More-With-Less

A little bit less...for more, hopefully

2010-07-22T22:03:00.000-04:00

Yes, summers are normally busy times of year...with trips, gardening, and general basking in the sun.

No, I've not been posting much. Partly because of busyness, partly because it's so hot in our kitchen that I never want to cook, and partly because I am finding that I feel like I've personally learned most of what I set out to learn. More-with-Less was a mostly undiscovered cookbook for me a year ago, save a few bread and cookie recipes, and within a year I've branched in a direction I don't typically branch towards: simple, "home-cooked-tasting" meals (versus the normally crazy what-looks-awesome-with-seemingly-a-long-list-of-ingredients meals).

In brief, I am feeling that my personal journey with blogging about MWL is ending. Not having to write may even make my life simpler...which, is totally in the spirit of MWL, is it not?

I gladly leave open the opportunity for someone else to pick up where I left off -- drop me a line, and we'll get you started.

I have enjoyed writing very much and sharing stories with each of you about the food we eat. I'm grateful for the press I received from Mennonite Publishing House and for the new people that came around because of it. I hope you are not too disappointed (if you are, see the paragraph right above this one...you can turn that frown upside down!), but that you can appreciate any new insights you've found along the way.

Good luck and good eating to each of you, blazing your own culinary paths!

Cabbage!

2010-06-21T10:19:00.001-04:00

92. Formosan Fried Cabbage, pg. 226

It seems slightly culturally insensitive to call this "Formosan" when even the author is not sure if this recipe is used in Taiwan. I grew up knowing this dish as "Bee Chee" (or spelled something like that...), which isn't necessarily great for describing what's actually in the dish, but at least there are no cultural assumptions. :)

Issues aside, I love the fact this recipe has only four ingredients. It makes life so much easier. And then it all is served over rice. Perfect.

I used bacon that I bought from a farm that sells at the same market that I do. (It's such a lovely treat to be able to buy food straight from a farmer and go home and cook it! :)) I've used different kinds of cabbage for this dish before, and they all turn out very similarly.

I ain't got much to say other than that.

Overall: 4 out of 5 If you're craving salt, say hello to dinner!

93. Creamy Cabbage, pg. 226

Yup, I had leftover cabbage, and this is where it all was finished up. Though I'm very normally a vegetarian, I always think of cabbage alongside a pork dish (like above :)). Perhaps that's the German in me. We didn't have meat with this dish, but I can envision it alongside kielbasa or spicy sausage.

After cooking the cabbage and onions for about 7 or 8 minutes, I dumped in the cream cheese and paprika. I didn't see the need to add more fat in the way of butter, so I nixed that, and I don't have (nor do I like) celery seed. (Which, again, really only leaves me with 5 ingredients, not counting water. Yay!)

The dish was simple, but satisfying. I liked that the cabbage was still crunchy, but had mellowed just a bit.

Overall: 3.4 out of 5 Good, but not particularly beautiful.

2010-06-15T17:46:00.001-04:00

I'm in a rush to clear out some of my canned and frozen goodies from last year before the same things come back into season...But a few things have already gotten ahead of me, like beets. I still have nearly a dozen pints of pickled beets sitting in our basement, and yet, tonight, I am cooking the first two beets we'll eat this summer. Ahh, well, I guess that just means I'll not have to can those this year. I'm also, more than happily, helping clean out my mother's cellar. I've become reacquainted with my undying love of tart-apple applesauce. And though a good deal of my fruit servings these days goes towards ungodly amounts of sweet cherries, I've also found space in my stomach for the hearty bowl of cold applesauce on hot nights. I like food a little too much, it seems...

90. Bierrocks, pg. 144

A grateful nod to Rocky Mountain MCC Relief Sale for introducing me to this dish nearly 8 years ago. Before my service group's trip there, I'd never known that hamburger, cabbage, and onion could be enclosed so nicely in a soft, wheaty bun.

So, last night, with meat-eating friends coming over, I dove headfirst into tackling this cultural delight (and tried to gear up my stomach to ingest beef for the first time in a very long time.)

I halved the recipe since there were only four of us. In the dough, I still used a whole egg, and it turned out fine. I used one cup of whole wheat, and the rest white.

I used a whole pound of ground beef, since it was frozen and I wasn't patient enough (or had enough foresight) to use just 3/4 lb. I did end up with extra filling, but I think I could have put more than 2T. in each pocket. I got 6 large bierrocks out of the recipe. Be forewarned that the dough really expands when it bakes!

Served alongside hot sauce and ketchup, these bierrocks were very tasty. Not as good as I remember them from the Relief Sale, but not having grown up eating these, I can't say I did too bad for a first go. :)

Overall: 3.6 out of 5 Good. A fun substitute to boring ol' hamburgers!

91. New Potatoes and Peas with Ham, pg. 140

In my opinion, creamed peas and potatoes are The Quintessential Summer Dish. Their combination signals the beginning of something very good.

When you're getting your veggies together, I don't think it's super important to maintain the proportions listed. I often don't use onions at all, sometimes use fewer peas (depending on what I have on hand), and will use medium-sized potatoes and cut them up.

Normally when I'm making this dish, after cooking the veggies, I drain all the liquid and just add a little bit of butter and milk. But I have to say that I really liked making the roux with the extra liquid. I liked the thick, almost-gravy it made. I will definitely do this again.

And I completely nixed the cooked ham and cheese. I suppose if this is your entire dinner, you might want that protein in there, but for a main veggie dish, doing without them is completely understandable.

(The leftovers are great for breakfast, too. :) )

Overall: 4.6 out of 5 Simply Summer. Yum.

2010-06-11T07:58:00.000-04:00

I'm all for changing the status quo, and here in our house, that means involving my husband in making food occasionally. He does a couple things really well in the kitchen: chop veggies, season dishes, and make Annie's mac and cheese. He's also quite good at loading the dishwasher (but rarely unloads it), adding too much garlic to a concoction (just did that last night), and now, as I've come to find out, putting beans on the stove to cook while I'm gone (and I've asked him to).

Unfortunately, with this last "gift", the only part he's good at is the actual physical action of putting the beans on the stove and turning the gas on. :)

I had been gone for part of an afternoon when I asked him to do these things for me when he got home from work. Upon my return, I smelled something burning. Now, I've burned a pan of beans before, and so I was more or less (ha!) instantly clued into what was happening. I run to the stove, find the pan dry, and the beans looking up at me, helplessly. I performed as much emergency aid as I could, and then let the beans cool down before I would try one to see if the burny smell had turned into burny taste. (This also gave me time to yell at said husband. In a kind, thoughtful, and forgiving way, of course.)

Soon enough, we discovered the beans were somewhat salvagable, so all had not been lost in the quest for the night's dinner.

89. Crusty Mexican Bean Bake, pg. 101 featuring the crust from Soybean Pie, pg. 111

Starting off with the crust: since I didn't have yogurt or sour cream, and didn't feel like going out specifically for it, I decided to go with the crust for the Soybean Pie, which is a corn-based crust versus the flour-based crust of Bean Bake. The final crust product reminded me of cornbread, which was nice, as we oft pair cornbread and chili...which takes us to the Bean Bake.

To make it vegetarian, I subbed about 1 c. of cooked soy beans for the ground beef and sauteed them with the onion. The remainder of the filling is straight-forward, but I used (nearly burnt) pinto beans instead of kidney beans. Since I didn't have any juice left from the beans, I simply rinsed out the tomato paste can with water and used all of that liquid instead. As I didn't have chili powder, I subbed 1 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. cayenne, and 1/2 t coriander.

After baking, I sprinkled a little bit of cheese on top as well as a few garlic scapes (for color.) At the table, I had extra cheese and lettuce available, and had salsa available instead of tomatoes.

As a whole, it was a good dish, and solid. I would air on the side of saying it serves 4-5 adults, at least if that's all your serving for dinner.

And I guess we can say that all's well that ends well. :)

Overall: 4 out of 5, Husband rated. I would have gone slightly more conservatively in the mid-3s.

2010-06-08T12:22:00.000-04:00

88. Marinated Soybeans, pg. 113

This was my first time cooking with actual soybeans. Sure, I take in soy in many, many other ways on a daily basis, but this was absolutely The First Time that I cooked up soybeans and then used them in a recipe. Oh, More-With-Less! The places you take me! :)

I had high hopes for this dish. I typically like marinated things and salads in general. I don't know that I've ever had enough bean salad to be able to compare this recipe to a standard 3-bean concoction...so I'm quite new to this.

It was pretty. I used fresh basil from the garden, and combined with the parsley, it looked spunky and fun. I had to sub here and there...didn't have garlic salt, so minced an extra clove instead and added a dash of salt. I didn't have dill pickles, so I threw in a tablespoon of sweet relish. And I didn't have green pepper, so it didn't get any.

Stuck in in the fridge to chill, and got it out to use as my side dish for dinner. The first bite was okay. But the more I ate it, I felt that it was ending up: too sweet, too heavy, and had too many competing flavors.

My advice is to reduce the amount of honey, eat small portions of the stuff, and tailor the spices to your typical delights.

Overall: 2 out of 5 Bearable, but not great.

2010-05-30T17:22:00.000-04:00

Just a quick plug for the new MPH book, Saving the Seasons: It looks gorgeous, scrumptious, and full of new ideas! If you're looking forward to learning how to put up food, I recommend a look into it!

87. Lentil-Barley Stew, pg. 107

Another rainy day, another soup.

I doubled this recipe to serve a crowd of 9 (just to be on the safe side), and we had plenty of leftovers. Pairs nicely with a salad, and I even pulled out Simply in Season to make Rhubarb Muffins (with rhubarb fresh from the garden!)

A quick few notes on what I did differently. Towards the end of the saute time, I added three cloves of minced garlic. Then, I added a few cubes of veggie bouillon with the water, and then didn't add either the salt or garlic salt. I actually used less water than what it called for, as the pan looked like it would overflow if I used the full amount -- I probably used about 10 cups instead of 12. Also, when I added the lentils, since I was using wheat berries instead of pearl barley, I went ahead and added the berries, since they take a little longer to cook. Other than that, I made the recipe as written. The smells that gradually filled the kitchen (alongside the cinnamony-muffins) were delightful! The meal was heartily eaten, and the stew was a hit!

Overall: 4 out of 5 Great for larger groups, and a solid meal even on its own.

Back Again

2010-05-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

Now that the two wedding-dessert-fiascos are past, my mind is settling and I'm here to review a few recipes that have been tested recently.

84. Pakistani Kima, pg. 131

Perhaps surprisingly, I've been familiar with this recipe since high school, as my school's cafeteria tried their hand at this kima occasionally. I was never a huge fan of it then, but a Pakistani student assured us it was nothing like his mother's ... which left me with hope that my turn at making it might be more successful.

I'll admit I change the recipe fairly dramatically -- instead of beef, I used about 1 1/2 c. garbanzo beans. Instead of a regular potato, I used a sweet potato, and as I didn't have any peas or green beans (the peas are starting to set on in the garden, though! :)), used about a cup of frozen corn. The peas or green beans would have given the dish some much-needed color, but we just had to do without for now. I kept all the seasonings the same as written, which I really think is the kicker for this recipe. And, really, as long as you like curry, you can tweak this dish in the vegetable arena as much as you like and still really enjoy what turns out.

I served yogurt alongside, since my curry mix is pretty hot.

This recipe was pretty quick to come together, and it definitely was good.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Get yourself a good curry powder and make this!

85. Zucchini Bread, pg. 82

We're heading quickly into the days of too many zucchinis. Are you lining up your recipes already, trying to figure out how to not let a single one go to waste? I'm not. For two reasons: the freezer and this recipe.

I generally am a huge fan of sweet breads, especially fruit and vegetable versions. Last summer, when our zuke supply was unrelenting, I made this bread at least once a week, and also shredded some by the quart to put in the freezer for winter soups...and...bread. :)

I like this recipe because it's fairly simple to pull together. I typically add about 1+ c. of chocolate chips for an extra antioxidant boost. (Right?) I only have 9" pans, which are fine -- you'll just get a squatter bread and might want to check for doneness starting around 50 minutes.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Yum...and it's vegetables!

86. Easy French Bread, pg. 63

I realise most people have it within their realm of realism that there is the occasional mess-up when making a recipe. I don't have this realism for myself, and when I came to this self-proclaimed "easy" recipe, I figured I would fly through pulling it together and it would turn out normal and right.

Well, I'm mixing it up and, having decided to halve the recipe, was just mentally cutting each ingredient measurement in half before dumping it in. Except the flour. I forgot. I dumped in 2 c. white flour and 2 c. wheat flour before realising what I had done...and why the dough seemed inordinately dry. After I gave myself a moment to be angry, I dumped the dry dough onto my countertop. I tried kneading in some extra butter which helped a little bit...but not enough to reclaim the dough. So, I did what I could, but it was a tough dough. I still let it rise, baked it, and have been eating it. The flavor is pretty good, but it looks positively sad. I really hate messing up on recipes because Food is one thing I really enjoy doing time and time again ... bleh.

Overall: Not sure. Maybe if I try it again, I'll adjust. (Or, has anyone else made this?)

Until next time...which, hopefully, will not be 2 weeks from now...

2010-05-05T09:59:00.000-04:00

I am a person who has struggled to live in the present. I tend to live in the future, anticipating that the next big thing will be the right fit for me. Occasionally, even, I will take amazing experiences from my past and push them into my future, in hopes that they will occur again. One of those things is moving back to my desert home, New Mexico. Having (realistically, now) loved 80% of my short 2 years there (versus my 50% over 2 years in Lancaster), I keep trying to re-write NM back into my life. While not physically there, I mostly long for the things I knew there: the towering Sandia mountains, the ease of public transit, bike paths along the Rio Grande, and then, of course, the food. Red and green chiles, fresh tortillas, beans and more beans, Frito Pie (picture: a small bag of Frito chips cut open and chili, cheese, and sour cream dumped on top...and eaten out of the bag), and the list could go on.

So, yesterday, when I was skimming through MWL, and came across my first recipe, refried beans, I had visions of what could very well come together in my kitchen. After we ate our meal, a lone, bittersweet tear sat in my eye. It is good to "come home" in brief moments at the dining room table.

82. Mexican Refried Beans, pg. 101

I started the beans cooking, promptly forgot about them, and went to work outside in the garden. Awhile later, I came back in, smelled singeing beans, and raced to save them. They were save-able, and a near disaster was averted. (This very disaster has happened to me at least 3 times in my life...why is it so easy to walk from a pot of cooking beans??)

