What has to be thee ultimate comfort food? Macaroni and cheese, without a doubt. And I have been searching high and low for one that fits the bill. We were doing all right and doing with, but I had just not found that real gutsy, stick-to-your-ribs type of mac and cheese. Step back folks for I have found the perfect recipe. Oh no, I did not do this one on my own, for I am still dabbling with this veganism. But there is a cute story to go with this recipe (as with so many of my dishes).
I was at work (my local health food store) and I always look at what folks purchase. And when I see enough veggie stuff, the first question I ask them is, 'Who is the vegetarian/vegan in the house?' and they usually tell me...conversation started. So this one young woman came through and we started up a lively conversation and I informed her that the one dish I had not quite mastered as a vegan yet was mac & cheese. 'I have the perfect recipe for you.' she tells me. 'There is this site you have to go to and check it out.' And of course I ask which site and she tells me VegWeb. I tell her to stop right there, and that I already know which recipe she is talking about.
Right about that time we both quote the recipes title. Waaait for it: Best Vegan Mac and Cheese In The Entire World...Seriously. I am not kidding that is the title. And they are so correct. So many poeple have altered the recipe but I have not. Thee only thing I have done is cut back just a tad on the say sauce and thee oil. But other than that keep it as it is, unless you find you want to change it after you have made it a time or two.
I would be hard pressed for anyone not to go back for seconds or thirds for that matter. And when the kids go back for more, then you know you have a winner.
1&1/2 pounds macaroni (dry)(preferably elbows)
Cheese Sauce:
1 & 1/2 cups 'unsweetened' non-dairy milk
1 & 1/2 cups nutritional yeast
1 cup of oil
1 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/4 (12 ounce) block firm (not silken) tofu
1 T garlic powder
1 T paprika
1/2 T salt (may eventually use less)
Dollop of mustard (Use whatever you have on hand)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boil your macaroni according to package direction. While the pasta is boiling, make your sauce. Once the pasta is drained, pour into a large lasagan pan. Add all cheese ingredients to a blender or food processor and whirl until blended.
Pour cheese sauce over macaroni. Here is where it gets a little different. You will need to fold the sauce into the macaroni. Meaning that you to turn it over and over until it is thoroughly combined. This will take more than just a few stirs. Rotate the pan if you have to, but do it.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Yeah, you heard right 15 minutes. This dish is the Rachel Ray of healthy food. Make...eat...enjoy!
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Macaroni & Cabbage
Another McDougall recipe here. I hope to stay on this roll. Thus far, he has proven to be a pretty good cook. And his book on everything else is not too bad either. Thee only thing I would change is to add some basic spices, like salt and pepper, but other than that, this is such a simple, hearty meal and I can see myself making this during the winter more often.
12 ounces whole-wheat macaroni (we used elbows)
5 quarts boiling water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 small head cabbage, coarsely chopped
One 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (we used diced)
One 8 ounce can tomato sauce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drop the macaroni into the boiling water and cook until just tender, 8-10 minutes. Saute the chopped onion in the 1 cup of water until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and saute until the cabbage is limp.
Lightly oil a casserole dish. Spread a layer of cooked macaroni on the bottom, followed by a layer of cabbage and onion. Repeat until all is used. Slightly chop the tomatoes while still in the can, then pour over the macaroni-cabbage mixture. Pour the tomato sauce over everything. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until the sauce appears to have thickened slightly.
I added just a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper, and it was just enough. I will add this to the entire recipe from the beginning the next time I make this dish. I winner in my book.
12 ounces whole-wheat macaroni (we used elbows)
5 quarts boiling water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 small head cabbage, coarsely chopped
One 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (we used diced)
One 8 ounce can tomato sauce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drop the macaroni into the boiling water and cook until just tender, 8-10 minutes. Saute the chopped onion in the 1 cup of water until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and saute until the cabbage is limp.
Lightly oil a casserole dish. Spread a layer of cooked macaroni on the bottom, followed by a layer of cabbage and onion. Repeat until all is used. Slightly chop the tomatoes while still in the can, then pour over the macaroni-cabbage mixture. Pour the tomato sauce over everything. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until the sauce appears to have thickened slightly.
I added just a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper, and it was just enough. I will add this to the entire recipe from the beginning the next time I make this dish. I winner in my book.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Pasta And Navy Bean
I have had this recipe for so long that I cannot even remember where I got it, or from who. Needless to say this is easy and filling. And so much so that for me at least, it is a one pot style meal. Meaning that I don't need anything else but some bread and a tall glass of iced tea and I am good to go.
