Libra Loves

Awesome Orange Balsamic Scallops, Among Other Things

2012-01-25T23:39:00.007-05:00

OH this week is Draaaaaginggggg.

BUT.... it's not one of those boring, every day the same weeks. Except for that I took the N to 14th to switch to the Q instead of standing on the smelly 34th street platform two days in a row and it actually worked perfectly. That never happens more than once, without some train doors slamming in your face when you try to transfer. So that was kinda groundhog-day-ish. Other than that....

Had some good meals this week. Real good food week.

Monday, I got a delicious BBQ chicken bowl from Mexicue on 7th Ave. Oh yeah, that was awesome.

Sear scallops in butter. Add 1/4 tsp orange zest to 1/3C balsamic vinegar and reduce over low heat until syrupy.

Monday night, my Fresh Direct arrived 5 minutes before I got home, perfect timing! I was able to make seared Sea Scallops with Orange Balsamic Drizzle.

Risotto with Orange juice, wine, onions, fennel, peas and pistachios.

And I experimented with some Orange Fennel Risotto. That was alright. Interesting. Needs some work. Or not, we can just forget it probably. The flavors were a bit too overwhelming by the 2nd day as leftovers.

Besides having way too much energy this week, Misty thinks the new memory foam kitchen mat is for her. BTW it's super hard to get the hair off of it, not to mention the shards of nylabone.

Tuesday I had a pretty cool ready-to-eat lunch from Fresh Direct. Rosa Mexicano Chicken Veracruz. Tasty. Gave me pretty bad indigestion though, and that made getting through the afternoon tough.

Tuesday night I made a very tasty broiled Salmon Fillet with a crumb topping. Slathering it with mayo to get the crumbs to stick, and seal in the moisture, is key.

Today, I found a lunch option that has always been right under my nose: 'wichcraft at 32nd & Broadway. I somehow always believed that it was just for coffee. Even though I knew what 'wichcraft was. I just NEVER saw anyone buying anything there. Now I know why. It's very good. BUT... SO OVERPRICED. Did I need 6oz of goat cheese in my sandwich? Probably could've got by with 4oz. I appreciate the generosity, but really - a $15 lunch should consist of a seated meal with a server and include beverage and ambience. But this was just a veggie sandwich and a cup of soup. Both delish- creamy goat cheese, avocado, walnuts... cheesy tomato soup... but are you kidding me? They didn't even give me any bread or crackers for the soup. C'mon! Well, now I know. $17 for chips/soda/LOBSTER ROLL at Nauti, Luke's Lobster truck is a better splurge, but they just rarely come around!

Tonight, I checked out the new Shake Shack in Brooklyn (a few blocks from my house) with my friend KK, who was kind enough to come down to Brooklyn to meet up. The vegetarian 'Shroom Burger is so good! Deep fried mushroom stuffed with cheese, and a little thousand-island dressing and stuff. So good. The fattiest mushroom sandwich EVER. But worth every bite and every penny. Although I paid a lot less for it than my lunch.... $10 for the sammy and the fries. I won't count the bottle of wine we split... but that was good too!

Amarula Brownies: Replace water with Amarula Cream Liquor!

Somehow this all left me craving brownies. Alright, I've been craving them for a few days. I couldn't help throwing together a batch of them tonight when I got home. If you use a really shallow pan, they only take about 30 minutes. I decided to use Amarula instead of water, along with some chocolate chips and nuts - cuz that's just how I roll on a Wedesday.

Little Misty probably wishes I spent less time playing with food and more time playing with her! It's only Wednesday honey... if even for 20 more minutes... two more LONG days!

OH YEAH, AND WE BOOKED A TRIP TO CURACAO. BOO YA!

Chanterelle & Hedgehog Soup

2012-01-19T22:05:00.000-05:00

No, since you asked, this soup does not contain actual hedgehogs - just mushrooms, potatoes, and a little fatty pork (if you wish).

Yellowfoot mushrooms

When I saw that Fresh Direct now has a much wider variety of mushrooms, not to mention on sale for $6 each, I picked up some packs of Chanterelles, Yellowfoots and Hedgehogs. The Chanterelles are not strangers to me, but I've never cooked with the other two. Yellowfoot are sort of like a Chanterelle on top, with a hollow and skinny yellow stem. The Hedgehogs are aptly named for having bumpy spikes under the caps instead of gills. Bumpy foods are funny to me. Fungus amuses me. Good times.

Hedgehog mushrooms

My favorite way to cook with wild mushrooms is to make simple soup. That way you can taste each individual mushroom and enjoy the different textures in each bite. Since I hadn't had two of these mushrooms before, I wanted to try them this way first. I knew they would be find together, no matter the exact flavors, because they are all related in the gilled-cap family.

As mentioned earlier, I do like to use salt pork in this soup. It's a mild and clear soup, so you definitely need a fat element. You can use butter for the vegetarian version. I actually made two pots at once - a veg version and a pork version, for my husband and I. The pork version is addictive, but the butter version is just fine as well, because the earthy mushrooms give the broth lots of flavor.

If you're using mushrooms in soup, it's fine to rinse them despite popular instruction. They're going to get wet soon enough, and gilled mushrooms collect so much dirt when they grow wild in the forest that they are difficult to wipe clean.

The Chanterelles were sweet and meaty, although it's not really their season, so they do tend to be bland this time of year. The Yellowfoot were light and delicate, almost disappearing into the mix. The Hedgehogs were pretty cool - they keep a pretty nice firm texture, and taste very similar to the Chanterelles.

Chanterelle & Hedgehog Soup

6oz Chanterelle mushrooms

6oz Yellowfoot mushrooms

6oz Hedgehog mushrooms

1 C yellow or white onion, diced

3oz Salt pork, diced (or substitute 3T butter)

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

6-8 C water

To taste: Kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

1. Clean the mushrooms thoroughly by swishing in water and rubbing off the dirt and pine needles. Lay them on paper towels. Cut any dirty ends off stems and discard. Cut any long stems off the caps and slice them into rounds. Slice across or tear apart the caps into manageable pieces.

2. In a soup pot over medium heat, add the salt pork or butter. Cook pork, stirring occasionally for about 5-8 minutes until it becomes opaque.

3. Lower heat to medium-low and add onions to the pork or melted butter. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add potatoes, mushrooms and then water to cover everything in the pot by about an inch. Simmer for 40 minutes - 1 hour.

5. Add 1 Tablespoon of salt, stir, and taste. Season with more salt as needed, plenty of pepper and a few sprinkles of garlic and onion powders.

Serve simply alone, or with bread. Keep in mind, the flavor will get stronger when stored overnight - it's usually best the 2nd day.

Misty will only stir for the pork version of the soup. She's never had pork, but her dog-sense tells her to go check it out the minute it hits the pan. Otherwise, she's happy to just stay all curled up.

Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Treats

2012-01-15T10:55:00.003-05:00

I never really forgot about Rice Krispies Treats. They were a classic when I was a kid. Then Kellogs started offering pre-packaged treats. Although marshmallows are just what I think of as stupid chemicals anyways, I always preferred the homemade version to the packaged. There was nothing like fresh treats.

In college, a bunch of us would break from fashion studio hours for dinner together at the dining hall. One of my classmates reminded me how easy it was to make Krispies Treats. Just take some of the puffed rice cereal, add some marshmallows from the hot cocoa bar, and some butter from the bread bar, and pop the bowl in the microwave. Stir, eat your chicken nuggets and tater tots. When you're done, fresh Krispie Treats in a bowl are waiting. Or don't wait at all. Just eat them gooey, straight away.

Growing up, we typically had Cocoa Krispies around, since that was my kid-cereal of choice back in the 80's. The original flavor was bland to me, and I would just pour sugar on top. My parents had (and still have) a box in the cupboard just for chocolate and cookies - so the fact that I preferred chocolate cereal was no surprise considering my genes. And they made much more exciting Krispies Treats.

Recently, I've been venturing out from the office for a Starbucks Krispie Treat from time to time. However, they insist on calling them "Dream Bars" which fails to trigger nostalgic feelings such a treat should. I'm sure it's a legal thing, but come on, we all know it's a Rice Krispie Treat. No need to correct me every time I order it, it's really not my problem. We all grew up here, we know what I want... dammit, just let me order it how I want! I do find them slightly 'dreamier' than the packaged version, though, since they seem fresh, and are less densely packed. And they have extra marshmallows hanging out in there.