I cooked the beans by themselves, knowing that I would want to sauté the onions by themselves later. After the beans are done cooking, reserve about a cup of their liquid, but dump the rest out. I don't have a potato masher, so I just plopped them into my mixing bowl and let the paddle take care of it. (If you have neither, my host mom from a stay in Ciudad Juárez mashed her beans with the bottom of a drinking cup.) While they were mashing, I sautéed the onions with a teaspoon of cumin and about a 1/4 t. cayenne. I am of the stubborn opinion that refried beans aren't really refried beans unless they have at least some cumin in them.

Use an amount of oil/fat that you're comfortable with, and when you add the beans, you can always add some of their cooking liquid to thin it out a bit.

I also added about 8 or 10 cherry tomatoes from the freezer for a little extra something-something, but the beans were delightful in taste trials before that addition.

Overall: 4.8 out of 5 If you have the time to make your own refried beans, this is a great starter recipe for you. Do it!

83. Navajo Fry Bread, pg. 83

Hellloooo, amazing-tasting-fried-dough. So do you see where we're headed now? Do you see the final dish? Are you drooling yet?

I divided the recipe to get two servings -- 1 1/2 c. flour, dash of salt, just under 3/4 t. baking powder, 1/2 c. water, and just under 1/4 c. milk. So simple. While, yes, you will need to knead this dough, try not to overknead it -- I've made a tough fry bread in my time by overkneading.

For frying, I just used my high-walled frying pan, and made sure the bottom was well-covered with a mix of oil and shortening. When I first learned how to make these from a Mennonite Navajo woman in Farmington, NM, we, of course, used lard and lard only. Which is fine, if you're into that. :) (The picture of the three lovely ladies shaping fry bread were my co-horts in Service Adventure in 2002/03 -- Gail (Guengrich) Miller, Anja (Baumgart) Phillips, and Ellen (Bradshaw) Goodman.)

I stretched my dough with my hands, holding the dough up in the air and rotating it so that it's more or less the same thickness. Definitely punch that hole in the middle -- helps the middle part cook thoroughly.

After we fried them, then came assembly into Navajo Tacos. Fry bread, then the beans, then lightly steamed corn, (cheese if you want it), lettuce, and salsa. (Or see page 146 for other ideas.)

Overall: 5 out of 5 The meal was silent, except for sighs of delight after bites.

2010-05-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

You may have been concerned, with this long silence, if I had, in fact, survived the cupcake making. I did. Proof:

Meanwhile, in my recovery, I've made a few dishes to update with.

79. Carrot-Cheddar Casserole, pg. 227

A dairy-lovers dream. Chock full of milk (I used some leftover cream from the cupcake adventure), super cheesy (used a little bit of cream cheese, also leftover from cupcakes, as well as some herbed cheddar), topped with Cheez-Its...And mix that all with some sweet, mashed carrots. Pretty good stuff, though I'm not sure it could ever classify as "healthy", unless you're on an all-dairy diet.

Overall: 3.3 out of 5 I would rate it higher, but felt guilty while eating it ...

80. Cream of Carrot-Cheddar Soup, pg. 204

Mmmm another carrot and cheddar combo...I had extra carrots that needed to be used up :) Apparently, I over-ordered a little bit for the cupcakes, but better safe than sorry, right? Especially when it's for someone's wedding!

I'm a sucker for "cream of" whatever soups. So, I was pretty excited about this one. I had a few sweet potatoes on hand, so I decided to sub them for the regular white potatoes. Shredded the carrots and and potatoes in a food processor (what a time saver!) and dumped everything together. I had neither Tabasco or worcestershire on hand, so used a spicy steak sauce instead. Since I was using sweet potatoes, I nixed the added sugar. (And carrots are so sweet to begin with...not sure why it would need to be in there at all.)

After adding some Old Bay Cheddar (seasoned with Old Bay spices) and milk, the soup was ready. It was a little disappointing. Not as thick as I expected, or as creamy. I'm thinking that it might be good pureed -- breaking up the veggies would make a thicker soup. Spice-wise, it was okay, but I needed to add more of the hot sauce to be satisfied.

Overall: 3 out of 5 Average, as written, but could be improved upon.

81. Three-Flour Bread, pg. 60

Nothing like realising at dinner time that there's no bread in the house for your husband's lunch for the next day. Suddenly you have a choice: save yourself the trouble and go to the grocery store and buy the most nutritious loaf you can find (while resolving not to feel guilty) or change your evening plans and whip up a batch. I go back and forth between these options when I find myself in this situation (it's happened a couple times.) Sometimes, when I'm too tired, I will just go to the store and buy a loaf and resolve to make the next bread. This time, I decided I had it in me to do some aggressive kneading. And to even branch out beyond oatmeal bread, no less!

So ingredients started getting dumped in my Kitchenaid. I left out the dry milk and upped the soy and wheat germ, and added about a 1/4 c. of potato flour and 3 T. vital wheat gluten. Otherwise, I mixed just as written. I put the dough in the oven with the light on, hoping to slightly speed up the 2 hour rising time. At about an hour and a half, I took the dough out and shaped the loaves. They rose speedily, and after about a half hour, I was happy with their size so I slashed them down the middle and set them in the oven. Now, I'm not sure I completely understand the 450 start temp, considering it takes my oven longer than 10 minutes to reach 450. Anyways, it worked out, and I still turned the oven down to 350 after 10 minutes. The bread looked really lovely, and baked high and light. It tastes wonderful as toast, and it's definitely worthy of being made again!

Overall: 4.0 out of 5 Solidly tasty.

Cooking Occasions

2010-04-21T19:33:00.003-04:00

Last week, I had the fortune of being invited by a woman at our church to learn how to make zwieback. For those of you who are unfamiliar with zwieback, it is a yeast roll with two "layers": a wider roll on the bottom and a miniature roll on top. They look, more or less, like this->

The woman who invited me had been a young refugee during World War II in Germany, and escaped with her family to the U.S. with the aid of MCC. After shaping the rolls there at her house, we had the chance to sit and talk about both of our life stories while the rolls raised and baked. Sitting with this woman of courage, strong opinions (but accepting at the same time -- leave it to a German), and skills, I found myself wanting to hear more about her than I wanted to say about myself. And I was reminded again that food not only brings people together, but shapes traditions, cultures, and stories.

This coming weekend, two friends are getting married, and I was asked to make part of the dessert. We settled on cupcakes, and the search for recipes and quality ingredients ensued. My friends are greatly invested in having a spread which represents both local produce and local labor, and I'm trying to do justice in my part. I'll be baking 20 dozen(ish) cupcakes of four varieties. I'm looking forward to the challenge (never done this before!) and am hoping that I'll live to tell about it.

I'm getting long-winded. Here's the recipe for today!

78. Kusherie (Egyptian Rice and Lentils), pg. 108

Craving lentils, I was in search of a recipe that I hadn't tried yet, and after reading the forward to this recipe (regarding its surprising ease of production), decided to take it on. This kind of recipe always looks fun to me -- what I mean is that when I look at something like this, I see lots of room for variations and experimentation.

I used slightly less than called for on the lentils, but kept the stock at 3 cups. If you use stock instead of water, consider not using the extra salt. I used a mix of brown and wild rices, and as you can tell in the pictures, it's pretty dramatic. While my rice usually takes longer to cook (up to 35-40 minutes), I decided to test at 25 minutes, and it was ready. While you're not supposed to stir, I think it's perfectly reasonable to test the lentils and rice at the 25 minute mark. If they're not done yet, put the lid back on and wait another 4-5 minutes and check again.

For the sauce, I used about 3 cups of frozen tomato chunks instead of the sauce/juice/puree, and a whole can of tomato paste. I omitted the celery leaves. I did put in all the spices, though when I make this again, I probably won't add the extra sugar, as I find tomato paste quite sweet to begin with.

And then come the browned onions. My-oh-my, how I love them. Because I made a full recipe, but knew the two of us wouldn't eat it all in one night, I only sauteed one onion and two cloves of garlic. Tonight, with the leftovers, I'll sauté another onion and two more cloves of garlic, while just reheating the rest of the dish.

I liked several things about this recipe. One, the rice/lentil combo gets started first, and immediately after adding the rice, you can go on to the sauce, and then once the sauce comes together, you can start working on the onions. Then, once the onions are done, everything else will about be ready. It's nice to have two parts of your meal taking care of themselves while you're getting the finishing touches together. Second thing that I like is that you can, as the contributor states, nix the sauce altogether. The browned onions have so much flavor that having them with the lentils is still divine. And lastly, I like that it's a one-plate, one-dish meal. I know that cooking this recipe will be all I need to make for that meal.

Overall: 4.3 out of 5 Love the flavors, love the colors and presentation.

2010-04-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

76. Coconut-Oatmeal Granola, pg. 95

This is not your typical granola. You might notice that it calls for 3 cups of flour, more than either coconut or oatmeal. And, in the end, you can expect a floury-wheaty cereal.

The tastes are nice -- it is pleasantly sweet, and the coconut is tasty. But the consistency makes your mouth feel coated in paste. Not really our style, but a gander nonetheless at a morning meal.

Overall: 2 out of 5 Did you see how short my review was?

77. Cauliflower Salad, pg. 252

You're trying to pull together a meal last minute, and you're not quite sure what to do with that huge head of cauliflower in your fridge? Try this salad.

Fast to make, with ingredients most cooks already have in their kitchen, this light salad makes for a great side dish to most any meal. I mixed all the liquid ingredients in a pitcher and then dumped the dressing over the veggies. Instead of scallions, I used a hearty snipping of chives. Wild spring onions would also work well.

We didn't have time to chill it before eating, but the flavors were still good.

Overall: 3.8 out of 5 Simple and delightful.

2010-04-09T18:20:00.000-04:00

You want something sweet, but crunchy. Healthy, but only halfway. You arrive at this recipe, and you know that you have met what will become your snack.

75. Peanut-Butter Popcorn, pg. 306

Exhibit A. Peanut-y Cracker Jacks without the miniature baseball card. I experienced only mild disappointment at the latter, and soon forgot it all together when my tastebuds encountered the sweetly-coated popcorn. It's so simple to make. Pop popcorn. Boil some stuff, add a little PB, dump it all together. Eat. Yum.

I split the liquid sweetener, doing half light corn syrup, half agave. Very agreeable. If your PB has sugar added, lessen the amount of sugar you use to 1/4 - 1/3 c.

Overall: 4.6 out of 5 The next time I watch the Phillies, I might have to make a batch.

2010-04-04T18:03:00.002-04:00

A Happy Easter to each of you! I hope your respective Easter Bunnies treated you better than mine did... And if they didn't...then maybe it's time to stop believing in him/her.

A festive day calls for festive food, and I was in a festive spirit. Thus, breakfast was created.

72. Grandmother's Russian Pancakes, pg. 75

Growing up in a house where a parent could claim Prussian/Russian ancestory, I was familiar with various and sundry meals which were eaten only at home (while living in VA) and in Kansas at relatives' homes. I always had a special affinity for that which was not PA-Dutch/Southern influenced, and I was excited to try this recipe. We grew up eating "rearei", a egg-milk-flour concoction fried and then chopped up, and served topped with pancake syrup. These pancakes looked similar, and today they were called upon to be tested. Like Mennonites, they were The Chosen. (I hope you caught the playful sarcasm :))

The batter is easy to whip up and you're straight to the stove top in less than five minutes. The recipe tells you everything you need to know beyond that. They'll look a lot like crépes, only mine were a little bit thicker -- I think I had my fire on too high, and they didn't spread out as much as I had anticipated. So, don't expect it to resemble an American-style pancake -- they do not get light and puffy. It's very much an eggy pancake.

I liked it! A half recipe was perfect for two, and we spread ours with cinnamon and sugar, maple syrup, and blackberry syrup (the next recipe below)...all on different ones, of course.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Filling and simple. A taste of history. :)

73. Fruit Syrup for Pancakes, pg. 77

I was first introduced to this recipe when visiting my brother during his MVS term in Chicago. We made mango syrup to top (what I remember as being) very delicious pancakes. I have used this recipe several times since, and enjoy the colors it adds to a breakfast plate.

Today, we used frozen blackberries, which made a vibrant, deep purple syrup (suitable for Easter, eh?)

The photographs tell it all...

Overall: 5 out of 5 I could eat this stuff plain. (And I do.)

74. Potato Pancakes, pg. 233

I realise I get on kicks. For awhile there, it was soups. Lately, it's been pancakes. And it seems that for each one, I have a story. This one is no different.

Between high school and college, I took a year "off" to serve with Service Adventure in Albuquerque, NM. I worked at an elementary school as a teacher's aide, and in the kindergarten class where I helped half days, we often had activities based on various culture's celebrations. It was in this class that I tried Latkes for the first time, the potato pancakes traditionally eaten by Jews during Hanukkah. We ate them, of course, alternating between sour cream and applesauce. While I can't remember the kids' reactions, I really enjoyed them. While similar to hashbrowns, the inclusion of eggs and a little flour set them apart a wee bit.

When I made this recipe, we ate them the more traditional-hashbrown way with ketchup, but would definitely eat them with applesauce if I made them again. It's a good, straight-forward recipe, and I will definitely be making them again.

Overall: 4.6 out of 5 Fried potatoes. How can you go wrong????

2010-03-30T15:06:00.002-04:00

Now, I know I can't count this brilliant ingenuity as a new review, but it needed to be shared.

Here she is: Mini-Loaf Cinnamon-swirl Oatmeal Bread French Toast. I looked and tasted and said that it was good. Can I get an "amen"?

And back to the realm of number counting...

71. Nippy Garbanzo Spread, pg. 308

Every time I skimmed through this page, this recipe always jumped out. "Nippy" is not a word I typically associate with food (aside from cheese, perhaps), so it always sounded a little funny. I never really read the recipe, though, in those flip-throughs, and just assumed that it was a recipe for hummus.

Until today.

I had cooked up a bunch of garbanzos, thinking I would make hummus until I discovered that I was plumb (ha!) out of lemon juice. And, then I remembered this recipe, and decided to give it a go. The recipe itself puzzled me a little bit because I couldn't imagine how it was going to turn out. I've never cooked a spread like this one calls for, let alone having to mix eggs in to bind it all together. I was suspicious, but I was curious.

