Vegan Broccoli and Artichoke Hearts in Garlic and White Wine

I threw this together one night when I was short on time but needed a lot of flavor for my picky meat-eating boyfriend.

If its available in your local grocery store (I use Trader Joe's), I highly recommend keeping tons of frozen organic brown rice on hand that you can throw into the microwave for a few minutes and viola, light, fluffy, fresh brown rice.

I also keep frozen veggies on hand for when I haven't had time to get fresh produce. The night that I made this dish, I'd just returned from an extended vacation so my produce was at a minimum.

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Vegan Broccoli and Artichoke Hearts in Garlic and White Wine

Serves two

2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped finely

3 cups frozen/fresh broccoli

2 cups frozen/canned artichoke hearts, halved

1/2 cup white wine (use a wine you enjoy drinking, I used a Reisling)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups brown rice, cooked

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until releases strong smell. Add broccoli and artichokes. Stir occasionally over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Once the veggies are heated through, add the wine, salt and pepper.

Cook veggies until wine is gone and serve immediately on a bed of brown rice.

Linguine with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts

This was the very first recipe I ever made from a vegetarian cookbook. A friend of mine had it and it inspired me to become a vegetarian. I realized that vegetarian cuisine could be delicious, sophisticated and hearty.

The book, a staple in my collection of 15 years, is "Fields of Green" by Annie Somerville. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to build their library.

This pasta dish is easy and rich. It can be a little dry so serve it with a side that has a lot of juice, such as fruit salad.

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Linguine with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese and Walnuts

1 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced, about 4 cups

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 lb fresh linguine

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, about 20 leaves

3 Tbls walnut pieces, toasted

1 oz soft goat cheese (I use 2 oz to kick up the flavor)

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt; saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions begin to soften and release their juices. Add the garlic continue to cook over medium heat, gently scrapping the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the onions from sticking as they caramelize. After 40 minutes, the onions should be a rich golden color and very sweet. At this point, add the wine to deglaze the pan and simmer over low heat.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Chop or break the toasted walnuts into pieces with your hands. When the water is boiling, add 1 tsp salt and the linguine and cook until tender. Just before draining the pasta, add 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the onion confit. Immediately drain the pasta then add the confit along with the walnuts and basil to the pasta. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and a few pinches of pepper. Crumble in the cheese and serve immediately.

Potato Gratin with Artichokes and Smoked Mozzarella

I made this dish at a housewarming party and even the super picky eaters adored it.

The artichokes lend a buttery flavor while the potatoes give it an earthy, heavy feel that make this a comfort dish that's also elegant and perfect for winter.

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Potato Gratin with Artichokes and Smoked Mozzarella

Courtesy of 'Fields of Green' by Annie Somerville

1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced, about 2 cups

Salt and pepper

5 medium sized artichokes, trimmed and sliced, about 5 cups (I used frozen hearts and it was great)

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tbl fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls chopped fresh herbs: parsley, marjoram, and thyme

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 bay leaf

2 fresh sage leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs

1/2 tsp peppercorns

1 1/2 lbs large potatoes

1/4 lb smoked mozzarella cheese, grated, about 1 1/2 cups

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper; saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes and add to the onion along with the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, until the artichokes are tender, then add the tablespoon of lemon juice. When the artichokes and onion are cool, coarsely chop them and toss with half the chopped herbs.

While the onion and artichokes are sauteing, pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan; add the bay leaf and sage leave, the herb sprigs, and the peppercorns. Steep over low heat for 20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. Slice the potatoes thinly and lay one-third of them in the bottom of the dish, overlapping the slices and rows as you go. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; spread half the onion-artichoke mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle with one-third of the cheese, make another layer of potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Follow with the remaining onion-artichoke mixture and one-third of the cheese. Top with a final layer of potatoes and pour the hot cream over .

Cover the dish and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bake, uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. The gratin should be golden and a little crisp. Sprinkle with remaining chopped herbs just before serving.

Serve with a saute of winter greens.

Yummiest Sangria

This beautiful Sangria comes from Jaleo, a tapas restaurant in the D.C. area. The recipe makes about 5 gallons and if you're going to half it, be careful as the flavor is altered. Though 5 gallons sounds like an enormous amount, it does store well and if you take it to any party, it will be gone before the end of the night.