I can't remember the last time I actually pressed a pan of my own treats. I really can't. Have I even made them since moving to New York? Why not?

I decided to make a pan this weekend, modeled after the airy Starbucks version. But Fresh Direct didn't have original Rice Krispies. It seemed that they wanted me to buy their version of the Krispie Treat pre-made. I'm not falling for that. I bought Cocoa Krispies instead, and created a superior treat dotted with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.

I had one after lunch yesterday. Two after second lunch. And one for breakfast with coffee this morning. My husband was laughing at me. C'mon, it's cereal, it's totally appropriate!

Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Treats

3T butter

1 10.5oz bag of mini marshmallows, divided into 4 C and 1 C

6 C Cocoa Krispies or other chocolate puffed rice cereal

1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate morsels

In a large pot melt the butter over low heat. Add 4 C marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted together.

Remove from heat and add cereal, quickly stirring to combine. Add the chocolate chips and 1 C marshmallows and quickly fold in.

Pour the whole mess into a 13" x 9" x 2" pan (nonstick, or coated with cooking spray). Press down gently with waxed paper or a spatula.

Cool completely before cutting into bars, if you can wait!

Another Week's Gone By

2012-01-14T14:28:00.002-05:00

Here's another 58F degree day changing to 28F degrees... pretty big clouds rolling by.

I can't believe it's already the middle of January. 2012. Seems like a few weeks ago we were just planning our holiday party and looking forward to our New Year's ski trip. Already we're past that and on to planning new vacations and gatherings.

I haven't had anything grandiose to write about. Work is finally calming down. Been going out a lot.

A night out around Chinatown and the LES.

Tried some cool cocktails at Apotheke, where the bartenders wear lab coats while they concoct the above.

Since work is slowing down, I have a little more energy to cook dinner. Not to much new or exciting, but at least I'm getting back in the swing. Hopefully new ideas will come soon.

Old stand-by: Beef-less Stroganoff, salad and wine.

I made a naughty chicken cutlet and had some leftover egg and crumbs. Fried fennel root is awesome!

Found a recipe for Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, White Beans and Feta - but overcooked the squash to moosh.

Made a delicious skirt steak marinated in olive oil and cabernet. Garlic sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side. Yum!

Also hung out with Misty alot.

And then hung out with Misty some more. She's so cuddly.

Hopefully something interesting happens soon! Otherwise you'll be seeing more photos of Misty. It's so fun to sit and pet her that we kind of get lazy about our chores and everything else around here!

Tarragon Shrimp Over Herb Salad with Lemon-Fennel Vinaigrette

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Haven't you had enough comfort food for a while? Remember salad?

I always say that there's no such thing as a New Year's resolution. I think it's more of a return to the end of some sort of cycle we get stuck in. Gain weight, lose weight. Eat more, eat less. Dine out too much, eat at home more. Spend more, spend less. Abundance and lack make the world go 'round.

After a month or more of eating rich, going out and being social, naturally I feel like taking it easy. For a little while. At least until the Super Bowl - which is a whole other cycle of hot-wings, beer, fatness, yoga, skinniness, repeat.

In the spirit of beginning anew the cycle of healthy eating and self-repair, I will try to share with you some lighter and healthier foods this month. I know I'm not the only one who had a few too many Filet Mignons last month, and probably about 40 chocolates and 20 glasses of wine too many also - but who's counting? And too many for what? We can recover from this, together, I promise you.

This past weekend I completed my Filet Mignon cycle and reset to a salad cycle. I was not alone.

View from Mont Tremblant

I was up in Mont Tremblant skiing and hanging out with a bunch of friends for New Year's Eve weekend. It started with an open-faced Croque Monsieur sandwich topped by a cheese-blanket, accompanied by fries and a cheese-ensconced plate of nachos and a beer. In general, it seems the French Canadians really enjoy a heavy helping of fatso cheese. Kind of explains why I could never give up cheese, seeing as I'm about a quarter F-C myself. Either way, after a couple more rich meals I was feeling kind of blech. What a gluttonous month.

So much beer & chips! Yay vacation!

After a few ski runs on Saturday, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised to find rather un-greasy comida delicioso. I ordered a salad - greens with shrimp, pecans, pears and a fig-balsamic dressing. It just sounded so refreshing. And it was - I forgot about salad!

Sunday night, the remaining six of us decided unanimously that we'd like a big, fresh, green salad at dinner. Some pasta too, but definitely feeling the salad. My friend picked up some greens, a mustard dressing, avocado, grapefruit and cashews. So great. We hardly touched the pasta.

So here I am at the beginning of the salad cycle, right on time for new year's resolutions. But it's not a resolution so much as I just feel like eating lighter. I feel in my bones that I miss fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables. So tonight I made this yummy salad with these awesome giant Wild Patagonian Red Shrimp from Fresh Direct. A little tarragon lends freshness. Fennel and baby carrots give the salad some crunch. It's 17F degrees outside and summer in my kitchen.

Tarragon Shrimp Over Herb Salad with Lemon-Fennel Vinaigrette

approx. 2 large servings

2 T butter

1 lb large shrimp (10-15 ct), peeled and deveined

Salt & Pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T lemon juice

2 T fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

4 C herb salad (or mixed greens), rinsed and dried

1/2 C baby carrots, halved

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced (about 1/2 C)

Lemon-Fennel Vinaigrette

1/4 C lemon juice

1/4 C olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 T fennel fronds, (small leafy parts without the stems) chopped

*Prep shrimp and set aside in a bowl, ready to cook. Be sure to sanitize the counter-top (from any stray shrimp juices) and wash your hands well. Avoid cross-contamination.

Wild Patagonian Red Shrimp

1. Prepare the salad dressing by whisking together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and mustard. Stir in fennel fronds.

2. Slice carrots and fennel. Add fennel slices to the dressing to marinate at least 15 minutes.

3. Season the raw shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it froths and begins to brown (in about 1 minute) add the shrimp. Cook about 2 minutes and add the garlic. Cook 2-3 more minutes until shrimp are curled and opaque.

4. Remove the shrimp from heat and mix in a dash of lemon juice and the fresh tarragon.

5. Arrange the greens, and carrots on plates. Top with marinated fennel and a drizzle of dressing. Add a few shrimp on top and garnish with fresh tarragon.

Holiday Party Bites

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

Infused liquors (and photo) by Bess

I finally finished cleaning up from the holiday party we threw last weekend. It's not that it was overly crazy, or messy, just that we were lazy and/or busy for the next several days.

As usual, I overdid it with the food spread a little. That's just how I roll, and everyone knows it. The menu I planned was larger than the menu I served. Also, the usual case. Start at 8:30am - 5pm rolls around, and I start to think "oh shit, it's getting late!" And then there's the opposite thought of "oh shit, this is more than enough food" - and I'm only 3/4 through my plan. Just wrap it up, no one will miss what they never knew to expect.

Here are the 12 dishes I served for 20 people - in order by popularity:

1. Fruit Guacamole with Tortilla Chips
Winner. "What's that crunchy stuff in the guacamole? It's good!"
-Kristine T

The idea of putting fruit in the guacamole to give it a special twist came from this cool restaurant in Manhattan called Toloache. I've been there a couple times for restaurant week or birthdays, and we always get this guacamole with seasonal fruit that everyone at the table devours as soon as it comes. I happened to find the recipe at Wine Enthusiast, which made it easy to recreate - except it's kind of easy to figure out on your own!

Fruit Guacamole

3 Haas Avocados, very ripe (an even dark-green color and gives just slightly to pressure)

1/4 C lime juice (about 3 limes)

1 jalepeño, finely diced

1 mango, 1/2" diced

1 C green Grannysmith apple, 1/4" diced (no peeling necessary)

*Strawberries or peaches work too, but I didn't use them

Salt & Pepper

2 T Cilantro, chopped

Prep:

Slice avocados in half lengthwise around pit. Twist apart and remove pit - I personally dislike the "hack the pit with a knife and twist it out" method, because of several close calls with the blade. A teaspoon or pushing it out from the back works too.