With a food processor, this recipe is a snap to make. Dump in onion and a couple cloves of garlic and let them mince. Scoop them out and start sauteing them while you process the garbanzos and eggs together. Stirring until "dry" was a bit of a crapshoot. I just let them go until they turned the approximate consistency of scrambled eggs.

As the mixture cooled, I added salt, pepper, cayenne, and about 3 T. of mayo. And then I tried it.

It was okay. Not super, but not as awful as I thought it might be. If you're looking for hummus, this ain't gonna satisfy you one bit. If you're looking for a new spread idea for persons with highly sensitive palettes (read: bland), this might be a good bet.

Overall: 2.6 out of 5 If you're looking for nippy, head straight to the freezer aisle and skip the process of making this. If you're looking for something wet to put on sandwiches, and want to keep it "agreeable", you'll probably like it.

2010-03-29T18:45:00.002-04:00

70. Wheat Germ Griddle Cakes, pg. 74

Saturday morning came around and I had guests to feed. Having pancakes in our house is a special treat, since it means that we (being the husband et moi) are eating breakfast together. It is actually a rare occurrence in our house, since one of us is always getting up early for work on the day that the other one can sleep in...

So, having doubled the number of people in our house, I thought it was an excellent excuse to pull something together more elegant than granola for our morning meal. I often look to MWL for pancake recipes (as I mentioned before here) and this one was chosen.

The batter is mixed up a little differently than normal pancakes, and there is less room for error in this recipe. Mixing it well will not result in flat, dense cakes. In fact, these cakes cooked high and light, leaving me in awe of the wonders of wheat germ.

Not only in looks were these pancakes a hit. They were tasty as well, with subtle nutty flavors and just sweet enough that you didn't feel like you had to dump a jug full of Aunt Jemima on top. (I don't really use Aunty's corn syrup abomination, but I'll try not to judge those who do...ahem...)

So, if you're looking for something pancake-like, but don't want the same old buttermilk deal, give these a try and you might have yourself a new favorite! Or, at least, something to get your husband/wife/child/friend/etc. up for on Saturday mornings. :)

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Delightful plain, with chocolate chips, or dressed with butter and maple syrup.

2010-03-26T09:09:00.001-04:00

68. Six-Layer Dish, pg. 137

We had plans we had to work around on the night I decided to make this. Therefore, this dish worked very nicely, as it sat in the oven for two hours while we did all our other stuff. It's been a long time since I've made something that is along the lines of "fix it and forget it," and it was very nice to think about that the dish could be left to its own devices while I puttered away elsewhere.

On top of the lovely time factor, this dish can easily become a five-layer or seven-layer or whatever-you've-got kind of meal. If you've got a food processor, the slicing and dicing goes super quick as well!

I used a 9x9 baking pan and didn't measure anything. I went by looks and catered according to what we like most. Two potatoes, a couple carrots, skipped the rice, a big onion, a can of black beans instead of meat, and a 15 oz. can of tomatoes. Ba-dah-bing. Done. (Mostly.) I poured a little bit of oil over the top, nixed the brown sugar, covered it, and stuck it in the oven. When there was about 20 minutes left (I estimated -- maybe an hour and a half into it, when a fork easily pierces the potatoes), I sprinkled a little bit of feta cheese on top. I left the pan uncovered then, and set it to cook just a bit longer. And that was all I wrote. (On this one.)

It was good and hearty. An all-in-one kind of dish. While I often turn up my nose at casseroles, this one might be a keeper!

Overall: 3.8 out of 5 Simple flavors, and simple to make.

69. Basic Cooked Lentils, Curried, pg. 105

Now, I realise that I've technically made one of these recipes before, but I decided that I'm allowed to count another one since I'm reporting on it. :)

While I often enjoy making elaborate multi-course meals, especially when we're having friends over, after a long day at work, oftentimes I just want to do something straight-forward and easy. When in those tight "what do we eat tonight?" spots, my mind occasionally wanders to having rice and lentils. I appreciate their shorter cooking time, how nicely they pair with any kind of rice, and their nutty flavor.

Basically all I want to say about this recipe is that if you like curry, you will probably like this yumminess.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Spicy, lentily, and satisfyingly delicious.

2010-03-21T15:10:00.001-04:00

You may be wondering why I've not posted in a week (or maybe you don't care...), and let me assure you that I have not forgotten about my ambitions. My time as of late has been very consumed with work and working on our kitchen. In fact, we finally have put down our tile, and are waiting for the thinset to cure so that we can finish up with grout. It's a process, and not one I want to do again anytime soon. Aside from the fact that I've been tired from all the busyness, we've can't be in our kitchen, so I made only one recipe this week.

67. Fresh Asparagus Soup, pg. 203

Growing up, I loathed the nights when asparagus was served. Even the mandatory solo two-inch piece was a chore to choke down. But, sometime since, I've grown to appreciate and even enjoy the veggie, and with spring on my mind, asparagus wasn't far behind.

Looking at the recipe, I was expecting more of a cream of asparagus soup, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. I felt like there was very little taste of asparagus ... the tang of the sour cream seemed to be the dominant feature. I probably could have used more asparagus to help it along, but didn't think of it at the time. I added some garlic with the sauté, which I think gave a nice warmth to the soup, but generally speaking, I think I could find a better recipe to complement the earthy asparagus notes.

Overall: 2 out of 5 Not great, but still edible.

2010-03-14T19:27:00.001-04:00

I have just counted all the recipes in More With Less. I only counted those which had their own row of bold dots, for a total of exactly 550 (I think. I only counted once.) And, according to my calculations, it will take me another 5 years to finish, at the rate I'm going... So...hang on for a fast and exciting ride...HA! :) No, what this really means is that I'd REALLY like it if we make this into a community project. I know a lot of you have a few recipes you repeatedly return to in MWL, and I know I haven't written about all of thosel. If ever you make something and want to write about it, please let me know! Otherwise, you'll have to listen to me for a very long time. And that would be boring.

65. Onion Cheese Loaf, pg. 82

While it's been many years since I last visited one, this recipe vaguely reminded me of the cheese biscuits served at Red Lobster. A very savory loaf, this one is, and not your typical slice o' dough.

For the dry ingredients, I didn't have ground dry mustard, so I just put in a teaspoon of mustard seed. I was pretty happy with the subtlety that they provided, and recommend it if you don't have ground mustard. You might also add a teaspoon of "real" mustard (the kind you put on sandwiches). I used pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar, which was very nice. I omitted the Parmesan, since I didn't have it. A sharp cheese would be very dramatic on its own, so accommodate to what you've got and what you like.

The onions and paprika on top make a lovely display, and I wish I would have taken a picture of the loaf before we ate it all...My loaf didn't rise very much, but feel like it probably shouldn't have anyways with all the (yummy) fat that is in it. Baking for 1 hour made for a crunchy crust, so just keep an eye on your bread from 45 minutes.

Overall: 4.3 out of 5 Dangerously good and satisfying!

66. Corn and Bean Chowder, pg. 202

I served this chowder along side of the Onion Cheese Loaf, and they made a lovely pair.

A fairly straight-forward recipe that doesn't take too long to prepare if your beans are cooked.

I've noticed a couple recipes now that pair corn soups with nutmeg, and I really like the combination. It is not something that I would have thought of on my own, but, again the subtlety of the spice changes the direction of the soup.

Because I didn't get my corn out of the freezer soon enough for it to thaw, I added all the corn to the pot and once it had cooked a bit, I took out about a cup and a half and sent it through the food processor. I didn't think it thickened the soup very much, but could have taken out more and I'm sure it would have been quite thick.

Instead of dry milk solids, I used a can of coconut milk, which was delightful! If you don't have milk powder, you could also put in regular milk instead, but, of course, the soup will be thinner. I also subbed black beans for kidney.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Very yummy and warm. Filling.

2010-03-11T21:42:00.001-05:00

[[Thanks again to my momma for submitting a recipe review!!]]

64. Coating Mix for Oven Fried Chicken, pg. 179
I was a little worried about all the salt so did go a little light on each of the salts. I didn't have celery salt or poultry seasoning (which is optional) so used Lawrey's Seasoned Salt. The directions say to mix the ingredients--but my question was "what about the oil"? The directions imply that you'd mix that with the dry ingredients. I chose to skip the oil--don't think it is needed. I used Pam to grease the baking dish. I did moisten the chicken with water before dipping. The chicken was well-received at dinner! Think I will also try this with fish which is listed as an option.

2010-03-08T07:07:00.002-05:00

Recipe typo contest results: So close, Jennifer, but, yes, Emily got it!

62. Ginger-Glazed Carrots, pg. 227

I rarely make side dishes of vegetables (other than salad) because more often than not, the main dish already includes a lot of veggies. However, if you're a more meat-and-potato person, you'll probably like having this colorful, lightly spicy dish to complement your meal.

The sole thing that I changed was the amount of ginger -- I put in 1/2 t. instead of 1/4 t. If you typically like ginger, go stronger on it. If you've got picky eaters, put less on, by all means. I let my carrots cook in the glaze about 7 minutes -- don't let them cook to mush!

Overall: 3 out of 5 Not a special recipe amongst glazed carrots, but I'd choose this over simple cooked carrots.

63. Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes, pg. 73

When I need a pancake recipe, this is almost always the one I turn to. In fact, on the morning of my wedding, we had a pancake breakfast for people who had camped out on the farm with us, and we used this recipe to serve the masses! So, there are definitely some happy moments associated with these pancakes!

Since I almost never have buttermilk on hand, I always drop 1 T. lemon juice in my measuring cup and then fill the rest with regular milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes to make sour milk. On occasion, I think I have tried using all whole-wheat flour, but of course, as you can probably imagine, that turns out a veritable brick of a pancake. Keep it lighter by going 50-50. I usually add 1 T. brown sugar in with the dry ingredients, because I feel like it can turn out bland and/or salty without it.

Add your favorite fillings, too, to spice them up. We put anything from chocolate chips (of course!) to banana slices to almonds to ... (you get the picture!)

Most simply put: this recipe rarely fails to deliver, and will stick to your ribs for the better part of the morning!

Overall: 4 out of 5 Not the fluffiest pancakes ever, but the flavors mingle so nicely!

2010-03-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

61. Caribbean Rice and Beans, pg. 103

So I found a typo in this recipe (at least in the original edition that I'm looking at right now). Can you find it? The person with the first correct answer (and living in the lower 48 states) may very well receive in the mail (or in person, if you live close enough) a dozen of the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I raved about here. (I really hope this isn't too easy...I didn't catch it until just now...after having looked many times at this recipe while making it!)

Typos aside, beans and rice are such a lovely combination that when I make them, I always wish I would make them more often. (So, I'm looking forward to the other recipes around this theme!)

To save time, use two cans of beans. Drain them and use the extra brine, as written, as part of the liquid with the rice. I followed the recipe pretty much the whole way through, otherwise, but subbed regular cooking onions for green, and used one cup of stewed tomatoes (using extra liquid again with the rice) instead of fresh. I HIGHLY recommend using lime juice (or lemon juice if you don't have lime on hand) because it gives the dish a very fresh and lively kick. Using cloves in a bean dish was a new idea for me, and the flavor was nice. I tested the dish just before serving and decided to add more cloves and a dash of cumin. When adding the rice, follow the cooking directions on the rice instead of blindly using 4 c. liquid automatically. Using basmati, I needed only 3 c., and the result was perfect.

For an extra good time with this recipe, serve with fresh mango bits, cheese, and cayenne.

Overall: 3.3 out of 5 as written(ish), 4.4 with additions of mango, cheese, and spice!

2010-02-28T17:11:00.001-05:00

60. Cheese Pizza, pg. 142

A tip of the chef's hat to Dean Martin, singing, 'When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore.'

I almost feel like writing an ode to pizza right now, thinking how delightful most of my experiences with the food have been. But I'm going to assume that you're here not to read my bad poetry, and would rather be inspired just to make food yourself (or live/eat vicariously through me.)

The idea of making pizza turned into a nearly all-day venture. We went shopping at Central Market in the morning, getting a few needed veggies and cheeses. Mid-afternoon, we started the dough, chopped and sauteed some onions and mushrooms, and made our way into sauce making.

We used 1 c. of whole wheat flour, and then ended up adding less regular white flour than it called for -- when the dough is smooth and elastic, and it's not needing much flour to knead, you can stop adding flour. I think we shorted the dough about 1/2 c. flour total. I also used 2 t. agave instead of sugar, which kept the dough lightly sweet. We kept our crusts pretty thin, and they did bake to a chewy crunch.

Toppings-wise? We went kind of crazy. Onions, mushrooms, garlic, artichoke hearts, and then for cheese, we used fresh mozzarella (one ball was plenty for one recipe, unless you're going all-cheese) and garlic chevre. Trust your inspiration, follow your heart, etc. You know what you like: do it.

Sauce. After draining most of the liquid from a quart jar of canned tomatoes, I dumped the remaining tomatoes into the sauce pan with a small chopped onion, garlic, spices, and salt. After letting it boil for awhile, I felt it was going to be too thin, so we added about 2 T. tomato paste and left the pan cooking uncovered until we were ready to put it on the crust. This made a pretty sweet sauce, so adjust to your likes.

Baking. If you're using a pizza stone, let the oven pre-heat for about 30 minutes so that the stone is good and hot when you put your pie in. Our first pizza (half the dough) took only about 13 minutes -- cut in half by the pizza stone. We split the remaining dough into two "personal sized" pizzas, and they took only about 8 minutes each.

We really enjoyed this pizza, and therefore ate a lot of it (and nothing else). We had about 1/4 of the recipe left over. I've used this recipe for calzones before, and makes a nice 4 servings. But as pizza (with hungry eaters), consider this one to be 3 servings. Three lovely, steamy servings. :)

Overall: 4.6 out of 5 My only complaint would be the too-sweet sauce. We'll work on it. :)

2010-02-25T09:35:00.000-05:00

As The Man and I have been working on remodeling our kitchen, I have been more and more amazed at how little things can so dramatically change the feel of the whole room. I'm no interior designer (and neither is Hubby) but our kitchen is slowly becoming both functional and attractive. The new look and workability of the space also increases my interest in making more of a production out of meal...i.e. spending time in a space which keeps us sated. The people who lived here before us (for over 40 years) had about 3 feet of counterspace...which was about enough for a stack of dirty dishes and a drying rack. For the first year that we were here, the washing machine ended up being where I usually kept my cutting board. It worked fine, of course, but the new workspace just feels so much more inviting! :) All this to say that an adequate kitchen can help a chef cook better. (And what would the analogy be for an outrageous kitchen? Perhaps the owner is trying to make up for their lack of culinary skills? I don't know. :P)

59. Lentil-Barley Stew, pg. 107

(First off, apologies on the low-quality pictures. My camera is old and the lighting in our kitchen is fairly awful. We'll work on it.)

