Cauliflower "Steaks" with Olive Relish and Tomato Sauce

Fact: I love vegetables. When I go to a restaurant, I usually order something meatless like a portabella mushroom sandwich, a spinach salad, or a broccoli and pepper sandwich. I get carried away buying all kinds of produce at the farmer’s markets. However, as much as I love vegetables, I could never be a vegetarian. Sorry to disappoint, but I blame the bacon.

What carnivores don’t realize is vegetarian meals are not boring. Take these cauliflower steaks for example. After taking a bite, I kept asking myself why don’t I eat cauliflower more often? This recipe intrigued me when I saw it in Bon Appetit’s magazine, and based on comments from Twitter, others are intrigued by it too.

Read more »

Hungarian Kohlrabi Soup (Kalarabeleves)

Kohlrabi - a vegetable I bet most of you have never heard of, let alone eaten. It first started with me when I was reading my always-reliable vegetable cookbook - Greene on Greens. One of the chapters is dedicated to kohlrabi, which I skipped because I've never heard of it.



Then one day, I was shopping at my local farm when I spotted some kohlrabi for sale. I have a habit of buying new things and figuring out what to do with them later. Remembering the chapter I skipped, I grabbed a bunch and made them for dinner.

That was probably a few years. I really don't remember what I made with it. Probably just sauted some in a pan with seasoning. Fast forward to last month, I was down in Pittsburgh's Strip District for the first time. Being a foodie, I was in love (and overwhelmed!) with all of the stores. My main reason for going was to check out Penzey's Spices, where I spent $25 in spices that I've never used (or even heard of). One of the stores was this produce place. I'm sure it had a name but never saw a sign anywhere inside. That's when I spotted the kohlrabi. All I could remember was I enjoyed eating it, so I bought another bunch.



Kohlrabi translates into "cabbage turnip," which is the best way to describe this vegetable. Eating it raw reminds me of a radish without such a strong bite. And although it looks rather blah, it turns into a yummy dish. I was going to just saute it as a side when I opened my book and found a soup recipe. Not only are the bulbs edible, so are the leaves, and this soup incorporated both.

The soup originally called for boned-in chicken to be cooked in the broth, but I wasn't feeling it. Plus I had a sweet potato ready to go rotten, so I added that instead. I also omitted the bacon because I was afraid it would overpower the kohlrabi. To prepare kohlrabi, you break off all the stems until all you have left is a sad, green bulb. Then you peel the bulb until you see its flesh.

Hungarian Kohlrabi Soup (Kalarabeleves)



1 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or veg broth to make it vegetarian)
1 cup water
1 pound kohlrabi with leaves
1 sweet potato
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

1. Saute the onion in large skillet with 1 Tbsp butter for 1 minute. Add garlic and carrots. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and continue to cook covered for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a big saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, boil a small pan of water. Trim, peel, and dice the kohlrabi. Peel and dice the sweet potato. Wash the kohlrabi leaves then boil for 1 minute. Drain, cool, and chop. Set aside.

3. Once the broth is pureed, add the remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, water, kohlrabi, and sweet potato. Cook until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in some hot soup. Whisk mixture together then pour back into the rest of the soup. Cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Add kohlrabi leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serves 6-8.

Source: Greene on Greens, page 213

Why Blanch Broccoli?

I had someone point out to me that I'm mainly a baking blog. That is true - 75% of my cookbook collection deals with baking and most of the recipes blogged are desserts. However, I do cook often. I usually make the same dishes, which I blogged a long time ago, like chicken strips, chicken or beef curry, garlicky pasta, chicken a la king, thai-inspired beef, lasagna, and wonton soup. Hmmm I also make beef fajitas often, but I apparently I haven't blogged about them yet.

Anyway, my point is that although I can't make any promises, I'm going to try and blog more about my cooking as well as my baking. After all, baking doesn't necessarily mean desserts! Take this quiche for example. Made in a pie crust but no sugar or butter involved! My parents love quiche. I don't because I'm not an egg fan, but even I enjoyed this broccoli quiche. Quiche is a very versatile dinner. You can use broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, sausage, bacon, ham, whatever you have in the fridge.



Fresh or frozen veggies are recommended. You can probably get away with canned mushrooms or asparagus (peas and carrots maybe??) but if you can splurge a little, go for the fresh. If you are using frozen broccoli, thawing is all you need. However, you need to blanch fresh broccoli. Why? It makes them maintain their green color as well as cooks them slightly before baking in the oven. The oven cooks the broccoli, but it alone won't make the broccoli as soft as they should be.

