Tag Archives: Vegetarian

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Posted on by Laurie

I ordered some Amaryllis bulbs early in the Fall in the hopes that they would be in bloom for Thanksgiving. Somehow, I timed it just right. It’s always so nice when things work out that way.

One of the side dishes that I will be preparing on Thursday is Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  The recipe was sent to me by one of our guests. It’s delicious. I tested it out this summer while I was visiting my mother.

Tim’s Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 – 5 large sweet potatoes, washed

8 T. unsalted butter

1/2 c. good Bourbon, or to taste*

1/4 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. honey, or to taste

1/4 c. brown sugar, or to taste

1/4 t. ground cinnamon, or to taste

milk or cream, just enough to achieve desired consistency

(1) Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork. Cook in microwave until tender or wrap  in buttered aluminum foil and bake at 425 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender.

(2) Remove sweet potatoes from their skins. Mash together with the remaining ingredients, making adjustments as needed to achieve desired flavor and consistency.

* Note: the alcohol is not “cooked out” in this recipe.

Another one of the side dishes that I’ll be serving is my Cranberry Compote, which I make every year. I prepared the base this morning (photo below) and will add fresh apple just before serving on Thursday.

Cranberry Compote

1 c. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. cold water

6 whole cloves

3 whole allspice

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. dried apricots, diced

1/2 c. raisins, currants or chopped dried dates

3 c. whole fresh cranberries, washed and picked over

1/2 c. pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

zest of 1 fragrant orange, finely minced or grated

1 1/2 c. chopped fresh apple or pear, or orange slices, optional

(1) In a medium pot, stir together granulated sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low so that they syrup is barely at a simmer. Cook 10 minutes. Carefully remove spices.

(2) Add dried cranberries, apricots and raisins, currants or dates to sugar syrup. Bring dried fruits to a simmer  and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries, pecans and orange zest. Cover. Remove from heat. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes. The cranberries should just begin to pop. If they do not, you may need to return the pot to a low heat for a few minutes.

(3) Serve warm or chill before serving. If desired, stir in apple, pear or orange right before serving.

Note: Cranberry Compote is very versatile. It can be served on its own, mixed into yogurt, or mixed with maple syrup, warmed and served over French Toast. For Thanksgiving, I will be serving it as a chilled side dish.

Now, I’m off to do some more cooking! I’ll try to do a Thanksgiving Preparation, Part II tomorrow or Thursday morn. Just in case I don’t manage to get another post in before the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2LC: Mushrooms

Posted on by Laurie

After a short hiatus, Two Little Chefettes have returned with their monthly cooking challenge. The ingredient for November is mushrooms. Thank you Ridha and Bebe!

I tend to have rather strong opinions about mushrooms. I think that most people cook them on too low a heat, for too long a time, with too much fat and without enough seasoning – the result being a rubbery, unappealing ingredient. I always cook mushrooms on a high heat, with just a little fat, with plenty of salt and pepper, and almost always with some sherry. That is how the Portobellos are prepared for this recipe. They are then stirred into the soup at the last minute. The result is a silky soup with slightly caramelized mushrooms.

Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup

4 T. unsalted butter, divided

2 T. potato starch

2 c. flavorful vegetable broth (mine is a golden-orange because it has lots of carrots and some tomatoes)

2 c. whole milk*

1/2 c. chopped yellow onion

4 c. very thinly sliced fresh Portobello mushrooms

splash of dry pale sherry

salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 t. ground paprika

1. Melt 2 T. of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the potato starch. Once the mixture is completely smooth, slowly whisk in the vegetable stock. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until perfectly smooth and slightly thickened. Whisk in the milk; and again, continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until perfectly smooth and slightly thickened.

2. Using about 1/2 T. of the remaining butter, saute onions in another pan until starting to turn translucent and lightly golden, but still slightly crisp. Stir into the soup base. The soup base will continue to thicken and will need to be whisked every few minutes.

3. Melt the remaining butter in the pan from the onions, stir in the mushrooms, and saute until almost cooked. Add the sherry and then salt and pepper the mushrooms. The sherry should be absorbed fairly quickly at which time the mushrooms should be done cooking. Stir mushrooms into soup base.

4. Stir in paprika and then adjust seasonings. Serve right away. Enjoy!

* Once time when I made this soup, I substituted soy milk. I thought that the soup turned out too sweet. So I would recommend sticking to regular milk.