3/4 lb dry pasta
2T olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large tomato, chopped (I used canned for I was out of fresh)
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 water
3 sprigs parsley, chopped
2t dried oregano and basil
2 cups broccoli florets (mine were the frozen style)
2 cups cooked navy beans (I had soaked a bunch and cooked them in bulk, then froze the leftovers)
1/4 cup chopped black olives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta according to directions, drain well. In a large pot, heat oil, and saute garlic until lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes. Add tomato sauce, water, parsley, oregano and basil. Cook uncovered over medium heat smashing tomatoes with spoon.
When sauce thickens, add broccoli. Simmer covered until broccoli is tender but crunchy. Add beans and olives, mix well. Simmer covered until heated through. Stir in pasta. Serve with parsley.
This is so pretty to look at and again, it is just a meal in and of itself, nothing else is needed. Try it, they will ask for it again, you can bet on it.
3/4 lb dry pasta
2T olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large tomato, chopped (I used canned for I was out of fresh)
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 water
3 sprigs parsley, chopped
2t dried oregano and basil
2 cups broccoli florets (mine were the frozen style)
2 cups cooked navy beans (I had soaked a bunch and cooked them in bulk, then froze the leftovers)
1/4 cup chopped black olives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta according to directions, drain well. In a large pot, heat oil, and saute garlic until lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes. Add tomato sauce, water, parsley, oregano and basil. Cook uncovered over medium heat smashing tomatoes with spoon.
When sauce thickens, add broccoli. Simmer covered until broccoli is tender but crunchy. Add beans and olives, mix well. Simmer covered until heated through. Stir in pasta. Serve with parsley.
This is so pretty to look at and again, it is just a meal in and of itself, nothing else is needed. Try it, they will ask for it again, you can bet on it.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Garlicky Caeser Dressing
I love not having to buy bottled dressings. Now, if I cold only get my husband to stop buying them. That is not to say I have not fallen off the wagon and used bottled dressing when it is in the house, but my preference is to stay clear of those processed things in a bottle. I went to the produce market today and felt inspired to cook, prepare something...anything. I also keep seeing this picture of a cold pasta salad in the grocery stores I work in. And due to the fact it is a chain of stores the picture is the same in every single store. That is not a complaint.
It is a basic elbow noodle salad, and for color there are black olives, red onion, grape tomatoes and possibly some green peppers. But suffice it to say it is your basic colorful pasta salad. Now I have not had the time to devote to cold pasta salads as I would like to, but I am getting rolling now. For both my husband and I do not have access to any way to warm our noon meals if we are working. So, salads it is. But even for us vegetarians, that can get old after a while. So I thought I would take a whack at this cold pasta salad thing tonight.
The salad ingredients were simple enough, but now it was to the dressing part. I had to get it just right or the salad would die if they, meaning the salad and dressing, did not get along. Along comes the Cooking Lady and I saved the day. I found a scrumptious dressing to pair wonderfully with any salad, greens included. So try this salad out for size and see what you think.
This dressing came from the book I snagged at the withdrawn section of a library down in Fort Lauderdale for $.50...who knew!! Vegetarian Times Complete Cook Book.
Approximately 2 cups cooked elbow pasta
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 red onion, sliced to your liking
1 stalk celery, cut to your liking
Black olives would be perfect for this dish, but we had none
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4-5 cloves garlic (I put them through the press)
1 t virgin olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
2 t balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 t water
1/2 t dry mustard
1-2 drops hot sauce (I added a bit more)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a fork, mash garlic in thee olive oil. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Let the dressing sit overnight in your frig if you want a stronger garlic flavor. Trust me this is strong enough without having to sit overnight, but it is your call. This was a grand way to use cold pasta that we had no idea what to do with. Thank you cold pasta recipes. **Make sure your pasta has completely cooled before adding the dressing.**
It is a basic elbow noodle salad, and for color there are black olives, red onion, grape tomatoes and possibly some green peppers. But suffice it to say it is your basic colorful pasta salad. Now I have not had the time to devote to cold pasta salads as I would like to, but I am getting rolling now. For both my husband and I do not have access to any way to warm our noon meals if we are working. So, salads it is. But even for us vegetarians, that can get old after a while. So I thought I would take a whack at this cold pasta salad thing tonight.