To blanch broccoli, bring water to a boil. Place broccoli florets in the water and cook for 3-5 minutes - don't overcook! Drain and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let broccoli drain for a few minutes before using or pat dry with a towel.

Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche



1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
1 cup milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup fresh broccoli, blanched or frozen broccoli, thawed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Using a little bit of oil or butter, saute garlic, onions, and mushrooms for a few minutes. Turn off heat. Blanch broccoli if needed.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and pepper. In the pie crust, layer broccoli, mushroom mix, and cheese. Pour egg mixture on top and distribute evenly if needed.

3. Bake 40-50 minutes (I needed 60) or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Refrigerate any remaining quiche.

Makes 8 wedges

Source: Pillsbury Breakfasts and Lunches, 1989 p. 64

A New Pasta Sauce

Before I share my recipe, I finished the Facebook fan page of Chocolate Moosey. Here is the link. If that doesn't work, search for Chocolate Moosey.

Sometimes, you just don't know what to do with extra butternut squash. I already made soup. I made wontons with it. I almost made rolls, but I didn't. I was thinking that there are recipes for roasted red pepper sauce. I wonder if there were any roasted butternut squash sauce? Yup, I found a match on Recipe Zaar.

The recipe calls for half-and-half. I had a few tablespoons of heavy cream I needed to use, so I threw that in plus some fat free milk until it was desired consistency. One review suggested using chicken broth instead of water it calls for. I didn't expect this sauce to be as great, but it really exceeded my expectations. I will definitely be making this sauce more often.


Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce




2 lb. butternut squash
2-3 garlic cloves, skin left on
1/2 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
1 cup water or chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried sage or parsley
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds; save for roasting later. If you are having trouble cutting the squash, boil in water for about 10 minutes or until soft enough to cut. Place garlic cloves around squash. Bake for about 40 minutes.

2. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta.

3. Meanwhile, when cool enough to handle, remove skins from garlic cloves. Taking one half of squash, scoop out squash and place in a food processor or blender. You only need one half, so use the other half in another recipe. Chop garlic into big chunks and place in blender/processor. Puree for about a minute. Add cream/milk; puree some more. Add water/broth until desired consistency. You may need to add more or less. Add sage/parsley, salt, and pepper.

4. When pasta is done, pour sauce on top and toss. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Recipe Zaar

You Never Would Have Guessed...

I never realized this before until last Monday. It was the second day of me being sick, and I'm starving. Yet, I didn't feel like eating. So I'm laying on my bed, watching my tape of various Food Network shows I have taped. Then all of a sudden, I decided to make mashed potatoes two hours before work. I checked my potatoes. Two were rotten, two were not. Just to be safe, I peeled the non-rotten potatoes because although I examined the skins over and over, I didn't want to take a chance. Normally, I would've thrown them out because they were touching the rotten ones, but you don't understand. I had barely any food in the apartment for me to eat while sick.

Anyway, what I never realized was I had never made mashed potatoes before. My friend asked, never with your parents growing up? Nope, they made those packets where you add water/milk/whatever it calls for. I don't even understand it myself. I do not get my food passion from my parents. They never influenced me (except maybe to flavor my meats more!) They are the reason why I hate meatloaf and pork chops. Our palettes are so different. I get my eat-anything gene from my dad, but even then I eat some things he doesn't like, like catfish or curry. My mom pretty much hates everything I cook because she doesn't like strong flavors. My brother is picky too, but not as bad as my mom. As far as baking, my mom bakes from a box. My dad does make pie or anchovy balls (yes, we love anchovies!), but he buys pre-made crust or pre-made crescent dough. So how did I learn to cook? I've taken three cooking classes throughout middle and high school, but even then most of the stuff I know I taught myself via recipes or blogs. I did grow up admiring pictures (mainly desserts) in my mom's magazines, like Family Circle or Woman's Day.

So back to my mashed potatoes. I looked up a recipe on Recipe Zaar. I found one that was so good, it doesn't need gravy. Good, because I had no clue on how to make gravy haha

Mashed Potatoes



2 baking potatoes, cleaned (peeling is optional)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper

1. Cut potatoes into cubes. Boil potatoes and whole garlic cloves. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and put into a mixing bowl.

2. Add milk, cheese, butter, parsley, salt and pepper. Either mash by hand or with a mixer until smooth.

Makes 2-4 servings.

Source: Recipe Zaar

Don't Let The Name Scare You

I love to broaden my food palette by using new ingredients. Whenever I was looking for a beets recipe, I came across beet gnocchi and beet empanadas but didn't have the ingredients at the time. Then when I went back to my local farm for more beets, I decided to make the empanadas and picked up some swiss chard as well. Then I stopped at the store on the way home and picked up some goat cheese. Now, when I explained what I was making to my dad (no way my mom or brother would eat these), he was a tad bit skeptical. He asked me what swiss chard was, was it lettuce, what goat cheese tastes like, etc. So I did some research.