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Sangria

5 gallons

9 liters red wine (best if you mix 2-3 varieties of red for a robust flavor)

24 oz orange juice

32 oz 7-Up

8 oz Rose's Lime Juice (sweetened lime juice)

24 oz sugar

8 oz vodka

8 oz brandy

2 cinnamon sticks

Diced apples and pears

Mix all items together except fruit. Store in refrigerator for a minimum of three hours (more if you can) for best flavor. One hour before serving, add diced fruit.

Red Wine Poached Pears with Mascarpone Filling

This absolutely STUNNING dessert was served by my sister on Christmas Eve. Wow.

I immediately asked for the recipe because this is the kind of dish that will get you noticed and remembered! Serve it for a special occasion or any time you’d like to impress someone.

Please note: the best way to serve these pears is after they’ve been allowed to soak in the wine for a minimum of 5-6 hours to get a deep beautiful color that contrasts starkly with the white of the filling.

If you don’t have a deep, slender apple corer (make sure it’s not an apple SLICER as you want the pears to remain whole), consider slicing them in half, removing the seeds and serving them in a yin-yang pattern with dollops of the filling at either end.
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Red Wine Poached Pears with Mascarpone Filling
Courtesy of Michael Chiarello, Food Network, Episode MO1A02

6 firm but ripe Bartlett pears
1 bottle red wine
1 vanilla bean, whole
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 cups sugar
2 (8 oz) containers mascarpone cheese, softened
½ cup heavy cream
Pinch cinnamon
½ cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl butter

Peel pears and leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cool pears in wine mixture to room temperature. You can refrigerate them in the poaching liquid until you’re ready to fill them (and to achieve a deep red/purple color).

Remove stems from pears and set stems aside. Core pears with a long apple corer, leaving pear whole.

Whisk together mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, pinch cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag, or if you do not have one, use wax paper tightly wrapped into a cone with the corner snipped off or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe filling into cored pears.

Bring sauce up to a simmer and reduce by half. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir until combined. Spoon generously over pears. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Yields 6 servings.

Virginia Hostess Recipes - Broiled Parm Tomatoes, Baked Pineapple, Vegan Beer Bread and More!

A few years ago I bought my mom a funny little cookbook from a wine store in Virginia called "The Virginia Hostess". It was put out by the Junior Woman's Club of Manassas and was in it's fourth edition. Small and in a spiral notebook, I thought it was cute and had a few interesting recipes in it, despite the fact it had several of those old Jell-o mold recipes where you float fruit in gelatin (a specialty of my maternal grandmother's back in the day).

While home for the holidays, I found it in her kitchen and thumbed through it.

The following are a few of the recipes I'd like to try, so I'm sharing them with everyone in case anyone gets around to trying one of them first! Happy cooking!
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Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes
Serves 6.

1/4 cup butter, melted and divided
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 large peeled tomatoes, cut into 1-inch slices

Mix crumbs and half of butter. Stir in next three ingredients. Brush tomato slices on both sides with remaining butter and dip in crumb mixture. Arrange tomato slices on cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Broil 5-6 inches below heat source until lightly browned and warmed through. Turn carefully and brown on other side.


Mexican Baked Pineapple
Serves 4.

1 (20-oz) can crushed pineapple
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons regular tapioca

Mix all ingredients. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.



Lemon Curd Tartlets
Fills about 10 pastry shells.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
Grated rind of 3 lemons
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Prepared pastry shells
Whipped topping or meringue (optional)

Melt first four ingredients in top of double broiler. Beat eggs slightly and add to mixture. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch and blend well with whisk. Lemon curd will thicken as it cools.

Just before serving pour into pastry shells and top with whipped topping or meringue.



Jalapeno Cornbread

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated Longhorn cheese
1 cup grated onion
5 large jalapenos, finely chopped and de-seeded
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 1/2 oz) can cream style corn or 3 ears fresh corn, cut and scraped from cob

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Mix together first three ingredients. Stir in cheese, onion and jalapenos. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

May also be baked in mini muffin tins for 10 to 15 minutes.



Stuffed Avocado Salad
Serves 6.

3 fresh avocados, ripe but still has strong skin
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (4-oz) can green chilies, drained and seeded
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/4 tsp garlic salt
Dash red pepper sauce
Dash ground cardamon
Dash vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 (3-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 small head lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Cut avocados in half. Scoop out and reserve pulp, leaving shell intact. Mix next seven ingredients in blender. Add cream cheese and avocado pulp and blend until smooth. Spoon cheese mixture into shells. Arrange on 6 lettuce lined plates. Garnish with chopped tomatoes.



