentils, simmer in 1.5 cups water (2:1 ratio) for about 15 minutes. Drain water and add lentils to the onions
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7097, 2014-01-08_114548
Soy Chorizo Ragu w/ Zucchini Noodles -- back to top
Soy Chorizo Ragu
This is originally based on Donna Hay's Recipe but we've made it a few times (A,B,C) and it is feeling like our own.
Warm olive oil in pan and then add garlic. Cook until fragrant (30 seconds or so). Add soy chorizo and cook until warmed through, breaking up as you go. Add remaining sauce ingredients to the pan and cook to combine, about 5 minutes. Cook pasta according to directions reserving about 1/2 cup of the liquid when draining. Add drained pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add reserved liquid as needed to help combine; about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Turn off heat and add zucchini and stir to combine. Try not to overcook the zucchini.
Serve with sliced burrata or mozzarella and a sprinkle of fresh chopped oregano.
The original recipe calls for it and we've added it a few times but also skipped it a few times and it was still good.
Spicy Spiralized Shoe String Jicama Fries -- back to top
Spicy Spiralized Shoe String Jicama Fries (from Inspiralized) Original Post
(This includes my comments and changes. Originally copied. Now in my recipe book)
(Adjust to taste and go heavy as desired)
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 8067, 2014-08-01_211050
Stuffed Mushroom Casserole (with Chicken) -- back to top
Based on this recipe with changes mostly from 2018-10-31 and 2018-11-13
This recipe is mostly a guide
This recipe includes how to do chicken pieces but it also works well with other meats. See ground beef and Quorn fake chicken. If using ground beef, brown separately (or before sautéing and remove). If using something like Quorn, add towards the end to defrost and cook.
If using alternative meats, see note at the top
Prep Ahead: So as to prevent the bread crumbs and fried onions from getting soggy, stop before adding the cheese or the bread crumbs. Cook for a little bit longer to account for a colder casserole.
Stroganoff: As noted on the original recipe, add a spoonful of (light) sour cream before serving.
Originally from 2013-02-08. Added2014-01-07.
It is key to use high-quality fresh tuna
Tuna Tataki or Sashimi with Ginger-Soy-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe (from Wolfgang Puck)
Ginger-Soy-Lime Vinaigrette
Tuna Tataki or Sashimi
Garnish
In a small bowl, stir together the shallot, ginger, a few grinds of pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Set aside. When ready to serve, whisk the dressing thoroughly to recombine the ingredients.
If preparing the tuna sashimi-style, do not season it or cut it in any way. If you plan to serve it tataki-style, on a shallow plate stir together the ginger, sesame seeds, and cracked black pepper. For the tataki, use a sharp knife to cut 1/2-inch-deep notches at regular intervals of 1/4 to 1/2 inch along the length of the tuna, to make it easier to slice after searing. Season the tuna with salt and roll it in the ginger mixture, pressing down lightly to make the coating adhere on all sides.
For the tataki preparation heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add the peanut oil and, when it is hot, sear the tuna on all sides, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, turning it with tongs. Remove the tuna from the pan and set aside. Add the lime juice to the pan and quickly stir and scrape to deglaze the pan deposits, then drizzle the deglazing liquid over the tuna.
For the sashimi preparation, simply cut the tuna crosswise into uniform slices about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.
In a bowl, toss the greens with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat them lightly
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7079, 2014-01-07_100914
Turkey Taco Skillets -- back to top
This is originally from here but we've done it a ton of times and made lots of changes so I will incorporate them here
All values are approximate
Twist (Shishito) Peppers -- Roasted -- back to top
Originally made 2014-02-21 adapted from the Love and Lemons recipe.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss peppers with a tiny bit of olive oil, salt and seasoning to taste. Cover with more foil
Roast for 7 minutes. Turn on broiler. Uncover and broil for 3 minutes until they begin to blister and burn
Make a dipping sauce by combining some low-fat mayo, olive oil (to thin it) and seasoning or sauce.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 9136, 2014-11-05_191301
Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Béchamel -- back to top
Originally From: 2011-02-07
Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Béchamel (from Thekitchn)
serves 6 to 8
Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil. If using regular lasagna noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the lasagna noodles and cook as directed on the package. When cooked, drain and lay out on clean kitchen towels to dry. If using no-bake, skip this step.
While the pasta is cooking, peel and seed the squash. Cut into 1-inch cubes and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until extremely soft.
Cut and prep the leafy greens. If using chard (or kale): Remove the stems and ribs from the chard leaves by folding each leaf in half lengthwise and using the tip of a chef's knife to slit away the main rib. Chop each rib and stem into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each leaf up into a cigar shape, cut it in half lengthwise, and then crossways into thin ribbons.
Heat a thin drizzle of oil oil in a 10-inch sauté pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook without stirring until quite brown about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip them over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the garlic and chard stems to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant about 3 minutes. Add the chopped chard leaves and 1/4 cup water or white wine and cook until the leaves are tender and wilted. Turn off the heat and season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper.
At this point the butternut squash should be quite soft. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Scrape all the squash into a bowl and add 1/2 cup milk, the nutmeg, lemon zest and thyme. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, adding the remaining milk as you go (this can also be done in a traditional blender). Add extra milk if necessary to make the sauce smooth and creamy, but not too thin. (Think thin fruit smoothie.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Original Assembly Instructions:
To assemble the lasagna, spoon about 1/4 of the butternut sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spread to thinly coat the bottom. Place 1/4 of the noodles on top (four noodles) and then spread 1/3 of remaining sauce on noodles. Top with 1/2 of the cooked vegetables, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add another layer of noodles, then sauce, then the rest of the vegetables, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Place the final layer of noodles over the vegetables and spread the last 1/3 of the sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and a pinch of thyme leaves.
But that can be complicated. More simply, the layers are (from bottom to top)
Tip: If using dry no-bake noodles, spread the sauce on the noodles and then place in the dish
Cover the lasagna with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese is gooey. Remove from the oven and let stand uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a good green salad and some bread.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 7499, 2014-02-23_122548
Zucchini Fritters -- back to top
Originally from: 2011-12-21. Made many times since
Zucchini Latkes [Fritters], (from Cooking With My Kid)
Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 25 to 30 mins
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use the large part of the grater to grate zucchini and onion. Place grated veggies in a strainer and press down firmly with a paper towel to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
Alternatively, press between two trays with paper towel. Or, use a salad spinner. Adding salt at this point may also help pull out moisture.Removing moisture is the most important part of this recipe!
Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the egg.
In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, flour and any additional seasonings. Combine the flour mixture with the zucchini mixture. Add additional flour if it is still too wet.
Drop mixture into 3 inch sized circles on a baking sheet lines with Non-Stick Aluminum Foil (preferred) or a Silpat (will work too). These are very sticky so this is key. Pam the surface
Bake for 15-25 minutes (until brown and more cooked), then turn the pancakes over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Fritters should golden brown on on both sides when done. Note: if they seem too moist in the middle, put them back in the oven and crisp them up some more. Some zucchini are more moist than others and need more time in the oven. Makes 16 fritters.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6655, 2013-09-18_142013