Swiss chard is in the same species as beets, making it a perfect pair with beets themselves. The taste reminds me of spinach (after all, another name for chard is perpetual spinach), so if you are a spinach fan, swiss chard is for you. If you are looking for it in the produce area, it looks like giant leaves with red stalks and "veins" (I am not a botanist).

Now for the goat cheese. I know I've had it in my cooking class in high school, and I didn't remember anything bad about it, but I also couldn't remember what it tasted like. If you are looking for it in the store, your best bet is with the specialty cheeses (not cheese slices or shredded cheese unless that is how your store is set up). Goat cheese is made with goat's milk rather than cow's milk. It is popular in the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean areas because goats can survive in areas that cows can't. It is a very creamy cheese. Kinda like cream cheese except with a drier after taste. It is definitely an acquired taste. You either love goat's cheese or you hate it.

I absolutely loved the filling. In fact, I had lots of filling left over and I enjoyed that more than the empanadas themselves (probably because they didn't have much filling in them as opposed to a giant forkful from the skillet). I think the filling would make an excellent salad, just with bigger slices of beets and bigger chunks of swiss chard. I made the dough by hand, but you can also buy it premade at the store. I started making the empanadas using only one circle dough (fill the circle and fold in half), but it was getting late and I wasn't getting much filling into each one. So I decided to use two circles per empanada. Definitely freeze the dough for 15-30 minutes before baking to minimize leakage, especially if your kitchen is warm and your dough is getting soft.

Kudos to Laylita's Recipes for taking beautiful pictures that inspired me to make these empanadas. Next time I'll make my dough circles much bigger like she did.

Swiss Chard, Beet, and Goat Cheese Empanadas



For the recipe, please visit Laylita's Recipes.

Also, how adorable is Murray? This is him laying on a shopping bag after my family and I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY for the weekend. You see pictures of the actual museum here.

Garden Fresh

Summer is great for many reasons - lazy days, traveling, fresh produce. I've been to several farmer's markets in my area but have yet to find a great one. The ones I've been to have products such as jams and baked goods more than the actual produce. I want to be able to go to the market, pick out a vegetable, and cook a meal. Although I do have a mini garden in my backyard, they are still in the blooming process, so I bought some zucchini from one farmer. I usually just brush melted butter on zucchini slices and grill them, but I spied a patty recipe in my Taste of Home magazine. The amount of vegetables and the fact they are fried in oil balance out, no?


Zucchini Patties with Dill Dip



3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp fresh minced dill
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup oil

1. For dip: In a small bowl, combine sour cream, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

2. Place shredded zucchini in a colander to drain. Squeeze out any excess liquid. Pat dry; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and garlic powder. Stir in egg and butter until blended. Add carrot, onion, garlic, and zucchini. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Shape mixture in 24 small patties. Coat with flour.

4. In a large skillet, heat oil. Fry patties, a few at a time, 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with dip.

Makes 24 small patties.

Source: Taste of Home, Feb/March 2008 p. 56

A Way To Start The New Year Right

Ok, so technically this recipe is what I made for Christmas Eve dinner, but I haven't gotten around to posting it yet. And since The Weekend Cookbook Challenge's theme is veggie meals, now is a good time to post. This lasagna was made by me, sorta. I took my mom's meat lasagna recipe and subbed spinach and mushrooms for the meat. Another great dinner for a veggie lover's menu.

Also, I'm doing a search for internships in video production. If anybody can hook me up with somebody this summer, preferably in the Pittsburgh area (although I'm willing to travel if housing is arranged), please send me an email at mooseymoosecc[at]hotmail[dot]com. The changes of anybody helping me in the food world is very slim, but it's worth a shot. I had an offer, but it'll depend if any films are being made this summer. I haven't heard back from any tv station yet.

Wouldn't it be cool if I could help produce or even edit shows on Food Network? Especially Iron Chef America. It's amazing how many camera angles they can get. I would ask them for an internship, but that means living in NYC for the summer. I wouldn't mind that, but I doubt I could rent an apartment for three months, nor could I afford NYC.


Spinach Mushroom Lasagna




9 lasagna noodles
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
16 oz ricotta cheese
6 slices mozarella cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups spaghetti sauce

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil noodles for 10 minutes or until flexible and somewhat chewable. You don't want to cook them completely. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking process.

2. Saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in spinach and mushrooms. Add ricotta cheese. Stir until hot.

3. Spread 1/2 cup sauce onto the bottom of 13x9 pan. Place 3 noodles on top. Divide 3 slices of mozarella cheese in half. Place over top the gaps between the noodles. Top with half the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on top. Repeat once.

4. Place remaining 3 noodles on top. Spread rest of the sauce on top. Top with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Cover in foil. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Source: My family

Not Your Typical Pasta

Pasta is one of the cheapest and easy meals any college student can make. All you do is boil water, cook pasta until soft, drain, and sauce. Voila!! You have a meal. Now, what do you do when you eat pasta at least three times a week? Change the sauce. You can go traditional with garlicky basil and tomatoes, classy with stroganoff, spicy with habanero pesto, or crazy with pumpkin sauce. Hmm which reminds me - I should add my creamy garlic sauce and garlic butter sauce soon.

Here are two more pasta varieties. I only recommend the pad thai only if you absolutely love peanut butter. By love, I mean sitting there with a jar and a spoon and happily eating away. I love PB, but the taste was a little intense. However, it tasted better the next day, so maybe it just needed time.

The Mediterranean pasta I made myself. To be traditional, you would use kalamata olives. However, I only had a can of black pitted olives.


Pad Thai with Creamy Peanut Sauce




8 oz rice noodles (or substitute linguine or spaghetti)
1/8 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1 chicken breast, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup peas

Sauce
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/8 cup peanut butter
1 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp ginger

1. Place sauce ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth, about 30 sec. Set aside.

2. If using rice noodles, soak them for 30 minutes in hot tap water; drain. They should be flexible but not soft. If using linguine or spaghetti, cook in boiling water until done.

3. Combine water, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, chili powder and lime juice in a small bowl.

4. Saute chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add garlic and onions; cook until tender. If using rice noodles, add to pan. If using linguine or spaghetti, do not put in pan. Pour ketchup mixture over chicken.

5. Push chicken mixture to side of the pan. Add egg, stirring until cooked. Add peas. If you are using linguine or spaghetti, add to pan as well. Mix in peanut sauce. Makes 2 servings.

Source: Cooking with Carnation Evaporated Milk, 2006 p.14


Mediterranean Pasta



8 oz. pasta, your choice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 small can tuna, drained
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped and drained
1/2 cup olives, sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese

Bring water in a small saucepan to a boil. Cook pasta until soft. Meanwhile, saute garlic and onion in oil until tender. Add tuna, tomatoes, and olives. Cook until warm. Add to cooked pasta. Sprinkle with feta. Makes 2 servings.

Source: Recipe by me



Sorry for the horrible lighting, but my dad took a video of Murray being impatient for Christmas.


He's still waiting.

Comfort Food For A Cold Day

I am a meat eater, but I do enjoy the occasional vegetarian meal. I had a can of black beans, so I was looking for a good recipe. I came across this chili recipe, so I gave it a go. I didn't have any carrots or rosemary, so I left those out. I also added shredded cheddar cheese on top. You can even add other types of beans, such as kidney or pinto. Serve this chili with your favorite cornbread recipe.


Vegetarian Black Bean Chili




1/4 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cupo sweet green pepper, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, saute in oil garlic, onion, mushrooms, jalapeno, and green pepper, stirring often, until softened. Stir in tomatoes, beans, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with grated cheddar cheese.

Source: Recipe Zaar

A New Favorite

WARNING - This is the most amazing beef dish I've ever cooked/eaten. This is definitely a meal I could make weekly. You must marinade the beef in order to get the flavor factor. The recipe called for 4 hours up to overnight, but I marinaded it for an hour. Tasted amazing to me. It also says to grill or broil; I fried it in a skillet. Not the healthiest, but hey. As far as changing the ingredients, I adjusted the amount to one serving and forgot to add the sesame seeds (which I do have). I also left out the green beans.

Thai-inspired Beef and Pasta



3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 curry powder
1 cup uncooked penne
1 beef eye round steak (I have no idea what kind of beef I had)
1/4 cup thinly slice onions
1 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/8 cup sesame seeds

1. Mix together 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 1/2 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp curry powder. Place beef in a freezer bag. Pour marinade into the bag; cover the meat as best as you can. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.

2. Once the meat is ready, pour some oil into a skillet and fry meat until no longer brown. If you're having trouble getting the middle to be brown, cut the meat into chunks. Once the meat is brown, cut into bite-size chunks (if you haven't done so already).

3. While the meat is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until done.

4. Pour remaining lime juice, soy sauce, oil, sugar, garlic powder, ginger, and curry powder into a second skillet. Saute onions, red pepper, and sesame seeds. Add browned beef. Add in cooked pasta. Sprinkle the top with feta cheese.

