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.
Showing posts with label Vegetable Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetable Dish. Show all posts
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Back Again
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...
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...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, March 26, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, March 8, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Warning: Dangerous Pun Ahead!
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.
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.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The joys of a well-stocked kitchen...
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!
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!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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....
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....
Monday, October 19, 2009
Catching up...
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. :)
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. :)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Hold on tight!
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Greens and such
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.
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.
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