The salad ingredients were simple enough, but now it was to the dressing part. I had to get it just right or the salad would die if they, meaning the salad and dressing, did not get along. Along comes the Cooking Lady and I saved the day. I found a scrumptious dressing to pair wonderfully with any salad, greens included. So try this salad out for size and see what you think.
This dressing came from the book I snagged at the withdrawn section of a library down in Fort Lauderdale for $.50...who knew!! Vegetarian Times Complete Cook Book.
Approximately 2 cups cooked elbow pasta
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 red onion, sliced to your liking
1 stalk celery, cut to your liking
Black olives would be perfect for this dish, but we had none
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4-5 cloves garlic (I put them through the press)
1 t virgin olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
2 t balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 t water
1/2 t dry mustard
1-2 drops hot sauce (I added a bit more)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a fork, mash garlic in thee olive oil. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Let the dressing sit overnight in your frig if you want a stronger garlic flavor. Trust me this is strong enough without having to sit overnight, but it is your call. This was a grand way to use cold pasta that we had no idea what to do with. Thank you cold pasta recipes. **Make sure your pasta has completely cooled before adding the dressing.**
Friday, October 16, 2009
Baked Spaghetti
I was at my girlfriends house thee other day cutting back all her oregano to help her out. For it was taking over her garden. Again here is where bartering comes into play. She is without a car three days a week, for her daughter takes it to college. And guess who is off those three days? ME!
Now, we got to talking and I was completely out of oregano and she was up to her neck in it, soooo, in walks the lady who needs oregano to a lady who needs a ride to get her glasses. So you see where I am going with this? That was Tuesday, and I am still dehydrating oregano as I type this new recipe.
When I was at said friends house, I went into her frig for some tea, it is still a scorcher here in Florida. I happened upon a plate of something...took it out and showed it to my friend. She then told me it was baked spaghetti and didn't I remember her telling me about it? No. She went straight away and got the book it came from and made me a copy right then and there. Wam bam thank you ma'am.
Needless to say that recipe was made the next night. Her sauce had meat in it, but we left out the dead cow and it was still delicious. So here it is. And this may be a new way for us to have spaghetti.
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 chopped fresh parsley
1&1/2 t Italian seasoning
1&1/2 t The Lady's House Seasoning
1&1/2 The Lady's Seasoned Salt
1&1/2 t sugar
2 small bay leaves
1&1/2 lbs. ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta (we used 16 ounces and fettuccine, use the angel hair)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anything pertaining to the sauce we kind of winged it and did with what we had in the house, and the same goes for the cheese. What we had in the house went into the dish and there were no left overs.
Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch pan with your sauce. Add a layer of pasta, then half of the cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, return to the oven and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly (just a few minutes). Cut into squares before serving.
Thee only thing I would change is that I would cover the dish with foil for half the baking time, and for one reason only. The pasta that sticks out of the sauce will get super crunchy, so not fun to bite into when you are expecting a soft dish. But other than that, this dish is a Super-Keeper!
And this is a Paula Deen dish if you did not figure it out already!!
Now, we got to talking and I was completely out of oregano and she was up to her neck in it, soooo, in walks the lady who needs oregano to a lady who needs a ride to get her glasses. So you see where I am going with this? That was Tuesday, and I am still dehydrating oregano as I type this new recipe.
When I was at said friends house, I went into her frig for some tea, it is still a scorcher here in Florida. I happened upon a plate of something...took it out and showed it to my friend. She then told me it was baked spaghetti and didn't I remember her telling me about it? No. She went straight away and got the book it came from and made me a copy right then and there. Wam bam thank you ma'am.
Needless to say that recipe was made the next night. Her sauce had meat in it, but we left out the dead cow and it was still delicious. So here it is. And this may be a new way for us to have spaghetti.
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 chopped fresh parsley
1&1/2 t Italian seasoning
1&1/2 t The Lady's House Seasoning
1&1/2 The Lady's Seasoned Salt
1&1/2 t sugar
2 small bay leaves
1&1/2 lbs. ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta (we used 16 ounces and fettuccine, use the angel hair)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anything pertaining to the sauce we kind of winged it and did with what we had in the house, and the same goes for the cheese. What we had in the house went into the dish and there were no left overs.
Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch pan with your sauce. Add a layer of pasta, then half of the cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, return to the oven and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly (just a few minutes). Cut into squares before serving.
Thee only thing I would change is that I would cover the dish with foil for half the baking time, and for one reason only. The pasta that sticks out of the sauce will get super crunchy, so not fun to bite into when you are expecting a soft dish. But other than that, this dish is a Super-Keeper!
