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Tag Archives: Vegetarian

Pumpkin Bread (Trader Joe’s)

05 Nov

There are days when you don’t have time to prepare a loaf of bread from scratch and that’s when high quality mixes can be a blessing. Trader Joe’s has some of the best bread mixes I have tried and I often pop a loaf in the oven when I need a break from homework or just want something to snack on. All you have to do for their pumpkin bread is add eggs, oil, and water to the mix, pop it in a pan, and you’re done. Your friends will never know you didn’t spend hours in the kitchen waiting for the dough to rise. This particular mix is only available in the fall, so stock up on it! My roommate Michelle suggests eating a warm slice with a glass of milk. Yum.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 55 to 60 minutes

Ingredients (from side of box):

Pumpkin bread with homemade glaze.

  • 1 full package of mix
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
  • 1/2 cup almonds (optional)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar and small amount of milk (if maxing glaze)

Instructions (from side of box):

  • Prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a standard 9×5 pan with butter or cooking spray.
  • Mix: Combine eggs, oil, and water in a medium bowl. Add mix. Fold together with rubber spatula until batter is smooth (approximately 1 to 2 minutes). For holiday bread, add cranberries and/or almonds.
  • Pan: Spread batter in pan, filling corners and leveling top.
  • Oven: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Yields 10 to 12 slices per loaf.
  • If making glaze: Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar with milk, adding teaspoons at a time to desired consistency.  Spread over warm loaf. Cool before slicing.
  • Muffins: Follow mixing instructions. Portion batter into lightly greased standard muffin tins, 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.
  • For high altitudes: Add 2 Tbsp. water to above ingredients.

Trader Joe’s Baking Tips:

  • All ovens bake differently. Always double check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer before baking.
  • Check bread at the minimum baking time by inserting a toothpick in several locations. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is finished. If not, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
 
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Posted by on November 5, 2011 in Breads, Desserts, Holiday Desserts

 

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Caprese Salad

26 Jun

(Original source: AllRecipes.com)

Caprese salad is an Italian dish, especially delicious in the summer when made with garden tomatoes and fresh basil. You may mix the ingredients in a bowl, but laying them out as described below is more aesthetically attractive and transforms this into a crowd pleasing appetizer. I prepared caprese salad for an Italian themed potluck and it was an instant hit.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: N/A

Ingredients:

  • 4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • On a large platter, alternate and overlap the tomato slices, mozzarella cheese slices, and basil leaves.
  • Drizzle with olive oil.
  • Season with sea salt and pepper.

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2011 in Appetizers, Other, Salads

 

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Southern “Sweet Tea”

25 Jun

(Original Source: AllRecipes.com)

Sweet tea is known as the “wine of the South.” This delicacy is made by adding sugar to black tea while it is still hot and then blending the sweetener so that the sugar becomes part of the tea. Afterward, the tea is refrigerated and ice is added. Some people add lemon for flavor. The farther south you go, the sweeter the tea becomes. Under NO circumstances is sugar added as an afterthought once the tea is cold. That is simply iced tea, not sweet tea!

I have modified the original recipe for “Ol” Alabama Sweet Tea” so that it has a “moderate” amount of sugar, commensurate with what you might find in southern Virginia and the Carolinas. I can’t take it any sweeter, but if you want to taste Alabama sweet tea, double the amount of sugar! In the Deep South, many restaurants don’t even serve unsweetened iced tea.

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 gallon water
  • 1 tray ice cubes
  • 3 family sized teabags of orange pekoe tea
  • 3 cups cold water, or as needed

Instructions:

  • Pour the sugar into a large pitcher.*
  • Bring water to a boil in a large pan.
  • When the water begins to boil, remove from the heat, and place the teabags in.
  • Let steep for 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Remove tea bags, and return tea to the heat.
  • Bring just to a boil, then pour into the pitcher, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Fill the pitcher half way with ice, and stir until most of it melts.
  • Then fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water, and stir until blended.

* If using a glass pitcher, be careful about pouring in hot tea to prevent cracking. Consider making the tea in a heat resistant container and transferring to the pitcher later.

