The Waxed Bean

Greek Yogurt (instant pot)

2023-12-13T12:15:00.005-05:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup active yogurt culture (I use Siggis)
1 gallon whole milk (I use a creamline wholemilk)

Steps

Add milk to Instant Pot and put in yogurt setting to boil.
Heat the milk till bubbles begin to form (180°F with thermometer).
Cool milk to 110°F. (You can speed the cooling by placing the pot of milk in a larger pot of cold water. I also sometimes heat 1/2 the milk and use the other half to cool it down- not recommended for a thick yogurt as it makes a thinner yogurt and more whey if you strain it.)
Mix about 1/2 cup active yogurt into cool milk.
Turn Instant Pot to yogurt setting for 10-12 hrs.
Set up a strainer with cheese cloth over a pot or bowl (to catch the whey).
Pour the yogurt into the cloth to strain for 8-10 hours or until desired thickness. Refrigerate.
Reserve the whey in jars to use in other recipes

Greek potatoes

2021-08-21T19:15:00.003-04:00

3 lbs potatoes

1/2 c olive oil

2 t dried oregano

1 t salt & pepper

1 t garlic powder

1/2 c stock

1 lemon, juiced

Fresh oregano, for garnish

Layer potatoes in a 13x9 pan and pour ingredients on top. Bake for 45 minutes at 400.

Inspired by https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-potatoes-with-garlic-lemon-and-oregano-231779

MD crab cakes

2021-08-21T19:10:00.003-04:00

1 lb crab meat (Jumbo + lump is ideal)

1 egg

1/4 c Mayo

2 t Dijon mustard

2 t Worcester sauce

1/2 lemon, juiced

1-2 t Old Bay

1 T parsley

2/3 c Panko bread crumbs or saltines, smashed

1/8 t Salt

Pan sear in butter. Flip once brown.

Lots of cool info and Inspired by: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/maryland-crab-cakes/

Best pasta salad

2021-08-21T19:05:00.003-04:00

1lb pasta, fusilli

12 sun dried tomatoes

1 c parsley, fresh (and basil if you don’t have a full cup)

2 T red wine vinegar

6T olive oil

2 t garlic powder

2 t capers, with splash of brine

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

1 lb tomatoes

1 lb feta

Boil salted water for the pasta, cooking until al dente.

Meanwhile- In the food processor, add 1/2 the sun dried tomatoes (with splash of oil), capers and brine, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, parsley, and parm cheese. Pulse until smooth.

Once pasta is drained, add diced tomatoes, remaining diced sun dried tomatoes, feta and dressing. Add olive oil if needed.

Inspired by: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tomato-feta-pasta-salad-recipe-1948516

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

2021-08-21T18:52:00.002-04:00

I really like this as it had less sugar and more tartness. Great with a little vanilla ice cream!

2 lbs rhubarb cut into small dice

1 lb strawberries cut into slices

3/4 c sugar

1 lemon, juiced

2-3 T cornstarch

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 c oats

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 c butter / coconut oil

3 T canola oil

3/4 t salt

I cut the rhubarb and strawberries in advance and froze them. I started to defrost them to bake, but they weren’t completely done.

In a 8x12 pan, I added the fruit, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch.

I mixed together oats, butter, coconut oil, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

I poured the oats on top and baked for 60 minutes at 350 (I actually think I left it in longer by accident).

Inspired by: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/old-fashioned-strawberry-rhubarb-crisp

Lemon Loaf cake

2021-08-21T18:39:00.001-04:00

Lemon loaf cake:

Ingredients

½ cup
unsalted butter, softened, 1 stick
1 ¼ cups
granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup
sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon
lemon zest
1 tablespoon
vanilla extract
1 ½ cups
all purpose flour
2 teaspoons
baking powder
1 teaspoon
kosher salt

LEMON ICING

2 cups
powdered sugar
1 tablespoon
milk
2 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice

Add sugar to mixing bowl and zest lemon into it. Stir sugar and zest to break it down.

Meanwhile, line parchment into loaf pan, and preheat oven to 350.

In the mixing bowl, add butter and salt.

Add each egg, one at a time.

Add vanilla, 2 T lemon juice and yogurt.

Add flour and baking powder.

Pour over parchment and bake 50-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, add confectioners sugar, remaining juice and a splash of dairy. (I also added a pat of butter.)

[Adapted from https://tasty.co/amp/recipe/lemon-loaf-cake as well as tips from Smitten Kitchen.]