And this is a Paula Deen dish if you did not figure it out already!!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Baked Lemon Pasta
I love this lady. She is a real cook and no frills as well. This is some kitchen you would want to be sitting in with a cup of coffe and some coffee cake. And this woman does not mess around with pre-packaged crap, she is the real deal. I swear if I am ever up her way, I will pitch a tent on her front lawn and just hang out there. If you do not know who I am referring to, it is the Pioneer Woman. And man she is someone worth checking out. And even for us veggies, she has quite a bit to offer and things can be vegetized. So go check her out and see what you can see
1 pound thin spaghetti (make sure you have 1 pound or it will be to soupy)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream (I used yoghurt and it was OK)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese (We were out and still did fine)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Extra lemon juice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.
1 pound thin spaghetti (make sure you have 1 pound or it will be to soupy)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream (I used yoghurt and it was OK)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese (We were out and still did fine)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Extra lemon juice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Pasta With Wine Sauce
Don't hate me because I can cook. Be my friend and I can invite you over for dinner. And for the record, I am going to marry Matt but since I have already asked Chuck to marry me, that may be a problem. My husband can find his way around a kitchen, but he cooks to put food on the table, where as Savanah and I cook because we love what we do.
I have been on a roll today. This is the third dish I have made today and there is a fourth one in the slow cooker, but I may blog about that tomorrow. I think I have given you all enough to read for one day. This dish is a great pasta dish and oh so simple. For those who may not want to use wine for whatever reason, remember the alcohol content evaporates so you are safe, and if that is not enough for you, you can always purchase the non-alcoholic version. So grab a bottle and start cooking.
My Veggie Kitchen: "1/4 cup olive oil (don't skimp, really)
6 cloves garlic, whole, but crushed slightly
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbs dried basil (or 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 1/2 tbs fresh)
Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta. While the water heats, heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic browns. Press the garlic against the side of the pan and discard. Add the remaining ingredients and set the heat so it gently boils. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is ready. As you stir, break the diced tomatoes up with your wooden spoon. When the pasta water boils, toss the pasta with the sauce and serve."
The only thing I would do differently is to let the sauce and pasta cook a wee bit as to let the sauce render down and then I am good to go.
I have been on a roll today. This is the third dish I have made today and there is a fourth one in the slow cooker, but I may blog about that tomorrow. I think I have given you all enough to read for one day. This dish is a great pasta dish and oh so simple. For those who may not want to use wine for whatever reason, remember the alcohol content evaporates so you are safe, and if that is not enough for you, you can always purchase the non-alcoholic version. So grab a bottle and start cooking.
My Veggie Kitchen: "1/4 cup olive oil (don't skimp, really)
6 cloves garlic, whole, but crushed slightly
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbs dried basil (or 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 1/2 tbs fresh)
Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta. While the water heats, heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic browns. Press the garlic against the side of the pan and discard. Add the remaining ingredients and set the heat so it gently boils. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is ready. As you stir, break the diced tomatoes up with your wooden spoon. When the pasta water boils, toss the pasta with the sauce and serve."
The only thing I would do differently is to let the sauce and pasta cook a wee bit as to let the sauce render down and then I am good to go.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Marinara Sauce
Savanah usually makes our marinara sauce, but last week she was very sick with sinus'. So mom to the rescue. Truthfully, I almost forgot how to make this simple dish.But I dove in with a vengeance vowing to make up for lost time.
I had the staples on hand and went right to work. But added soemthing I usually despise...mushrooms. And just today I kicked it up a notch and added carrots. The last time I made the sauce, my son had no idea I had added mushrooms, and today he will have no idea I have added carrots. Now, on to the recipe.
3-4 T olive oil
1 medium onion pureed in food processor
1/4 green pepper pureed in food processor
3-4 cloves garlic pureed in food processor
6-8 medium button mushrooms, stem removed, pureed in food processor
1/4-1/3 cup carrot pulp
1-2 t oregano
1/2 cup meat crumbles
Salt and pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat oil in skillet. Add pureed onion, green pepper, garlic, mushrooms and lastly carrots. Stir until everything is well coated and warmed through. Add oregano, meat crumbles and salt and pepper. Once everything is combined, transfer to a crock pot.
At this point I add my favorite tomato base sauce. Everyone's is different. So do yours the way you like it and slow cook until ready for dinner. Mine will be cooking for about 4 hours. Enjoy.