Halve the Mango by cutting each long, flat, side clean off the pit, which is usually about 3/4" wide at the center. Using a paring knife, cut the peel off the remaining 3/4" and cut the flesh off from the pit. For the halves, score them like a checker board just to the skin. Flip the half inside-out, into a "porcupine" of mango spikes, and remove pieces with a spoon or pairing knife.

For the apple, cut two large halves off the core - again about 1/2"-3/4" wide. Cut off the short sides. Lay skin-side up, and cut each into thin long slices, and then across to create a quick pile of diced apple.

Slice the jalepeño in half lenghtwise. Removing the seeds is a good idea for a party with various spice-tolerances. Rinsing the halves under cold water helps too. Cut into strips and then across to dice.

Rinse cilantro very very well, as it can be sandy. Roughly chop stem and leaves together.

Fresh lime juice is best. Roll the limes on a hard surface with pressure from your hand, to get the juices loose. You can squeeze directly into the guac to taste, or into a bowl to be more precise. Twisting the half around a fork helps get the juice out.

Put it together:

Spoon out the flesh of the avocado and mash it with a fork. Better yet: a potato masher. When smooth, add the remaining ingredients, stir and serve. Cover with plastic wrap if made ahead, with wrap touching the surface of the dip so there is no air.

2. Burrata & Tomatoes on Toast
"I didn't think I would like a creamy mushy cheese, but this is good!"
-Kristen K

We learned about Burrata at our fave restaurant, where we are quite friendly with the chef, Fabio. He gets his straight from Italy, of course. Little purses of stringy smooth mozzarella filled with creamy melt-in-your-mouth cheese inside. Simply served on a giant slice of tomato, a basil leaf, 2 good olives, a strip of roasted red pepper and good quality balsamic vinegar. At some point we realized we could get Burrata at Fairway that is halfway decent. Not as good as Fabio's, but commendable. But when you buy your own you get 8 times as much for the same price!

Be choosy with your Burrata. It can be found in the fresh cheese section, near goat cheese and other farmer cheese. I've gotten some bad Burrata too - if it tastes sour, send it back! This cheese should have no offensive qualities whatsoever - just mild, creamy deliciousness.

Burrata & Tomatoes on Toast

Good quality sliced bread or baguette

Olive oil

Garlic Powder (optional)

Campari or small heirloom tomatoes, cut into slices (Campari are sweet, flavorful tomatoes. They come in big plastic containers like cherry tomatoes, and are usually on sale 2 or 3 packages for $5 at this time of year)

Burrata Cheese

Fresh Basil leaves

Good quality balsamic vinegar (from Modena, aged longer the better, 12 years +)

Olive oil

Sea Salt

Pepper

Toasts:

You can make the toasts ahead when you have time. The worst thing is smelling toast burning in the oven while you're telling your friends some silly story. And it was your only baguette. So just go ahead and make them early.

Cut bread or baguette into squares just bigger than your tomatoes - 2"x2" is a good size.

Drizzle with oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.

Toast or broil until browned, flipping once - about 4 minutes per batch.

Assembly:

Do this right before serving. Place a slice of tomato on each toast. Top with basil, drizzle with olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic, and salt & pepper. Done.

3. Chinese Chick'n Apple Walnut Bites
"Oh wow, I like this! What is it? Where did you find these awesome crackers?"
-Marisa P

I was so surprised this dish was so popular - I refilled the platter twice! The concept was inspired by a post from The Undercover Cook. I took LightLife Smart Strips Chick'n and concocted a Chinese-inspired vegetarian stir-fry. I cut up egg roll wrappers and baked them to a crisp. The chick'n dish reheated easily in the microwave as needed, and I spooned it quickly onto the crackers.

Times are definitely changing when so many of my non-vegetarian friends will now try a faux-meat dish - AND actually ask for more. Oh, dear vegan readers, this is a HUGE step in the right direction, when the fake chicken outsells the seafood and cured meats among meat-eaters!

Chinese Chick'n Apple Walnut Bites

Crackers:

10 egg roll wrappers

Non-stick spray (olive oil flavor, if available)

Heat oven to 350F. Spray baking sheets lightly with non-stick spray. Stack 3-4 wrappers at a time and cut into 9 squares. A pizza cutter or long chef's knife make it easier.

Place the squares one at a time, 1/2" apart on the baking sheets. Spray lightly with non-stick spray. Bake until golden - the edges will curl slightly. Remove to a cooling rack, tinfoil or extra baking sheet. Cool completely before storing gently in a zipper storage bag.

Chick'n Stir-Fry:

1/2 C celery, diced

1 C diced granny smith apple, mixed with a little lemon juice to preserve color

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2-3/4 tsp (1/2") ginger, peeled and minced

1 T canola or vegetable oil

1 package faux chicken strips (LightLife or Trader Joe's), chopped into small pieces

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 T low sodium soy sauce

2 T hoisin sauce

1 T sesame seeds + more for serving

1/2 C walnuts, chopped or broken (raw)

1/2 C cilantro, chopped

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1. In a sauté pan, heat 1T oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and ginger about 1 minute.

2. Add apples and celery. Cook 2 minutes.

3. Add chicken, sesame seeds, pepper flakes, soy sauce, and hoisin. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until heated and combined.

4. Add walnuts and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and sesame oil.

Assemble:

Top crackers with spoonfuls of hot chicken mixture. Garnish with sesame seeds.

4. French Onion Dip & Chips
"I love dip!"
-Um, like, everybody... duh

This one's a cheat. Helluva Good French Onion Dip is the best, hands down! However, you're likely to find yourself dip-less with leftover chips. I think they design the dip containers to be just too small for a large bag of chips - which involves you in a never-ending cycle of chip and dip buying. To use up leftover chips, you can easily whip up your own dip with common condiments.

Quick Dip
2 T mayonnaise
2 T sour cream
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt & pepper
Optional: Your favorite herbs - like dill, or za'atar, or even hot sauce for a buffalo flavored dip.

Mix together in small batches. Eat immediately.

5. Honey-Almond Goat Cheese
"It was after eating your pumpkin-seed crusted goat cheese that I thought 'oh yeah! I don't have to buy flavored goat cheese, I can just do fun stuff to it myself!'"
-Me, to Kristen K

This sweet and toasty goat cheese is an easy fix for a party. I made this a while back and it was a hit - of course there's some back-story to the inspiration. It wasn't the star this time, but still well received.

Click for Recipe: Goat Cheese with Honey and Almonds

6. Deviled Eggs
"I'm so glad you made deviled eggs!"
-Kim L
"Me, too! I just had some recently that weren't so great and I know yours will be good and make up for that!"
-Bess S

Who says deviled eggs are for Easter? Any time we think about celebrating the life of Christ, you can whip up some eggs to symbolize rebirth. Just kidding, they're just frickin tasty and you know it! Simple as that.

Classic Deviled Eggs

12 Eggs (plan on roughly 1/2 egg per person, as some will not go near, and others may hover this platter)

1/2 C mayonnaise

1 T Dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper

Paprika

1. Hard cook eggs ahead of time, as early as the night before serving. Place eggs in a single layer, in a pot, and just cover with cold water. Cover with lid and bring to a boil on high heat. As soon as the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and give eggs a bath in ice-water. Store until needed - keeping the carton is a good idea for easy re-storage.

2. Peel eggs carefully under cold running water. Rinse and set aside.

3. Slice each egg in half the long way, and flip the yolk into a bowl. A teaspoon helps. Set the halves on the serving platter, ready for filling.

4. Mash the yolks with a fork and stir until somewhat smooth - consistency is personal preference. Stir in mayo, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. You may like more or less, again, personal preference.

5. Fill the eggs by dropping teaspoons of yolk back into each hole. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate, covered, until several party guests arrive.

Safety tip:

Never leave eggs out more than 1-1/2 to 2 hours. You may want to split them onto a couple platters, or only put out a few at a time, to ensure they are cold enough. Or set the platter on top of another platter of crushed ice. Do what you gotta do, nobody gets sick.