Improvised Tomato Pumpkin Soup

Posted on by Laurie

After making Bumpkins  yesterday, I found myself with leftover pumpkin that I wanted to use for dinner in some way. Being a great believer in the art of culinary improvisation, I decided to make something using only ingredients that I already had in the house; and besides, it was 7 pm before I started cooking dinner, I was still waiting for one room to check in, and there was no way that I was going to the grocery store. So here is what I came up with along with some suggested variations. The point of this post isn’t “Oh, this is the best soup ever … you’ve got to try it.”  (It is really good, though; otherwise, I wouldn’t have posted the recipe!) Rather, the point of this post is an exhortation to be creative. Go ahead, have fun and improvise … you might come up with something you like!

Improvised Tomato Pumpkin Soup

4 oz. dry quinoa pasta shells

1/4 c. diced red bell pepper, sautéed in olive oil

3 c. chopped tomatoes (I used Pomi brand from Italy)

1 1/4 c. packed pumpkin

2 c. vegetable stock

1 c. frozen corn

1 T. Italian Seasonings

1/2 t. hot red pepper flakes

dry white wine

fresh grated Romano cheese.

1. Put the pasta on to cook.  Meanwhile, saute peppers.

2. While the pasta is cooking and the peppers are sauteing, add the following to a 4-qt. stockpan: tomatoes, pumpkin, vegetable stock, corn, Italian Seasonings and red pepper flakes.  Cook over medium heat. Add peppers when they are crisp-tender.

3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and then stir into soup. Add white wine to taste, about 2 T. Cook for 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve topped with grated cheese. (Some crusty French bread would go really well with this soup.)

Suggested Variations

– substitute beans for corn (or use in addition to corn)

– substitute yellow onions for red peppers

– use another pasta, or use rice

– top with cheddar cheese

– use red wine instead of white

– add fresh herbs

– add croutons when serving

Have fun! Enjoy! I’d love to hear your ideas …

Stuffed Pumpkin Butter French Toast

Posted on by Laurie

In yesterday’s Pumpkin Butter post, I said that I would be serving Pumpkin Butter for breakfast this morning.  Keeping my word, this morning’s special was Stuffed Pumpkin Butter French Toast. I know. There is nothing French about this dish; but it is what Americans call “French Toast”.  Whatever the origins … yum! It tastes like autumn is here!

For 2 servings:

4 thick slices cinnamon bread, edges trimmed

3 T. low-fat cream cheese

1 lg. egg

1/4 c. half-and-half

1/4 c. + 3 T. pumpkin butter, divided

3 T. maple syrup

1/4 c. pecans or walnuts

confectioner’s sugar for serving

(1) Spread cream cheese on 2 of the slices of bread. Top with remaining bread. Cut each “sandwich” diagonally into 2 triangles.

(2) Beat together egg, half-and-half, and 1/4 c.  of the pumpkin butter until perfectly smooth. Soak triangles in batter for 2 – 3 minutes on each side. Make sure that the edges are coated with batter.

(3) Preheat a skillet or grill over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles but does not skate across the surface. Coat with butter, canola oil, or vegetable spray. (Butter and vegetable spray work fine in a non-stick skillet, but when I make French Toast on our commercial grill, I use canola oil.) Grill bread on each side for several minutes or until egg is cooked and lightly browned. Remember to grill edges as well.

(4) Meanwhile, stir together remaining 3 T. of pumpkin butter and the maple syrup. Warm just before serving.

(5) Arrange nuts on 2 serving warm plates. Arrange French Toast. Drizzle with pumpkin syrup and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve right away. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Butter – ‘Tis the Season

Posted on by Laurie

The hot weather has finally broken. It is rainy and in the 50’s here today. To make the house feel warm and cozy, I decided to make some aromatic Pumpkin Butter which I can serve for breakfast tomorrow. Oh, yum. This both smells so good while it is cooking and tastes delicious!In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine the following ingredients:

3 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 c. honey

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. ground mace

Stirring occasionally, cook over very low heat for about 45 minutes or until very thick and smooth. Store in the refrigerator, in glass jars,  for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 quart.

Pumpkin butter can be served on breads, on top of yogurt, or used to fill tarts.

Piquant Pieper Sauce and Pieper Eggs

Posted on by Laurie

My husband always tells me that the one draw back to my recipes is that I am not sufficiently creative when it comes time to name them.  Despite the unimaginative name -when writing my first cookbook, I ran out of appellations and named this dish after myself – this is quite delicious. It can be served warm or cold to top eggs, tofu, pasta or pizza. It can also be served as a dip for French bread, pita bread or chips. Shown below, Pieper Eggs … what else?

