Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Aloha!

Welcome! I just uploaded a ton of recipes willy-nilly. I have St. Patrick's Day, vegan, vegetarian, and low-fat tags, if you need somewhere to start. Many, many more recipes, courtesy of Vern and my other predecessors, will be added daily, along with any new recipes we come up with.

As for today's recipe, it was Vegetarian Wednesday, so Demo served Cris' Verry Berry Sauce on Gluten-Free Waffles, made with the Very Cherry Blend.

Side note: This is a completely unofficial cooking blog, which is why you won't see the actual name of the grocery store. Totally unsanctioned and unaffiliated.

Thanks for reading and see you in the coffee aisle!

Tuna and Tabbouli

A refreshing and textured tuna salad with just the twist of a can opener.

2 cans Light Tuna in Water
1 tub Tabbouli
4 Pita Pockets

Drain tuna and mix with tabbouli. Stuff in pita and serve with crudites. Serves 4.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Part of the Very Vegan Thanksgiving series.

4 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed
1-2 bulbs Colossal Garlic
1/4 cup President's Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2/3 cups Earth Balance spread
Fresh snipped chives to garnish.

Cut tips off garlic heads, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast at 400 degrees from 30 minutes. Simmer potatoes in water until tender, about 20 minutes. Pop garlic cloves out of skin and mash with potatoes and Earth Balance. Serves 6-8.

Cheesy Spinach Polenta

Never knew what to do with that yellow tube of polenta in your pantry? Now you do!

1 bag Baby Spinach
1 bag Shredded Mozzarella
1 jar Organic Marinara Sauce
2 tubes of Polenta, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer polenta, spinach, cheese, and sauce in greased 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until spinach juice is absorbed.

Vegetarian Chili Cornbread

A southern favorite reminiscent of Frito pie.

2 boxes Cornbread Mix
3 cans Vegetarian Chili
1 bag Three Cheese Blend

Mix cornbread according to the box directions, adding shredded cheese. Spread chili on the bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Carefully pour cornbread batter evenly over chili. Bake according to cornbread directions, adding about 15 minutes to the total baking time. Serves 8-10.

Green Eggs and Ham

I like them, Sam I am, I like green eggs and ham!

12 eggs, whisked
1 pkg. fresh cilantro
1/2 bunch green onion
1 jar Salsa Verde
1/2 pkg. Avocado's Number Guacamole
1 Fully Cooked Ham Steak, diced
Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Puree cilantro, green onion, salsa, and guacamole. Mix with eggs and ham, pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish, and bake for about 40 minutes. Garnish with mozzarella and chopped green onion. Serves 6-8.

Bacon and Potato Frittata

A hearty breakfast for, say, a day of chopping wood and hauling lumber.

2 pkg. diced Latkes
12 eggs, whisked
1 pkg. Uncured Applewood-Smoked Bacon, diced and panfried
1 pkg. Three Cheese Blend
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes. Garnish with reserved cheese. Serves 6-8.

Eggplant Lentil Soup

So savory and rich, so hearty and delicious!

1 box Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
1 jar Eggplant Garlic Spread
1 pkg. Fully Cooked Lentils
1 pkg. frozen Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini, chopped
Fresh parsley to garnish

Combine ingredients over medium-low heat until simmering. Serves 4-6.

Creamy Gnocchi Soup

The alfredo sauce is back! This is technically not a vegetarian dish because of the rennet in the cheese in the sauce.

1 pkg. Gnocchi
1 box Butternut Squash Soup or Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
1/2 jar Alfredo Sauce
1 Tbsp. Fresh Pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil to garnish

Heat all ingredients over medium-low heat until simmering. Garnish with basil. Serves 4-6.

General Tso's Baked Beans

Courtesy of another unofficial collection of recipes... I was dubious until I tried it. Absolutely fantastic stuff.

4 cans White Kidney Beans
2 jars General Tso's Sauce
1 pkg. Pancetta or chopped bacon
1 chopped onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute pancetta and onion until browned. Mix with undrained beans and sauce in greased 9x13 casserole dish. Cover and bake for about an hour. Add more sauce or liquid if beans start to look dry while cooking. Serves 6-8.

Wasabi Roast Beef Sandwich

The most incredible sandwich EVER. My summer favorite.

2 Ciabatta Rolls
Wasabi Mayonnaise to taste
1 thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
4 slices Havarti Cheese Deli Slices
Arugula
6-8 slices Kayem Roast Beef Deli Slices

Cut rolls in half, spread mayo, and carefully stack components as desired. Serve with left-over apple slices and cold Black Toad. Serves 2.

Tomato and Wonton Soup

Light but satisfying ravioli-like dish.

1 bag frozen Cucumber Wontons
1 box Garden Patch Veggie Soup
Fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish

Heat soup and wontons until simmering. Serve with leafy garnish. Serves 4-6.

Pinot Noir Blackberry Meatballs

Sweet and savory toothpick fare, always a favorite.