7. Za'atar Grilled Chicken Skewers with Yogurt Dip

As we move into the meat items... how odd... not a comment to be had. I've made these before, and they're quite good. The yogurt dip is key. But chicken doesn't reheat all that well, it tends to get tough in the microwave. It's more dinner-y than snack-y and people weren't that hungry. I should have made less, since I still have several left. But if you're making just a couple items, or have several skewer-loving chicken-fiends, this one will get the conversation started about "what the heck is za'atar?".\

Click for Recipe: Za'atar Grilled Chicken Skewers with Yogurt Dip

8. Shrimp Cocktail
I used to whip up a couple pounds of fresh shrimp cocktail years ago, and it would be the biggest craze at parties. Maybe that was in summer. Maybe no one cares about that now. But where I come from, a platter of big giant shrimp cocktail is f'ing fancy. You're like really livin' it up. But maybe no one wanted their hands to smell like fish this time, I don't know. It's alright - I polished off the leftovers each day as a snack. If you and yours are into this kind of thing, this recipe is the simplest, best best:

Perfect Shrimp Cocktail

2 lbs large shrimp, raw, cleaned and deveined (If you're only making this one thing, do it yourself. If you've got a million other things on the menu, buy them cleaned. But freshly cooked beats pre-cooked like 10 times over).

Brine:

4 C cold water

1/2 C Kosher Salt

1/2 C sugar

1 C ice

Soak cleaned, shell-less shrimp in brine for at least 30 minutes. Drain.

Cooking liquid:

Water

1 T salt

1 T pepper corns, whole

2 large bay leaves

1 lemon cut into quarters

In a large soup pot, bring all ingredients for cooking liquid to a boil. When it reaches a good rolling boil, carefully drop in the shrimp. Time 3 minutes exactly from the last shrimp dropped. As long as they are opaque white, remove and drain immediately. Don't overcook.

Chill shrimp in a boil or bag of ice. Drain before serving.

Safety Tip: Serve only small amounts of shrimp at a time and refill as needed, unless you are placing on ice at the table.

9. Cuban Guava Paste Crackers

This has always been a party favorite for us. Easy to assemble. Good conversation starter. Maybe we're over it, but this Cuban-inspired sweet appetizer is pretty yummy.

Cuban Guava Paste Crackers
Goya Guava paste - in a flat tin or plastic container, cut into slices
Goya crackers
Cream Cheese

Spread cream cheese on each cracker. Top with a slice of guava paste. Done!

10. Proscuitto, Salami and Grissini Sticks

Italian cured meats are usually a hit. On a platter, or wrapped around grissini is always good. But lately I see less and less people gravitating toward this once-popular platter. Grissini are great to have out as guests arrive, however, to quickly soak up that first glass of wine.

11. Spicy Pickles & Olives

Pickles and olives are a party classic. Tossed around in dishes here and there, they're a great grab. Even better if there's a twist, like spicy flavors or creative stuffings like peppers or lemons. The Ta'amti Hot & Spicy Pickles were great!

12. Crab-Apple Salad on Endive

This one was kind of a fail. Crab is expensive. It looks pretty. Seems fancy. But this salad really just didn't cut it. Maybe I should have stuck to the traditional mayo-soaked version instead of going light and sweet with apples and nuts. I got the recipe from ever-so trusted Simply Recipes - and maybe it would be better in a small quantity in the start of summer. Oh well, you win some you lose some!

Peanut Butter Everything Cookies

2011-11-14T21:31:00.001-05:00

I've been so busy lately I have not had time to cook much, let alone write about it. But, I am getting excited for the holidays and food is definitely on my mind.

Last weekend was the first weekend off from work in a while for my husband and I. I made a point of going to the greenmarket to get inspired. Except, I didn't make anything grand with my findings, like I thought I would. Instead, I decided to make a batch of delicious everything cookies. Not only did I clean up my apartment finally, but also made a dent in the overstuffed pantry.

I came up with this cookie recipe a while back. You may even call it an un-recipe, because you can vary it up a bunch of ways and not screw it up. I can't remember exactly, but I must have been trying to decide between making peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies.

Oatmeal cookies sometimes strike me as bland - so I usually add lots of filling goodies. Peanut butter cookies sometimes feel too oily or flat-tasting for me. So I combined both ideas, why not? Of course I put everything but the kitchen sink (or eggs) in them, because that's how I roll.

Peanut Butter Everything Cookies

approx. 3 dozen cookies

2 sticks margarine (or butter or Crisco)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ C sugar

¼ C Honey (optional, but very yummy)
1 cup peanut butter (or use 1/2 C almond + ½ C peanut)
1/2 C applesauce (or 2 eggs)

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour (give or take – add more if mixture comes out too wet)

2 to 2-1/2 C old fashioned rolled oats (not the quick-cook)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 C goodies: golden raisins, dried cherries, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, peanuts, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).

2. In a large bowl, cream together first 7 ingredients (all wet ingredients) until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

4. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until well combined. Mix in the goodies.

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just light brown. Cool at least 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet (they might fall apart). Eat immediately. (Or cool on racks).

48-Hour Cashew Cheese

2011-10-29T13:59:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I experimented with cashew cheese. It looked so fresh and pretty in Tal Ronnen's cookbook, and I thought it sounded easy enough to make. However, it's not a process I'll attempt again, as it was a bit frustrating.

I tried to follow the recipe directions exactly, including wait times. The problem was, the whole process takes 2 days. I forgot to put the cashews in water to soak on Thursday night. So I put them in Friday at 10am when I remembered. But this meant that I had to wait 12-14 hours (that's 10pm or later) to grind them up and mix in the bacteria for culturing.

We finished up whatever dinner event we were involved in on Friday around 2am. OK, 5 minute project - blend the nights, mix the ingredients, wrap in cheesecloth.

Not so easy. I tried the blender, as the recipe instructed, to grind the nuts. Nothing worked - pulsing, chopping... just a spinning blade that refused to get the job done while the nuts stuck to the sides. So I tried the Bamix hand-blender.

It took some elbow grease and quite some time, but eventually the nuts were ground. I felt like the mixer was going to die drowning in the thick paste. 2am nut-grinding is not something I will do again, I was tired and kind of wanted to throw things and cry. It didn't even come out that smooth. I was following the instructions, so I mixed up the nuts and probiotics and set it aside to culture for the next 14-16 hours. I must admit I left the kitchen covered in nut-spatter and a sink full with nut-paste covered measuring and mixing tools.

Around 4pm on Saturday I mixed in the seasonings to the yeasty-smelling concoction. Nutritional yeast flakes, onion powder, white pepper, sea salt and nutmeg. Hmm. Interesting. I rolled it up in waxed paper and put it in the fridge to mingle for "several hours or overnight".

A couple hours later we decided to just try the cheese. Who wants cheese by the time it's ready on Sunday morning? We had it on a whole-wheat cracker and it tasted kind of wierd together. The cracker was a little sweet. The cheese tasted like vegan gravy. Alright, so this cheese is definitely boxed-in to being savory only.

The meaty flavor of the cheese reminded me of a classic party-platter combo: cheddar cheese, pepperoni and Ritz crackers. So I put the cashew cheese together with some vegan pepperoni slices on Ritz. The combo definitely worked. I don't think it replaces cheese, as it's more of a spread. And mine wasn't white and pretty like Tal's. And I might leave out the yeast flakes next time. But I did find out that vegan pepperoni is pretty darned good!

Have you had cashew cheese? What's your favorite way to make it or eat it?

Porcini and Shiitake Risotto

2011-10-22T13:45:00.000-04:00

I've made risotto a handful of times, but recently I have been re-learning some recipes for a little self-improvement. In the case of re-learning basic risotto, here comes the Bittman books again, making things simple and unfailingly delicious.

I've had luck with squash risotto and barley risotto, but I was seeking a more flavorful main dish this time. The neighbors were coming for dinner and I intended to serve some non-vegetarians a veg meal they would feel satisfied with.

Mushrooms and risotto are a match made in heaven. It is earthy and flavorful with meaty chunks of protein-rich mushrooms.

Dried Fancy Porcini Mushrooms

I had avoided using dried mushrooms in the past because of a bad experience. Where I grew up, in Vermont, we picked our own chanterelles. Sometimes I would call several stores in NYC and ask their prices for my sweet little orange friends, usually around $30-45/lb. I'd grab a quarter pound to mix with less expensive mushrooms for a nice soup. Once, I broke down and bought some dried chanterelles when I couldn't find them in the markets and followed directions to soak them before adding to soup. The package didn't say to rinse them, so I didn't. I assumed you wanted all the flavor possible, so why would I pour any down the drain? They were crunchy with dirt. Soup trashed. So disappointing.