I had the staples on hand and went right to work. But added soemthing I usually despise...mushrooms. And just today I kicked it up a notch and added carrots. The last time I made the sauce, my son had no idea I had added mushrooms, and today he will have no idea I have added carrots. Now, on to the recipe.
3-4 T olive oil
1 medium onion pureed in food processor
1/4 green pepper pureed in food processor
3-4 cloves garlic pureed in food processor
6-8 medium button mushrooms, stem removed, pureed in food processor
1/4-1/3 cup carrot pulp
1-2 t oregano
1/2 cup meat crumbles
Salt and pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat oil in skillet. Add pureed onion, green pepper, garlic, mushrooms and lastly carrots. Stir until everything is well coated and warmed through. Add oregano, meat crumbles and salt and pepper. Once everything is combined, transfer to a crock pot.
At this point I add my favorite tomato base sauce. Everyone's is different. So do yours the way you like it and slow cook until ready for dinner. Mine will be cooking for about 4 hours. Enjoy.
Monday, April 20, 2009
There's Nothing To Eat
Yeah riiiiiiight!
I had a garage sale about 3 weeks ago and we unloaded some high ticket items. We took in a pretty penny. We could have easily payed some much needed bills in advance, but my husband was super generous and said we would take the money and put shelves in the pantry that has been jury rigged for about 6 years now. My husband works in a grocery store and when a rack that has been used for a display is no longer needed, he asks if he can take it home (that is if we truly need it) and this time we did.
Fast forward 6 years and I am busting at the seems in my kitchen. I could almost have my bed put in there, that is how much I love being in my kitchen. But with the new shelves being put in I want to get an idea on how much stuff I truly do have in my pantries. Well, let me tell you if anyone and I do mean anyone ever comes to me and says, "There's nothing to eat." I swear I am going to wallop them up side their head. So for those of you who may be curious as to what is in my pantry, I wrote it all down...minus my spice cabinet.
Powdered sugar
Raw sugar
Agave
Canola oil
Coconut oil
Spaghetti
Thin Spaghetti
Elbows
Orzo
1 container of hard white wheat (Rubbermaid container)
1 container of hard red wheat (Rubbermaid container)
2 big cans chicken (For hubby)
3 small cans tuna (for hubby)
1 small jar of pimentos
1/3 box of cous cous
1 jar homemade jelly
2 cans nectar, 1 mango, and 1 apricot
Cooking wine
Apple cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
Sub sandwich vinegar
Pancake syrup (the garbage my son buys)
Maple syrup
Honey
Can of raisins
Box of prunes
Can of cashews
Can of mixed nuts
Mojo (Spanish marinade sauce)
Mayonnaise (My one HUGE weakness)
Dijon mustard
Jelly-black cherry
1/2 bottle light olive oil
Jar of Spanish's capers
2 Lg cans of tomatoes
4 small cans of tomato sauce
3 small cans of tomato paste
2&1/2 boxes of baking soda (mostly for cleaning)
4 cans smoked oysters (for hubby)
1 box wheat gluten
1 Tub of popcorn (I order 45 pound buckets of this stuff)
1&1/4 bag of unbleached flour
1/4 tub of olive oil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have these glass jars I have had for years that I purchased form Michael's about 15 years ago. they are to die for and I can see the grain/bean inside them. So this next bunch is inside the jars. And some are in mason jars, depending on how small amount of grain I have.
Jasmine rice
pinto beans
green split peas
black beans
pearled barley
black eyed peas
chick peas
bulgar wheat
brown rice
great northern beans
lentils
spelt
arborio rice
light red kidney beans
adzuki beans
TVP
millet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 packages of amaranth
1 box of falafel mix
container of nutritional yeast
Large container of peppercorns
package of sliced almonds
package of sweetened coconut
6 cans of coconut milk (I Need Help River!!)
So there you have it. It's my plan to eat this down so I can rotate my pantry with some new items we have never used or at least with items we use rarely. Since becoming a vegetarian again I am loving how my recipe door is opening and I owe many thins to all you ladies, and gentlemen that I follow and depend on for tried and true recipes. So keep 'em coming folks!
I had a garage sale about 3 weeks ago and we unloaded some high ticket items. We took in a pretty penny. We could have easily payed some much needed bills in advance, but my husband was super generous and said we would take the money and put shelves in the pantry that has been jury rigged for about 6 years now. My husband works in a grocery store and when a rack that has been used for a display is no longer needed, he asks if he can take it home (that is if we truly need it) and this time we did.