Makes two servings

Source: Recipe Zaar

The End of Zucchini Season

As we progress into the autumn weather, we are coming to the end of summer squash season. This saddens me because I never realized how much I love zucchini. I bought some zucchini and yellow squash at my home town's farmer market when I was home for fall break. I'm just getting around to posting about them now.

I've never made homemade soup before. Ever. Sure, I help my parents make homemade chicken noodle soup, but they did most of the work. I always see pictures and recipes of delicious soup, but I never had a reason to make them. I used to eat ramen noodle all the time, even in the summer. I knew they were high in sodium, but I didn't care. Then for whatever reason when I was studying abroad in Ireland, I became more health-conscious. I never had to worry about buying groceries or cooking for myself. I had the dining halls on campus. Although buying canned soup and ramen noodles are cheaper and more convenient, I think spending the extra money on produce and making fresh soup is worth the health benefits. Plus I know what goes into my soup versus whatever the manufactuer puts in. I'm glad my family never uses our blender because I took it with me to my apartment. So far, I've used it twice and I don't think my roommates have touched it. I hate using it because it's so loud LOL I don't know what encouraged me to make this soup. I think it was because I was searching for zucchini recipes on Recipe Zaar and I came across Zuke Soup. I am not a huge fan of super creamy stuff (which is probably why I don't use milk in my coffee, just sugar), so I thought it tasted better before I added the milk (yes I taste test as I go along). Other than that, I thought it was amazing. I didn't realize until afterwards I was supposed to peel the zucchini haha I apologize for the low quality picture, but I was eating leftovers the next day when I realized I didn't take a picture. It was just that good.


Zuke Soup




I didn't change anything except made it into two servings. I would advise tasting before adding the milk to see if you should add it. Recipe from Recipe Zaar.


Zucchini Curry




I just want to show off one my favorite cookbooks. Ever. I think it's because I absolutely adore squash, and this book dedicates 140 pages to it. I wanted a dinner using my summer squashes. Since I bought curry powder, I decided to make zucchini curry. I added in carrots, yellow pepper, and broccoli. You can use my chicken curry recipe and sub in the vegetables and vegetable broth.

I found a copy of the cookbook on Ebay. It's called "Garden Way's Zucchini Cookbook and Other Squash" by Nancy C. Ralston and Marynor Jordan.

Since the end of summer squash for the year is near, I bought some winter squash. I bought a butternut, an acorn, and a sweet dumpling squash. I'll keep you updated with that.

What I've Been Up To This Semester

Taking 17 hours of classes plus 12 hours of work gives me limited time to update my blog (although I do work in a computer lab, so when I'm not busy I surf the web. Yay food blogs!) However, that didn't stop me from cooking and baking. I'm going to put it all in one post so I can be caught up.


Chicken Curry




Only once in my life have I had curry, and it wasn't even from a restaurant. While in Ireland, I bought a jar of curry sauce because it was on sale. I mixed it with rice and tuna, and it was absolutely delicious! When I came home, I wanted to buy curry powder, but it isn't the cheapest spice around, so I waited. When I was grocery shopping for college, I decided to give in and buy a jar. I found a recipe for chicken curry online awhile back and saved it into an online recipe box. That makes this dish #3 towards my goal.

1/4 cup flour
2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Chicken breast
1/4 cup onion
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup white rice, cooked
Veggies, such as carrots or peas

If time permitting, bake chicken at 375F for 35 minutes. Otherwise, chop and fry in skillet. In a bowl, mix flour, curry, ginger, and sugar. Sauté onions in butter until tender. Once tender, add flour mixture. Slowly add broth and milk. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add lemon juice, chopped chicken, and veggies; cook a few more minutes. Serve on top of hot rice. Makes 2 servings.

Source: Recipe Zaar


Garlicky Pasta with Basil and Tomatoes




I found this recipe from Laura Rebecca's Kitchen and knew I had to try it!! I'm 50% Italian, so of course the more garlic, the better. I used canned tomatoes and vegetable oil since I'm on a budget. This is a must for garlic lovers.

8 oz uncooked pasta
3 tablespoons oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add pasta, seasoning, and cheese, tossing gently to combine.