Vegetarian moussaka

2021-08-21T18:38:00.001-04:00

1/4 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 package ground plant “meat”

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup red wine or broth

1 (28-ounce can) plum tomatoes, pureed until smooth with their juices

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

1 eggplant, cut into tiny cubes (1/4”)

Bechamel Sauce:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1 bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup soft goat cheese

1 cup grated Romano

1 lemon, zested

Sauté the “meat”, add onion, and seasonings. Add chopped eggplant and bell pepper. Sauté until reduced and cooked through. Add tomato paste and wine/broth. Add tomatoes, sauté. Add oregano and parsley.

Separately, melt butter and add flour. Add milk and bay leaf. Cool until reduced. Beat egg yolks, and add. Remove bay leaf, add salt and pepper.

Later eggplant into pan, add sauce on top. Add cheese to top.

Bake at 400 for 45 min.

Based on: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/moussaka-recipe-1923618.amp

Vegetarian Tortilla Lasagna

2021-08-01T19:18:00.000-04:00

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
2 ears corn, shucked, kernels stripped
1.5 cups cooked black beans, see notes below
enchilada sauce
9 to 12 tortillas, see notes below
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

In a large sauté pan over high heat, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it shimmers, immediately add the diced onions and bell peppers. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn heat down to medium. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often to ensure the vegetables are not burning. When the vegetables are soft, add the zucchini, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, just until the zucchini loses its rawness. Finally, add the corn, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for a minute more. Turn off the heat.
Add the black beans to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste. Season with salt to taste.
Heat the oven to 425ºF. Coat the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of the enchilada sauce (roughly 3/4 cup). Arrange a single layer of tortillas over sauce, trimming edges to fit.
Scatter a handful each of cilantro and scallions over the tortillas. Spoon a layer of the vegetable-bean mixture over top. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over top. Spoon a layer of sauce over top and use the back of a spoon to spread it out. Repeat the layering: tortillas, herbs, veg+beans, cheese, sauce, until you have three (or four if you wish) layers of tortillas.
Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the final layer of tortillas. Scatter a final layer of herbs over top. Add a final layer of cheese.
Bake enchiladas in the middle or top rack of oven until the cheese topping bubbles and browns in spots, 15-25 minutes. Garnish with more fresh cilantro and scallions if you wish. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

From: https://alexandracooks.com/2020/10/08/vegetarian-tortilla-casserole/

Black Pepper Tofu

2021-07-23T18:39:00.001-04:00

This is a great dish from Dishing Out Health (https://dishingouthealth.com/30-minute-black-pepper-tofu/)

Here's how I made it:

Press excess moisture out of the tofu using either paper towels or a kitchen towel. Slice into 1/4-1/2" cubes and place in a large bowl. Toss with cornstarch until tofu is well coated.
Combine soy sauce, oyster sauces, sugar, black pepper, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Set aside.
Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add tofu; cook for 7 to 8 minutes, turning to brown all sides, until golden-brown and crisp.
Add vegetables to sauté.
Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing often to fully coat tofu. Add 1/4 of water to thin sauce, as needed.
Serve over rice and garnish with fresh basil.

Beer bread

2021-03-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

Oddly, there are times when we have a flat can of beer. If that’s you, or you just want a fast homemade bread- this could be easy and quick:

Preheat oven to 375. Butter pan.

Mix together:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (sometimes I do half sugar, half maple syrup)
1 (12-ounce) can beer (the blander the better)

Pour into bread pan, and add on top:

2 tablespoons butter

Bake about 35 minutes.

Quarantine Cooking Continues

2021-02-15T14:19:00.007-05:00

You would think with all this time at home, I would have tons of time to update the food blog- but nah... However, I have been cooking EVERY MEAL - so there are a few new recipes I want to share / save:

Minestrone soup: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223044/chef-johns-minestrone-soup

Vegetarian Burritos: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-burritos/

Enchilada sauce: https://alexandracooks.com/2020/08/14/quick-red-enchilada-sauce/

Huevos Rancheros: https://alexandracooks.com/2016/06/11/huevos-rancheros-blistered-salsa-roja/

Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole: https://alexandracooks.com/2020/10/08/vegetarian-tortilla-casserole/

Lentil & Mushroom Stew over mashed potatoes: https://dishingouthealth.com/lentil-and-mushroom-stew-over-potato-parsnip-mash/

Mushroom lasagna: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/mushroom-lasagna/