Fast forward 6 years and I am busting at the seems in my kitchen. I could almost have my bed put in there, that is how much I love being in my kitchen. But with the new shelves being put in I want to get an idea on how much stuff I truly do have in my pantries. Well, let me tell you if anyone and I do mean anyone ever comes to me and says, "There's nothing to eat." I swear I am going to wallop them up side their head. So for those of you who may be curious as to what is in my pantry, I wrote it all down...minus my spice cabinet.
Powdered sugar
Raw sugar
Agave
Canola oil
Coconut oil
Spaghetti
Thin Spaghetti
Elbows
Orzo
1 container of hard white wheat (Rubbermaid container)
1 container of hard red wheat (Rubbermaid container)
2 big cans chicken (For hubby)
3 small cans tuna (for hubby)
1 small jar of pimentos
1/3 box of cous cous
1 jar homemade jelly
2 cans nectar, 1 mango, and 1 apricot
Cooking wine
Apple cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
Sub sandwich vinegar
Pancake syrup (the garbage my son buys)
Maple syrup
Honey
Can of raisins
Box of prunes
Can of cashews
Can of mixed nuts
Mojo (Spanish marinade sauce)
Mayonnaise (My one HUGE weakness)
Dijon mustard
Jelly-black cherry
1/2 bottle light olive oil
Jar of Spanish's capers
2 Lg cans of tomatoes
4 small cans of tomato sauce
3 small cans of tomato paste
2&1/2 boxes of baking soda (mostly for cleaning)
4 cans smoked oysters (for hubby)
1 box wheat gluten
1 Tub of popcorn (I order 45 pound buckets of this stuff)
1&1/4 bag of unbleached flour
1/4 tub of olive oil
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I have these glass jars I have had for years that I purchased form Michael's about 15 years ago. they are to die for and I can see the grain/bean inside them. So this next bunch is inside the jars. And some are in mason jars, depending on how small amount of grain I have.
Jasmine rice
pinto beans
green split peas
black beans
pearled barley
black eyed peas
chick peas
bulgar wheat
brown rice
great northern beans
lentils
spelt
arborio rice
light red kidney beans
adzuki beans
TVP
millet
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2 packages of amaranth
1 box of falafel mix
container of nutritional yeast
Large container of peppercorns
package of sliced almonds
package of sweetened coconut
6 cans of coconut milk (I Need Help River!!)
So there you have it. It's my plan to eat this down so I can rotate my pantry with some new items we have never used or at least with items we use rarely. Since becoming a vegetarian again I am loving how my recipe door is opening and I owe many thins to all you ladies, and gentlemen that I follow and depend on for tried and true recipes. So keep 'em coming folks!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Penne With Vodka Sauce
To say we love pasta is an understatement. It is more my sons favorite. I prefer the Mediterranean diet, and my husbands favorite is Mexican, and Savanah's is Italian as well. Whoa, and to think my husband is Cuban and that is still not his favorite ethnic style food. But this one is wonderful. We had seen a vodka sauce on TV and thought we would try it, so we did. Nine out of ten of them called for heavy cream so we substituted with our non-dairy milk. This one we snagged from Food Network and from Giada. So try this one and see.
1 quart simple sauce (recipe to follow)
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream (almond or rice milk will do)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese(we did not use)
1 pound penne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat.
Simple Tomato Sauce:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4-6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 T unsalted butter, optional (we did not use this)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low.
Cover pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 T at a time, to round out the flavor. Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1-2 cup portions into a plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months. Makes 6 cups Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
1 quart simple sauce (recipe to follow)
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream (almond or rice milk will do)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese(we did not use)
1 pound penne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat.
Simple Tomato Sauce:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4-6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 T unsalted butter, optional (we did not use this)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low.
Cover pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 T at a time, to round out the flavor. Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1-2 cup portions into a plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months. Makes 6 cups Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Stuffed Shells
When I was a kid, thee only type of ethnic food I knew about was Italian, unless you consider Southern Cooking ethnic. Well Savanah made stuffed shells tonight. We used the stuffing from Skinny B*&#% in the Kitch. We used their Tofu Ricotta. And if you have not tried this , then get off your hiney's and do so, you will thank me soon enough.