 
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Posted by on June 25, 2011 in Beverages, Tea

 

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Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup

25 Jun

(Original source: AllRecipes.com)

If you are new to cooking, this soup offers an ideal way to develop your culinary skills and confidence. I made this soup in June 2011 for my boyfriend at the time who had never boiled water before and I was determined to teach him how to cook. As I told him, “Food does not get simpler than this. Chop some vegetables. Dump them in a pot with water, chicken broth, and vegetable juice and boil until tender.” The result: tasty, nutritious soup to last you for the week! That’s all there is to it!

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (11.5 ounce) can tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (I use V-8 juice)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped fresh green beans
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Creole seasoning to taste

Instructions:

  • In a large stock pot, combine broth, tomato juice, water, potatoes, carrots, celery, undrained chopped tomatoes, green beans, and corn.
  • Season with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
 
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Posted by on June 25, 2011 in Soups

 

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

25 Jun

(Original source: About.com “Southern Food” Recipes)

One of my culinary goals this summer is to expand my repertoire of pie recipes. You might think that with all the family recipes on this website I would have easy access to a recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie, but not so! After much Google-searching, I finally found the one you see below. I almost tried a recipe from Martha Stewart’s catalog, but did not feel like spending 6 hours preparing a pie. This recipe is quick, simple, and the orange zest adds a pleasant tangy flavor. I suggest making strawberry rhubarb pie in early summer when rhubarb is ripe and available in many major supermarkets.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

  • Pastry for a 2-crust 9-inch pie *
  • 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Dash ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups 1/2 inch pieces fresh rhubarb
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind/zest (optional) *
  • 1 tablespoon butter

* You may make your own crust or buy a prepared one. You also have the option of creating a lattice-style crust.

Instructions:

  • In a large bowl mix together the sugar, tapioca, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  • Add the rhubarb, strawberries, and orange rind and stir until the mixture coats the spoon.
  • Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
  • Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry; spoon in the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
  • Dot the top of the strawberry rhubarb mixture with the butter.
  • Cover the pie with rolled out pastry; crimp edges.
  • Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until crust is browned.
  • Serve pie warm with with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Chef’s Tip:
If the pie comes out runny, pop it in the refrigerator overnight to allow the ingredients to solidify.

 
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Posted by on June 25, 2011 in Desserts, Pies, Southern Pies, Summer Pies

 

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Chocolate Chess Pie

19 May

Aunt Gail 

Chocolate Chess is another Southern pie. This recipe is originally from my paternal grandmother Inez who died long before I was born. Although I never had the opportunity to meet her, I have enjoyed many of Inez’s recipes through Aunt Gail’s cookbook, No Matter What, Just Keep On Cooking!

Below, is the story behind this pie as told by Aunt Gail:

“When I was in high school, living on the Franklin Turnpike in Danville, VA, my mother made us this after-school treat every day. And every day, Tommy, Pam, and I devoured a whole pie…before dinner!* I can still remember anticipating it as we came home on the school bus. Pam wasn’t old enough for school yet, but we, out of the graciousness of our hearts, included her in this marvelous concoction! And my kids enjoyed it just as much when I carried on the tradition. (However, I didn’t make it every day)!” 

*Dad insists he and his sisters did not eat pie every day, but regardless of whose memory is correct, the story is sweet!

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 3 Tbsp. cocoa
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1cup sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • ½ stick margarine or butter, melted
  • 1 (8 inch) pastry shell, unbaked

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Combine sugar, flour, and eggs; beat well.
  • Melt the margarine and add the cocoa, salt, and flavoring.
  • Combine the egg mixture with the cocoa mixture.
  • Pour filling into the unbaked pastry shell and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Bake for the first 15 minutes at 400 degrees and then at 350 degrees for the remainder of the time.

Chef’s Tips:

  • Aunt Gail says “most of the time, Mother never made a topping for the pie;” however, you may cover with meringue if you wish.
  • Use an aluminum pie pan for an 8 inch pie.

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2011 in Desserts, Pies, Southern Pies

 

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Sautéed Spinach

16 May

Mom

Mom was an improvisational cook, so the below measurements are just suggestions since she never put exactly the same amount of ingredients in each time. Because I never asked her for the recipe, these were the best estimates Dad and I could come up with.