I'm starting to feel a bit souped out. Yes, the stuff is typically good, filling, and warm, but it is such a symbol of winter that it can be depressing when one eats it too often.

That said, let's look at this recipe. It's very easy with things you likely have on hand, if you're reading this blog. :) I, like usual, skimped on the celery but added garlic to the sauté. Used a brown/wild rice mix, and left out the garlic salt. We didn't have carrots on hand, and I didn't have time to go get any, so we just put some cheese on top for looks. The flavor of the soup is subtle and earthy, and went nicely with oatmeal-craisin-cinnamon muffins.

2010-02-24T14:18:00.001-05:00

57. Cornmeal Yeast Bread, pg. 61

I was looking for a bread recipe to accompany chili, but didn't want to make a standard cornbread. (What can I say? I like to live on the wild side... :)) So, here I ended up, keeping the corny component, but marrying it with our lovely friend, yeast.

I made several changes to this recipe, all being positive. I used brown sugar instead of white, and would even take a step to make it healthier next time by using 1/3 c. honey or agave instead of sugar at all. I also used unsweetened soy milk (for the lactose-sensitive among us). Finally, I replaced the 1 c. white flour with whole wheat, and as usual, added about 2 T. of vital wheat gluten.

The end result was a sweet bread with lovely crunch from the cornmeal. For less crunch, use finely ground cornmeal. If you're making these into rolls, bake for only 20-25 minutes. Will make 14 large rolls in two 8" cake pans.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Will do quite nicely with soups, and will probably fare better eaten as rolls rather than sandwich bread (but I may be proven wrong.)

58. Minestrone Soup, pg. 210

Often, with an ingredient list this long, I overlook recipes because they seem overwhelming. Not only that, but this one takes some serious planning, with cooking beans and then a long overall cooking time.

But, a healthy soup was called for, and time miraculously allowed. And so it came to pass (in those days), that this soup was made. And fear ye not, vegetarians/vegans/pork haters: this recipe is and can be for you, too.

I had looked at this recipe before starting, and saw a few places where I was going to do my own thing to accommodate what I had on hand (I must have some disease that doesn't allow me to follow a recipe.) Subbed cannellini beans for navy (not a huge deal -- just a slightly longer cooking time), dropped the pork completely, and jumped in straight to the veggies. Double that onion, consider doubling the garlic as well, especially if you're not using meat. The more flavor, the merrier! I used only 4 cups of water (and had about 4 cups of bean juice), mainly because the pan I was using wouldn't have held any more. Because I didn't use pork, I did still use 4 bouillon cubes, even though I added less water. Instead of cabbage, I tossed in 2 c. of shredded zucchini from the freezer, which made the soup really pretty. Lastly, I used a pint of stewed tomatoes (another reason to use less water).

Regardless of the fact that it says to simmer soup for 1 1/2 hours, just check it periodically until the carrots are mostly done. (I can't imagine what simmering it for that long would do...would there be anything left to chew?) Didn't add the peas or green beans at the end, and threw in a whole cup of whole wheat macaroni. Again, you've got to be crazy to let macaroni cook for 20 minutes ... I let mine go for about 8 minutes before turning off the fire, because I knew the pasta would continue to cook. I don't like obliterated pasta, and you shouldn't either. :) In case you're wondering when to put the beans back in (because the recipe doesn't state it), I added mine just as the macaroni was reaching the perfect "al dente" state. Because we weren't eating the soup immediately, we tried to cool it down a bit faster by sitting it outside in the cool. This still gave the macaroni more time to cook, and so we did end up with nearly lifeless pasta, but I can't imagine how bad it could have been had we let it cook for 20 minutes (really! who cooks macaroni for 20 minutes?????)

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Fairly colorful, fairly flavorful, and makes a ton.

2010-02-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

A virtual trio of Menno cooks...

Emily Welty -- Extending the Table blog
Wendy Hammond - Simply in Season

We Cook.

2010-02-16T19:45:00.002-05:00

'Tis yet another snowy day here in Lancaster County, and I think I've finally resigned myself to my current, tragic fate of living in a land with (what I consider to be) harsh winters.

And, while you may think that since we've been pounded with snow here in the last week and a half, I should have been posting like a madwoman, alas, some of our lives must go on...The bakery at which I occasionally help out at (Wendy Jo's Homemade) participated in a fundraiser for the organization called Love146, and I helped pull together over 370 dozen heart shaped-sugar cookies with each one being iced and then having "LOVE146" written on them. It was a painstaking, three-day process, and as my dearest Husband would attest to the fact that I was exhausted and not in the greatest of spirits when I got home each night.

But, here I am again, and with a whopping four recipes to report on.

53. French-style Lettuce Salad, pg. 248

I will admit that I laughed this recipe in the face when I first saw it. "French-Style"? I didn't realise the French held the trademark for a very simple oil and vinegar dressing...And, hey, they already have a dressing named after them! Tell me -- when will the U.S. get a dressing named after them? :)

No, I am appreciative of French foods and have enjoyed my fair share of crepes with Nutella and other Frenchie delicacies ... but ... dressing? Really.

I will give them the rub-your-bowl-with-garlic. Sure. That's fine. The rest of it is a fairly Western/Universal attempt at making greens a bit more palatable. We used olive oil, a mix of red and balsamic vinegars, and nixed the parsley. Simple but delightful.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 C'est trés bien, et je pense que vous l'aimerez. Bon appetit!

54. Spicy Split Pea Soup, pg. 213

Be forewarned that this soup takes awhile to make -- so if you've got a day at home, this recipe will probably fit well into a dinner menu. It doesn't take much attention, though, so needing to come and go isn't a problem.

After the initial boil, I let the split peas sit for several hours before moving on to the next steps. The peas are forgiving and don't mind being left on the stove until closer to dinner time.

In the sauté mixture, I added an extra clove of garlic (we thought it could have even had a third), extra onion (maybe another 1/4 c.), and subbed 1/4 t. cayenne for the red peppers. You do not want the onions and garlic to be browned -- sauté them only until they start to turn translucent. When it came time to blend the soup, I probably only blended about half of the pot, which made a thick but semi-chewable stew. Go for blending all of it, if you're wanting to stretch it by putting it on rice. I think that the milk is semi-optional (sour cream could be put on the table), so this soup is easily dairy-free.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Great flavor, stretched to probably 8 servings.

55. Pumpkin Custard, pg. 267

Nixing the labor of making a pie crust, this pumpkin custard is simple and can slide in the oven with just 10 minutes of prep and mixing. It does taste very much like pumpkin pie filling (you could definitely use this recipe if you're making a pumpkin pie), though this one is just a hair less sweet. (Is there a word that is the opposite of sweeter? Sweetless? No...)

I used a pie dish, as it seemed like too much liquid to be baked in a deeper pot, and it baked out beautifully. You can create a dark, attractive top by sprinkling the nutmeg on top (much like a standard custard pie) before baking.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Good. Standard.

56. Vietnam Fried Rice, pg. 130

If you've been looking for a recipe which emulates the super-tasty, MSG-laden fried rice of yesteryear's (and/or today's) Chinese restaurants, look no further. While starkly MSG-less, this recipe is a doll. Especially during winter, I get cravings for fatty foods, and while take-out can be just downright greasy at times, this little gem probably won't cause you great digestive distress. Probably.

Lacking leftover veggies, I just tossed about 4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, halved, and 2 small carrots, sliced, in with the onions and garlic. Again, I added more garlic than it called for and this made for much happiness in the land. Use what you've got, though, and don't hold back that adventourous spirit.

I didn't add any additional salt, nor did I add sugar. Serve with soy sauce for those who want it to be saltier. I used white sticky rice, but would like to use good ole brown rice in a future trial.

One helpful hint for the eggy time -- make a well in the rice and let the eggs cook in the center of the pan. Otherwise, you may end up with soggy rice which never seems to "set".

Overall: 5 out of 5 Leave the greasy Chinese food in the soggy (though waxed) leftover containers, and come home to this delectable treat.

2010-02-02T16:01:00.000-05:00

The days fly by and all of the sudden it's been a week since I last put up a recipe. Winter should be the time when I'm really cranking out all the slave-over-a-hot-stove kind of recipes (cuts down on the heating bill, for one!), but with the oft-waning energy, I'd sometimes rather not worry with cooking.

But times are looking up -- I made a very rudimentary cold frame this morning with some of the scrap wood from our old kitchen cabinets. And, with seeds being sent through the mail to us, I am eagerly awaiting signs of new life!

For now, sit down with a cup o' joe or tea for ...

52. Wheat Germ Balls, pg. 291

Hailing from a home about 5 miles down the road from where we live, these little dough balls are a surprise hit. My personal philosophy often seems to believe that a cookie could never be "healthy" and still satisfy my very demanding sweet tooth. But, my friends, a venture into More-with-Less may slowly be changing my beliefs ... though I wouldn't wonder so far as to say "revolutionizing" ... :)

Accustomed to making cookies using the creaming method (butter & sugar, then add eggs, then flour, etc.), I decided to mix these my way, versus mixing everything together at once, as stated. It might be an interesting trial to make them again, mixing everything at once, and then compare the two. (I'll let you know if I do this and they turn out differently.) Instead of wheat germ, I only had wheat bran on hand, so I toasted the 1 c. in the oven at 350 for about 6 minutes, tossing it gently in the middle of that time. If I would have thought through it more, I would have also added the wheat bran/germ that the dough balls are rolled into.

These little guys do not spread much during baking, so you can put them close together on the baking sheet. It was a bit difficult to know when they were done baking, but at 15 minutes, mine were crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. They go really well with tea or coffee, or with applesauce or other fruit. Don't expect them to be a huge conversation piece, but they do pack a lovely sweet punch. An idea for a future batch would be to use lemon zest instead of orange -- and more than just a teaspoon.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Simple but substantial, sweet but healthier than your average cookie.

2010-01-26T06:53:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the helpful hints on bean cooking! I think I've figured out that my need to always make things differently sometimes comes into play at the wrong time...Some things are meant to always be cooked the same :)

We've reached 50! Kinda exciting! :)

[[Another review from Mom!! Danke!]]

50. Basic Corn Bread, pg. 78

I followed the recipe using a recommended substitution of some whole wheat flour. I used 1/2 c. of white and 1/2 c. of whole wheat. Since the dry milk powder was optional, I used only 1/2 c. I'm not sure why I haven't used this recipe before but I'll definitely make it again. It was great fresh from the oven and served alongside a bowl of ham and bean soup. Dad ate 3 pieces of the corn bread although the last piece was "small".

51. Pumpkin Soup, pg. 206

I was first truly introduced to pumpkin soup while staying with a friend in Germany ... and I haven't gotten enough since!

I'm really not much of an accurate measurer when it comes to soups, but with this recipe, it really doesn't matter. All that goes into this soup is lovely, and when put together, there is little chance for failure.

Slightly undercooking the onions turned out to be a beautiful idea -- they remained crunchy and pungent in the end product. Instead of using milk, I always use coconut milk in pumpkin soups. The rich, fatty flavor lends itself very well to the pumpkin, and the soup is delightfully creamy with it. For the pumpkin, I had just baked down one small kabocha, and didn't puree it as called for. While there was the occasional squash chunk, overall the squash was soft enough that it broke up well just by stirring. Lastly, make sure to add about a teaspoon of ground ginger. I would never eat this soup unaccompanied by ginger. If you have fresh ginger on hand, then grate about a teaspoon and toss it in towards the end of the onion cooking.

I really enjoyed this soup, but also felt like it was missing a bit of a kick. I typically like to add a hearty dash of orange juice to pumpkin soup, but decided to try this one without. I would definitely recommend adding OJ if you have it, or taking the alternative route and adding cayenne or hot sauce.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Quite lovely, warm, and rich...but needs an extra kick

2010-01-22T14:10:00.001-05:00

I've got a double batch of Pot-o-Gold Peanut Soup starting on the stove for a dinner party tonight, and I can't deny that I'm looking forward to it more than a person normally looks forward to a soup...but for more than just the soup! :)

I made a friend once in a land far away who was able to put words to what I intuitively already knew, but had never sat down to process: eating together with groups of friends nearly always is a meaningful time. The opportunity to sit around and do such a biological thing together (eat) creates a unique spiritual space which allows for deeper conversation. So many of the festivities in the Bible are surrounded by feasting, and Jesus concludes his time with his community of disciples by...hiking? no...shopping? umm...Eating together. Sure, moments of peace and love can happen when we eat alone or with one other person -- I'm not denying that. But I find that I am often carried through a couple days on the good, meaty conversation and fine culinary delights that I share with friends and family.

[[A recipe review from my very own mother! Hey, thanks, Mom! :)]]
48. Fruit Crumble, pg. 272

This was a quick and easy recipe to make. I used frozen sour cherries as the fruit and followed the recipe as written except for drizzling some honey over the cherries. It is more of a cobbler than I was expecting from the title. The dish could have used more sugar on the fruit but think if peaches would be used instead, nothing additional would be needed. Definitely will make this again. And the recipe could easily be doubled and put in a 9 x 13 pan.

49. Black Bean Soup, pg. 209

I've never been good at judging when beans are done cooking (any hints?). When I think they're soft, I stop them, but then when I add them to recipes, they almost always are still hard...I can't figure this out.

And it happened with this recipe. I swear I cooked the beans for at least 2 hours (after doing the quick method) if not more, but the minute we sat down to eat, they weren't soft anymore. We ate them anyways, and tried to enjoy the flavors anyway. I used probably double both the onion and green pepper, and if making this again, I would sauté the onions and garlic (and peppers, if using fresh) before adding the beans and liquid. Without doing this, there is no added fat, and I definitely found myself wanting just a hint. I did not use a smoked ham bone (wouldn't even know what that is), and instead added a couple bouillon cubes to make up for some of the flavor.