1 block of extra firm tofu (extra firm necessary)
3 cloves of garlic (but feel free to use more)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T chopped fresh oregano or 1 t dried
3/4 t fine sea salt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a food processor, combine the tofu, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and salt and pulse to puree. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
We cooked a box of jumbo shells and added the tofu mixture to the cooked shells and laid them in a lasagna pan. She then ladeled her basic marinara sauce over the shells and baked on 350 for about 30 minutes. We had left over shells and sauce. Do with them as you see fit. And feel free to use jarred sauce in a pinch.
What did happen was Savanah asked me to try the tofu mixture and it was good, but as it sat while she stuffed the shells, the flavors married, and WOW! Also, the texture was so close to the real thing, someone would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
1 block of extra firm tofu (extra firm necessary)
3 cloves of garlic (but feel free to use more)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T chopped fresh oregano or 1 t dried
3/4 t fine sea salt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a food processor, combine the tofu, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and salt and pulse to puree. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
We cooked a box of jumbo shells and added the tofu mixture to the cooked shells and laid them in a lasagna pan. She then ladeled her basic marinara sauce over the shells and baked on 350 for about 30 minutes. We had left over shells and sauce. Do with them as you see fit. And feel free to use jarred sauce in a pinch.
What did happen was Savanah asked me to try the tofu mixture and it was good, but as it sat while she stuffed the shells, the flavors married, and WOW! Also, the texture was so close to the real thing, someone would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Cous Cous Salad
I cannot believe I have not posted this recipe. I should be taken out to the backyard and put out of my misery for not sharing this with you ladies. My sister, who helped me in my recovery from my back surgery loves this salad. She can never get enough and always makes me double if not triple the garlic. I have no idea where I got this one, but I think I got it the first time around as a vegetarian. But whatever the case, this is my most requested dish, and not just for the holidays.
1 cup cooked couscous
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded (an important step) and diced
1 medium tomato seeded (trust me you need to do this step) and chopped
1 bunch of green onions (I have tried substitutes...it doesn't work) chopped
1 cup chick peas
Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice (start with 1/4 cup and add until it is right for you)
2-? cloves of garlic (I usually use about 4) crushed (or put through a garlic press)
1 t Dijon style mustard, coriander and salt
Some pepper to taste (go easy on this one. I LOVE pepper, but this is OK without it)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix first five ingredients. Then on the side in a small bowl, combine the dressing. I also tried adding the dressing right to the salad before mixing it separately...doesn't work. Mixing it on the side first is best. Add to salad, mix well and serve.
1 cup cooked couscous
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded (an important step) and diced
1 medium tomato seeded (trust me you need to do this step) and chopped
1 bunch of green onions (I have tried substitutes...it doesn't work) chopped
1 cup chick peas
Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice (start with 1/4 cup and add until it is right for you)
2-? cloves of garlic (I usually use about 4) crushed (or put through a garlic press)
1 t Dijon style mustard, coriander and salt
Some pepper to taste (go easy on this one. I LOVE pepper, but this is OK without it)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix first five ingredients. Then on the side in a small bowl, combine the dressing. I also tried adding the dressing right to the salad before mixing it separately...doesn't work. Mixing it on the side first is best. Add to salad, mix well and serve.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Sesame Noodles
I really try to remember where I got these recipes, but sometimes I just completely forget. I feel those who made these dishes deserve their due credit. This one I found on thee Internet, but have no blessed clue where. I so want to try Udon noodles, but the recipe actually called for pasta. I liked it, but hubby and Savanah were not as pleased with it. This is definitely a keeper though.
1 (8 ounce) package brown rice spaghetti, other thin pasta or udon noodles
1/4 cup tamari (We use reduced sodium)
2 T tahini
1 T roasted smooth almond butter (We used regular butter)
1 T brown rice vinegar (We used rice wine vinegar)
1 T lemon juice
1 T toasted sesame oil
Hot sauce to taste
1 cup shredded cabbage (We sued green, red is prettier)
1&1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup sliced green onions
1 T toasted sesame seeds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta/noodles until al dente ( I prefer mine a bit more cooked) according to package directions. Drain pasta/noodles thoroughly.
In a large bowl, whisk together tamari, tahini, almond butter, vinegar, lemon juice, toasted sesame oil and hot sauce. Add pasta cabbage, carrots and green onions. Toss to coat noodles thoroughly with sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
There will not be a lot of sauce sitting in the bottom of the bowl. So if you like it saucier, then have some extra tamari sitting on the dining room table. Enjoy, I know I did.