Piquant Pieper Sauce

4 lg. ripe red bell peppers

1 1/2 c. tomato sauce (unseasoned)

1/2 c. chopped white onion

1 jalapeno pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. granulated sugar

2 to 3 T. fresh lemon juice, divided

2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. fresh ground pepper

1 pinch ground thyme

1 clove garlic, crushed

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange peppers on parchment paper. Place baking sheet in the oven and  roast peppers, turning them occasionally with a pair of tongs, for about 20 minutes or until their skins are very blistery. Place peppers in a paper bag. Close the bag and let the peppers cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.

(2) Meanwhile, wearing plastic gloves, remove the stem and then chop the jalapeno. Place jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor.

(3) Working over the food processor bowl, peel the peppers, removing as much of the skin as  you can. Remove the stems and slice the peppers open. Remove and discard the seeds. Place peppers in the bowl of the food processor.

(4) Add remaining ingredients, starting with just 2 T. of the lemon juice. Process until almost smooth.

(5) Preheat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes or until the liquids have cooked off and the sauce is very thick. Stir frequently. If the sauce begins to spatter while it is cooking, reduce the heat.

(6) When the sauce is thickened, taste to see whether it needs more lemon juice, salt or pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Use right away or store in the refrigerator in a covered glass jar. Yields about 1 quart.

Pieper Eggs

(per serving)

1 t. unsalted butter

2 lg. eggs

1 T. milk

3 to 4 T. warm Piquant Pieper Sauce, divided

2 slices French Bread, warm and buttered

1 c. baby spinach, optional

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

(1) Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl it around the skillet. When butter just starts to sizzle, the skillet is ready.

(2) Meanwhile, beat together the eggs and milk. When the skillet is ready, pour in the eggs. Let eggs start to set on the bottom. Use a turner to pull them toward the sides of the skillet. Repeat, without stirring constantly, until the eggs are about half-cooked. Add 1 t. of sauce to eggs and continue to scramble until they are set.

(3) Place French bread on a warmed plate. Optionally, top with spinach. Then top with eggs. Garnish with remaining warm Piquant Pieper Sauce and then parsley. Serve immediately.

Variation: add 1/4 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese to eggs while they are cooking.

Fig & Raspberry Salad

Posted on by Laurie

Making the most of the last days of summer …

Fig & Raspberry Salad

Lightly toss together:

Fresh figs, sliced in half lengthwise

Fresh raspberries

Fresh mozzarella, cut into small slices or chunks

Fresh mint leaves

Drizzle with:

honey

rice wine vinegar

Serve right away.

Zucchini Chickpea Risotto

Posted on by Laurie

One of our guests recently gave me a bunch of young zucchinis from her garden. (Thank you, Madonna!) After serving Zucchini Pancakes, Zucchini & Roasted Chicken Omelettes, and Zucchini Bread for breakfast over several different mornings, I decided that it was time for zucchini at a different meal. For lunch today,  I made Zucchini and Chickpea Risotto. It was a sunny and delicious dish for a gray, humid day.



Ingredients: Arborio Rice, Olive Oil, Minced Shallots, Vegetable Stock, Chickpeas, Zucchinis, Red Pepper Flakes, Dry White Wine, Butter, Lemon Juice, Grated Parmesan Cheese. For instructions on making risotto, see my earlier post Ah … Risotto. Have fun making your own risotto! Feel free to be creative!

One of my go-to wines for making risotto, and serving with it, is Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp, citrusy white wine from California. Enjoy!

Many Thanks for A Great Retreat

Posted on by Laurie

We just finished the first Morning Star Wellness Retreat. Everyone had a great experience and the time flew by. I did my best to remember to take photos, but I had a tendency to get caught up in the activities and forget all about documenting them. The retreat consisted of three days of  healthful gourmet vegetarian food, exercise, enjoying nature, meditation and mindful activities (such as art journaling and wine tasting), and all around engaging our senses. (I will make a point of writing more about mindful activities in another post.) I owe an enormous thanks to the each and every one of the wonderful people who helped out with the retreat by sharing their knowledge, enthusiasm and experience! I am also grateful to the equally wonderful people who came to the retreat because they believed in what we were doing!

The event began on Friday with a welcoming wine reception. Oenophile and biologist Dr. David Rintoul led us through a tasting of three wines. Up for comparison were Lioco Chardonnay 2010 (an unoaked Chardonnay ), Rodney Strong Chardonnay 2010 (an oaked Chardonnay), and Vouvray Chateau de Montfort  2010 (a Chenin Blanc). All three were well liked. The Lioco was clean, crisp, and almost citrusy. The Rodney Strong had a bit deeper flavor and a slight oaky aftertaste. The Vouvray, though, which is almost effervescent and just sweet enough to be served as a dessert wine, was the group’s favorite.

