Vegetables and or Vegetarian

Vegetarian recipes

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Lyn is laid up on the couch with her foot properly raised about 6” above her thigh and I am playing the part of Nurse Steve. We have nicked named her foot “Gronk Envey”.

Anyway, I was having a practically lonely time shopping and said to myself what makes one feel good, soup I answered, getting a strange look from the person next to me.  I had a long-necked butternut squash in my hands and went straight to the granny smith apples. This shopping trip suddenly had a dual purpose make Lyn feel better and a good soup.

               

Takes about 2 hours total time to the table, quicker if you are not a talker.

 Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter (We keep butter in the freezer since we don’t use it all the time)
  • 1 ½ cups roughly chopped sweet onions
  •  1 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • 6 cups peeled and roughly diced butternut squash (I like to buy the squash with a long neck this part has no seeds and usually can get enough for what I need. The bottom I save for roasted later.)
  • 3 cups peeled and roughly diced granny smith apples (about 3 apples)
  • 2 tsp. Toasted Spice Rub, recipe below. ( I make a lot and store with my spices for future use.)
  • About 30 to 32 ounces low sodium, low-fat chicken broth or you can use vegetable broth.
  • 3 cups of water to add to the broth. I have left this out it makes a thicker richer soup.)
  • Salt and pepper to taste (Don’t add until you taste finished soup a lot of times it really does not need)

How:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and cook until it turns nut brown, just about the time it stops foaming. Add the sweet onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2-4 minutes. Add the garlic until you smell it 10-20 seconds

Now add the squash and apples, raise temp to high, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the Toasted Spice Rub and cook briefly to toast it, about 1 minute.

Add the broth-water mixture, bring to a simmer, and partially cover (use a wooden spoon across the pot rest the cover on that. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the squash and apples are tender, about 40 minutes.

In about 3 or 4 batches transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to a pot, reheat and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Toasted Spice Rub

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup fennel seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns ( I have made with a mixture of pepper corns not bad)
  • 1 1/82 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. ground Cinnamon

In a small heavy pan over medium heat, combine the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Learned this during my Chinese wok cooking stage, turn on the exhaust fan; add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Having trouble breathing? I said under the exhaust fan silly, I did bold it!” Immediately empty the spice mixture onto a plate to cool. I have a small coffee grinder for grinding spices; grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining chili powder, cinnamon and salt. You can use a blender and blend until the spices are evenly ground.  Either way works for me.

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Spicy Blue Potatoes & Corn Salad.

I wondered why I open the lower frig draw and saw blue or purple potatoes, I’m color blind can’t tell the difference, was Lyn hinting she wanted something different, was she challenging my adventurousness? Then she came to me and said those words I have heard so many times before, “Do you think you could make this?”(from  Isa Chandra Moskowitz). Sure no problem but what will we have with it, soon there was a trip to the meat market and a steak, pork chop and a couple of pounds of ground sirloin later we were headed back to our kitchen. Who would have thought a few potatoes could lead to a trip to the Meat House. New butcher shop we found via LivingSocials so we decided to try it we will compare to Wholefoods quality. Forget about what we have in the freezer this called for fresh meat.

Serves 6

Prep 20 minutes

Total time includes cooling about 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 ears of corn  ( about 2 ¼ cups of frozen kernels)
  • 3 Pounds Blue potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
  • 3 table spoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 canned chipotles, seeded and mashed into a paste
  • 2 Tbsp. Adobe sauce from the chipotles can
  • 2 tsp. of grape seed oil (I did not have grape seed oil, so olive oil for me)
  • 1 tsp. light agave nectar
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. garlic grated or minced very fine
  • 1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans. Drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion (I did not have red onions but had shallots so I used them)1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro mixed greens for serving. Smoked paprika (optional)
  • ¼ red bell pepper finely chopped (Steve tweak)

How

Prepare your steamer while you prep the veggies.