I was afraid I'd gamble $10 on a small package of mushrooms that might be filled with dirt. This time I felt assured as I followed Bittman's directions which were clear about bathing them properly.

I added a twist, and some texture, by serving the risotto over roasted rings of delicata squash. Between the squash and mushrooms, the rice had enough flavor that you won't miss the cheese, if you want to leave it out to make it vegan.

Delicata is the "sweet potato" of squashes for it's sweet flavor and smooth (not stringy) texture.

Roast slices of delicata squash for an interesting side dish - use leftovers in salad.

On the side, I served a simple heirloom tomato salad and lemon-scented green beans. My meat-eating guests definitely felt satisfied, taking second and third helpings.

I'm glad I gave dried mushrooms a second chance. They now have a permanent spot in my pantry.

I never thought of Misty's coloring as mushroom... but I guess she's right!

Braised Kale and Onion Almondine

2011-10-20T21:30:00.002-04:00

I offered my husband two dinner choices when he got home tonight. He seemed excited by both choices: squash pot pie or black bean enchiladas. And then I realized preparing the squash would take too long, and that I was missing ingredients for the enchiladas. Uh oh, disappointment. Should we order something?

Why can't I just be prepared lately? I'm always like 90 percent, realize I've forgotten something, with nowhere to go buy it nearby, and end up throwing out the ingredients I did buy when they go bad later in the week.

I ended up making a mish-mosh of things. It was one of those multi-ethnic prepared-food meals supplemented by a fresh cooked vegetable. I can't even imagine the concoction I've created in my belly right now. I started with warmed tortilla chips with salsa, as I set to prepare enchiladas. I finished some white wine from last night. I fried a few Macro Vegan Thai Dumplings we bought 2 weeks ago. I baked some Gardein tenders and Alexia red potato fries for a main course. And then, I managed to put the Kale to use, as well - also bought 2 weeks ago, yet still fine... miraculously.

The Kale was actually really good. It didn't seem like it was going to be. I made it up as I went, and in following the same "I didn't plan any of this" theme, it refused to be cooked at the same time as the tenders and potatoes. At first it was stubbornly tough. So I gave in and added water and covered it on a simmer while we ate the rest of our dinner. When I uncovered it, what a doldrum-dark shade of green it was! Not attractive.

I brought it straight to the table for eating, bypassing my lamp-lit photo area, thinking it was not going to be what I'd hoped. Not worthy of sharing, or admitting. But, it was just tender enough, with slight bitterness. The onions added their sugars to give it a sweetness and textural contrast. Most importantly, toasted almond topping makes everything green taste better.

Braised Kale and Onion Almondine

4-6 servings

Approx. 40 minutes

1 bunch of Kale

2 T olive oil

1/4 C onions, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 C vegetable stock + water or stock as needed

2-3 T white wine

Salt & Pepper

Toasted almond slices

1. Rinse the kale and remove the rib of each leaf by folding in half and running a chef's knife down the inside of the rib. Chop the ribs finely, and set aside. Chop the leaves into manageable pieces.

2. Heat olive oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they start to get tender, about 8 minutes. Add the kale ribs and garlic, cooking 4 more minutes.

3. Add kale leaves a handful at a time, letting them wilt before adding more. When all leaves have been added, add the stock. Cook until stock evaporates, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the wine. You can add a dab of vegan margarine or butter at this point to give more flavor.

4. When the wine cooks off in a few minutes, add a bit of water or stock, enough to stay a bit liquid in the pan - a couple tablespoons. Cover and lower heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until kale is tender. Season as needed and serve topped with almonds.

Midweek Meltdown: Daiya Pizza

2011-10-19T07:46:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I whipped up a homemade pizza dough. Upon returning from Vermont on Sunday I had just enough time before dinner to let a batch of dough rise. It really only takes 5 minutes to throw everything in the processor, knead it a couple times and set it and forget it for an hour and a half. I threw some tomatoes and garlic in a pan and let that simmer, too. Good time to put away the carload of bargains from Walmart in New Hampshire.

I feel the beginning of a pizza-obsessed phase coming on, so I saved half the dough for later in the week. Last night I decided to try out the Daiya cheese.

I tasted it out of the package and I thought it had an ok flavor. Kind of a hint of vinegar though. And something tasting like those nutritional yeast flakes that almost want to be chicken flavor. I kept the pizza simple and just topped it with basic sauce, oregano, onions and Daiya.

The cheese shreds looked like a good time coming as they melted and browned in the oven. It seemed to be doing what cheese is supposed to. When it came out, it was almost gooey like mozzarella. For the first two bites, I thought, ok... this could be ok. At least my (Mark Bittman recipe) pizza crust was crispy and delicious.

But just like the other cheese I tried, as it cools it becomes more creamy. A few bites later I felt like I was eating a pizza topped with cream cheese. Maybe you could melt this on your bagel, but I'm not 100% sold that it's the greatest pizza topping.

I think I will still opt for a chunkier tomato sauce and veggie toppings when attempting to veganify my pizza, instead of focusing on trying to fake the cheese. Hopefully I will find a use for the rest of the Daiya - maybe even a Mexican dip or spinach dip? I bet that would be good!

From Greenpoint to the Green Mountains with Mushroom & Sauerkraut Pierogis

2011-10-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

Pierogis and onions at the end of a damp travel day

It was quite the trek up to Vermont today. What we thought was going to be an early start to a lightly trafficked route Northbound turned out to be an eye-squinting and nerve-racking 40 mile-per-hour crawl through heavy downpours.

We could hardly see and had to stop twice

Finally, almost home and it's clearing a bit

This is Misty’s first trip to “grammy and grampy’s” house. She has gone from nervous and shaking in the car to excited, since we usually take a quick trip to my in-laws in Queens, or to the dog park, for safely-fenced running fits. For her, car equals fun. Although this trip was closer to 6 hours, she handled it quite well. For the first 4 hours she sat daintily and watched the passing cars, trees and pounding rain. As usual, Amit channel-surfed through techno and hip-hop on the XM, and we all three enjoyed the excessive bass of our rental Caddy’s system.

Up on the mountain, the rain was not quite so hard, and there were some times it lightened. In either case, we were determined to persuade Misty to do her business before going in the house, to avoid her typical new-place anxiety pees. But she just wanted to run. And run, and run. She ran in circles, after Frisbees, chasing balls, tearing around trees and across the neighbor’s lawn. I’ve never seen her run so much – and I don’t think she’s ever had such a big expanse of grassy space to try it. We were nervous to let her off-leash for the first time without a fence, but she was happy to let us know her excitement and kept running back to us, as if to say “I love it here!”

At the end of the day we were all tired. Misty ran her energy out, drank plenty of fresh rainwater, sampled some cat food and did her business in the appropriate spot of her choosing. Amit and I were just feeling sleepy from the drive, the clouds and a bit damp from walking around in the rain so long.

This was a night for which pierogis were the perfect hearty dinner.

Steaming bowl full of Mushroom and Sauerkraut Pierogis

I had bought and frozen a couple packages from the supermarket in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that our Polish neighbor had taken us to. He was on a mission for special ketchup, but they had all sorts of Polish goodies. You can buy these packages of prepared pierogis in most grocery stores in New York in the dairy section, but this one in the predominantly Polish ‘hood had more to choose from, and at much lower prices. I’ve never had sauerkraut & mushroom pierogis, so I was excited to try them. They happen to be vegan too – no eggs or cheese in this kind, and not at all needed!a

Crunchy kraut and yummy mushrooms made these my new favorite pierogis.

We always need vegetarian inspiration at my parent’s house, so I decided to schlep some ready-to-rot kale, spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes along with the frozen pierogis. I quickly boiled-up the filled pasta-pillows after my nap and topped them with some sautéed onions. My mom made for us some delicious local sweet corn – the last of the season from a nearby farm.

It's so quiet up here. Even the normally anxious Mistinator has no worries. About an hour and a piece of homemade fudge later, everyone is starting to nod off, full and satisfied.

Shhh... don't tell Amit... stealth photography with laptop photo booth.... sweet dreams!