Source: Laura Rebecca's Kitchen


Carrot Spice Muffins




During the summer, I borrowed Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From My Home To Yours" from my library after hearing so many posts about the book. I was making a list of recipes to try, but that turned out to be 3/4 of the book!! I had a 3 week limit on it, so I copied about 10 recipes. Last weekend, my parents visited me for the afternoon. I decided to make them French toast and Dorie's carrot spice muffins. Mmmm one of my favorite muffins!! Plus I love carrots. I didn't have any nuts or raisins, so I omitted them. I did have the coconut it called for, so yay.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/3 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray or line a 12-cup muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt. Stir in brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet into the dry and quickly stir to blend. Add carrots, coconut, raisins, and nuts. Divide evenly among the pan. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins

Source: Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From My Home To Yours" p.14


Zucchini Casserole




Since my favorite vegetable is squash, I bought 4 of them to eat. One of the 12 cookbooks I got was dedicated completely to zucchini. I decided to make the zucchini casserole. My version is slightly different, so here is my adaptation.

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped (I used canned but fresh works too)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Enough beef for two servings
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used pepper jack)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Chop and cook beef until brown; drain grease and set aside. In a small casserole dish, put a layer of zucchini slices. Top with 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1/4 cup onions, 1/2 clove garlic, 1/4 cup cheese, and 1/2 the amount of beef. Top with squash slices. Top with remaining tomatoes, onions, garlic, cheese, and beef. Top with any remaining squash and zucchini slices. Top with bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until squash slices are tender. Makes 2 servings

Source: "Garden Way's Zucchini Cookbook" 1977, p.104



I also made stuffed squash with oriental stuffing and stuffed pepper with a garlic alfredo rice mixture, but I forgot to take pictures of them! Oops!

Now that I am all caught up, what was the last homemade meal you made for dinner?

I Love a Good Bargain!

As summer is coming to an end, certain vegetables stand out at farmer's markets - pumpkins, yellow squash, zucchini, the list goes on. My favorite vegetable to eat has to be squash, whether yellow or zucchini. Next year I'm bugging my dad to plant zucchini along with his tomatoes. While our annual Friends and Family weekend was happening at my university, farmers set up stands to sell produce. I bought a baby squash for 50 cents. It also happened that the one church was having a rummage sale with books 6 for $1.00. I bought 12 cookbooks!!! I'm not talking only those thin ones you buy at the grocery stands. I'm talking those plus a few thick books that are 300-some pages long. Boy were my arms tired from carrying that load across campus! That brings my collection up to 103 books plus my huge binders and online recipe boxes. Obsessed? Just a little ;) With that being said, I picked up a vegetable cookbook at the rummage sale, so I decided to find a recipe for my newly-purchased squash. Being a college kid, I didn't have a lot of ingredients on-hand, but I did find Kate's Pan-Fried Summer Squash to be pantry-friendly. If I had time to read more than the recipe, I probably would've discovered who Kate was. All I know is this dish was amazing!





In honor of the Weekend Cookbook Challenge, which is "Show and Tell" a cookbook in your collection, I am entering this recipe. I chose to feature this because it's more than just recipes; it has little anecdotes and tips for cooking and purchasing each vegetable. Even though I just bought this cookbook, I believe it is going to be my vegetable Bible to both me and my roommates. I tried not to overwhelm them with my collection, so I only brought the ones I know we could use being in college. I'm also starting to make The College Cookbook binder where I place recipes I have found online, in magazines, or have photocopied that are easy to make with a college budget. Suggestions for college recipes are welcome and encouraged :)

In regard to the recipe, I hate really soft squash, so mine definitely didn't cook for the 40 minutes it calls for. I ended up draining the broth rather than have it be completely evaporated. If you want a vegetarian version, sub the chicken broth for either vegetable broth or water. The water won't give it as much flavor but will still cook the squash. It also called for fatty bacon drippings, but I omitted that since it also called for butter.


Kate's Pan-Fried Summer Squash




1 pound yellow squash, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp fatty bacon drippings (optional)
2 Tbsp butter

Combine squash, broth, and onion in skillet. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered until broth has evaporated, about 10 minutes. If you don't like your squash super soft, you may need to cut that time in half and drain the broth later. Add butter and cook uncovered over low heat until tender to your liking (recipe calls for 30 minutes but mine only took another 10 minutes).

Source: "Greene On Greens" 1984 p. 325

What is your favorite end-of-summer meal?
I think this fried squash is my favorite side dish. I haven't had too much experience making dinner from squash, so I'll have to stock up at farmer's markets and experiment.

Royalty Chicken

There is no definite origin to the dish chicken a la king. After doing a bit of research, it was made by some chef in some restaurant and was named after some guy with the last name of King. Why did I decide to make this dish? Simple - I have milk to use. Plus I wanted to do something with my peas. I didn't make the traditional dish because I didn't have mushrooms, sherry, or pimentos. I remember a frozen dinner long, long ago that was chicken a la king with carrots and peas, so that's what I think of. Here's a college version of the recipe. This makes 2 - 3 servings, depending on how much you put on toast.