First steam the corn about 5 minutes if on cob, about 2 minutes if frozen kernels. Remove the corn from the steamer put aside to cool.

Place the potatoes in the steamer and steam for about 7-8 minutes until tender enough to pierce with a fork, but not falling apart.  Remove and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, preparing the dressing.  Note: I usually just put the ingredients together in a bowl eyeing the measurements but decided to take a picture hence the little bowls that Lyn got me a while back for prepping. In a small mixing bowl stir together the vinegar, chipotles, adobo, oil, agave, water, and salt. Grate in the garlic or add the minced garlic.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, place in a larger mixing bowl pointy side up. Steve Hint: I like to place a small cup or bowl bottom side up inside the bowl and place the flat side on the cob on the bowl bottom making a stand. This makes it easier to run you knife along the corn cob removing the kernels from the cob. Break apart separating kernels. If using frozen corn then all that is done already isn’t it.

Fold in the cooled potatoes, pinto beans, red pepper and red onion (shallot).

Add the dressing and toss to coat. Mix in the cilantro and taste for salt.  You can add the paprika now to taste if you want. Chill until ready to serve on top of some mixed greens

Steve tweak: Instead of steaming the corn on the cob I would grill on the BBQ that would add a smoky flavor and sweeten up the corn little.

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Baked Macaroni & Cheese

I loved Mac & Cheese since I was a kid. I can remember in my teens making the Kraft boxed and thinking I was a great chef mixing powered cheese(?) with the freshly boiled tiny little elbow macaroni’s and milk or water. I graduated to the deluxe version that had the cheese(?) as sauce in the can. I was in Mac & Cheese heaven watching Bruin’s hockey a devouring a whole box. It was not until I was transferred to Dallas with 20th Century Fox that I met Paul and Clair who introduced me to Mac & Cheese made from scratch and real chesses. I was sold.

This time I made it with white cheddar and America cheeses, but normally I like a sharp orange cedar cheese. You can use many kinds of cheeses which I have, so experiment. I have found at least to my liking that cheeses that get stringy when melted (i.e. mozzarella) do work but everyone has different taste and who am I to say…..

Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound penne, elbow or cavatappi (corkscrew) macaroni.
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour.
  • 4 cups milk, heated.
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese.
  • 2 cups finely chopped American cheese.
    • Remember you can use more or all cheddar if you want.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Tabasco or hot pepper sauce.
  • ¼ freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • 4 TBS butter

How

In a large pot bring lightly salted water to boil and cook macaroni and cook aldente. Drain well.

Preheat the oven to 350◦ with rack in center. Butter 13”x 9” baking dish, alternatively use a deep 4 quart casserole.

Melt the butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup each of Cheddar and American cheese. Season with salt, pepper and tabasco sauce.

Combine the rest of the Cheddar and American cheese. Spread ½ of the macaroni on the bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with slight more than half the combined cheeses and then ½ the sauce. Add the remaining of the macaroni top with the cheese and then sauce. Now sprinkle the graded parmesan cheese over the top. If using the 4 quart casserole 1/3 of macaroni, ½ of combined cheeses, 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat with another 1/3 of macaroni and remaining cheese and ½ the sauce.  Finish with the removing macaroni and sauce and then sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese. I prefer the baking dish it is easier to make single servings and you can freeze these for a quick, meal or side. (Add a little water when re-heating in microwave.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown around the edges. About 30 minutes.

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Roasted Vegetables

I love veggies and roasting them is just another way to appreciate them. They make a great side dish and then for leftovers in a frittata or as a salad topper. I usually use spices that I am using in the main dish to bring the two together.

I can’t say what to sue there are so many and most will roast up nicely so experiment away. If you find something that just is great roasted let me know.

 

Roasted Vegetables

Love that carmalization!

Ingredients you’re eyeballing here and you will put more of what you like and according to how many people.