1/4 bottle Black Mountain Pinot Noir
1 jar Reduced Sugar Blackberry Preserves
2-4 bags frozen Party-Size Meatballs

Simmer wine and preserves for five minutes or until thickened. Warm meatballs and toss in sauce.

Colcannon

For the Irish vegetarian, if there is such a thing.

1 box Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1 bag Shredded Cabbage
1 chopped onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Fresh parsley to garnish

Prepare mashed potatoes according to directions. Saute cabbage with onion until tender, mix with potatoes. Garnish with pepper and parsley. Serves 2-4.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Classic Irish dish for the meatlover.

2-3 lbs. Fully Cooked Corned Beef (seasonal)
1 pkg. Uncured Applewood-Smoked Bacon, chopped
2 pkg. Shredded Cabbage

Heat beef according to directions. Saute bacon until crisp, drain grease if desired, and stir in cabbage until wilted. Shred or chop beef and mix with cabbage. Serves 6-8.

Verry Berry Sauce

Great on waffles, pancakes, french toast, ice cream, cheesecake, angel food cake... your only limit is your imagination. Just remember to top with whipped cream.

1/4 bottle La Finca Malbec
2 bags frozen mixed berry blend (your choice)
Maple syrup to taste

Simmer wine, frozen berries, and maple syrup over medium-low heat until reduced and thickened. Serves 4-6.

Pistachio Saffron Couscous

Great with a nice filet-mignon or halibut.

1 box Israeli Couscous
1/2 chopped red onion
3-4 packets Savory Vegetable Broth Concentrate
1/2 bag Dried Cranberries
1/2 bag Salted Roasted Pistachio Nutmeats
1/2 tsp. Spanish Saffron, crushed then soaked in 1 Tbsp. water
Salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare couscous according to directions, except saute red onion in the olive oil before adding the dry couscous to brown, and add the broth concentrate to the water. When couscous is done, toss with cranberries, pistachios, and saffron. Serves 2-4.

Chicken Wonton Soup

A twist on the classic chicken noodle.

1 box Free-Range Chicken Broth
1 bag Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons
1/2 cup Shredded Carrots
1/2 Tbsp. Crushed Garlic
1/2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
4 chopped green onions

Combine all ingredients over medium heat until simmering. Garnish with green onions. Serves 4.

Meatless Meat Loaf

A satisfying vegan entree.

3 Gimmelean Sauage tubes
1 can Garbanzo Beans
1/4 cup Canola Oil
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp. Crushed Garlic
1/4 cup bread crumbs (optional, check if vegan)
1 bottle Organic Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except ketchup, form into loaf shape and place in greased baking pan. Cover with entire bottle of ketchup and bake for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Mangolicious Fruit Crisp

Positively screams for ice cream.

2 bags frozen Mangolicious Fruit Blend
1 box of granola of your choice
1/4 cup melted Earth Balance margarine
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place frozen fruit blend in greased 9x13 pan. Mix granola, flour, and margarine well and crumble over fruit. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until browned on top.

Spicy Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

The Black Pepper Sauce definitely has a kick!

1 lb. Stew Beef
2 cups Beef Broth
1/2 bottle Black Pepper Sauce
1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1 bag frozen Chopped Broccoli

Leave stew beef, broth, and a dollop of sauce to simmer covered in crock pot or on stove for 1-2 hours or until tender. Heat frying pan, add sesame oil, and stir-fry beef with frozen broccoli. Add sauce to taste.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Perfect for a cold, rainy day.

2 boxes Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 cans White Chicken in Broth
1 jar Salsa Autentica or 1 tub Mild Fresh Salsa
1 can Roasted Diced Tomatoes and Chilies
1/2 bag frozen Roasted Sweet Corn
1 can Black Beans (optional)
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning or 21 Seasoning Salute, Cumin, and Red Pepper Flakes
To garnish: Sour cream, Three-Cheese Blend, Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, and/or Avocado's Number Guacamole.

Combine broth, chicken, salsa, tomatoes, corn and seasoning in large pot over medium heat until simmering. Serve with corn chips and cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Shrimp Pad Thai

You know the craving...

1 pkg. Shrimp or Chicken Stir-fry
1 pkg. Rice Sticks
1 jar Peanut Satay Sauce
Juice from one lime
Cilantro for garnish

Cook rice sticks according to package directions. Heat shrimp stir-fry until shrimp is cooked through, add peanut satay sauce, lime juice, and rice sticks. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4.

Cucumber Wontons with Black Pepper Yogurt Sauce

A spicy vegetarian Greek-Asian fusion appetizer.

1 bag frozen Cucumber Wontons
1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper Sauce
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 cups Greek Yogurt
1 sliced Hothouse Cucumber

Stirfry wontons in sesame oil, place on cucumber slices. Mix pepper sauce, soy sauce, and yogurt and dollop on wontons. Serves 4. Sauce is also good as salad dressing, in gyros, or as a vegetable dip.