Saturday morning we started out bright and early with tangy Blueberry Yogurt Smoothies, Banana Bran Muffins, and a meandering walk over to the downtown Farmers’ Market to enjoy the sights and to buy vegetables (tomatoes, tomatillos, Japanese eggplants, etc.) for the weekend .

We came back to the B&B, had a light breakfast (Homemade Muesli with Fruit or Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Peppers), were led through gentle yoga exercises by kinesiologist Sara Hillard, and then each person had a personal training session with kinesiologist Lauren Lundberg-Berryhill.

After lunch (Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette, zesty Fresh Carrot and Ginger Soup, Zucchini Bread, fruit), I taught tai chi at the Flint Hills Discovery Center.

Afterward we went to the Beach Museum where Senior Educator Kathrine Schlageck helped us to practice Visual Thinking and Art Journaling.  Katherine led us through the permanent gallery collection and taught us ways to think about art (e.g. Albert Bloch’s “Lighted Windows” and Carol Haerer’s “Lucine”) using a journal. She then led us to the Quiet Symmetry exhibit to contemplate ceramicist Yoshiro Ikeda’s works.

Monet’s Dream by Yoshiro Ikeda

When we came home, we made several different flavorful salsas with fresh ingredients from the Farmers’ Market.

On Sunday, we got up to see sunrise over the Konza Prairie where we were met by naturalist and writer, Dr. Elizabeth Dodd. It was glorious out there at that hour of the morning and Elizabeth generously shared her knowledge of grasses, wildflowers, wildlife and land formations. I took quite a few photos, more of which I will put in my next post.

After spending several hours on the Konza, we had a hearty breakfast (Buttermilk Pancakes, Fruit and Yogurt), then relaxation time and we finished the morning with our second Tai Chi class at the Discovery Center.

After  lunch,  (Green Salad with Pear and Honey Vinaigrette, Spaghetti with Tomato Crue – raw tomato sauce, fresh baked bread, fruit and cheeses) guests met again met with Lauren for personal training. Then, late afternoon, we enjoyed a class on meditation and mindfulness led by Dr. Matthew Cobb, Executive Director of the Meadowlark Foundation, who helped us appreciate the importance of mindfulness and taught us techniques for practicing it. The session very nicely tied together ideas that we had been working with all weekend. For while mindfulness can be practiced in formal meditation, it can also be incorporated into every part of every day if one pays attention to the here and now, to what is right in front of one , and listens to one’s body. This of course, is what we do when we focus on taste in a wine tasting, when we focus on breathing and movement in yoga and tai chi, when we focus on texture, color, and meaning in looking at art, when we focus on sights, sounds, and smells while walking through nature, and so forth. As Matthew put it, we participate more in life when we are mindful.

Monday was slower-paced. No pre-breakfast activities. We leisurely practiced tai chi then had an early lunch outside (Green Salad with Honey and Stone Ground Mustard Vinaigrette, Moroccan Chickpea Stew, Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins, Fresh Fruit). In the afternoon, each participant had a massage followed by relaxation time.

I am so pleased to have gotten to know, or gotten to know better, all of the people involved in the retreat. We said our goodbyes (i.e. goodbye-for-now’s), happy for our time together. Now I am excited to plan the next retreat!

Eloté: Mexican-Style Grilled Corn

Posted on by Laurie

This is a recipe that was sent to me by our friend Brian. We made it for dinner the other night, despite the heat, and it is absolutely the best tasting corn I have ever had. If anyone is thinking about cooking out for July 4th, this would be a great dish to try. The lime-mayo sauce is similar melted butter but with a lot more flavor. The cheese and spices soak into the sauce and add a smoky-spicy-salty component to the flavor. We might just have to have it again this week.

Eloté

4 ears fresh corn on the cob

3 T. mayonnaise

2 T. fresh lime juice

2 T. fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/2 t. ground ancho chili pepper

1/4/ t. ground cayenne pepper

1/4 t. ground cumin

1/8 t. garlic salt

(1) Peel back the husks on the ears of corn, but keep them attached. Remove the silk, then pull the husks back up. Soak corn in cold water for about 20 minutes. (If your corn is missing husks, wrap the ears in buttered aluminum foil or skip the grilling step and just steam the corn until it is tender.)

(2) Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Spray with high heat cooking spray. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until tender. This will depend on your grill, but probably about 10 – 20 minutes. (To be honest, I always have to test the doneness several times when grilling corn.)

(3) Meanwhile, in one small bowl, combine mayo and lime juice. In another, combine cheese and spices.

(4) When corn is done, pull back husks, brush corn with lime-mayo mixture, then sprinkle with spiced cheese mixture. Serve right away.