  • 1- Small to medium eggplant pealed on not cut into slightly large than bite size.
  • 3-6 – Green, red, yellow or orange bell pepper quartered or more depending on the size. Also seeded and white web removed.
  • 2-3 – Red or sweet onion quartered
  • ½ head of broccoli flowerets or 1 pound of asparagus cut up slightly larger than bite size pieces
  • 3-5 Carrots
  • 6-15 Whole mushrooms stems removed
  • 10-15 fingerlings potatoes or small red potatoes (If too large just cut in half.)
  • 2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 2-3 Tbsp. each Dried oregano, basil and rosemary. (Remember use what you used in main meal to bring the flavor together).
  • 1 lemon (optional)

Again the choices are many it’s up to you.

How

Preheat oven to 350 to 400°

Place the vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle on the herbs, mixed well making sure the herbs get distributed evenly. Now roast for 40-55 minutes. I know it is large span in cooking times but it all depends on what you’re roasting. For my wife the pepper head a few twist of the pepper mill before serving.

 

 

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Healthy Breakfast Scones

My wife is a scone head and when Laurel made these for her she begged for the recipe.

This recipe is from What’s Cooking? Healthy Cooking Blog by Lola Dee-Lite is highly recomended.

Healthy Breakfast Scones

Makes 12 small scones

Ingredients

  • 2 TB softened butter
  • 1/2 cup flax meal
  • 1 cup, plus 2 TB whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup whole oats (not instant)
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 TB organic brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup dried fruit of your choice-raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, etc
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp. good vanilla

Heat oven to 375. Combine butter, flax meal, and 1 cup flour in a bowl with a fork or pastry blender tool, working in the butter, until completely blended into a course meal.

Add in oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking powder, combining thoroughly. Mix in fruit and nuts. Next, add in vanilla and applesauce, gently stirring until moistened and combined. If too moist add in additional 2 Tb flour. Using a bit of flour on hands as needed, form scones into 12 golf ball sized portions, flattening them a bit so they are not too thick. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or nonstick spray for about 20 minutes, or until baked through and slightly brown on bottom. These scones are best served warm, and can be reheated in the microwave. Store cooled scones in airtight container at room temperature. They will last a few days, or freeze them for longer term storage. Serve warm just as they are, or spread with butter, cream cheese or jam.

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Julienned Vegetable Pasta

Carrots

I brought out my new toy around thanksgiving and showed it to my son’s girlfriend and she let out a gleeful ohhhhhh. This woman likes kitchen toys as much as we do, she’s a keeper. I had found this recipe for julienned veggie on this blog I frequent the main blog is www.Gojee.com  great site recipe after recipe with links to the writers’ blogs. Anyway sorry I don’t remember whose blog it was but it had peanut sauce and we tried it, liked it but not writing about that here just the veggies cause there are unlimited things you can season, flavor or combine with. Thank you whomever you are you opened my eyes to new adventures.

Julienned Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

  • 2-3 zucchini
  • 2-3 yellow summer squash
  • 2-3 fat carrots

Comment: You can actually use any vegetables you want.

How

Julianne the, zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots – keeping the carrots separate.

Bring water to a boil

Poach the carrots for 1 minute then add the zucchini and yellow squash for another 2 minutes.

Drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking or not. Mix them up and plate the colors look good together.

Suggestions

Now you can just flavor how you want, Thai peanut sauce, oil and balsamic vinegar, garlic and oil, even plain, tomato based sauce I think you get the idea.

You can heat the sauces if you want.

Quickly sauté with oil and vinegar.

Server them hot or cold.

Serve with any meat or fish plated on top and flavor to complement the dish.

Use in salads before or after poaching.

Make coleslaw.

See unlimited options, quick and easy.

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Stuffed balsamic portabella mushrooms

I discovered grill portabellas at a friend’s house years ago at a BBQ thought he was nuts, grilling is for burgers but he made me try one and I was sold. What a great alternative to meat and I have tried many variations plain, stuffed, chop and stir fried. The other day we had these mushrooms and I was wondering what to do with them so… Lyn got us this 360 cookware 2 quart pan (need no oil or water) over the holidays and I thought what the heck I have left over cheeses from the holidays let’s see what I can do.