Chicken a la King




1 chicken breast, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1/8 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup carrots, chopped (I didn't have any to add)
2 slices bread

Fry chicken in skillet until cooked; remove and pat off grease. Clean skillet; place back on stove. Fry onions in butter until tender. Add flour; stir. Gradually add milk and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add chicken, peas, and carrots. Place bread in toaster. Serve chicken mixture over toast.

Source: About.com

What is your favorite chicken dish?
I love flavored chicken wings. We buy a bag, dip in various marinades such as buffalo or terriaki, and bake until done.

Skip The Deep Fryer

I actually made these before I made the pie and stuffed shells. I just never got around to posting about my wonderful french fry making. I googled several recipes for baked french fries and put the results together. Honestly, I don't remember where I got the recipes from, so there's no definite source for this recipe. I experimented with baking them. Most of the recipes said to spray the cookie sheets. I did that for one tray. It just made the french fries A LOT darker on the bottom, but really no texture difference. Then all of the recipes said to cover the fries themselves in oil and seasonings before placing on the cookie sheets. Now, I wasn't sure if the oil was there to help the french fries bake or if it was to keep the salt on, so I did two batches. Personally, I think dipping in the oil makes them a little more crispier.


Baked French Fries




Potatoes
Oil
Seasonings

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Peel potatoes if desired. Place in boiling water for three minutes so they are easier to cut. Drain; let cool enough to handle. Cut using either a french fry cutter (which I did) or make even chunks with a knife. Once cut, place in a bowl of cold water to help remove more starch.

3. Put some oil into a bowl large enough to dip french fries. Roll each french fry into the oil; sprinkle with desired seasonings.

4. Place fries onto an ungreased cookie sheet(s). Bake for 15-20 minutes. If you care about presentation, flip fries over throughout the cooking time to ensure browning on all sides. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Source: Unknown

I'm trying to think of ways to get more people to comment. I saw this idea on a blog, so I'm going to try it out for now. What I do is ask a question each time I blog. Sounds simple, no? Here goes:

What do you like to use as dip for your French fries?
I like to use ranch dressing and ketchup (not at the same time though). However, when I'm at Wendy's, I so use a Frosty as a dip.

I Did It Again...

I bought zucchinis from a farmer yesterday, so I decided today after an early work shift (9:15 - 3), I would cook dinner. This recipe was very easy to make. I adjusted all of the ingredients, so I guess you can say I made up another recipe. My dad put leftover cucumber sauce on top, and it tasted great. This makes an excellent dinner for vegetarians or for those who just don't want to eat meat.


Stuffed Zucchini




3 zucchinis
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dillweed
1 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Cook zucchini in boiling water for 3 minutes; drain. This will soften the zucchinis so it'll be easy to cut and scoop. Once they are cool enough to touch, cut each one in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds; discard seeds. Place zucchini boats into 2 13x9 pans (cookie sheets would work too). Preheat oven to 350F

2. Toss together mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives. Place evenly into each boat.

3. Melt butter in microwave. Add garlic and sesame seeds. Spoon evenly on top of each boat. Bake for 35 minutes. Zucchini should fall easily off a fork.

4. While the boats are baking, combine yogurt, cucumbers, garlic powder, dillweed, and lemon juice. Let chill. Serve on top of warm zucchini boats.

Source: Me, but recipe idea came from "Favorite Italian Brand Name Recipes" 1983 p.53

Weekend Cookbook Challenge 18

What do you do when you can't find the recipe you're looking for? Make it up. That's right. I made my own recipe!! I had 1 lemon that I needed to use up. When my dad was going through the cupboard above the stove, he pointed out that I had jumbo shells I needed to use (they were up there probably at least a year). What does lemon juice + shells equal? Greek stuffed shells, of course. I googled for recipes, but I got nothing. So I took the typical Greek ingredients and replaced the Italian ingredients with these. I also decided to enter this into the Weekend Cookbook Challenge 18 - Red and White due to the tomatoes and cucumber sauce.

EDIT - Round up is now posted.


Greek Stuffed Shells




12 jumbo shells
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dillweed
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 egg, beaten
5 black olives, chopped

1. Boil water. Cook shells for 10 minutes. Drain; run under cold water to stop any further cooking.

2. For the sauce, combine yogurt, cucumbers, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dillweed, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator.