Vegan Beer Bread
1 loaf.

3 cups self-rising flour (or 3 cups all-purpose flour plus 4 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 1/2 tsp salt)
3 Tbl sugar
1 (12-oz) beer, at room temperature

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat 10 times by hand (until thoroughly mixed but still somewhat rough and lumpy, do NOT overmix). Bake 1 hour in gread loaf ban. May drizzle butter on top when half-baked. Slices best when cooled completely.



Seven Layer Cookies
*I made these for a cookie exchange party and they were a HUGE hit*
24 cookies.


1/2 cup margarine/butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1 (6-oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (6-oz) package butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Pour melted butter in 9x13-inch pan. Layer graham cracker crumbs, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts. Drizzle condensed milk over top. Back at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cut while warm.

Vegan Bakeless Apple Tart

This is a delicious and easy alternative to traditional apple tart. It's also very healthy.

The recipe calls for overnight rest of both the crust and the filling, so be sure to plan for that when trying this one. It does not specifically call for you to cover the refrigerated dishes, but I would highly recommend it.

Fresh, light and delectable.

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Bakeless Apple Tart
*courtesy of December/January 2008 Natural Health*

2 cups walnuts, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice

1. In a food processor, puree 2 cups walnuts into a fine powder and transfer to a large bowl; finely chop dates and transfer to same bowl. Knead walnut powder and chopped dates into a dough. Press dough into a 9-inch pie plat and refrigerate overnight.

2. In a large bowl, mix apple wedges, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice and refrigerate overnight.

3. The following day, spoon apple filling into pie crust, arranging six apple wedges decoratively on top, and garnish with additional cinnamon and chopped walnuts.

Hunted this down after receiving as a gift - Pineapple Cheese Ball

My mom's neighbor brought this over as a Christmas gift along with celery sticks and whole-grain crackers.

I was wary when I learned the ingredients, but one taste and I was hooked. My sister and I fought for every bite and even my dad, a notoriously picky eater, adored it.

A few searches later and here it is...

Consider it for a gift or as something delicious and simple for your next pot luck or party.

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Pineapple Cheese Ball
*courtesy of Southernfood.about.com*

An appetizer pineapple cheese ball.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, or mixture of green and red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, or to taste
• 2 cups chopped pecans, divided

PREPARATION:

Directions for pineapple cheese ball.
Combine cream cheese, drained crushed pineapple, chopped bell pepper, chopped green onion, seasoned salt, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Chill in refrigerator until firm then shape into a ball. Just before serving roll pineapple cheese ball in remaining cup of pecans. Serve pineapple cheese ball with assorted crackers. Pineapple cheese ball makes about 3 cups of cheese spread.

Roast Butternut Squash Puree

This is an absolutely delicious dish that everyone (even vegetable-phobes) loves.

The squash needed to cook for a lot longer than the recipe calls, upwards of 90 minutes depending on the size of the squash, so be sure to plan for that when deciding on your menu. Also, it's worth the extra few minutes in the oven for easy scooping and greatly impacts the flavor.

Putting it into the food processor causes the puree to have the consistency of watery baby food, so if you like something a little more substantial (as I do), I would recommend puree'ing about half of the ingredients and hand-mashing the other half, then stirring together. It is still a puree but it has a little more weight to it.

The honey, shallots, butter and squash form a perfect combination. A must-try!

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Roast Butternut Squash Puree

3 butternut squash (2 pounds each)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 small shallots, halved
4 tablespoons honey
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat oven to 400° F.

Trim the ends from the squash, then halve lengthwise, discarding the seeds. Transfer the squash, cut-side up, to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Season with the salt and pepper and top with the shallots, honey, thyme, and butter. Cover the squash with foil. Roast until softened, 45 to 60 minutes.

Uncover and set aside until cool enough to handle. Working in batches, scoop some of the softened squash and shallots from the peels into a food processor. Puree the squash mixture until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining squash and shallots. Serve warm. (You can cover and refrigerate the puree for up to 48 hours. To rewarm, heat in a covered saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes.)

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

CALORIES 274 (30% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 5g); SUGAR 16g; PROTEIN 4g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; SODIUM 369mg; FIBER 7g; CARBOHYDRATE 52g

Real Simple, NOVEMBER 2006

Vegan Herb Stuffing

I discovered this recipe last year, courtesy of Real Simple. What makes it so delicious is the use of baguettes instead of typical bread. The crusty, crunchy bread (white or whole wheat) works perfectly to bring this dish together.