Macro Vegan Thai Chicken with Peanut Noodles

2011-10-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

We're really liking this new Macro Vegan section of the grocery store. We picked up a package of Macro Vegan Thai Chicken and tossed it with peanut noodles that we made at home. It was sooo much better than any vegan Pad Thai you get from the regular Thai restaurants. It was about as quick to make as waiting for delivery, as well.

The flat pieces of chicken were like the kind you get in a good Asian Vegan restaurant, with that nice chewy texture. All we did was cook some bean noodles that were hiding in the way-back of the cupboard and toss them with cooked vegetables and peanut sauce mix. This was a really super-delicious meal!

Thai Peanut Noodles with Vegan Chicken
1 package Macro Vegan Thai Chicken1 packet of Taste of Thai peanut sauce mix
1 14oz can of coconut milk
2-4 servings worth of Ammoy flat bean noodles or flat rice noodles
1 T oil (olive or canola)
1/2 C carrots, chopped
1/2 C onion, slices
3 limes
Garnish: Chopped peanuts, scallions, chives, sprouts or cilantro

1. Cook noodles to package directions, drain and set aside.

2. In a shallow pan, heat oil and add onions and carrots. Stir-fry until cooked to desired tenderness, about 8-10 minutes.

3. Add vegan chicken, stirring to heat through.

4. Combine packet contents with coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer 3 minutes. Add to onion, carrot, chicken mixture.

5. Squeeze 1 lime into the mixture, or more to taste. Garnish with desired toppings.

Vegan Brownies from a Box Mix

2011-10-09T08:43:00.000-04:00

Nothing better to compliment your Sunday morning coffee than a few spoonfuls of brownie crumbs from Saturday night's dessert!

I'm not good at baking, and that's definitely not something I'll be experimenting with. But seriously, anyone can make brownies from a box mix. And it's really easy to make them vegan, since there's no need for eggs in baking. You don't even need any fancy egg-replacement products, just a little apple sauce.

So maybe they will be a little more crumbly than the egg bound version. But they will still taste delicious, and are great topped with a little ice cream (try vegan Coconut Bliss).

Vegan Brownies from a Box Mix

1 box of brownie mix

1/3 C water

1/3 C oil

1/4 C applesauce

1 T arrowroot powder or cornstarch (optional, to add binding power)

In a large bowl, combine brownie mix contents, water, oil, applesauce and arrowroot. Mix about 50 strokes until well combined. Pour into a pan and follow baking directions on the box for your pan size.

You may need to bake them about 10 minutes longer than the box advises. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Mid-week Meltdown: So This Is Vegan Cheese?

2011-10-05T22:15:00.000-04:00

It's fricken Wednesday, a fricken busy week, and I'm fricken tired. I dragged my fricken scaredy-cat doggy around the neighborhood and my fricken arms are tired. I can't think about cooking now. I just want some fricken pizza with some fricken gooey cheese!

Tortilla pizza with sauce, vegan mozzarella and herbs. The good news is it's low in cholesterol!

One of my goals this month is to find a vegan substitute for cheese. There is a rule of thumb in cooking that everything is better with bacon. Well, if you're cooking vegetarian, everything is better with cheese. But what about vegan? What's that magic ingredient?

A top contender for magic vegan ingredient might be Smart Dogs... at least they got the consistency right!

I really don't think it's vegan cheese. At least not the one I tried today, Follow Your Heart brand Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative Mozzarella. It honestly doesn't taste like anything. It crackles in the toaster and bubbles like real cheese. And then it turns back into plastic shreds when you take it out. Have these people ever eaten cheese? Because, by-the-way, it tastes much different than tofu. Or plastic.

I hope there is a good mozzarella alternative out there, because there's nothing easier when you're beat than resorting to pizza. But half the guilty, comforting joy of giving in to pizza is the cheese. Good thing the tomato sauce is my favorite part!

Oregano-Scented Roast Corn

2011-10-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

It may be past the peak of corn season, but there's still some really sweet corn on the cob to be found at the farmer's markets. This has been a decent year for local corn here, I have yet to husk a deformed or wormy cob.

The easiest way to prepare corn on the cob is to simply husk and boil it, and season it up. You can even microwave it. But if you're cooking dinner, and the oven is hot, roast corn is the best. The concentrated flavors from roasting intensify it's sweetness. It might be the easiest vegetable side dish ever.

I've been experimenting with roast corn for a while. Pre-cooked, sprinkled with cheese and broiled. Smeared with pesto or lime, cilantro and garlic. Sprinkled with curry powder or cayenne. You can pretty much add a dash of whatever feels right to tie in to the dinner theme.

My favorite simple roast corn recipe lately is to just wrap the corn tightly in an aluminum foil packet with a little butter or oil, sea salt, pepper and fresh oregano. The oregano seems to add another element to the sweetness, just giving it a fresh, green-tasting twist.

Oregano-Scented Roast Corn

corn on the cob, husked and cleaned

butter, vegan margarine or olive oil

coarse salt (Kosher or sea salt)

black pepper

fresh oregano (2 sprigs per cob)

Heat oven to 425F.

*Any temperature between 375-450 will work, just adjust the time accordingly.

Place corn cobs on tinfoil large enough to wrap entirely. You can put two in each packet for easier handling. Add a dab of margarine or a small drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and add the whole sprigs of oregano. Seal the packet at the top, and make sure it closes tightly, as the corn will cook faster if it can properly steam itself.

Roast for 15-20 minutes, as long as 40 minutes depending on desired tenderness.

This simple corn makes a great side dish to meals like these:

Gardein Tenders

Chick'n Patty Sandwich

Gardein BBQ Skewers

Vegetarian BBQ Chicken Pockets

Basil BBQ Seitan

Breaded Seitan Nuggets

Chimichurri Beef-less Tips

Roasted Campari Tomatoes Over Baby Spinach

2011-10-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the best salads are the simplest. I'm really into topping simple greens with warm ingredients lately.

There's no more classic salad topping than tomatoes, and their sweet flavor only gets sweeter roasting. Tomatoes are also one of the easiest side dishes to prepare - halve 'em, drizzle 'em, set 'em in the oven and forget 'em.

Roasted Campari Tomatoes Over Baby Spinach

Campari, or other better-quality, sweet flavored tomatoes (heirloom, cherry, etc)

Olive oil

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

Pepper

Baby Spinach, rinsed and dried

Fresh basil, chiffonade

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

3 T olive oil

1 T aged balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Heat oven to 350F.

2. Remove stems and cut tomatoes in half from top to bottom vertically. Place on an aluminum foil lined sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 45-90 minutes, depending on how dry you like them.

At 45 minutes they will be bursting with juices – longer baking will concentrate the flavors more, but could give the skin some toughness.

3. Prepare balsamic vinegar by combining vinegar and mustard in a bowl or measuring cup. Add the olive oil slowly, whisking together. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

4. Place spinach leaves on plates and drizzle with dressing. Top with roasted tomatoes and a little fresh basil.

Macro Vegan Samosa Dumplings

2011-10-02T13:18:00.000-04:00

New vegetarian & vegan products are constantly popping up in the grocery stores. I feel like they disappear just as quickly, too. As soon as you find something you love, it never fails, you might never see it again. It's a good idea to check the "soy" area of the produce section and freezer aisles regularly, and to stock up on the things you love.

I've noticed these Macro Vegetarian plastic containers of ready-made Asian foods at Fairway a few times. We finally decided to pick up a package because it sounded kind of interesting and different: Samosa Dumplings. Let's try it out!

They're like Chinese dumplings, or potstickers, filled with corn, peas, potatoes and curry spices - like an Indian samosa. We fried them up and dipped them in soy sauce, as you would any dumpling. They were actually pretty good!

Easy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Dill Croutons

2011-10-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

As the weather gets colder don't be sad... celebrate! It's soup season!

Soup is one of the easiest things to make vegan. You replace butter with olive oil, bacon fat with olive oil, chicken stock with vegetable stock, and milk with cashew cream. And even if you don't have the foresight to prepare cashew cream, or are allergic to nuts - you can blend in potatoes for a thick "creaminess". Soup is so easy to make, and so hard to fail at, that any number of substitutions and alterations will rarely produce bad results.