Creamy Mushroom Pasta: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/234667/chef-johns-creamy-mushroom-pasta/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringContentType=Search

Goat cheese & caramelized onion pizza: https://minimalistbaker.com/goat-cheese-caramelized-onion-pizza/

Shrimp pasta: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/linguine-with-shrimp-and-lemon-oil-recipe-1947480

Maple Balsamic Dressing: https://twohealthykitchens.com/salad-with-goat-cheese-pears-candied-pecans-and-maple-balsamic-dressing/

Greek Goddess Dressing: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014134-green-goddess-dressing

Buttermilk Ranch dressing: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/buttermilk-ranch-dressing-with-bibb-lettuce-recipe-1925592

Applecider Donut Cake: https://www.thekitchn.com/apple-cider-doughnut-cake-recipe-23079008

Pear Bread: https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/pear-bread/

Spoon Bread: https://www.thespruceeats.com/southern-spoon-bread-3061281 OR

Items I haven’t made yet but want to:

From Thanksgiving, my friend AG sent this gem: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/pumpkin-gratin-by-jacques-pepin-50055890

Tamales: https://www.food.com/recipe/vegetarian-tamales-295441

Cauliflower Tacos: https://smittenkitchen.com/2020/10/simple-cauliflower-tacos/

Mahi mahi: https://www.chewoutloud.com/easy-perfect-mahi-mahi-recipe/

Chickpea and Rice soup: https://dishingouthealth.com/chickpea-and-rice-soup/

Cauliflower Korma: https://dishingouthealth.com/cauliflower-korma/

Chocolate Chip Cookies: https://alexandracooks.com/2015/01/27/soft-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Ginger Molassess Cookies: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chewy-ginger-molasses-cookies/

Quarantine cooking

2020-05-02T10:45:00.002-04:00

With Covid 19 having us locked down for the last (going into) 8 weeks, we have been only cooking every meal. Needless to say, I’ve stock piled recipes to post. A friend of mine sent around a recipe exchange that I failed at doing, and instead sent a snapshot into what we’ve been eating.

Here it is (but I added a few recipes that I forgot I made!):

To make it up to you, figured I’d send a few recipes I’ve been making during the last 2 months:

This eggplant pasta has become very frequent, and neither of us liked eggplant: http://waxedbean.blogspot.com/search/label/Eggplant%3B%20pasta

This is a rif on a broccoli salad from Whole Foods that is fast and the bomb, I don’t candy my nuts but throw in whatever ones I have like cashews or pistachios: http://www.jemangelaville.com/2013/04/24/broccoli-crunch-salad-a-la-whole-foods/

Made this Tuscan pasta dish from canned goods with success: https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/

I’ve always made quesadillas without a recipe but this changed by mind: https://cookieandkate.com/quick-quesadillas-recipe/

Had lots of ricotta and too lazy to make lasagna: https://www.food.com/recipe/lasagna-in-a-skillet-in-about-30-minutes-321529

Made this to use up some random veggies and added chick peas: https://dishingouthealth.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-tikka-masala/

Been making this spaghetti and clam pasta for a while now, so good, and I just used canned clams: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spaghetti-with-clams-recipe-1941008

Great fish dish option: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-fish-and-garlic-sauce

These potatoes were tasty: https://www.olivetomato.com/traditional-greek-potatoes-and-celery-cooked-in-olive-oil/

Made congee after our trip to Thailand and watching the porridge episode of Somewhere South: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018321-chicken-congee

I’ve made a few things from my blog I recommend that we have been making: fried rice!!, ramen, broccoli cheddar soup, black bean soup, breakfast bowls, salmon cakes, banana bread, pizza, carrot cake! http://waxedbean.blogspot.com

This deep dish pizza was perfect: https://food52.com/recipes/82857-crispy-cheese-pan-pizza-recipe

Love using up old bread with any version of a bread pudding or a veggie strata: https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/spinach-and-cheese-strata/

Mexican rice: https://www.yellowblissroad.com/authentic-mexican-rice/

Randomly got mangos in my Veggie box this week so going to make this tonight with shrimp or fish (since I don’t eat chicken anymore)- always a favorite in warm weather: http://waxedbean.blogspot.com/2011/05/published-with-blogger-droid-v1_25.html

Baking:

Emptying the freezer of frozen fruit into these muffins: https://alexandracooks.com/2008/05/20/i-love-david-archuleta/

Been loving beer bread when I have no patience for yeast rising or kneeding (make half portion and just mix in the baking pan): https://www.food.com/recipe/beer-bread-73440