Stuffed balsamic portabella mushrooms

top down

Ingredients

  • 3 larger portabella mushrooms stem and ribs removed (mince some of the stems)
  • 1 –  8 oz. package soft goat cheese room temperature
  • 3-5 sundried tomatoes minced
  • 1 small shallot minced
  • Small amount of whole wheat bread crumbs you can judge on your own maybe 2-3 Tbsp.
  • Balsamic vinegar (I used my 18 year old for this)
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

How

Drizzle some of the balsamic vinegar on the mushrooms (top down) don’t be shy but don’t drown them and set aside

In a small sauté pan add ¾ to 1 Tbsp. olive oil sauté the shallots, minced mushroom stems and sundried tomato until the shallots are softened about 3-5 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, salt and pepper heat a little. Add to bowl with the goat cheese and thoroughly mix together. You can add some more breadcrumbs if you think it is needed at this point your looking for enough to fill the mushroom caps. Stuff the mushroom caps. Now I supposed you could do this with a nonstick pan and cover but I had a new toy (360 cookware) and wanted to try. So I heated the pan up as directed until water drops bounced across the pan, yes I dropped water in twice it was cool. Place the mushrooms, stuffed side up in covered and reduced heat to medium. Waited until the steam started turned the heat to low and spun the top and waited about 6 minutes. Yes I spun the top from time to time new toy was afraid the seal was not there. After 6 minutes they were done and put on plate and covered loosely. Then I then took some broccoli that we had in the freezer put them in the pan rinsed with water, dumped excess water out put on high cover until the steam started, spun the cover removed from heat for 6 minutes came out nice and firm not mush. You could also do the julienned poached veggies with this, kind of vegi pasta. Will post that later.

Comment: There are so many things you can use for stuffing that the dish can be different every time you make it. I was not planning this so I grabbed what I saw

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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

One day when I was feeling like a bowl of what Mom used to make, Campbell tomato soup with rice and saltine crackers on the side, I thought she was a genius. I had not had that in years, wonder why, and this is a far cry from condensed soup and white rice but it still gave me that feeling.

Thank you Ina Garten, I saw you make this on your show and it quickly became a staple in our house.

This is a great starter or complete meal on a cold winter day, I have even had a cold bowl in the height of the summer heat. If plum tomatoes are 99 cents a pound it’s a no brainer soup will soon be on the stove. We tried to grow our own last summer but the ground hogs quickly discovered them along with the rest of the garden. I used to put it in canning jars for my parents but as age took over they started opening them with can openers so I switched to screw top Tupperware, even then it was a challenge.

Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Prep Time: 15 to 30 minutes if you like to talk and goof off when you prep.

Cook Time: 1 hr 35 minutes to 2 hours

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions – about 2 onions
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • A good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes about 1/4 teaspoon
  • 1 (28-ounce) canned whole plum tomatoes, with their juice
  • 4 cups fresh basil leaves packed (save small amount for garnish)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

Optional

  • Add a red pepper sliced in half and seeded and white vein removed or two to the tomatoes while roasting
  • 3-4 cups fresh Cilantro or mix of both basil and cilantro.
  • Fresh or frozen corn (use if using cilantro the combo is great)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper I also add a small amount of dried basil or even crushed dried rosemary. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet, drizzle any left oil mixture and roast for 45-55 minutes. I like them to get caramelized.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown add and garlic for about 30 seconds . Add the canned tomatoes, basil/cilantro, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Return to pot add corn at this time and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until corn is cooked. Chiffonade small amount of the basil and sprinkle over soup when served. Serve hot or cold.

Chiffonade :Arrange the leaves in a stack, roll them up cigar-style, and slice the roll as thinly as you can. The word for this technique (should you care to brush up on your French while you slice) is chiffonade (shihf-uh-NAHD).

I have a friend who put into blender instead of food mill but I think it got too creamy or smooth.