A definite must is the vinegar at the end of the recipe. I forgot to add it at first, and after a few bites of thinking "ehh....", remembered I hadn't put any in. It gave the soup a much needed kick. We didn't use any of the toppings, and ate it with bread instead of over rice. A fairly basic way to cook beans, I'm sure with correctly cooked beans, this should be a foolproof recipe.

Overall: 3.6 out of 5 I would make it again, probably.

Soup...and More Soup

2010-01-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

Searching through my freezer last night for strawberries, I came across a loaf of zucchini bread I had made over the summer and frozen, thinking it would be for sometime "when guests come". Well, apparently, I decided to arrive last night, because I took that sucker out and put it on the table to thaw. I've already had four pieces today (got up early to take Husband to work...definitely needed energy for that. And then, breakfast came...), and in my gluttony, have been trying to pinpoint why exactly I was so ecstatic about my discovery. Possibly the sugar/fat/carb combo...possibly the amount of chocolate chips I so wisely decided to dump in...possibly just the potential of having baked goods with summer vegetables in the winter. (I like to think it's primarily the last one, but the jury is still out.) Regardless, the investment of a freezer last summer has given us the ability to store a lot more of our summer reaping (from the CSA box) and in our moody winter nights, we are given a taste of warmer days and happier times. And I need those memories, as we're barely cresting the month of January...and winter continues for another dreary couple months...

46. German Potato Soup, pg. 200

At first I wasn't sure why the recipe had to include the identifier "German", but once I ate it, I knew why: they wanted to provide us someone to blame.

The recipe alone looks bland, the soup ends up boring, and I inevitably deemed this meal a waste of good potatoes that could have been used for mashing. Perhaps part of the problem was that I actually stuck with the recipe this time -- I made it exactly as it was written. (I did end up adding cheese, but that really didn't help much.) It wasn't "bad", per se, but it's definitely not the kind of soup you want to eat as a main dish. I can imagine it's tastelessness might be hidden if you had some sausage or veg. seiten on the side to distract you.

Sure, the Husband and a guest who happened by gave it 3s, but Husbands have to say these things, and guests often lie when asked about their food.

Overall: 2 out of 5 Leave it be, unless you're trying to embrace "tradition".

47. Chicken Potpie, pg. 182

Sorry to all you vegets. out there, I went AWOL for this one.

Also found in my freezer was a half of a chicken breast (and no stewing hen), so I tried substituting that for the first part of this recipe. I found the broth to be quite lacking in flavor, though, once the breast was done, so added some bouillon to "beef" it up (ahem...) I did halve the water but kept the same amount of vegetables, substituting a carrot and parsnip for the celery and adding a clove of garlic. Use what you have on hand, and just adjust the vegetable's chopped size according to how quickly it cooks. Make sure the veggies are covered with water, adding a little extra if needed.

For the noodle dough, though I again halved it, I found I needed all the water it called for in the original recipe. (I used egg replacer, so was able to use "half" an egg.) It took a long time to get enough moisture to get it to form into a ball, so if you do decide to halve the recipe, I would recommend keeping the whole egg, and then adding extra water if necessary. Be sure to roll the dough as thinly as you can, as it states, unless you like a gummy piece of cooked dough (which I do like...just a forewarning if you don't.)

Being more used to ham potpie from my growing up years, I found this soup to be less salty than what I had anticipated. I'm sure if you make this recipe often enough, you can learn how much and which seasonings to use, but be prepared in the early days to experiment.

Overall: 3 out of 5 Tastes okay, glad I made it, but if you have a recipe from Grandma that you like, stick with that one.

Warning: Dangerous Pun Ahead!

2010-01-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

Just when you think that life is returning to normal after struggling through a kitchen remodel, your brand-spanking-new oven suddenly quits on you. And, of course, it has the audacity to stop working in the middle of bread baking. I'm left wondering if the Cosmos is telling me that I should just give up trying to eat thoughtfully and resort to fast food for the rest of my life...I mean, hey, that kind of food gives you more (calories) with less (nutrition...), too! :) Fortunately, the burners are still all functioning properly, and as Maya Angelou would say, "but still I rise" (only my bread won't).

44. Quick Corn Soup, pg. 200

This is absolutely a darling little soup! I grabbed a pint of corn out of the freezer midday, and with about 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, this soup was on by evening. I love sauteed onions so much that I took about 1/4 c. chopped onions and let them hop around in 1 T. olive oil just until translucent. Then, I added the 2 c. milk and salt and pepper, leaving out the seasoned salts. Dumped the pureed corn and milk in, and (here, Emerill might say BAM!) the soup was done. Amazing. As long as your corn is tasty, there is no way to mess this soup up.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Yum. Yum. Yum.

45. Middle Eastern Lentil Soup, pg. 213

If you've ever had the lentil salad in Extending the Table, just think of this recipe as the hot version of it. Seriously.

When you look at the recipe, it may seem like it's going to be boring with basically just lentils, onions, garlic, and a dusting of cumin...and then you see "lemon juice" at the end and you cock your head to the side because you're not sure you agree with the idea. But I promise you that if you put it in, you'll understand in the first bite. We also added a good 1/2 t. of cayenne, which really packed a punch. There's really not much to say about this soup, other than it's good. Because it was a bit hot the first day, the second time we had it, Husband added a dollop of sour cream which reminded me a bit of stroganoff. We also ate it over potatoes the second day because it had gotten pretty thick after it cooled.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Tasty and not too demanding of your time or money.

2010-01-08T16:29:00.001-05:00

43. Basic Cooked Lentils; Easy Lentil Stew, pg. 105

Recently, with the onslaught (Christmas gifts) of dessert cookbooks, I've been avoiding the predictably most-good-for-you recipes of MWL. It can be tough at times to balance the different medias that the culinary arts allow. Visual artists can meander back and forth from painting to drawing to sculpting and beyond -- must a cook in her kitchen be limited to those foods which keep our digestive system functioning properly? I say no. :) Life is short, afterall. But, of course, we do end up back with those foods which satisfy our bellies for longer than a half hour.

With help from my Mom, we tossed together a version of the Easy Lentil Stew. We changed up the order of the recipe because we wanted a fuller flavor. We first sauteed the onions, garlic, celery, and an extra 2 carrots in olive oil. Then, we added all the water, lentils, all the spices, and 4 veggie bouillon cubes. We added the extra bouillon cubes because we were not going to add any meat. After simmering for about 30 minutes, I dumped in one small can of tomato paste. Though it wasn't quite 3/4 c., I thought it was silly to open up another can for less than a 1/4 c. The stew continued to simmer for about another 15 minutes, with regular checks on the lentils. I ate mine on top of a baked potato, which was scrumptious!

Overall: 4 out of 5 Good flavors, very filling, and healthy!

2010-01-02T11:55:00.001-05:00

42. Ruggenbrot (Rye Bread), pg. 59

I enjoy waking up early before my husband and being inspired to make bread in the quiet of the kitchen. I've probably written this before, but as many people who make bread consistently would tell you, making bread can be a meditative chore. Bread dough is much more forgiving than a cookie dough and can take non-perfect measurements and still turn out just fine. The warmth of the dough combined with the opportunity to get your hands dirty go well together, and seeing it all come together in a smooth dough brings great satisfaction. What's more is that with our current work in our kitchen (still installing cabinets and countertops...), it's a treat to have an extra-cozy and fragrant workspace to motivate us. :)

Knowing there are only two mouths to feed, I decided to halve this recipe and just get one loaf out of it. This is a simple recipe to change proportions, so change it up according to what you are looking for.

Using molasses instead of brown sugar will give the dough a slightly darker color, but either will round out the flavor nicely with their warmth. I did mess up on the rye flour bit -- forgot that I was only supposed to put in 1 c., and dumped in 2 c. instead, so I had to adjust the amount of white flour down to about 1 1/2 cups. Taste-wise, I thought the bread was still great -- probably just a bit heartier than what the recipe states. I also put in about 1 T. of golden flax seed for spunk and nutritional benefit.

When it comes to making your loaf, don't expect to use a 9x5 and get a "standard" loaf -- the dough doesn't expand much. For mine, I simply shaped it into a log and put it on a cookie sheet. Just before baking, slash the top with a sharp (or serrated) knife several times to allow for even baking.

The end result is a hearty bread asking to be served alongside a brothy soup.

Overall: 3.2 out of 5 Standard, healthy, and hearty.

The joys of a well-stocked kitchen...

2009-12-26T22:56:00.000-05:00

It's always a lovely treat to be in someone else's kitchen, especially when I know where everything is, and everything is (more or less) neat and tidy. Cooking seems to come more easily (helpful), and the cook is happier (vital!)

41. Sweet-Sour Beets, pg. 223

Akin to a dish known in some places as Harvard Beets, Sweet-Sour Beets is a lightly dressed-up version of cooked beets. With a vinegar/sugar sauce, these beets make a nice side dish with enough personality to be recognized in its own right.

I peeled and grated about 2 1/2 c. of gold and chiogga beets (because 1 or 2 beets is a bit vague) and cooked them in the butter for about 20 minutes. If I make these in the future, I would probably simply cook the beets whole, then peel them, and either slice, grate or chop them. Grating the beets raw, while providing a nice presentation, does take a bit of time, and having to peel before cooking is a royal pain.

Overall: 3 out of 5 A nice, traditional dish. Works its beet-y magic, but probably won't wow at a dinner party.

On a side note: I just remade Cream of Cauliflower Soup, and found that by using just a cup more stock in addition to what I used for steaming the cauli. (and tonight, turnips and jerusalem artichokes) but using all the milk really makes a smooth, creamy soup. I used a hand blender to blend the entire soup, and the result was beautiful!

2009-12-25T07:51:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Family time inevitably lends itself to much food preparation and subsequent gorging (for those of us with less self-control...) It's exciting to see who brings what dish, and to eye which will be predictably super tasty. :)

Yesterday morning, one of my brothers showed up at my parents' house with two freshly baked loaves of Pilgrim's Bread. His loaves were beautifully browned and rounded, and I had a hunch that restraining myself from snacking in the hours leading up to our family meal would mean the chance to snag an extra slice without feeling too guilty. :) Needless to say, the bread was superb and I'm keeping tabs on the extra loaf in the kitchen...

A couple weeks ago, I, too, had made up this recipe (and then forgotten to write about it...how could I?!)

40. Pilgrim's Bread, pg. 58

Though I was poked fun at for gushing to my siblings yesterday about how this bread "is such a good slicer", it remains absolutely true that Pilgrim's Bread is one of the best out there for slicing from my experience. The cornmeal gives the dough more structure while not adding too much of a corny taste. And while I had misplaced my rye flour when I made it (I really did...how do these things happen? I'm not sure...), last night's sure dose of rye does give the loaf a more complex taste, and it would be a sad day if I missed putting it in again. When I made my batch, in place of the rye, I used wheat germ, and it still turned out very satisfactorily.

If you're a repeat bread baker and looking for results, I recommend adding vital wheat gluten and potato starch flour to your bread doughs. The vital wheat gluten helps the bread rise better and increases shelf life. The potato starch flour makes a tender crumb. Neither are essential, but both do nice things to enhance your bread.

This dough is a bit softer and lighter than the oatmeal bread, so be careful when moving the raised loaves into the oven for baking. I, unfortunately, jarred one of mine, and it fell a bit when I put it in the oven.

Overall: 4.4 out of 5 A great multi-grain bread that keeps its shape!

2009-12-09T11:50:00.001-05:00

39. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, pg. 287

This page, by far, is the most disheveled in my copy of MWL, and entirely due to this recipe. I've made this recipe many times and have rarely been disappointed (minus those few times I tried substituting applesauce for ALL the shortening, and/or using a banana instead of the eggs...remember that one, Mom? :)) This recipe brings together the best of all of the cookie world, in my opinion. Chocolate, oats, and peanut butter. Yum.

I almost always use all veg. shortening, though occasionally will split it with butter. (Never have and never will use lard, as it suggests. Sick.) Because I like peanut butter a lot, I typically dump in a very hearty 1/4 c., probably more towards 1/3 c. Using crunchy peanut butter does make a more dramatic entrance for the PB flavors, but for a more subtle approach, use creamy.

I'm not a huge nut-in-cookie fan, so have never tried adding extra nuts, but I'm sure making this cookie a bit more divine (for you nut fans) will not pose a hardship on your tastebuds.

Baking time seems to be a bit longer -- anywhere from 12-15 minutes from my experience.

Overall: 5 out of 5 A new classic which never fails.

2009-12-02T08:38:00.001-05:00

[[Another review from Amanda Maust, who lives and works in the Democratic Republic of Congo! Thanks!!]]

38. Molasses Crinkles, pg. 290
I have been craving molasses crinkles for some time now but had been unable to find molasses anywhere in DRC. Although I had been told it could be found in several stores and the market I was unable to actually find any. Now I'm doubting that it really can be found.

However, a woman that lives on campus has a friend that lives near a sugar refinery and the refinery throws away molasses, which is a biproduct of the refining process. Waste to some equals deliciousness to me! Long story short...I procured a liter of molasses for about a buck and thus began a weekend of molasses cooking craziness.

The molasses crinkles in More With Less are wonderful and I have even given out this recipe to several people after making them here. These are the only things I do differently with the recipe:

-I use butter instead of shortening
-Here I have omitted the ground cloves because I don't have any
-Only bake for 8 minutes if you want a chewy cookie, and I do!

Yum!

2009-12-01T11:47:00.002-05:00

Birthdays are great occasions for cooking special meals, and Husband's birthday on Saturday was no exception. We were fortunate to have my parents visiting for the weekend, which meant more mouths to feed (a good thing in a home where I tend to make too much and then we have too many leftovers!) The morning started with...

36. Apple Walnut Pancakes, pg. 74

One benefit of being an employee of Lancaster Farm Fresh is the exposure to new fruits and vegetables. One particular apple has found its way into my list of favorites -- Gold Rush. Initially, for those of you who are like me, you may squirm at the word "Gold" when attached to an apple. I've never been a fan of Golden Delicious apples with their grainy, supposedly sweet flesh. But Gold Rush? Would they be different?

After several customers at our farm stand at Lancaster's Central Market asked us to describe the apples, I decided to take a stab at educating myself with some personal experience with one. One bite in, and I was sold. Crisp and smooth, sweet but with a definite tang, Gold Rush were determined Tasty!

