FLUFFY Whole Grain Rice— yeah, you heard me…

{ July 15, 2011 @ 3:35 am } · { Uncategorized }
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I make this recipe in a smaller portion size. I would say about 2 cups cooked is the result.  

My kids didn’t even notice the straight whole grain…. and I haven’t succssfully cooked this rice in over a year.

1 Cup – Whole Grain Rice/or Brown Rice

2-1/4 Cup BOILING water

1 TBSP. Butter/ Margarine, melted into the hot water       

1 tsp. Kosher Salt or flavoured *dry* boullion – to taste. -please don’t do both!

 Preheat Oven to 375 F.

Combine boiling water, butter, and salt\or seasonings.

Rinse rice in cold water to remove starches.

Add the rinsed rice to the  hot liquids  in the prepared dish.

BAKE COVERED tightly for one hour. Let rest for 10 minutes to make sure it’s blissful.

Call me and tell me how fluffy the rice is.

 

“CoNveRt-a-MeAtLoVer 2 B VeGetaRiaN” PaTTieS

{ April 13, 2011 @ 1:29 am } · { Main Course, Vegetarian/Vegan }
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OK, I have found what Gold would taste like if is was a vegetarian dish…and if it were Gold, I’d be rich! lol                             
No, these weren’t meant to taste like real meat…but only to suggest that you can still eat food that is meatless, healthy, and deeeelicious….
This dish is packed full of Iron, Calcium, Protein, and Fibre.  I fried them in Oil because I can… and if anything, they would rival a fried beef patty in Fat anyways.  You can also bake these in the oven…although I haven’t tried them yet.  I’ll let you know how they turn out when I try…
Ingredients:

2-1/2 Cups prepared lentils, mashed WELL

1 Cup Nutrela Soya Granules, prepared as per instructions on box (or other ground veggie meat)

1-1/3 Cups Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs, fine

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2  Small Onion, chopped finely

1 Cup Ricotta, drained in cheesecloth-squeeze out excess moisture…

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Vegetable Broth Granules

1/2 tsp. Cumin, ground

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper, ground

3 tsp. Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped finely

2 X-lg. Eggs

Oil suitable for Frying, such as Canola

Directions:

MIX all ingredients in large bowl. Refrigerate atleast 2 hours.

ROLL  tightly  into TBSP. size balls.

FRY in small batches  in oil, approx. 3-4 minutes on each side on med. heat (6-7 setting) until dark golden, crispy, yummy goldenness… I squish them down a little as they tend to stick to the pan if you don’t allow them to crisp up enough.

Makes approximately 26 Tablespoon size servings
 
Serve with a Large Crisp Green Salad and  a Cold Glass of V8 🙂 
 
Optional Serving Style:

Slice up 1 Cup of fresh mushrooms and mix in a can of condensed mushroom soup.  Combine with 1/4  Can of water.  Spoon over prepared Patties in a 1.4 L baking dish.   Bake in the oven at 350°F for  45 Minutes.

Obviously a tomato based sauce would be heaven with this.  Whatever you prefer will be great!

*note– I used canned lentils this time around because I had two tins sitting around begging to be used, but if you want to be brave and really learn a new skill, learn how to cook them from scratch, …it’s an easy legume to start with… http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/lentiltips.htm

Guacamole and Stripples© Sandwich

{ March 24, 2011 @ 4:30 am } · { Vegetarian/Vegan }
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*Guacamole:

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. finely minced red onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste

Toasted whole wheat bread

Stripples (2-4 per sandwich)

Oil or cooking spray

Directions:

Guacamole:  Combine all ingredients, except lime juice, in a medium bowl. Mash to desired consistency. Add lime juice to taste; mix well.

Fry Stripples in a little oil, to make them crispy.  Put desired amount of Guacamole on one slice of bread, cut stripples in half and stack on top.

Eat.

*makes atleast 4 sandwiches

To prevent browning during storage, put the pit from the avacado in the prepared Guacamole and keep in fridge.

Potato and Leek Soup

{ March 24, 2011 @ 1:55 am } · { Soups and Stews }
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5 leeks- white parts, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

5 large potatoes- peeled and cubed (I prefer yellow)

5 Cups Water

2 Bay leaves

1 tsp. Vegeta

1 Tbsp. dried onion soup mix

1 – 250g container “herb and garlic” cream cheese

Directions

1. In Large Pot, fry Leeks in Oil until tender.

2. Add potatoes, water, bay leaves, and seasonings.  Cook until Potatoes are fork tender.

3. Remove Bay leaves and ADD cream cheese.  With handblender, or food processor,  Blend until smooth and creamy.

French Onion Soup

{ March 24, 2011 @ 1:26 am } · { Soups and Stews }
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Man, this stuff is so good.  I always like to test the french onion soup, if they have it, in any restaurant that I go to. I’ve had some pretty disgusting soup, but also some really great stuff…I would suggest the Moose Factory…dangnammit that’s some good stuff….but this soup comes pretty close to high class eats.   I use croutons in this soup because, let’s face it, I’m too lazy to care about that part of it…I’ve already nailed the broth 😉

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Croutons
  • 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
  • 4 pinches paprika

    • Directions

    1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
    2. Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
    3. Preheat oven broiler. 
    4. Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with Croutons, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
    5. Broil 3-5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

    Herbed Baby Lima Bean Hummus

    { March 23, 2011 @ 2:14 am } · { Vegetarian/Vegan }
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    • 1 Package (450 g) dry baby lima beans, presoaked overnight
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 5 garlic cloves, smashed with side of a large knife
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • Cracked pepper, to taste
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
    • 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
    Directions:
    COOK Beans 1-1/2 hours, or until tender.
    ADD remaining ingredients and blend in food processor or use a handblender.
    BLEND until smooth.
    Serve warm with whatever crackers or pita chips you prefer. I like to use the flavoured triscuits, if you use the black pepper triscuits, be careful not to over season the hummus with the pepper 🙂
    It’s also better if you prepare it a little early and let the flavours develop.