I personally prefer a little less parsley and a little more onion. I would also recommend cutting your baguettes up the day before preparing the stuffing and leaving them out until they're super dried out.

Finally, vegan chicken broth makes a lovely substituted for the vegetable broth. I used it this year at Thanksgiving and everyone raved over the flavor.

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Vegan Herb-Baguette Stuffing

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3/4 cup (1 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms, roughly chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 stalks celery, diced
3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 baguettes, left on the counter overnight to dry and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (10 cups)

In a saucepan, bring the broth and mushrooms (if using) to a boil. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium-low heat, heat the oil or butter. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the celery and cook for 7 minutes. Add the parsley and dill.

Heat oven to 375° F.

Place the bread in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture and the broth and mushrooms (if using) and combine. Transfer to a 9-inch square or 11-by-7-inch baking dish or the cavity of the turkey.

Bake the stuffing for 25 minutes. If you prefer a soft stuffing, cover the dish with foil while baking. If you prefer a crusty stuffing, bake uncovered. (You can cover and refrigerate the uncooked stuffing for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the baking time.)

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

CALORIES 300 (21% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 1g); SUGAR 5g; PROTEIN 9g; CHOLESTEROL 0mg; SODIUM 1,071mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 50g

Real Simple, NOVEMBER 2006

Ultimate Caramel Apple Pie

I've tried several caramel apple pies and this is by far the one that gets the best reaction.

Usually because I'm short on time and I'm a better chef than a baker, I buy my crust at the store. I will also buy the rolled, refrigerated pie dough and use that as my topper, which I then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a tiny bit of sugar.

Also, when doing your apples, I recommend peeling them, removing the core and then letting the slicing blade on your food processor do the rest. It's a HUGE amount of apples and the food processor not only does them in seconds but makes sure all the slices are the exact same width, allowing for perfect baking.
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Caramel Apple Pie - 2003 1st Place Apple Recipe courtesy Marles Riessland via foodnetwork.com

Pie Crust: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening, chilled 1/3 cup ice water 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 egg, beaten Filling: 6 cups apples (Jonathan or Granny Smith) 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purposeflour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter Streusel Topping: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon butter 2 toffee bars or 3 ounces chocolate covered peanut or pecan brittle, crushed Pie Crust: Chill all ingredients, including the flour and vinegar. Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In another bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough. Filling: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Peel and slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and add apples. Toss to mix. Add vanilla and cream. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add apple mixture and cook approximately 8 minutes, to soften apples. Turn into pie shell. Streusel Topping: Combine the flour and sugar. Mix in butter with fork until coarse crumbs. stir in the crushed toffee bars. Sprinkle over pie. Add top crust. Seal, flute edge and vent top. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes longer.

Vegan - Hash in a Flash and Chickpea Gravy

Here are a few Vegan recipes I've recently tried that have been VERY yummy.

I included source next to each recipe. The Hash in a Flash I've made on several occasions and it's a filling crowd-pleaser.
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Hash In a Flash (from Carole Raymond's "Student's Go Vegan Cookbook")
Makes 2 servings, breakfast

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup sweet potato, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped yellow or sweet onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 1/2 cups thawed and chopped frozen vegan sausage (I HIGHLY recommend the Gimme Lean Sausage)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper to taste


Preheat over to 400 degrees. To a medium bowl, add 1 Tbsp of oil. Toss the potatoes with the oil until well coated. Sprinkle the potatoes in a single layer onto a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir once.

When the potatoes only have a few minutes, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes, until veggies are tender, and stirring frequently. Add potatoes, sausage, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until potatoes are just lightly browned (do not over cook or potatoes get really dry). Serve immediately.



Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy (from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's "Vegan with a Vengeance")
Makes about 3 cups, great on everything that needs gravy!!!

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Approximately 2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tsp mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 pinches ground cumin
2 pinches paprika
Pinch of each: dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried oregano, ground coriander
3 Tbsp soy sauce (I would recommend 4-5, personally)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 nutritional yeast (if you don't have nutritional yeast, just cut back on the water used at the end)


Mix the flour with 2 cups of water until flour is mostly dissolved.