With a few on hand and a pancake breakfast needing to be made, I didn't hesitate to use them. I'm pretty sure I've had these pancakes before with sweeter apples, and think that using a sweet-tart apple is actually the way to go. After toasting a few pecans (subbed for walnut) in the frying pan, the batter was off and running. Fairly standard as a mix, and as long as you don't overmix these guys turn out great, topped with maple syrup.

Overall: 4.7 out of 5 A hearty pancake that will stick to your ribs until mid-afternoon.

Dinner inevitably began to approach, and since Husband had requested steak for his meal, I jumped at the chance to make for the accompanying dish...

37. Mashed Potato Casserole, pg. 230

Most of us have probably had mashed potatoes baked in some fashion. This recipe is likely very similar to whatever you're familiar with.

Opting for a more traditional approach, I nixed the entire herb and spinach section. I like my mashed potatoes to taste like potatoes, and with a side salad we were still guaranteed to get greens in the meal. Once the potatoes were mixed, I did top it off with feta cheese instead of cheddar, which was complimentary but not overpowering.

I would make potatoes like this every night if I could. And they're not terrible for you if you leave the skins on....right? :)

Again, this is one of those great recipes that can be tweaked to your liking.

Overall: 5 out of 5 It's buttery, simple mashed potatoes. That should say it all.

2009-11-24T14:42:00.001-05:00

Though our cabinets and appliances have not arrived yet (and seem to be MIA), and though our 'kitchen" is primitive by all standards (we may propose our sad case to Mennonite Disaster Service) our digestion must go on. Thankfully, I'm not cooking over a little fire pit, but sometimes it seems just as bad... :)

The first recipe isn't even a recipe...

34. Pg. 222 Under 'vegetable discoveries'

Having just baked off a kabocha squash (my new favorite!) with no real plan for it, I was happy to find this "throw-whatever-in" idea to use some of it. I sauteed a yellow onion, a clove or two of garlic, and then tossed in about a half pound of mushrooms. When all were done cooking, I dumped in a big spoonful of pumpkin (chunked, not pureed, unless you want a more soupy texture) and two cups or so of canned tomatoes with liquid. Let it cook until hot, add either roasted peanuts or a tablespoon or two of peanut butter, and season with cumin, curry powder, and cayenne (if so inclined). Serve!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Use your creative energies to turn this into Your dish! :)

35. Chinese Meatballs, pg. 170

But Valerie! We thought you were vegetarian!

True, I normally am. But this is for MWL. And it was "happy" beef from a Lancaster County cow. Thanks, cow!

We ignored the first half of the recipe where they list what vegetables you should fry. If you're planning on feeding 8, then, yes, you will need all the veggies. But for the two of us, we stuck to the meat and sauce part, and paired it with rice.

The sauce, a traditional sweet and sour sauce, was simple and was whipped up while the meat was frying. We used a small can of crushed pineapple and dumped all of it into the sauce, which produced a sweeter sauce that if you just use juice.

Tester husband recalls eating this dish growing up, which is always fun for me to have those moments rediscovering food traditions from our past. It's an honor to watch someone encountering a food either for the first time or after many years of not having a certain dish which they had enjoyed.

Veg option: Sub. extra firm tofu for meatballs. Follow rest of dish as written.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Good, but time consuming if you're going to do all the veggies....

On hiatus...

2009-11-10T17:58:00.000-05:00

Sadly, I must take a short (Lord willing...) break from massive amounts of cooking and baking as our kitchen is seriously under siege. We are eagerly anticipating all new cupboards and cabinets, new appliances, new wiring and plumbing, and (joyfully!!) new flooring.

A brief update on the oatmeal cookie master mix that I had made once before. A couple days ago, it found its fateful end in the digestive tract of our dog (where have I heard this before...maybe here?) Needless to say, that is that. :)

You may have read in The Mennonite or the Mennonite Weekly Review that this Menno. cookbook blog thing has taken off in other realms. Here's a woman doing Simply in Season: right here. You can check it out and I will try not to feel jealous.

Grains, grains, grains

2009-11-03T09:03:00.002-05:00

I've just re-read the intro section to the Cereals chapter, and find that the question raised, "What is cost-effective?" is as relevant today as when MWL was originally published. More deliberately, then, Longacre writes about price vs. nutritional value and how that affects us as consumers. This intro has helped me re-appreciate the joys of eating simply in the morning -- oatmeal with raisins and honey is so satisfying!

I always feel that there is something uniquely sacred in eating grains (sorry if anyone reading this has gluten allergies...), a distinctly different feel than eating vegetables (also sacred). Vegetables cleanse and add vitamins to your body, but grains fill and nourish you.

On a side note, our kitchen remodel is well on its way, and there may be a brief amount of time where cooking is impossible. Keep checking in, though, and surely this will keep going. :) Thanks for reading!

32. Chapatis, pg. 84

Though not entirely what you might expect if you just ordered chapatis at an Indian restaurant recently, these little dough discs are dense and nutty-flavored. As the note above the recipe states, they are traditionally used alongside curries and rice, but they proved a tasty dipping device for pumpkin soup. Basically, you could use them for any meal where you might want biscuits or bread.

I lightly fried each in olive oil (instead of brushing on the margarine), with very happy results. I can imagine putting a little bit of minced garlic in the dough (or topping the rolled chapatis with garlic) would give a sweet little kick to each bite.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 Hearty, versatile.

33. English Muffins, pg. 67

If you're looking for flat, dry, and acidic muffins for breakfast, you're better off going to the grocery store and buying them there.

But, if you're looking for light, sweet ones, this is your recipe. I had never made English Muffins before, and so was a bit surprised when I saw that these guys are actually fried and not baked. If you've got time to spare and need a fun bread for a meal, these are it!

I halved the recipe which did make about 9 muffins as the recipe states. If you're concerned about how to split the egg if you halve the recipe as well, don't. Use the whole egg -- just adjust the flour, if needed. I didn't need to add any extra flour to no ill effect.

The one cautionary statement I would make on these is that they need a lot of time. Rising time alone is 2 and a half hours, and if you want to serve them fresh off the skillet, make sure to reserve your energies for watching and flipping them at the last minute.

Overall: 4.6 out of 5 Killer flavor and fun to make...if you have the time.

34. Crunchy Granola, pg. 92

If you're on a real budget crunch (do you get it? ha!! crunch!), the sight of this recipe calling for three expensive dry ingredients might send you looking for another option. Coconut, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds are all called for, but don't hesitate substituting other cheaper ingredients instead! Coconut being the worst culprit, I eliminated him altogether from the line-up and dumped in some extra nuts, bran and seeds. If you're making a lot of granola, save yourself time and money by stocking up on bulk quantities of the typical ingredients, and your average price per serving will decrease a little.

For this recipe, I decided to try using agave nectar instead of the honey or brown sugar with great results. If you need to steer clear of honey, definitely give agave a try, though reduce the amount to just a hair under a cup. This recipe could more accurately be called Sweet, Crunchy Granola...But it's good, of course, and turns out a real solid cruncher cereal.

Overall: 3.6 out of 5 As good as most, but a little too sweet.

2009-10-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

31. Barley-Cabbage Soup, pg. 205

Ahhh, October: The days of cabbage. Such a lovely crop to watch grow, but the minute it hits the kitchen countertop, each head seems to double in size. It's understandable that fermented cabbage dishes such as sauerkraut and kim chi are made in vat (or vast...) quantities. Unfortunately, I don't have the patience for fermentation (beyond a day or two).

Aside from borscht, I've rarely had cabbage in soup. I'm such a fan of pearl barley though, that I was pretty sure this would be a fairly successful dish up.

This recipe could use a few changes. First, the barley really only needs to cook for about an hour, instead of the 2 written. Check it starting at 45 minutes for doneness, and take off heat when the grains are done. Next, for the veggies, do sauté the onions until they lightly brown before adding the cabbage. I sautéed them with the cabbage for the same amount of time (and just until they were soft), and in the final product, I found the onions to be a bit too strong. Cooking them longer will mellow them out a bit. Lastly, for the white sauce, I used butter for fuller flavor. Oil could definitely be used, and I think olive oil would even be fine. Tweak to your needs or preference.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Surprisingly flavorful and hearty.

2009-10-26T11:33:00.001-04:00

30. Oatmeal Cookie Mix, pg. 286

Because I enjoy having some baked goods around to satisfy my sweet tooth, I figured making this mix might be a good way to have half of the mixing up completed whenever I needed to bake again.

After one attempt at baking, I am a bit disappointed at the final product. Halving the final combination, I substituted one small banana for one egg (which has been met before with mixed results), dropped in a few chocolate chips, and then followed the rest of the recipe. The outcome was a never-done cookie that lacked any personality. The cookies spread out a good bit, and even after baking for over 15 minutes (versus the stated 12), were quite gooey and wouldn't stay together.

So, the verdict isn't out yet. I think I should try it again, using egg instead of banana, and then I'll give it my final score. Stay tuned.

Has anyone else ever tried this recipe with different results?

2009-10-21T10:51:00.002-04:00

29. Cream of Cauliflower Soup, pg. 205

As I read through some of my recent posts, I'm re-reminded that fast and easy doesn't always fill a Kitchen Creator's need for making culinary delights. I do like finding dishes which can be pulled together with what most people stock in their pantry, but trying something completely new and a bit more complicated can, at times, feel more rewarding in the end.

This recipe is not so complicated, though, and stays within the fairly simple and less-than-an-hour prep that my dishes have been lately. It is nice to find recipes full of veggies, but aren't complex.

I modified this recipe here and there to try to create a slightly different, less-predictable end product. First, when cooking the cauliflower, I added some turnips -- maybe a half cup or so -- in place of a small chunk of cauliflower. After they were all done cooking, I fished out the turnips and processed them in the blender until they were smooth, hoping that they would add a little thickness to the soup. Next, I split the sautée fat between butter and olive oil, and used about 1/2 c. (versus 1/4 c.) of diced onions. When adding the liquids, I went light on the stock, as you're supposed to add the cauliflower water, and I was afraid if I added all the stock, the soup would be too thin. I highly recommend adding some ground black pepper (or white if you have it on hand) towards the end of the cooking, and season with salt if needed. I didn't have worcestershire sauce, and instead put a touch of some steak sauce and a dash of soy sauce. To top it off when serving, add color by sprinkling grated cheddar (or other yellow) cheese on top with a pinch of parsley.

The end result was very middle-of-the-road-consistency: neither thin nor thick. If you like a thicker soup, use a tablespoon or two more of flour, definitely blend some of the cauliflower, reduce the amount of veg/meat stock, and possibly use a higher fat milk (I used soy milk). If you like a thinner soup, follow the recipe as written.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Room to personalize, but its "basicness" can be pleasing to most. Serve with salad or green veggie for a more complete color palatte.

Catching up...

2009-10-19T11:10:00.001-04:00

After a lovely long weekend in Kansas, full of many opportunities to over-eat amazing, Mennonite soul foods, it's back to the grind. The air is officially crisp, and when we arrived back to our house last evening, the thermostat read 51.5. We had hoped not to turn on our heat until at least November, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Baking is so much more enjoyable in the fall and winter than in summer, and letting the warm oven air heat the kitchen and dining room always feels so cozy. Here are two recipes to warm you up!

27. Broccoli Rice, pg. 128

An incredibly simple recipe to pull together, with few ingredients to mess with. For color and spunk, I used a medium red onion and at the end of the sauté time, added about 3-4 oz. of fresh, sliced mushrooms. (I would imagine you could just dump a can or partial can of mushrooms in, if you like). I mixed the onions/mushrooms with the cooked broccoli and rice and put it into my baking dish. I simply poured the milk over top and then sprinkled the grated cheese on top of everything.

It turned out lovely! If you have lots of broccoli that needs to be used, this would be a great recipe to double and stick one pan in the freezer.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Tasty, fast, colorful.

28. Skillet Cabbage, pg. 225

Another easy and fast concoction. This recipe is easy to modify to meet the number of people you are serving - and odds are that if you've got a head of cabbage, the 3-4 c. this calls for will barely take care of any of it :) Slicing the carrots into coins keeps them slightly crunchy.

We tend to like our spices to be cooked into our foods (versus being simply on the surface), so I added the paprika, pepper and soy sauce just after adding the cabbage and carrots. (Since I used soy sauce, I didn't add salt.) When serving, I topped with roasted, unsalted cashews. Delicious!

Overall: 4 out of 5 Same as above.

I feel like I'm not telling much about these recipes, but they're both so simple and straight-forward, that there is not much to tell. If you like these vegetables, you will like these dishes. Period. :)

2009-10-12T12:16:00.002-04:00

Waltzing into fall, I am noticing a distinct urge to eat carbs. We have salad greens, kale, and the like stuffed into our fridge which need to be eaten...but all I want are noodles and potatoes and rice. I can't say I've necessarily been so keenly aware of this drive before (though I'm sure it's been there), and it catches me a bit off guard in my attempt to eat a well-rounded diet.

Alas, two more carby recipes!

25. Peanut Granola, pg. 93

Another theme seems to be starting -- peanut butter! I'm trying to think of new things to say about all these granolas, and I feel like I end up saying the same thing. :) I liked this granola because of the peanuty-factor, but felt it a bit heavy. I see this recipe as a more parfait-friendly or apple crisp topping granola. Alone, it might weigh you down for the day. It stays together well in clumps, which is always a plus in my book, opposed to the everyone-for-themselves, scattered granolas.

Do leave it in for at least 30 minutes. I left it in for nearly 40 before I was satisfied with its dryness.

Overall: 3.4 out of 5 Use as an accessory, not a main breakfast cereal unless you've got a strong stomach.

26. Cinnamon-topped Oatmeal Muffins, pg. 71

More oatmeal! Quite simple, with likely no need to run to the grocery, these little guys come together in a jiffy. But beware: the batter is seriously runny. I was extremely skeptical that these would turn out as I stirred everything together at how juicy it was. Since we're not huge fans of lots of raisins in baked goods, I supplemented the raisins with a small handful of chocolate chips. Next time, I might just leave all the raisins out and go straight to the chocolate, but change it as your preferences demand. Any dried fruit would be tasty, I think.

A few changes: The topping was dreadfully scant, and I would recommend doubling the topping if you want to be able to taste the cinnamon at all. Now a day old, these little guys aren't nearly as good as they were fresh out of the oven yesterday morning. I found the recipe only made 9 muffins, as opposed to the dozen stated. As these are runny to start, they may need up to 20-25 minutes to bake (versus 15 stated).