Grocery store sent me pie dough so I made these and they were great with frozen spinach: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spinach-and-feta-hand-pies-224543

Also, made these buns with that dough: https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/cinnamon-swirl-buns-so-much-news/

Made these cookies a few times, and although very tasty, not as good as when my friend Vicki makes them.... maybe I’m being too stingy with my butter: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/dried-cranberry-and-chocolate-cookies

Been loving these easy drop biscuits: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/06/quick-easy-drop-biscuits-recipe.html

Random— Made pudding: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chocolate-pudding/ and added some chocolate chips during cooling, that was nice

Pizza in Quarantine

2020-04-26T11:00:00.001-04:00

I’ve tried a few different pizza dough recipes over the years, but I don’t have patience- if I want pizza it has to be today. I also can’t get the cook times right. But this recipe for deep dish might be perfect!

Adapted from food52.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fine salt (like table salt or fine sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan
6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, grated (but I think James wanted more!)
1/3 to 1/2 cups tomato sauce or pizza sauce.
Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or other medium-large mixing bowl.
Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour.Then gather the dough into a rough ball, then cover the bowl.
After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90 degrees each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.Re-cover the bowl. Repeat for 4 total times.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes.
Then refrigerate it, covered, for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. (transfer the dough to a gallon-sized ziplock bag with a little extra olive oil to coat the inside of the bag.)
About 2 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil into a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet coating it.
Transfer the dough to the pan and press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers - if it begins to shrink back—that’s okay, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Cover the crust and let it rise for 1.5 hours at room temperature.
With rack on bottom- Heat the oven to 450°F.
sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing—this will yield caramelized edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese (don't spread it!)—laying the cheese down first like this will prevent the sauce from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.
Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 22 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown. ( If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer.)
Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly, then as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

Ramen

2020-02-08T12:09:00.001-05:00

We recently had a layover in Tokyo, and had cups of noddles at the airport lounge. It's really made me crave ramen, but not college ramen, something with less sodium.

So I bought college ramen, threw out the flavor packet, and doctored it up!

Ramen:

2 T ginger, minced

2 scallions, diced

1 t garlic powder

5 mushrooms, sliced

8 baby carrots, sliced

1 c bok choy, diced

1/2 can of pea shoots

1 jalapeno, chopped

1 c sugar snap peas, chopped on bias

3 c water

2 c stock

1/2 c miso paste

2 T soy sauce or tamari

1 T chili oil

1 T cilantro, chopped

1 T basil, chopped

1 T sriracha

2 blocks of ramen noodles

In a pan, add 2 T oil to a hot pan. Add the ginger, white parts of the scallion, and garlic.

Add diced mushrooms, sliced carrots, bok choy, peas, pepper, and pea shoots.

Add stock/water, miso, and sauces.

Top with herbs and sriracha as desired.

*for JW's portion, I added some diced steak- that I cooked in the stock water in a corner of the pot.

Fried Rice

2020-02-08T11:03:00.003-05:00

I had all this rice leftover from the swordfish- that was generally overcooked. So, the perfect option is to make fried rice!

Shrimp Fried Rice:
8 oz Shrimp
4 c pre-cooked rice
1 T ginger, minced
2 scallions, diced
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t cornstarch
3 eggs
1 c baby carrots, diced
1 c frozen peas
1 pepper, diced
1 c bok choy, chopped (I had it leftover from the swordfish too!)
2 T soy sauce or tamara
2 T fish sauce (optional, but I had it)
1 T basil, chopped

Peel and devein the shrimp. Toss with cornstarch and salt and pepper. Heat pan with 2 T oil, and once hot, saute on each side for 1 minute, almost cooked through. Set aside.

While shrimp cooks, crack eggs and beat lightly. Once shrimp are done, add the eggs to the pan and scramble until just almost done. Add to the shrimp set aside.

In the pan, add 2 T oil, and add scallions and ginger. Then, add rice. Do not stir- but leave to cook for 2 minutes on high. Then toss, and fry for 2 more minutes.

Meanwhile, put the diced carrots into a bowl and microwave for 3 minutes.

On top of the rice, sprinkle in the soy sauce and fish sauce. Add the carrots, peas, pepper, and bok choy. Add the shrimp and eggs back. Toss to heat.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2020-02-06T16:48:00.001-05:00

I made my variation of the Bon Appetit recipe...