    Mushroom and Quinoa Patties (Vegan)

    { March 23, 2011 @ 1:45 am } · { Vegetarian/Vegan }
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    1/2 Cup Quinoa, uncooked

    1 can (10 oz.) Mushrooms (I used the PC Brand Mushroom Medley)

    1/4 of a Red Onion, finely chopped

    2 Cloves of garlic, minced

    1 Tbsp. chopped Flat leaf Parsley

    1/8 tsp. Chili flakes (optional/to taste)

    1 cup baby lima beans, cooked and mashed

    Salt and Pepper, to taste

    oil for frying

    Directions:

    .RINSE the quinoa in a fine strainer or cheesecloth very well before cooking.  ~  This step is very important to remove the saponins that can give it a bitter taste.
    .COOK  quinoa in 1 cup of water until water is absorbed. Let it cool down for 5 minutes.
    . Fry onion and garlic, or cook in microwave to save time.
    .In a bowl,  MIX cooked quinoa, mushrooms, onion, garlic, chili flakes,mashed lima beans, parsley and salt and pepper to taste..
    .Form mixture into ping pong size balls, flatten into patties.
    .Fry in oil.

    Serves 4 (atleast in my house)  Makes about 16 patties

    Buttery Turnip Purée

    { March 4, 2011 @ 9:32 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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    3 Cups of Turnips, peeled and diced

    2 – 3 cups Milk (enough to almost cover turnips in pot)

    1/2 bunch Fresh Thyme

    2-4 Cloves of Garlic (depends on how much you like)

    1 Bay Leaf

    1 Stick Butter (or margarine)

    Salt to taste

    White Pepper to taste

    COMBINE first 5 ingredients in pot/saucepan. 

    SIMMER, on Medium heat, until turnips are soft.

    REMOVE remaining Thyme stems and Bay leaf.

    STRAIN AND RESERVE milk. 

    ADD butter. 

    Using a hand blender, or food processor, PURÉE – ADDING the reserved milk slowly until your desired consistancy.

    SEASON with salt and pepper, to taste.

    ENJOY!

    Serbian Musaka with Potatoes

    { November 29, 2010 @ 7:31 pm } · { Ethnic }
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    Ingredients:
    4 eggs
    1 cup plain yogurt (balkan preferred) or sour cream if you want a richer version
    2 cups milk. I use non-fat.
    1 teaspoon vegeta, or to taste
    5-6 medium potatoes, sliced thinly
    Olive Oil.
    1 pound lean ground beef
    One medium or large onion, chopped

    Directions:
    PREHEAT Oven to 450 F
    CARMELIZE onions in olive oil in frying pan.
    ADD beef and break up well while cooking, season well with Vegeta.
    BEAT the eggs with a fork until whites and yolks are well mixed. You should have almost a cup of eggs.
    ADD yogurt (or sour cream) to the eggs and whisk until well blended. COMBINE milk with egg mixture and whisk again.
    LAYER potatoes evenly with onion/beef mixture evenly, about 2 layers of each.
    POUR egg/milk mixture over layered potatoes and beef.
    COVER tightly with tinfoil and BAKE in oven for and HOUR.
    Let cool for about five minutes in the pan and serve in squares.

    Banana Bread

    { July 11, 2010 @ 2:18 am } · { Desserts and Sweets }
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    5 Tbsp.  Butter

    1/2 C.  White Sugar

    1/2 C.  Brown Sugar

    1 Large Egg

    2 Egg Whites

    1 tsp. Vanilla

    1+1/2 C. RIPE Banana, mashed (approx. 3)

    1+3/4 C. Flour

    1 tsp. Baking Soda

    1/2 tsp. Salt

    1/4 tsp.  Baking Powder

    1/2 C.  Half and Half Cream

    1/3 C. Pecans, Chopped

    ~PREHEAT Oven to 350F.  Spray 9x5x3 loaf pan.

    ~BEAT butter until light and fluffy.  CREAM in white and brown sugars.  ADD egg, egg whites, and vanilla, beat again.  ADD mashed banana.  MIX well until well blended. 

    ~In a seperate bowl, SIFT together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  MIX well.

    ~COMBINE dry bowl INTO wet bowl.  MIX. 

    ~ADD half & half cream and pecans.  STIR until mixed in.  POUR batter into prepared pan.

    ~BAKE 1 hour + 15 minutes…watch closely!  It will get VERY dark in colour.

    Optional Topping

    1/4 C. crushed, mashed, and bashed Pecans…as fine as you can grind them…

    1/4 C. Brown Sugar

    Combine and sprinkle  BEFORE you bake it (this would be the LAST step before you bake it).  It gives the loaf a nice crunchy, sweet crust 🙂

    Yield, 1 Loaf

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