Ingredients:

  • Abundant supply of freshly washed spinach
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Small amount of diced purple onions
  • 2 Tbsp. sun dried tomatoes
  • 4 black olives, sliced once in half
  • 1 Tbsp. capers
  • 2Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 tsp. dried cranberries (optional- Mom didn’t use these, but it’s a nice addition)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Pour olive oil into pan. Be careful to not overdo the olive oil, as it can make the spinach soggy.
  • Add garlic, then salt, pepper, onions, sun dried tomatoes, black olives, capers, and dried cranberries if you choose to use them.
  • Cook on medium to low heat for 3 mins., slowly stirring ingredients occasionally, moving them towards center of pan.
  • Add spinach and stir towards center of pan as before, but this time, do so briskly. Cook down to desired texture. If you need to add more spinach and it starts to get dry, add more olive oil, but only after spinach has cooked down all the way and it is certain that more oil is needed.
  • Take off heat and add feta cheese, allowing it to melt on top of spinach mixture and then stir in.
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Simple Green Beans

16 May

Aunt Anni

(Based on a recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook)

Aunt Anni gave me this recipe for Thanksgiving 2010 when I suddenly found myself in charge of holiday food preparations while I was in the middle of studying for finals and writing papers during my first semester of graduate school. Since I was short on time, I started calling all of my aunts asking for quick, easy recipes and these green beans fit the bill.

Ingredients:

  • Green beans
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Butter and seasonings to taste

Instructions:

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil
  • Add a good amount of salt (~ 2-3 tsp. for a medium saucepan full of water)*
  • While the water is boiling, wash and trim the beans (Aunt Anni just chops about a quarter inch off both ends by the handful)!
  • Once the water is boiling, toss in the beans, bring water back to a boil, and cook the beans until they start to turn bright green (about 3-5 minutes for haricot vert and 4-5 minutes for regular beans).
  • Drain beans in a colander. Immediately turn on cold water and add a large handful of ice to the beans in the colander. Mix the ice around so that all the beans are cooled.**
  • Once the ice has melted, return the drained beans to their saucepan.
  • When you are ready to eat, reheat the beans with butter and seasonings (but watch the salt, since the water was so salty!) You can do this up to an hour ahead of time.

*Make sure you use a pot that is large enough for the beans to “swim” a bit. You don’t want them to be too crowded or else they won’t cook evenly.

** The ice gives the beans a pretty bright color and seals in the flavor.

 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Holiday Side Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Garlic Tahini Greens

16 May

Auntie Jan

Ingredients:

  • Big bunch of washed and chopped collards or kale (I strip the kale from the stalk and chop it separately)
  • 5-6 (or more) cloves of minced garlic
  • ~ 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ~ 3-4 Tbsp. tahini
  • 1-2 Tbsp. honey
  • Dash of soy sauce
  • “A dash plus another dash or two” of sesame oil

Instructions:

  • Steam veggies until just right.
  • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté garlic in vegetable oil.
  • Stir in over low heat:
    • Tahini, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil.
      • If mixture is too thick add more oil; if too thin, add more tahini.
      • Mixture should coat but not get claggy.
  • Mix gently with steamed veggies.

To serve:
Add pine nuts or slivered almonds. Toasted sesame seeds are yummy on top as well. Dash of fresh lemon is tasty too


 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Caesar Salad with Egg Dressing

16 May

Danielle and Aunt Jaymie

Aunt Jaymie and I have a tradition of getting Caesar salad at Panera every time I visit her in Richmond, so during one of my school breaks in college we decided to learn how to make our own! This recipe is very good and tastes similar to the salad at Panera. I don’t remember where we found it or else I would gladly acknowledge the source…either in a cookbook or online.

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: N/A

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups croutons
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • ½ cup parmesan
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. dry mustard
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 6 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 eggs
  • 4-5 anchovy fillets

Instructions:

  • Mix first 8 ingredients.
  • Break 2 eggs and toss.
  • Add croutons and anchovy fillets.
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Salads

 

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