My main advice is keep it simple. I generally follow this formula for soup:
1. Star ingredient
2. 1-2 complementary ingredients
3. Oil, onion, water or stock, and possibly garlic.
4. Optional cashew cream or potatoes for creaminess.
5. 1 fresh herb to finish
6. Crunchy element - nuts, croutons or toast for dipping

This week I felt a yearning for the leeks from springtime, but also a desire for something hearty and warm. Time for potato-leek soup.

Being that it's Vegan Mofo, I am mindful not to throw cream in where it's not needed. You don't need dairy to make this soup tasty - it's full of potatoes, which when blended create a starchy cream-like consistency in any soup. The leeks give a very mild onion flavor, and the spicy croutons have a zippy crunch to balance out the smooth soup. Adding a bit of dill gives it a little pop of fresh flavor, a flashback to summer.

Easy Vegan Red Potato Leek Soup

6-8 servings, 30 minutes

3-4 C leeks (about 2 extra large or 4 large) cleaned and white parts chopped into 1/8” half-moons

2 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 T)

6 C good quality organic vegetable stock

4-5 C red potatoes, unpeeled (about 5 large), diced into ½” pieces

1 T lemon juice

salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper

fresh dill

Dill Croutons (recipe below)

1. Heat oil in a stock pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook about 10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.

2. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer 15 minutes until tender.

3. Using an immersion blender, roughly puree the soup half-way. Or, transfer about half the soup to a blender to puree, and add back to the pot.

4. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice.

5. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh dill and croutons.

Dill Croutons

These make a great garnish for soup or salad, as well as a crunchy bar snack.

Baguette or day-old bread, cut into ½” cubes

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne

Garlic Powder

Dill

Heat oven to 350F. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and season with spices. Sprinkle a pinch of dill on top. Bake until golden and crispy, 10-15 minutes.

Stock Up for Vegan MoFo

2011-10-01T15:00:00.001-04:00

Always keep tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, and lemons on hand for vegetarian cooking

After getting married and moving in with my husband, my kitchen habits are probably what changed most. He never asked me to be vegetarian, or to keep meat out of the kitchen. But was I really going to cook separate meals for us? Nope. Vegetarian cooking takes a little bit more attention, and keeping things separate is too much work.

So I eat what he eats. And I stopped missing meat. OK, so every now and then I have a craving, but really I just miss the simplicity of the meat-centered meal when I’m feeling lazy.

When people hear about my blog, they often ask, “well, what do you cook?” It’s actually a hard question to answer, especially for those used to eating meat at the center of every meal. The answer is “pretty much everything, mostly vegetarian stuff”. Response: “yeah, but what? Italian? Comfort Food?” And even though I categorize my blog, and technically I should be able to answer better, my gut reaction is still, “no, really, pretty much everything”.

The protein shelf in my fridge. Just add to your favorite recipe and done!

Our vegetarian kitchen looks a lot different than my single-girl omnivore kitchen did. There are so many substitutes out there for meats, that you really can vegetarianize almost anything. For example, in my fridge, instead of a drawer full of cold cuts and bacon, I have a shelf of seitan, tofu, and fake meats – even veggie turkey slices.

Two of my favorite smart dogs.

Nuts are an easy toss-in for extra protein

In my thaw drawer, instead of defrosting chicken breasts, you would find it permanently stuffed with nuts and dried fruits.

Two drawers full of breads in the freezer

An entire drawer of easy to cook frozen Gardein proteins

The freezer is the same – there are two baskets full of breads and rolls, one dedicated to frozen Gardein products and a shelf of pierogi, ravioli and veggie patties.

Just add veg and/or protein to these simple grains and starches

I shop differently too. I have a habit of stocking my tiny cabinets with staple items like grains, pastas, beans, tomatoes, vegetable stock, herbs and loads of condiments and spices.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and.... you know that commercial...

I base my meals on what fresh produce I can find each time I shop, and know that I can make pretty much anything once I get home to my already stocked kitchen. It’s a balancing act that gets better as I expand my pantry.

Mustard, olive oil, vinegars, hot sauce and soy sauce are key for dressings and sauces

Hopefully this month I’ll find a few new products, new ideas, and get a little more comfortable with vegan cheese options.

Here are my favorite pantry staples and pre-made items that make cooking vegan (or vegetarian) a lot easier to plan:

- Grains: pearl barley, quinoa, brown rice, Arborio rice.

-Quick-cooking starches: polenta, couscous, Asian noodles or long pasta (spaghetti or linguine) and short pasta (farfalle, shells, rigatoni)

- Legumes: canned beans (black, kidney, anything goes), dried lentils, frozen peas and edamame

- Canned tomatoes and sauce, especially San Marzano

- Boxes of vegetable stock, Nutritional yeast flakes for flavoring gravy,

- Breads: whole-wheat sandwich buns, hotdog buns, breads, tortillas, pitas and naan kept in the fridge or freezer. Breadcrumbs for breading.

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola oil, toasted sesame oil

- Aged balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar

- White wine (chardonnay or sauvignon) for cooking (drinking wine, not cooking wine, unless you’re in a pinch)

-Dijon Mustard, low-sodium soy sauce and hot sauces

- Variety of raw nuts and dried fruits: cashews, almond slices, walnut halves and cranberries are most useful. More include pine nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, and golden raisins.

-Traditional flavor seitan cubes, extra-firm tofu

-Semi-prepared fresh and frozen foods: Field Roast veggie sausages, Trader Joe’s Masala Burgers, Gardein tenders, beef-less tips and scallopini, Lightlife Smartdogs and Smartwings.

-Fresh staple items: Onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, celery, lemons, limes (keep bottled lemon juice to use in a pinch in case you run out of lemons)

Supplement pantry items with whatever looks good at the market - such as an eggplant, pears or squash

Keep most of these ingredients on hand and you’ll hardly have to worry about making special trips to the store. All you’ll need to do is bring home whatever produce and herbs catch your eye, and the possibilities are endless.

Bittman's Braised Tofu with Eggplant and Shiitakes

2011-10-01T07:30:00.001-04:00

I've been hearing so many good things about Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything books, that I bought both the original and vegetarian versions. I decided to dive into them and re-learn some skills. His casual style makes me feel less like I'm using a text book, and more like I'm getting some pointers from a friend.

I've been creating my own recipes for years, but getting back to the basics has been good for me. I'm reminded that I don't need to over think things, and keeping it simple will usually work out best. If you know me well, you know I have a hard time following recipes. I can't help putting my own twist on something, and asking "what-if" constantly, and changing things as I go. It's the same reason I'm a fashion designer - I'll never be satisfied with anything straight out of the box. And probably, ultimately, never fully satisfied with anything at all! But I see I'm letting you a little too close into my psyche, so I'm gonna back off a little now.

There are so many great ideas in Bittman's books. Everything I would normally Google, I look up in How To Cook Everything, and it's there. Literally, everything. There are so many variations given for each recipe, that as I'm asking "what-if", it's immediately answered post-recipe (for example, if you add fennel, skip the vinegar). The downside is that I'm left feeling like my seemingly original ideas are not so original any more, because Bittman already cooked everything and covered that. I do wish his vegetarian book contained less duplicates from the regular book. But I guess in order to get two books truly encompassing everything on a topic, you're going to have some overlap.

For a while it seemed that I kept going back to the original book. Until I found myself looking to utilize a lonely package of tofu with whatever vegetables I had in the fridge. Tofu is not my star subject. It's just okay. So I looked it up in the HTCE Vegetarian book, and found a recipe for tofu that I happened to have all the important ingredients for.

Braised Tofu with Eggplant and Shiitakes was a hit. Not too saucy, not too dry. I had to skip the chili paste, but that was fine. I didn't have fresh ginger, which was optional anyways. And who keeps grape seed oil on hand? I don't. I used Canola. And everything turned out great! A good solid meal that opened up some fridge space. Thanks again, Mr. Bittman.

October is Vegan MoFo

2011-09-30T16:46:00.002-04:00

It's Vegan MoFo time again. I'm a little excited for the challenge this time.

Last November, going mostly vegan was a little daunting. I discovered the difficulties of creating truly vegan meals. There really are eggs or dairy in so many foods that you would not suspect. On the other hand, it's really not that difficult to cook vegan, or at least be more "vegan-ish". There are so many resources out there for putting together a perfectly healthy and satisfying vegan diet, many more than there were just a few years ago. It's easier than ever, but it still requires a good deal of determination and will-power. Although I didn't stick to a vegan diet, I learned so much, and adopted plenty of good habits.