1/2 onion, diced

1 t garlic powder

2 T olive oil

1/4 t red pepper flakes

2 heads of broccoli

4 yellow wax potatoes, diced

2 bouillon cubes

6 oz cheddar cheese

3/4 c Greek yogurt

Add the olive oil and onion to a large pot to hear. Add the garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

Then, cut the stalks of the broccoli and the potatoes- add to the pot. Add 4 cups of water and 2 bouillon cubes. Boil, then simmer on medium low for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, from the broccoli florets that are remaining, take a handful to make into smaller bite sized pieces. And, shred the cheese.

Into the pot, add the florets that were NOT made into smaller pieces about halfway through cooking time.

Once the potatoes and broccoli chunks are soft- puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the remaining small florets and the cheese, and stir.

Remove from heat and add yogurt and salt and pepper to taste.

Swordfish and Rice Bowl

2020-02-05T18:40:00.002-05:00

I made this recipe again, and it still is so amazing. Simple to make, and very flavorful.

Make sure to cut off any of the skin, if it is still attached.

I didn't have any sesame seeds (or oil) or peanuts- and I just left them out. Turned out great. The cilantro really helps make the dish.

What to do with leftover spinach artichoke dip?

2020-02-05T18:37:00.002-05:00

Ok, so there was A LOT of dip leftover from the Super Bowl (JW wanted to know if hands touched it... no, people used a spoon!)- so I decided to make pasta with it.

Boil pasta.

In a saute pan, saute onions and diced peppers. Add the left over dip and some diced tomatoes.

Add about 1 c of pasta water, and the cooked notes- mix until combined.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

2020-02-02T18:28:00.000-05:00

I was taking appetizers to a Super Bowl party, and with someone else taking wings- I wanted to take Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. Here, I merge together several recipes.

CAULIFLOWER:

Oil
3/4 c cornstarch
1/4 c cornmeal (or if you are out, like me, cornbread mix)
2/3 c milk or coconut milk
1 T hot sauce, like Franks
1 lb cauliflower, cut into 1.5" pieces

In a dutch oven, add the oil until about 1.5" deep. Heat on med-high until about 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine first 2 ingredients plus S&P in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk and hot sauce.

Cut the cauliflower, and add to the milk bowl. Toss to coat well.

Dump the dry ingredients over the cauliflower and toss until coated.

Fry the cauliflower, adding a few pieces at a time. Fry about 3 minutes, until lightly brown.

Cover cauliflower is buffalo sauce- eat warm if you can!

BUFFALO SAUCE:

1/3 c Franks hot sauce
1/4 c butter (or use coconut oil)
3/4 T white vinegar
1/8 t Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
salt

Mix all ingredients in a small pan.

DIPPING SAUCE:
(I used Greek yogurt and Hidden Valley ranch mix)

Fries

2020-02-02T07:30:00.001-05:00

After months of pasta and weeks of Thai food, I’ve been trying to mix it up. Last night, all I wanted was some sort of Asian cuisine and I can’t imagine why. And then I wanted pasta. Ok, no. We can’t! So I made burgers and fries! (Insert face balm here.)

Fries:

Cut 5 yellow potatoes into 1/4” sticks. Place in Dutch oven.

Pour oil until almost covered. Turn on high. Leave potatoes untouched and let boil for 5 minutes, and cook for 15 minutes more. Stir to unstick any from the bottom. Cook for a few more minutes until lightly brown.

(I should have stopped here instead of 5 more minutes, as I burnt mine while I went to the bathroom. Insert another face balm here.)

Scoop fries from oil with slotted spoon and place on paper bag or towels. Salt immediately and eat.

James loved them- especially because they were burnt. I’ll have to try again.

Reusing oil:

Here’s what I’ll do with the oil to reuse it (based on Cook’s Illustrated):

For every cup of frying oil, whisk together ¼ cup water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add mixture to oil.

Heat oil gently over low heat (do not let it simmer), stirring constantly with heatproof spatula, until starch mixture begins to solidify, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove oil from heat and strain through fine-mesh strainer (or use slotted spoon to fish out gelled mixture). Don't worry if oil appears cloudy; it will clear up once reheated.

Refrigerate oil and reuse up to 3 times.

Spinach Artichoke dip

2020-02-01T18:29:00.000-05:00

In preparing for the Super Bowl, I wanted to make Spinach Artichoke Dip. And, take a Crock-Pot (what is wrong with me?). Well, I did it...