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let heat for 20 seconds or so. Add the onions and mustard seeds; cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and the mustard seeds are toasted. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the chickpeas; use a potato masher to mash them - you don't want to mash them into a paste, just make sure each one is broken up. Add the herbs and spices, soy sauce and lemon juice. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits of onion.

Lower heat and pour the flour mixture into the pan. Stir constantly until a thick gravy forms. Stir in the nutritional yeast. If it looks too thick and pasty, add more water and mix well. It may look like it doesn't want any more water added to it, but just keep mixing and it will loosen up.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Vegan Pumpkin Waffles - AMAZING

I made a huge batch of these and froze them for an easy breakfast. SOOOO yummy and super easy.

Isa wasn't lying when she said these were the BEST vegan waffles ever (from 'Vegan with a Vengeance')
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Pumpkin Waffles
Makes 24 regular waffles or 12 Belgian waffles

Make a full batch and freeze them. In the morning, pop two in the toaster and you're ready!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole-wheat flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground gloves
2 cups plain or vanilla soy milk
1 15-oz can pureed pumpkin
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together milk, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar and vanilla until well emulsified.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.

Prepare waffles according the manufacturer's instructions.

Serve with maple syrup, fruit, cinnamon and powdered sugar or eat 'em plain.

Yummy!!!

Strata with Cipollini Onions and Arugula. Cheddar-Cauliflower Soup

Once again, these amazing recipes came from the Williams-Sonoma catalog. I'd never paid it attention before, but recently I was bored at my mom's house and flipped through it. Though the recipes are specifically designed to use their cooking products, they looked delicious. So I ripped them out and was very pleased!

Cipollini Onions are very sweet and small with a yellowish skin. They can be very difficult to find, even in specialty markets. If you can't find any (or can't afford them, as they're VERY expensive in off-season), go with Vidalia onions or the sweetest onion you have access to.

For the soup, if you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool and then ladle half of it into a regular blender or food processor and process until smooth. Set aside and repeat with second half. Return to pot, warm on low setting and then continue at the stage where cheese is added.
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Strata with Cipollini Onions and Arugula

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 oz. arugula
6 oz. cipollini onions, cut into 1/8" slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
2 1/4 oz. Asiago cheese, shredded
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 oz. French bread, cut into 1" cubes, crust on, dried overnight or toasted in oven

In saute pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. oil. Add arugula; saute until just wilted, 2-3 minutes. Drain in colander.

In same saute pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. oil. Add onions; saute until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add garlic; saute until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in bread, arugula and onions. Transfer to braiser (or oven-safe, nonstick pan); cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Bake strata, uncovered, until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.
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Cheddar-Cauliflower Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, about 2 1/2 lb., cut into florets
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (vegan chicken broth is delicious, as well)
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
Toasted crusty bread for serving

In large Dutch oven (or large stock pot) over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add cauliflower; cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cream, 2 tsp. salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until cauliflower is easily pierced with fork, about 10 minutes.

Using immersion blender, blend soup to a fine puree, 3-5 minutes. Add cheese; stir until melted and well combined with soup. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with toasted bread.

Serves 6-8.

Root Vegetable Gratin with Gruyere

This recipe came from the Williams-Sonoma catalog, believe it or not. It is the perfect alternative to scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes. For a lighter dish, try it without the Gruyere and cream, and instead drizzle the vegetables with a nice extra-virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper.

If you don't have a mandolin for easily chopping the veggies, try the grating attachment on your food processor. It will slice the veggies uniformly, ensuring even cooking throughout.
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Root Vegetable Gratin with Gruyere
Serves 12-15.

1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 lb. parsnips, peeled, sliced 1/8" thick
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/8" thick
1 lb. celery root, peeled, sliced 1/8" thick
8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
3 Tbs. minched fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Butter 3 quart baking dish.

In large saucepan over medium head, melt butter. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg; heat just until bubbles form around edges of pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.

Arrange a layer of parsnips, slightly overlapping, in prepared dish. Arrange a layer of sweet potatoes on top, then a layer of celery root. Pour half of cream mixture over celery root; sprinkle half of cheese, thyme and parsley on top.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cover dish with foil, place on baking sheet and bake 1 hour. Remove foil; lightly press gratin down with spatula. Continue baking until vegetables are tender and top is golden brown, 15-30 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Beautiful gourmet brunch menu and recipes: Citrus & Kiwifruit Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Pistachios, Savory Bread Pudding with Goat Cheese

My Christmas Eve menu isn't complete yet, but here's is Christmas morning brunch. Of the six people I'm feeding, I'm the only vegetarian, but I'm also the only cook, so they're eating vegetarian whether they like it or not.