Overall: 2.6 out of 5 I've had many a better muffin. Make these only if you love SUPER moist muffins which need a lot of recipe attention when you're making them.

2009-10-08T08:08:00.001-04:00

24. Pot of Gold Peanut Soup, pg.217

Wow. That's all I'm saying. After two nights of this soup, I'm still not tired of it. I'm still wanting more even after I'm full. I've been my happiest in the last two days when I was eating it. Amazing. (I should stop slobbering on my keyboard now...)

To the recipe! I used about 5 oz. fresh, sautéed mushrooms (could have put in more). I had sautéed first them in about 2 T. butter, 1/2 t. cayenne pepper, and 1 1/2 t. lime juice. I nearly ate half the pan while I waited to put them in the soup. Instead of pearl barley (lost my last bag to a pack of rodents, it seems), I used wheat berries. Give these guys a little extra time to cook if you try them -- mine cooked for just over an hour before they were done. Lastly, because I didn't have broccoli on hand, I used some pre-baked delicata squash cubes for more veggieness. I tossed them in with the mushrooms for about a minute at the end of the cooking time, just to give them some kick as well. Lastly, if you're going the dried hot pepper route, if you want your soup to be spicy, cut open the peppers into halves (so they can still be removed before consumption). I neglected to do this until pretty late in the cooking game, and missed the spicy-ness I was expecting. Though lacking in color (which the broccoli would have added), I couldn't care less as I was simply overwhelmed by the tastiness factor!

Overall: 5 out of 5 Tester Husband declared this one of the best soups he's ever had. If you like peanut butter like I do (i.e. can eat tablespoon after tablespoon of it out of the jar), you're going to LOVE this recipe!

2009-10-06T10:25:00.001-04:00

23. Scrambled Eggs and Noodles, pg. 151

As I was skimming through the pages this morning in search of a recipe for dinner, I stumbled upon this wondrous little recipe. Without knowing that MWL had a recipe for it, I made some last week one day for lunch. I first learned about this concoction from a German housemate I had during my time in Service Adventure, and then later had it again with a Swiss girl I met in Spain. Perhaps, then, this is one of those 'old country' recipes...? :)

What a simple, hearty lunch or dinner! Comparable to rice and beans, or chapati and lentils, or a range of so many other ethnic pairs, Eggs and Noodles provides that sturdy complete protein. Hard to go wrong with this dish, easy to please, and can be cooked up in 20 minutes or so.

Overall: 4.4 out of 5

Hold on tight!

2009-10-02T10:27:00.002-04:00

Though I may have been neglecting to write this week, that does not mean I haven't been cooking from MWL. Life was a bit busy this week with extra work, and a lot of the free time I had ended up being directed towards my 14-day free trial of Cooks Illustrated and all the AMAZING information, recipes, and videos they have. It might just be worth the 15 bucks to keep the membership. I really do recommend trying the trial, if you are interested in cooking and the way food works.

So, now, hold on tight as I try to run through the dishes I've made this week.

19. Stir-fried Broccoli, pg. 224

Having made this recipe before, I knew generally that it is a simple dish, an easy meal with rice, and fairly fast to whip together with no super-special ingredients.

I didn't measure my broccoli -- but I used one medium-sized head, with part of the stalk. I think I should have increased the amount of sauce, as not all the broccoli got some to soak up. So, perhaps, if you're guesstimating, a small head of broccoli including stalk is probably about a pound. Also, make sure to cut the stems small enough so that they fry fast and evenly, without cooking them to a mush.

For a meal, I recommend either adding cashews or peanuts at the very end of the cooking time or sautéing a bit of extra firm tofu in after the onion is done and before the broccoli.

Overall: 4 out of 5

20. Whole Wheat Rolls , pg. 64

Straight from the MCC Dining Hall, these rolls have likely pleased many taste buds. A standard, low-frills recipe that is predictable and predictably yummy.

This recipe is easy to halve, and can be whipped up in about 20 minutes, including kneading time. I think I said this before, but I tend to shy away from bread recipes that have non-fat dry milk powder and eggs in them. I like to keep my bread dairy free and I typically don't like the taste that eggs make in the dough. However, for these dinner rolls, I decided to let them be, and just go with it.

By halving the recipe, I got two nearly over-full 8" round pans full of rolls. I would probably suggest two 9" round pans. One pan, after shaping them into rolls, rolled them in cinnamon-sugar (as "easy" cinnamon rolls). The other pan, just before baking, I brushed them with an egg wash and sprinkled sesame seeds on top for a more sandwich roll approach.

Overall: 3.8 out of 5 Super tasty when fresh and eaten with a meal, but goodness wanes after the first day

21. Chunky Granola, pg. 92

Another day, another granola! Not to be confused with "Crunchy Granola" across the page, chunky granola was my latest attempt at finding the perfect granola ratios.

I don't know what it was with people in 70's and 80's, but this gol-dern powered milk is EVERYWHERE. It simply seems wrong to make milk into powder just to increase the protein in everything. I don't know. What do you all think?

Anyways, what a simple, straight-forward recipe! I liked the pre-toasting of the oats. Seems like a really good idea to let them retain their own flavor before dumping sweeteners and oils on top. I had run out of wheat germ, and so used coarsely ground whole wheat flour instead, with no ill-effects. I decreased the amount of honey to about a half cup, thinking that 2/3 c. seemed a bit much (though, looking at Crunchy Granola over there with 1 c. seems even worse...), and Tester Husband still (independently) commented on how sweet it still was. We liked the hint of vanilla.

With a short baking time, this recipe is great for an after-dinner bake without worrying about having to stay up late to stir it every so often.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Fairly frill-less, fast and easy to make, but just a little too sweet

22. Vegetable Chowder, pg. 200

If you're looking to make a standard veggie soup/chowder and have lots of random veggies to use up, this might just be your recipe.

I strayed for this recipe, basically just following their guidelines to create a recipe that suited what we already had. You'll want to use a longer-cooking rice (no white rice!) as it cooks for 45 minutes. I used a red rice which gave a great, nutty flavor. Veggie stock easily replaces chicken. I used a red onion, a pint of corn, and about a cup of cubed sweet potatoes as my veggies. Unless you're using salt-free bouillon, don't add the extra salt. Once everything was cooked, I added a little less than a cup of soy milk, and stirred in some cheese.

Overall: 4.3 out of 5 Very easy, very tasty, versatile, and a perfect Fall meal!

Old Faithful

2009-09-27T14:30:00.000-04:00

I will be the first to admit that like many Americans, I am addicted to sugar. The stuff is good. And while, sure, I try to watch how much I eat of it, I tend to gravitate towards making sweets at any chance possible. Recently, I've been borrowing a "Holiday Recipes" book from my mum, with new and exciting recipes that I've never tried (but look easy enough). So, with baking from there AND trying to keep on counting down in MWL, it's always nice to have people to share these treats with, so that I don't end up eating them all myself.

18. Chocolate Chip Cookies, pg. 287

Speaking of cooking "more with more", this recipe packs in all sorts of crazy things! Well...two...I have never made a cookie that used soy flour, so I was excited to see how the taste would differ (if at all). Soy and whole wheat flours change (primarily) the taste of the cookie by giving a bit of a nutty-er, more complex taste. Though they distracted my taste buds at first (with that "pure white" smoothness), after two or three samples (from different cookies...), I found that I was enjoying the complexity. This recipe seems to blend the classic soft-batch approach with almost-healthy. So, if you have the whole wheat and soy flours on hand, I recommend you giving these cookies a try.

Per my experience at the bakery, it's best if you can make the dough a day before and let it do its thing in the fridge overnight. If you're short on time, a few hours would be sufficient in getting a prettier cookie.

Overall: 3.75 out of 5

And then some...

2009-09-25T09:16:00.012-04:00

My goal for this week was to do at least two recipes. I've surpassed that, and here are three more! :)
15. Easy No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread, pg. 58

I was suspicious when I saw that name. I don't like my bread to be easy, and I'm wary of yeast bread that doesn't need to be kneaded (ha!). I decided to give it a whirl, anyway, and see what became of it.
Everything started out okay, the amounts were fine...I was careful to add the eggs after the warm liquids and flour mixture had been stirring for awhile (to avoid cooking the eggs). But then came the "5-6 c. flour" part that proved a bit difficult. I'm a bread-baker by feel, and having to tell by stirring and seeing when a dough has enough flour proved frustrating. I put it a bit over 5 cups (to be safe), and decided just to see what happened. An hour later, the bread was spilling out of the bowl (note: use something bigger than a 5 quart...), and looked positively sticky. (I was already over the bread by this point). I dumped the dough into two 9x5s, and set them to rise the stated 25-30 minutes. By 15 minutes, the dough was spilling over the pans, and I had to spoon the extra back into the pans, and tried to lightly punch down the overflow. I turned on the oven immediately, and when it was hot, I shoved in the pans and watched as the new overflow fell onto my pizza stone.
The result had less-than-desireable flavors, with the eggs overpowering the normal yeasty taste. I used one loaf to go with a spinach and artichoke dip and it fared fine as a vehicle of other-goodness, but this is not bread to be eaten by itself. The second loaf may get made into croutons or something like that. If anyone has made this recipe before with satisfactory results, please tell your story!
Overall: 1 out of 5

16. Honey-Baked Lentils, pg. 106

Having made this recipe many times before, I knew what kind of yumminess I was getting into when I decided to make it for dinner last night. A simple, make-ahead kind of dish which is mild enough to serve to your grandparents, but potentially sassy enough to serve at a dinner party :)
A couple changes I made to the recipe...I used a teaspoon of regular, sandwich mustard instead of dry. I grated fresh ginger instead of the dry ginger as well. I have never put in the bacon it calls for, and think it's perfectly fine without it (although I'm sure some good bacon would taste lovely in it!) I did forget to put in that last cup of water this time, and the result was that the lentils got a little dry (though that might have also had to do with a slightly longer baking time...)

Overall: 4 out of 5 A sturdy, filling dish fit for you and yours or company!

17. Apple Crisp, pg. 270

While I'm not a huge fan of fruit crisps in general, with the abundance of apples in Justin's shares the past couple weeks, I had to do something to get rid of them.

I used gala apples, and because they're a fairly sweet apple to begin with, reduced the amount of sugar that gets tossed with the apples. I sprinkled in about a teaspoon of nutmeg to complement the cinnamon, which I found was just enough for you to get a hint, but not too much to overpower. When I was mixing the crisp part, I felt like it seemed over-greasy, but once baked, the consistency was nice, and evened out the flavors.

Doubling this recipe made a very hearty 9" pan's worth, and could realistically serve up to 10.

Overall: 3 out of 5 Nothing special about it, but nothing terrible about it. :)

Now from our correspondent in the DRC...

2009-09-24T11:44:00.000-04:00

[[ Amanda Maust, hanging out in the DRC for a year, sent me these reviews. Thanks, Amanda!! ]]

14. Honey Baked Chicken, pg.

-I like to make about double the sauce as this is really the best part of the dish and then I can just eat yummy sauce on rice
-They call for way too much margarine...if you use the recommended amount I feel like the chicken is swimming in a pool of grease
-I add some water to stretch the sauce and kind of in place of some of the margarine
-I use about triple the amount of curry powder recommended
-After the dish is baked I will often drain off the sauce into a separate bowl and add a little water and cornstarch to thicken it for a nice gravy consistency

[3.] Oatmeal Bread, pg. 60
-I really like this bread, I did use regular sugar in place of brown sugar which is all but in impossible to find in DRC [valerie's note: MWL suggests combining 1 c. white sugar with 2 T. molasses to create a brown sugar substitute, if molasses is more readily available]
-I also added an additional cup of whole wheat flour in place of one of the cups of white flour...I felt even more could have been wheat flour.
-The directions say to let the bread rise twice in a bowl and then divide in loaves and bake. I did this but I think it would be good to allow the bread to rise in the breadpans for a while before baking...maybe that was supposed to be a no brainer but... [valerie's note: I almost always let my bread rise in their respective pans until they are almost as high as I want them to bake before turning on the oven -- about a half hour, usually. You'll still get a little yeast jump when they start baking, so don't wait too long!]

Greens and such

2009-09-22T15:39:00.003-04:00

13. Prussian Kale, pg.238

A variation on cooking greens, this recipe was extremely simple and was cooked in a relatively short amount of time. We had some collards that we used instead of kale, which turned out fine without any noticeable ill tastes.

I found it very interesting when looking at this recipe that it called for oatmeal -- I'm not accustomed to mixing oats with vegetables. When I thought a bit more about the origins of the recipe, it began to make more sense. When cooked with meat, this recipe could be a main dish, and the oats provided the grain. Whereas I would typically think of kale (or greens) recipes as going well with rice, I can imagine that the 19th century Mennos in Prussia didn't have much or any access to rice.

Ultimately, the oats gave a nutty, starchy addition to the greens, but didn't dominate the dish. We didn't use meat in the recipe, and rather added a little bit of butter instead.

Overall: 3 out of 5. Average -- perhaps on the edgier side of very tame.

Almost healthy!

2009-09-18T11:42:00.003-04:00

[[ A fine chef herself, Amanda Gross submitted the following review. Thanks, Amanda! ]]

12. Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies, pg. 289

When I heard that my baby brother (turned large, adult male) was coming to visit this weekend, I knew I'd need something yummy and caloric to hold him over between meals. My favorite cookie recipe is a slight adaptation of Whole Wheat Peanut-Butter Cookies (pg. 289). I've made this recipe several times and had to alter it from the beginning.

First off, Ms. Beachy is out of her mind to claim that this recipe yields 5 dozen. When I make them, I get just over 2 dozen of modest, mom-sized cookies (equal to one dozen large, brother-sized cookies).

If you follow the recipe directly, you will find that the result is too dry to form into cookies. I double the water at least. Depending on the creaminess of your PB , you might require more.

And who wants to eat a whole wheat cookie with out chocolate chips? I like to add two generous handfuls of chocolate chips along with a 1/3 cup of walnuts or pecans. For extra yummy cookies, use brown sugar and substitute 1/2 cup oats for 1/2 cup of the flour.

And be careful not to burn them. Place on upper racks and check frequently. The bottom of these cookies get dark fast.

Bake and enjoy.

A quick comment...

2009-09-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

In response to the comment made on the Apple/Almond/Cranberry bread, it's true: I'm straying a bit from the concept of eating with less pomp and circumstance. I have two answers for why I might be doing this.