Spinach Artichoke Dip:
1 block of frozen spinach (or bag of fresh)
1 can artichoke hearts, diced
1 block of cream cheese
1.5 c of Greek yogurt
1 c of Italian mix shredded cheese, or mozzarella / parm combo
1 t garlic powder
Salt & Pepper

Mix all the ingredients in the Crock Pot on high for 1 hour. (or on the stove until melty and combined)

Ricotta

2020-02-01T12:46:00.002-05:00

We went on vacation for a few weeks, and while we were gone, the sell by date on our milk passed.

I didn't want to throw the milk out, so I researched options- and found a recipe for Ricotta. I thought that would go perfect with the homemade gnocchi! And it is sooo simple!

Ricotta:
Soured milk (1 quart)
salt (1 t)
lemon juice or white vinegar (3 T)

Heat the milk with the salt over medium-high heat, until it is steamy and surface starts to thicken.

Remove it from the heat, and add lemon juice/vinegar. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Set up a strainer or colander over a bowl with cheese cloth or a thin dish towel. Pour the milk into the cloth, and let sit (1 hour for soft ricotta and 2+ for harder cheese for stuffed pasta).

Here is the amount of cheese (1 cup) made from about 2 quarts of milk.

I also saved the whey that is left over- that I will use for breads this week.

Gnocchi

2020-02-01T12:31:00.002-05:00

I've been eating a lot of gnocchi lately- and thought- let's try and make it. But, I wasn't buying a ricer... it WORKED! I might try the food processor next time. (And to be honest, I got sick of rolling and cutting these... I might make half this next time- as 1/2 served 3 people.)

...added to a Pomodoro sauce and fresh ricotta. YUM!

Gnocchi:
5 Russet potatoes
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1 t salt

Poke fork holes into the potatoes. Bake the potatoes for an hour at 400 degrees, turning after 30 minutes.

Once done, add the potatoes to ice water. Once cool, pull the skins off.

Then, use a cheese grater to grate the potatoes into a bowl.

Add an egg and salt. Mix the egg so that it coats the potatoes a bit. Add 1/4 of flour at a time and mix (hands works well).

Lightly flour your counter- and ball up the dough. Kneed the dough for 3 minutes- like bread dough- turning 1/4 turns and turning over repeatedly. Add more flour as it gets too sticky.

Once done, ball the dough and divide into 6 parts. Roll each part into a long "snake"- about 1/2 inch wide. Then, cut the "snake" into 1/2 inch pieces.

Roll the individual pieces on the back of a fork.

(If freezing, place these pieces on a lightly floured tray for about an hour- then put in a bag.)

To cook, boil heavily salted water. Add the gnocchi. Boil until they float to the top. Then, add to the hot sauce to coat.

Burrito Bowls

2020-01-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

We had lots of chili left over- so I decided after a few meals of it- we needed an alternative for the chili. SO, I decided to try making burrito bowls using the leftovers.

I took the vegetarian chili and...

Added more cumin and chili powder. Also, added diced pepper to add the crunch it was originally missing.

Then, to make the bowls:

Cut lettuce, added tortilla chips, added the chili. Then, added shredded cheese, sliced avocado, scoop of Greek yogurt, cilantro, more diced peppers, and some hot sauce (for JW).

Vegetarian Chili

2020-01-29T16:02:00.002-05:00

After coming back from Thailand, I needed something warm and not curry. Chili was on my mind, but we had few groceries- but was able to put together a decent meal!

Chili:

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

1 lb veggie crumble (or ground meat, or skip!)

1 stalk celery (I used celery seed but wish I had celery!)

1 sweet potato, cubed

2 bay leaves

1 t cumin

1 t garlic powder

1/4 c chili powder

2 t dried oregano

2 chipotle peppers and 1 T adobo sauce

1/4 c red lentils

1 (28 oz) can Whole tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 (15 oz) cans black beans

1 (15 oz) can cannelloni beans

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 T tomato paste

1 t salt

Rice

Cheddar cheese

Sour cream or Greek yogurt

In pot, sauté onion in olive oil. Add garlic, meat (if not cooked), and spices. Add celery, and sweet potatoes. Cook until veggies begin to soften. (Add meat if already cooked.)

Add peppers, lentils, tomatoes, beans, paste, sauce and salt. Use tomato cans to add 1 can of water. Let cook 20 minutes, or until lentils are done and veggies are soft.

Serve over rice with cheese and sour cream / Greek yogurt.

... next time, I need to add carrots or bell peppers to add more of a crunch factor!