But it's a very gourmet menu from the December 2007 issue of 'Cooking Light':

Gameplan

One Day in Advance:
- Prepare bread pudding
- Prepare muffins
- Peel oranges, grapefruit and kiwifruit; seed pomegranate
- Prepare vinaigrette

One Hour Before Serving:
- Remove bread pudding from refrigerator
- Squeeze oranges for mimosas.

Up to 30 minutes before serving:
- Bake bread pudding
- Bake eggs
- Slice kiwifruit, and section citrus fruits; assemble citrus salad
- Slice apples; assemble endive salad



Citrus and Kiwifruit Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Pistachios
Peel the oranges, kiwi and grapefruit ahead of time and refrigerate separately in heavy-duty zip-top plastic bags. Seed pomegranate in advance; refrigerate in a zip-top bag. Spoon the fruit into individual bowls within an hour of serving; sprinkle with nuts at last minute.

3 kiwi, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
4 oranges, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 red grapefruit, peeled and sections (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (about 1 pomegranate)
1 teaspoon orange flower water (optional)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios

Divide kiwi and oranges evenly aomng 6 bowls; top evenly with grapefruit and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle orange-flower water evenly over fruit, if desired. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon pistachios.




Savory Bread Pudding with Goat Cheese
Best if assembled night before.

1 (1-pound) loaf firm white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat-cheese, divided
2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup sliced green onions

1. Arrange bread in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
2. Combine 1/2 cup goat cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg whites) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over bread; top with remaining 1/2 cup goat cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
4. Remove bread pudding from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set and golden brown. Sprinkle with onions.




Simple Baked Eggs

1 tablespoon butter
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat each of 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Break 1 egg into each prepared ramekin. Sprinkle eggs evenly with pepper and salt; spoon 1 teaspoon cream over each egg. Place ramekins in a 13x9 baking dish; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 1/4 inches. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until eggs are set.




Endive Salad with Apples and Walnuts
If you can find red and white varieties of Belgian endive, use a mixture of the two. Separate the leaves in advance and make vinaigrette ahead of time, but cut apples at last minute.

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups sliced Granny Smith apple (about 2 large)
3 heads Belgian endive, separated into leaves
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add apple and endive; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with nuts.



Whole-Wheat Oat Muffins
Bake the night before; cool and store in air tight container.

1 1/2 cups fat-free buttermilk
1 cup regular oats
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup oat flour (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well.
3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk mixture; stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.



Mimosas
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
3 cups Champagne, chilled
1 tablespoon Cointreau

1. Strain juice through a sieve into a pitcher; add remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

BEST Lasagna EVER - Portobella Mushroom & White Sauce Lasagna

This recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa. It is simply divine. I've taken it to several social functions and it is always the first dish that people return to for seconds and it's earned me tons of praise.

For the milk mixture, I've found that getting it to thicken takes significantly longer than she indicates in her recipe.

Also, this recipes takes a TON of pots and pans. If you are able, have several going at once or this process is incredibly lengthy. Have the noodles cooking while you're making the white sauce and once the noodles are done, get the mushrooms going as the white sauce finishes.

It seems that you'll be short on Parmesan but if you measure it out exactly and follow the recipe exactly (I'm notorious for altering recipes so when I say stick to it, I mean it!). Don't add more Parmesan or it will overpower the perfect balance of flavors that is achieved between the sauce, sauteed mushrooms and cheese.
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Portobello Mushroom & White Sauce Lasagna

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
4 cups whole milk
12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms
1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

*NOTE: To make ahead, assemble the lasagna but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you do bake it, add 10 minutes to the baking time.

Rum Ricotta Fritters

This is SUCH a yummy treat! A great thing to bring to parties or the office. Make sure you serve them warm, though. If you have to package them up prior to serving, make sure you re-heat prior to serving. Don't add the powdered sugar until the last minute or it becomes slimy.

Rum-Ricotta Fritters
Courtesy of 'Food Network All Star Favorites'.

Yields: 3 1/2 dozen fritters

Extra-virgin Olive Oil for frying
20 ounces fresh whole milk ricotta
5 large eggs, separated, yolks lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Confectioners sugar

1. In a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat, slowly heat 3-4 inches of extra-virgin olive oil to 350F-375F.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the ricotta until smooth and creamy. Add the lightly beaten yolks, rum and sugar, beating well.