3. Combine cheese, 1/2 tsp dill, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, tomatoes, egg, and olives.

4. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread the bottom of 13x9 pan with some of the sauce. Place shells on top. Stuff with the cheese mixture. Pour remaining sauce on top. Cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

Source: Sauce from Recipe Zaar, Shell recipe by me


Nectarine Crisp




I also made dessert. This has nothing to do with Greek cuisine but still delicious nonetheless. I used this recipe from Recipe Zaar. I left out the blueberries and wheat germ. Next time, I will try it with raspberries.

It's A Tart, Not A Pie!

Happy birthday America!

According to my dear pal Wikipedia, a tart is an open-faced pie. Since it is a type of pie, my family (me included) kept calling it a pie rather than a tart. Whatever you want to call it, it's delicious. I made it for my family's mini 4th of July picnic. If you really wanted it to be patriotic, you could sub strawberries and blueberries for the peaches. I also made a variation of macaroni salad, but I suggest making your own cheese sauce because the packaged mac and cheese has a high sodium level. Next time, I'm going to make Amish macaroni salad.

EDIT: This is a galette, not a tart.


Peach Galette




1 prepared pie crust
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 peaches, sliced
1/4 sugar
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp cinnamon
8 oz whipped topping

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Grease 10-inch pie plate. Place pie crust into plate. Spread cream cheese on top of crust.

2. Toss sliced peaches with sugar and flour. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Fold edges of pie crust over peaches, leaving a big circle in the middle. Sprinkle cinnamon + sugar over peaches and crust. Bake 25 minutes. Crust should be golden brown and juices should be bubbly. Serve warm with whipped topping.

Source: Kraft "Food & Family" magazine, Summer 2007, p.16


Macaroni and Cheese Salad




1 pkg (14 oz) macaroni and cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup each red, green, and yellow peppers, chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped

1. Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed.

2. Meanwhile, chop peppers, eggs, and onion. Toss with prepared macaroni and cheese. Add milk and mayo; mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Source: Kraft "Food & Family" magazine, Summer 2007, p.5

Interview Questions from Paige + Cake

Have you ever known someone with the same birthday as you? I haven't met her personally, but Paige from Chef-girl.net shares my birthday - May 15. I replied to her post about interview questions, and she sent me 5 questions to answer.

1. What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
I love to try new foods. Whenever I was in Scotland, my friends and I stopped at an Australian bar. I ordered a kangaroo burger while one of my friends ordered a springbok burger. Surprisingly, both were very tasty. The kangaroo burger was very lean, and I think I read on the menu it's healthier than a beef burger.

2. What ingredients do you always like to have on hand?
As far as baking goes, I always have a bag of chocolate chips plus the basics - baking soda/powder, shortening, sugar, flour, etc. As far as cooking goes, spices are essential - basil, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, etc. I try to have some sort of veggie with dinner, whether it's frozen, canned, or fresh.

3. If you opened a restaurant, what would you call it, and what would you serve?
This is a tough one. I have ideas for a bakery but not a restaurant. Since I'm 50% Italian, I would probably have an Italian restaurant. As far as the name goes, I can't think of one right now. For my bakery, it would be called Chocolate Moosey, have a moose theme, and serve all types of baked goods. Maybe even a cafe/bakery because I love coffee.

4. If you were to go on a food-themed vacation, what country would you choose?
Since I've eaten alot of Chinese food and not much Japanese food, I would choose Japan because I love sushi and so I could experiment with different meals.

5 - (and the classic) Which three people (living/dead/fictional/real) would you invite to a dinner party?
Antonio Banderas because he's sexy, Owen Wilson because he's hilarious, and JD from Scrubs because he's my favorite character (besides Dr. Cox).

Directions for the Interview Meme
1. Leave a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. Please make sure I have your email address.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.


I also made dinner and dessert tonight. This is what I do on my day off from work.


Linguine Tuna Salad




1/2 lb. linguine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1 (12 1/2 oz) can tuna, drained
1 (14 oz) can peas, drained
1 (7 oz) can mushrooms
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1. Cook pasta according to package.

2. Meanwhile, combine juice, oil, onion, sugar, and basil. Drain pasta; toss with mixture. Add tuna, peas, mushrooms, and tuna. Chill for an hour before serving.

My thoughts: I subbed angel hair pasta for linguine. I would suggest using fresh veggies instead of canned.

Source: "Favorite Italian Brand Name Recipes" 1983 p.10


Lemon Cornmeal Cake




This has to be one of my best cakes yet. Since I had leftover cornmeal from the Weekend Cookbook Challenge round-up, I viewed the entries for ideas. This cake wins. You don't even need the powdered sugar on top, but I did it for garnish. You could also top with cream cheese frosting or glazed icing. Recipe can be found at Lemon Almond.



My baby looking for attention.