1 (8 ounce) package brown rice spaghetti, other thin pasta or udon noodles
1/4 cup tamari (We use reduced sodium)
2 T tahini
1 T roasted smooth almond butter (We used regular butter)
1 T brown rice vinegar (We used rice wine vinegar)
1 T lemon juice
1 T toasted sesame oil
Hot sauce to taste
1 cup shredded cabbage (We sued green, red is prettier)
1&1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup sliced green onions
1 T toasted sesame seeds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta/noodles until al dente ( I prefer mine a bit more cooked) according to package directions. Drain pasta/noodles thoroughly.
In a large bowl, whisk together tamari, tahini, almond butter, vinegar, lemon juice, toasted sesame oil and hot sauce. Add pasta cabbage, carrots and green onions. Toss to coat noodles thoroughly with sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
There will not be a lot of sauce sitting in the bottom of the bowl. So if you like it saucier, then have some extra tamari sitting on the dining room table. Enjoy, I know I did.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Fettuccine Alfredo
Hold on to your hats folks for I have some news. Somehow I made it to the age of 46 and never ate Fettuccine Alfredo. Do not ask my how or why, it just happened. I was so used to red sauces only, that I thought that a cream sauce could never rival my beloved tomato based sauces...never. Well I was disproved, thanks to my daughter. See, we can learn from our children, so moms, keep an open mind when it comes to your children.
As my daughter suggested a cream sauce pasta dish, I began to cringe on the inside, but outwardly I gave her my full support, hoping beyond all hope I would not lose my dinner at the table. I even helped her to prepare the dish. Simple ingredients...right up my alley. Well, low and behold, that dish rocked, and as we dub them in our home, it is a keeper. So please enjoy this dish we snagged from none other than Giada De Laurentis from the Food Network. We figured if you want good Italian, then go to her. You want good Southern, you go to Paula Deen, and so forth. Well it paid off and I hope you all enjoy this dish as much as we did.
18 ounces fresh fettuccine (We of course used 1 pound boxed)
2&1/2 cups heavy cream(We used whole milk)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice(We would cut back to 1/4 cup)
12 T unsalted butter(We used salted, it is what we had)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 t grated lemon zest(We used 1 t)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite(I prefer a more cooked pasta, but that is me. And watch the fettuccine, it has a tendency to stick, which my daughter found out. Stir it more frequently). Drain.
Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Now here is where we had to improvise. Since we used whole milk, we had to let our sauce render down a bit...to thicken up, but it came out fine.
Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan cheese to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Serve hot. Enjoy
**This dish was elegant and fragrant, and aromatic, and...well you see my meaning. We only have to tweak it a bit, and we like to keep dishes as true to their original format as possible. For changing it too much takes away from the integrity of the recipe. I know that sounds silly, but that is how we feel. Not every recipe is going to fit every home, and that is what makes us special and unique. Hope you enjoy this dish, whether you use the original recipe or our tweaked recipe.
As my daughter suggested a cream sauce pasta dish, I began to cringe on the inside, but outwardly I gave her my full support, hoping beyond all hope I would not lose my dinner at the table. I even helped her to prepare the dish. Simple ingredients...right up my alley. Well, low and behold, that dish rocked, and as we dub them in our home, it is a keeper. So please enjoy this dish we snagged from none other than Giada De Laurentis from the Food Network. We figured if you want good Italian, then go to her. You want good Southern, you go to Paula Deen, and so forth. Well it paid off and I hope you all enjoy this dish as much as we did.
18 ounces fresh fettuccine (We of course used 1 pound boxed)
2&1/2 cups heavy cream(We used whole milk)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice(We would cut back to 1/4 cup)
12 T unsalted butter(We used salted, it is what we had)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 t grated lemon zest(We used 1 t)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite(I prefer a more cooked pasta, but that is me. And watch the fettuccine, it has a tendency to stick, which my daughter found out. Stir it more frequently). Drain.
Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Now here is where we had to improvise. Since we used whole milk, we had to let our sauce render down a bit...to thicken up, but it came out fine.
Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan cheese to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Serve hot. Enjoy
**This dish was elegant and fragrant, and aromatic, and...well you see my meaning. We only have to tweak it a bit, and we like to keep dishes as true to their original format as possible. For changing it too much takes away from the integrity of the recipe. I know that sounds silly, but that is how we feel. Not every recipe is going to fit every home, and that is what makes us special and unique. Hope you enjoy this dish, whether you use the original recipe or our tweaked recipe.
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