3. Pour ricotta mixture into large bowl. Sift together flour and baking powder and add to ricotta mixture.

4. Beat the whites to still, but not dry, peaks and fold into ricotta mixture.

5. Drop SMALL tablespoons of batter into oil. Cook until deep golden brown and flip. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

6. Serve immediately. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving (do not store fritters with confectioners sugar as it will make re-heating a mess).

Kitchen Tip: Do not worry if the batter looks too wet; that's the secret to these delicious fritters.

Vegan Vegetable Pancakes with Sesame Sauce

I've been trying all kinds of new recipes in my quest to slowly become vegan.

This is perfect for a light dinner or appetizer split among friends.

I altered it a bit, but the original can be found in Carole Raymond's "Student's Go Vegan Cookbook".

But...don't do it unless you'll also do the sauce. That's the real secret to this one.
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Vegetable Pancakes with Sesame Sauce

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (I didn't have these and it still tasted great but would have been crunchier)
1 mushroom, thinly sliced (I used the pre-sliced baby bella's and sliced them down to little ribbons)
4 scallions (1/2 cup) thinly sliced

In medium bowl, stir or whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the water. Stir with a fork until just blended. The batter should be medium-thick. If necessary, add more water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Let the batter rest for a minute to allow the baking powder to begin forming bubbles on the surface.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. When hot ladle 1/2 the batter into the skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake with half of the sesame seeds, lightly press half of the mushrooms onto the surface and scatter half of the scallions on top. Use a spatula to gently press the topping into the pancake.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until lightly browned on bottom side. Flip the pancake and cook for 2-4 minutes until the vegetables are lightly browned.

Repeat for second pancake (or use large pan and cook both simultaneously as I did to save time).

Serve immediately and drizzle with Sesame Sauce.


Sesame Sauce
(great over steamed vegetables and rice, too)

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I didn't have this and the sauce was delicious)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (key to this sauce)
Pinch of minced garlic
Dash of red pepper flakes
Pinch of brown sugar.

Combine in small bowl or tupperware. Whisk or cover and shake really good (this is way more fun).

YUM!

Caramelized Apple and Goat Cheese Tartines & Stuffed Mushrooms with Wild Rice and Goat Cheese

*courtesy of January 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times*

Caramelized Apple and Goat Cheese Tartines
30 minutes or fewer, Serves 4

Instead of making pancakes for Sunday supper, serve these dessert-like sandwiches that get their fiber from hearty walnut-raisin bread and their protein from a slathering of goat cheese.

1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 crisp apple, such as Braeburn or Red Delicious, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 1/2 Tbs. prepared caramel sauce
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
Pinch pumpkin pie spice
4 Tbs. soft goat cheese, divided
4 slices walnut-raisin bread, toasted

1. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add apple, and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Stir in caramel sauce, lemon juice and pumpkin pie spice. Remove from heat.

2. Spread 1 Tbs. goat cheese on each slice of walnut-raisin toast. Spoon apple mixture over top.


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Mushroom-Stuffed Mushrooms with Wild Rice and Goat Cheese
Serves 4
Mushrooms can be assembled up to two days ahead, wrapped individually in plastic wrap and refrigerated.

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
6 oz. button or white mushrooms, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cooked wild rice
2 oz. herbed goat cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs. lemon juice
4 tsp. fine breadcrumbs, divided
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Heat large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs oil, and swirl to coat pan. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, or until onion becomes translucent, stirring often. Stir in button mushrooms, garlic, and salt, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and most of liquid is evaporated, stirring frequently. Stir in rice, and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in goat cheese.

3. Fill each portobello with about 1/3 cup filling mixture. Toss tomatoes with lemon juice in bowl, and lay tomato halves cut-side up over tops of filled portobellos.

4. Place stuffed portobellos on baking sheet greased with remaining 1 Tbs oil, and sprinkle each with 1 tsp breadcrumbs. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden. Sprinkle with parsley.

Welcome

Since I seem to be a superstar a collecting interesting, vegetarian recipes, my friends encouraged me to find a way to share them with others. Some I have tried and some are on my "to-try" list. I would love to hear what people think if they do give them a shot or if they have suggestions for making a recipe better/easier/quicker/etc.

Thanks for stopping by!