1. Because I have a good deal of experience baking (professionally and as an amateur), I'm probably going to be adding and subtracting here and there on those recipes. With this particular recipe, I had all the things I added on hand, and felt like the additions I made only made the bread more interesting. I'm sure this recipe tastes fine as it's written, but knowing my own personal tastes, I wanted to change it up a little.

2. I'm finding that MWL recipes are somewhat of a "middle ground" between old-style Menno. cooking (laden with fat, sugar, and refined flours) and ultra-healthy, no-fun recipes. Because I tend to prefer a slightly healthier product (especially in baked goods), I will probably always use about half whole wheat flour (or other whole grain), extra seeds or nuts, dried or fresh fruits, etc. to give the fiber/vitamin count a boost. Cooking More-with-Less could also be a journey in exploring a 'healthy' balance between superior flavour and meaningful nutrition.

Is that Fall in the air?

2009-09-17T07:55:00.003-04:00

I love cooking and baking on rainy days. Maybe it's because I don't have to feel guilty about not being outside, or perhaps it's because good food on a "bad" day is so pleasing to the soul. So, amidst the steady rain last night, I cranked up the oven and chose:

11. Dutch Apple Bread, pg. 81

At first glance, I knew this recipe could be made a tad spunkier with little effort. First off, I tend to shrink away from using 100% white flour for products which aren't meant to be desserts. So, I split the flour between white pastry flour and a blend of coarse and finely ground whole wheat flours. I used sour unsweetened soy milk (man, was it sour!!! almost an egg-white consistency...but it still worked fine!), though orange juice would certainly give it zest. I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts, which turned out fine, and am pretty confident that using pecans would also give a great taste. Again, here's a place where personal taste matters more than the recipe. Instead of raw cranberries as the "option" listed, I used craisins, which were a nice kick in the taste buds. Once I put the dough in the pan, I dusted a mixture of ground cinnamon and raw unrefined sugar on top.

While I'm not usually a big fan of sweet breads or muffins, I liked this one because of the variety of textures (chewy, crunchy, etc.) and flavours (fruit, whole wheat, cinnamon, etc.). I was a bit surprised how simply dusting the top with cinnamon/raw sugar gave the bread a boost of character.

Overall: 3.95 out of 5

In the world of quick breads and muffins, it's pretty darn good.

By the sweat of my brow

2009-09-16T10:04:00.006-04:00

I braved the emotional elements, and decided to try my hand at a meaty dish. I honestly can't remember the last time I cooked meat. It is such a rare occasion that I'm usually a bit intimidated as to where to start and how to do it. (For you non-meat eaters out there, stay with me, as I think we have a tofu-friendly recipe here.)

Usually, I like to purchase meat (when we have guests, when Husband wants some grilled carne, etc.) from one of two butchers at the Lancaster Central Market. Both supply locally-raised, grass-fed products, which takes a bit of the distress off of my conscience. For those of you that don't know, I'm not typically a meat eater by choice. While I occasionally like the taste of meat, the politics, environmental factors, and health issues connected with eating meat keep me from partaking on a normal, purposeful basis. This is yet another conversation we could have, but I want to say that regardless of my chosen diet, I generally try not to judge meat eaters when they have thought through why they eat what they eat. I like thoughtful eaters, I guess.

10. Indian Chicken, pg. 186

In comparison with my experience with Extending the Table, I find that "ethnic" recipes in MWL often seem a little too...American. I definitely had my doubts about this recipe. Granted, my only real experiences with Indian foods have been in restaurants here in the States, which are surely even at least a step from authentic Indian cooking. I find this recipe to be "safe", in terms of probably appealing to the general Menno. MWL constituency who can handle a sprinkling of spice. But if you're a true Indian foodie, this recipe brings a bit of sadness with its generic "curry powder" instructions. I had foreseen this problem, and decided to take spice matters into my own hands. I went heavy on the curry powder (albeit, a generic blend from the grocery store), dumped in probably and extra teaspoon of ground cumin, a hearty dash of cayenne, and another half teaspoon or so of garam masala. (I halved the recipe, so if you're going for the full recipe, go heavier on all these spices, or add your own.) While these additions made the sauce spicier, I still felt like I was missing something. This is a recipe to play around with, and easily changed around to (hopefully) suit your tastes.

Overall: 2.8 out of 5

Indian Tofu?
If I were to make this with tofu, I would recommend freezing extra firm tofu first (to get a nice consistency), and after thawing, cube and fry in a mixture of butter (or margarine) and olive oil. Continue recipe as written, substituting veggie broth or bouillon instead of chicken.

Inspired again...

2009-09-15T08:50:00.002-04:00

No, I've not been starving my husband the last week and a half. I've only lightly fell off my own bandwagon of eating well. Our CSA share from Lancaster Farm Fresh has been overflowing these past weeks with more produce than we can handle, and in my occasional cooking fatigue, I opt for steamed or raw veggies rather than even a simple recipe from MWL. I was also momentarily tempted by the Cook's Illustrated magazine which arrived in the mail, and had to spend some time testing those recipes.

But I'm back again, with two updates, and scheming a few more. With a kitchen remodel in it's final design stages, I'm trying to cram in some good cooking before we're kitchen-less for a few days/weeks/months.

8. Simple Granola, pg. 90

This chunky, sweet granola is a simple but hearty morning munch. Because the recipe doesn't call for loads of "extras" (like seeds or other grains), it's easily tossed together and shoved in the oven for a fairly fail-proof culinary adventure. In my opinion, it was slightly on the too-sweet side, and if I were to make it again, I suppose the honey could be reduced with a slight increase of water to maintain the dry/liquid ratio. Please use honey if you have it on hand -- corn syrup is always a no-no in my book. Do your own research on corn products, if you're interested, or call me and we can talk corn-politics.

Overall: 3.7 out of 5

9. Koinonia Granola, pg. 90

Also a sweet delight, with a more granola bar-like attitude than the Simple Granola. This one ups the ante with seeds, grapenuts, and nuts. I skipped the grapenuts (since we hadn't any on hand, and why buy cereal to make cereal? not sure...) but added a bit more of all the seeds, coconut, and nuts to make up for them. I love using cashews and macadamia nuts in granola, but if you're trying to watch saturated fat intake, it's more than acceptable to substitute other nuts without sacrificing a great deal of flavor. (Nutty Fat)

This one seemed a bit tricky as to deciphering when it was ready to come out of the oven -- it never seemed to get dry. I probably left it in a bit too long (had some burn-y sides) at 35 or 40 minutes, but the result was still quite edible. A next-time change would be to use a more shallow pan, perhaps, and see if that stops the questionable oven time.

Overall: 3.9 out of 5

My testers enjoyed both recipes, and Tester Husband enjoyed them combined, though I said I wasn't willing to make two types of granola just to make one kind... :)

Death by Chocolate....Pudding!

2009-09-04T13:19:00.003-04:00

Who knew chocolate pudding could kill?

7. Quick Chocolate Pudding, pg. 264

Aside from the fact that though the recipe states it serves 4-6, Justin and I easily polished off an entire recipe by ourselves in one sitting. Perhaps it was the fact that for the milk, I used half cream? Or...that I doubled the amount of cocoa?

I've made this recipe many times before, and I've never been dissatisfied. Minus, maybe the fact there's never enough? (and/or no leftovers) When I use soy milk, I do not add vanilla. Normally, I also do not add the margarine. Definitely didn't this time -- didn't need any more fat! :)

This recipe would make a great chocolate pie filling, though you may need more than one recipe...perhaps 1.5 times?

Overall: 5 out of 5

My mother won't believe this...

2009-09-02T10:44:00.006-04:00

5. Green bean soup, pg. 201

I vividly remember meals growing up where I was forced to eat green beans, much against my will. I hated those suckers more than any other vegetable (although beets may have been a close runner-up), but of course, was required to take a small spoonful of them to get my serving of vegetable for that meal...

Fortunately, our tastes buds change, and what was once torture can be turned into appreciation or even enjoyment. Sadly, I can only appreciate green beans these days, quite short of enjoying them. (Beets, however, I do enjoy now.)

The trick, I think, is to season them so they're perceived as potentially palatable. This recipe, with its happy fat factor (use cream!), achieves this. I used purple potatoes (mainly because they were on hand), and they add such a lovely colour! In the absence of any other protein source in the meal, the hard-boiled egg does fine as a garnish, though I found it a little strange, as the textures didn't seem to mesh well.

Overall: 3.4 out of 5 (Slightly better than standard, but still somewhat dull.)

6. Rollkuchen, pg. 83

If you've ever met a Russian Mennonite eating watermelon on a summer day, you may have noticed a stack of fried dough. You taste one, and your mouth rejoices in -- once again -- a happy fat factor. Who knew egg, cream, flour, salt, and sugar deep fried (I did mine in soybean oil) could be so delicious? Well...I guess we could all guess that...but still! I made half 'salty' by sprinkling just a teeny bit of salt on afterwards, and half 'sweet' by dusting them with powdered sugar. Though I liked both, the ones with powdered sugar were a little too salty (simply from what was in the dough) to be dessert-like.

Overall: 4.1 out of 5

Mealwise, these two can go well together -- just watch out for the salt (mainly if you use stock in the soup)! I'm still thirsty...

Oh-so-healthy!

2009-09-01T06:38:00.005-04:00

4. Baked Lentils with Cheese, pg. 106

By this time most weeks, I'm scrambling to use all the fresh vegetables Justin brings home from work on Fridays before they rot before my very eyes. I do not like watching food go to waste, nor do I like having it finishing rotting in my trash can (my poor worms can't take it all), encouraging the propagation of fruit flies...

So, this recipe was great for calling for many vegetables which are in season. Carrots, an onion, half a bell pepper, parsley...And, instead of canned tomatoes, fresh ones worked wonders! I used slices of farmer's cheese with vegetables instead of cheddar -- most any cheese could virtually create a new dish! :)

Halved, this dish is a perfect solo meal dish for two. Though it's a bit time consuming with all of the timed-additions, if you've got an hour and a half free until dinner, it's a good fit.

Lentils are one of those foods that are so versatile, I'm surprised they're not more prevalent in our cooking habits. Then again, when a friend asked last week how lentils are grown, I had no clue. Apparently, there are over 15 types, though in our standard American groceries, you're lucky to find two or three. I've used lentils as protein sources in burgers, soups, and casseroles. This recipe particularly reminds me a bit of pot roast -- the stuff our mom's used to let sit in a crockpot for hours. It's so warm and hearty, most people will probably enjoy it, even if they're leery of the idea of lentils.

This recipe is easily doctored to be spicy, lactose-free, or vegetabbly-winterized. Add cayenne powder or fresh jalapeños, omit the cheese (or substitute your favorite soya-based cheese), and add potatoes or other root vegetables and omit the green pepper.

Overall: 4 out of 5

Let's start here

2009-08-31T16:49:00.004-04:00

Somewhat inspired by Julie Powell in Julie and Julia, I cemented my long-standing dream to cook through More With Less cookbook. The idea had been rolling around in my head for a couple years, but never had the time, drive, or fortitude to start out on the conscientious Mennonite culinary journey.

Now that I'm married (another mouth to feed!) and mostly unemployed and somewhat bored, it seems like a good time to embark...

Unlike Julie, however, I can't promise to do this in a year. I don't even know how many recipes there are in the book.

But I can promise that I will be modifying the recipes. I rarely follow recipes (aside from baked goods), and substitute what I have on hand, rather than driving all over tarnation to find an ingredient.

I am using the 25th anniversary edition, in case that makes a difference in page numbers.

The first three recipes that I have made are:

1. Honey Whole Wheat Bread, pg. 57

The very first recipe in the book! How could I not start with it? And we must get one thing straight -- I love making bread. I love kneading the bread, I love being able to leave it for awhile and coming back to a morphed creation, and I love how it smells when it's baking. In baking, unless otherwise noted, I use all organic flours, and try to use organic oils, sugars, etc.

At the risk of boring you, I will give the basics of how I treated this recipe.

I halved it, which was completely fine, and still made a huge loaf. I used regular water, but potato water would have provided a slightly smoother texture (but didn't have any on hand.)

The dough performed excellently, and raised according to the times in the recipe. Baking time was slightly longer, though this probably was dependent on oven temperature. See how beautiful it looks?

Since I needed to pick Justin up from work, I left it to continue cooling on our washing machine (a.k.a. extra countertop!). When we returned home, it was no longer there. A thief had stolen it, it seemed. A thief named Darby, with big brown eyes and wagging tail. I was positively livid. I cried. I said bad words. I didn't look at her the rest of the day. I learned my lesson: Put the dog away if you can't put the bread away.

Overall: ? out of 5

2. Peach Kuchen, pg. 280

We were having guests for dessert, and had loads of fresh, local produce lying around, begging to be used. Similar to pie, this kuchen consists of a crust and fruit filling. However, the crust is more similarly related to a graham cracker crust, and the filling had an egg/yogurt (soy in our case) topping. The crust left a lot to be desired, as it crumbled upon trying to serve it. For a 9" pie pan, I felt like it barely covered the sides, and if I made this again, would either make more or put it in a smaller pan.

Instead of just peaches as the recipes calls for, I substituted 2 pears, sliced, for two of the peaches. This also helped it to fill more fully, and stretched to serve 8 (though the recipe only says 6).

It had a nice taste, though I think using plain yogurt (instead of the vanilla soy yogurt that I bought) would have given it a bit more punch, and less sugary.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

3. Oatmeal Bread, pg. 60

I've made this recipe countless times before, often adding one thing or another to change it up a bit. Sometimes more whole wheat. Sometimes flax seeds. It's such an easy recipe to experiment on -- nearly fail-proof. I recommend it for beginners to bread-making.

This time, I needed a breakfast dish for the following day, so decided to convert them into cinnamon rolls. After the first rising, I stuck the dough (covered) into the fridge until the next morning. When I got up the next morning, I rolled the dough out into two 8" cake pans worth of cinnamon rolls, covered and stuck them in the oven under the light for about an hour. When they had raised to about the point at which I wanted them to bake, I pulled them out and turned the oven on.

They were delicious -- topped with a fairly hearty dollop of buttercream icing. We ate half the pan right away...no way Darby was going to get any of this, if I had anything to say about it!

So we've started. I'm open to other people taking recipes that you have interest in and writing about your experience with them.

Overall: 4.88 out of 5