Since the last MoFo, I have become less dependent on fake meat products. They are still a staple in our home, but less so. I will tell you, however, that I've never had better finger nails than when I was chowing down on wheat-gluten, whey and soy protein regularly! I can't tell you that I've adopted the vegan diet. Or even a fully vegetarian diet. But each day that I eliminate meat or dairy from my meals, be it by choice or by chance, I know I have improved my health and longevity. If we could all just be a little more vegan-ish, a little more frequently, we might all live a little longer and happier.

I'm not going to preach to you about any animal rights. I have hunt-and-gather heritage, married into a vegetarian Hindu family, and love all animals very much, including my babycakes Mistypants. For me, it really comes down to the science of the body. Eating animal products is just not good for the body. The fats just do all sorts of nasty things to your cells, that in turn, do nasty things to your health.

Misty wonders what it would be like to go vegan. She doesn't even like vegetables!

Eating a vegan diet greatly reduces your chance of getting Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood-pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis and several forms of cancer. Don't we all know someone, probably close family, that takes medicine every day for one of these conditions? What if you could reduce your chances? Or even stop needing medication for one of these problems? And all you had to do was eliminate a few things from your diet?

If you're thinking about being a little bit more vegan, for whatever reason, check back here often this month. I have a ton of vegan recipes already in the index, and I'll be creating more all month. I try to keep it simple, satisfying and interesting. Fake meats like Gardein chick'n or Smart Dogs fill in when I don't have enough time to cook. Bigger meals might be more intense, but usually leave leftovers that are great for reheating later.

Here are some recipes to get you started:

My new favorite salad to accompany pasta: Fennel and Apple Salad

A hearty soup that makes great leftovers: Lentil Soup with Leeks and Carrots

Satisfying Protein and Pasta: Crispy Chik'n with Wild Mushrooms

If you want to invest in a cookbook to get you started, a great one is How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. It teaches you all the basic techniques and gives vegan variations. I started with The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen, and found it quite interesting to read through all the information he gives aside from recipes. The recipes tended to have too many fancy hard-to-find ingredients like pea shoots and dulse, but I did get some really great ideas from it. The Chick'n Piccata is my go-to recipe, totally vegan, and my husband requests it all the time.

Happy Vegan MoFo everyone!

Delicata Squash Salad with Orange-Cranberries & Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic Dressing

2011-09-20T22:34:00.000-04:00

I only got a few groceries last night, but I feel like I have so many delicious things I want to cook. And I want to cook them all at once. Thankfully, I realize it's too much to tackle in one night. I was so excited to leave work on time today to come home a cook a delicious cozy dinner.

I planned on having some scallops, a potato leek soup, and a salad with delicata squash. Then, as I baked some chicken for Misty, I realized I should just eat some of the chicken and the salad, maybe some roast corn, and call it a night. Scallops and soup can wait 'till tomorrow. And that gives me a reason to save the other half of the bottle of wine I picked up for tomorrow's dinner, rather than polish it off tonight (all alone)... (you know I want to, you know that).

Misty knows something good is cooking for her. The house is filled with gorgeous smells of roasting chicken and squash. She's sitting under my feet at the computer, but gets up to sniff from a safe distance every time I open the oven. If I open the fridge she's got her nose in there full-force, but seems smart enough to know the oven is too hot for her snout. She's much more involved in the kitchen than Amit, who usually plants himself in his couch-divot to compute and game-watch.

Misty thoroughly enjoyed some chicken-fat topped foods, and ate much more than usual, which is a good thing. We worry she's anorexic sometimes, which REALLY doesn't fit our lifestyle here. The star of MY dinner however, was the crazy-ass awesome-sauce salad I made with the Delicata squash.

Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic Vinegar from Savannah, GA

The salad would have been simply excellent, but what made it mind-blowing was the blackberry-ginger flavored balsamic vinegar my neighbor friends gave me for catsitting while they were in Savannah a couple weeks ago. It made such an amazing dressing for an autumn salad of sweet vs. savory and creamy vs. crunch. If you can get your hands on some special fruity balsamic, try using it on a salad like this.

Delicata Squash Salad with Orange-Cranberries & Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic Dressing

2 Servings

1 small Delicata squash, sliced into 1/2" rings, seeds removed

Olive oil, sea salt, black pepper

3 T dried cranberries

1/4 C orange juice

2T olive oil

1 T very good balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction - preferably fruit-infused such as Blackberry-Ginger

2 C baby spinach, washed and dried

1/4 C toasted walnuts

4 T plain chevre goat cheese

1. Heat oven to 425F

2. Drizzle oil on a baking sheet and place the squash rings on top. Drizzle them with a bit of oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes, golden and tender.

3. Place cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Simmer until reduce to about 1 T of liquid. Pour the liquid off into a measuring cup and reserve the cranberries for topping the salad.

4. To the cranberry-orange liquid, add 2 T olive oil and 1 T balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust ratios if needed, as it will depend on the type of vinegar used.

5. Place spinach on salad plates and top with roasted squash rings, a couple tablespoons of goat cheese, walnuts, cranberries and dressing.

If you want the EXACT same experience as I, pair with a light white wine like Pannonhalmi Apátsági Tricollis White 2009, from Hungary.

Dinnerware Sample Sale on Fifth

2011-09-20T21:56:00.000-04:00

Yay for new dishes!

Salad plates

Cereal bowls

Holiday platter

Terrine in a basket

If you like to take pictures of food as much as I do, you might be getting a little bored of the same old dishes. But, with the holidays approaching, sample sales are popping up all over midtown NYC. You can get good deals on all sorts of good stuff, from outerwear to sheets to plates.

I got out to a dinnerware sample sale today on Fifth & 25th, and picked up some random new dishes. I wasn't able to carry much, but you should be sure to check it out if you're in the neighborhood. Bring a rolling bag, a granny cart or a few friends, and load up on new serving pieces for as little as $1.

PTS America Sample Sale

(Dinnerware, Accessories, Serveware, Home Furnishings)

222 Fifth Ave (between 25th & 26th), NYC

Tuesday 9/20 - Thursday 9/22

9:30am - 4:30pm

*Bring your own bag and wrapping materials

Sweet Ideas For Crescent Rolls

2011-09-17T11:46:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy couple of months, and I'm hoping to get back on track with cooking. I spent the week in Montréal for work, shopping and eating delicious meals. Now I can't wait to just have some homemade food at home!

I couldn't keep my eyes open by the time I got home last night around 5pm. So I napped, ate, walked and went to bed, leaving all the chores for today. The chill of fall is in the air, which is both refreshing and a sad omen of cold weather to come. I feel like eating some rich fall foods!

This morning I finally got up when Misty poked her nose in my face around 9ish, which is late for me. After some coffee, and finally posting photos of the Kolkata portion of our June India trip, I felt like popping open some Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for an easy breakfast.

Fillings ready to roll, brush with melted butter and bake

I can't just do anything plain and simple, it's just not my nature. So I decided to fill them with chocolate and almonds. Then I saw the butterscotch chips and thought I'd try those too. And what about that blueberry goat cheese from Trader Joe's that was just a little too sweet for hors d'ouevres?

Chocolate-Almond, Butterscotch and Blueberry Goat Cheese Crescents

The chocolate-almond were classic, no compaints!

The butterscotch filled was actually my favorite.

The blueberry goat cheese was just a little too thick and rich, and not quite sweet enough for a croissant.

After eating all of the crescents, minus the goat cheese ones, my husband started to throw out ideas for other fillings. How about Nutella? Nutella and peanut butter? Nutella and bananas? He loves Nutella. Or PB & J? Cream cheese and guava paste - a favorite Cuban snack? Pepper Jack Cheese? I told him that was a whole other category of savory, for another time. The possibilities are endless.

If Mistypants is this tired, what about me?

I'm hoping that this kicks off my return to cooking at home. I've really been lazy the past month, mentally exhausted from work and physically exhausted from Misty's puppy energy. My biggest confession is eating chicken fingers and pepperoni pizza from Papa John's 3 nights in a row one week. You might say I hit rock bottom, so it's only uphill from there!