Veggie fried rice

Let's just say life has gotten busy.

Fried rice!

Ingredients
1/4 package of tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons of diced onion
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 carrot diced
1 celery stalk chopped
3 kale stalks chopped,
1 cup of cubed zucchini
Handful of basil
1 cup cooked rice
A tablespoon of tamari

Let's cook!
In a skillet with a lil oil, brown the tofu cubes. Add onion and garlic. Saute until onion translucent.
Add carrot, celery and cook until soft.
Add rice, zucchini, and kale stir in tamari and cook until zucchini is soft.
And serve with basil on top!

Roasted Vegetables with Tahini Gravy

Thanksgiving spread

This combination of vegetables was great for our Holiday Celebrations; Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My Roasted Vegetables Chopped
    Carrots
    Brussel sprouts
    Acorn Squash
Additional Ingredients
    1 T Olive oil
    1 T Brown sugar
    Salt and Black pepper to taste


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat

2. In a bowl; mix oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss in the vegetables and coat them well.

3. Spread vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. At ten minutes (halfway through), flip and stir the vegetables and finish baking .



Tahini Gravy

Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons garlic powder
black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan until slightly thick and hot.

This will thicken overtime as it cools so you can add water to thin it out again.

Mushroom Wellington

Thanksgiving Dinner

This recipe was made first for our Thanksgiving gathering of 2017. It is a gorgeous main with the puff pastry and 'meaty' filling. If you love leftovers double this recipe, not knowing how my family would accept this I only made the one....

So lets make it!

Ingredients

8 oz of mushrooms chopped (baby bellas or portobellos)
1/2 onion finely diced
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 1/2 tsp of fresh chopped thyme or 1 T of dried Italian Seasoning
3/4 cup pecans lightly toasted and chopped
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
pinch of chili flakes
one sheet of thawed puff pastry ( I use Pepperidge Farm)

Directions

1. Sweat the onion and garlic in a skillet, then add mushrooms and seasonings. Continue to cook until the liquid has been cooked out of the mushrooms.

2. In a food processor, blend pecans until fine. Add the mushroom mixture and bread crumbs and blend until combined. preheat the oven to 340 degrees

3. Unfold the pasty and notate the pastry is divided into three parts. Add the mixture to the center section of the pastry making a log with the mixture. One the other two sections cut 45 degree angles from the middle pastry section leaving 1/2 inch between each cut. With each strip cover the mixture in a braiding design.

4. Bake at 350 for about 45 min. If the pasty starts to burn, cover with aluminum foil.

5. Enjoy!

Vegan Holiday Party 2017

The holidays are time to spend time with family and friends. This year, we had incorporated vegan menu items due to two Vegan eaters at the time my sister and I. These are what we had....

Mushroom Wellington
Roasted Vegetables with Tahini Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Apple Sauce

I will add these recipes individually, minus the mashed potatoes. They are the easiest to make, boil - mash - add garlic, onion, butter.

The Mushroom Wellington was tried by all and I have to say that this was one of the best Mains that I have made. The texture with the pate and the puff pastry is divine. My brother-in-law stated that it tastes like the stuffing. I thought it was more elevated flavor than that, however, everyone will love to have it again. I was unable to have leftovers!

The Roasted Veg is something that I would eat day after day in Winter. This recipe is easy and delicious. It will make a great bowl with Quinoa, kale and gravy! The Gravy has a earthy spicy flavor to it to make it warm you up from the inside out.

These are the successful recipes to our gathering for 2017.

Chickpea red curry

Since my last post, lots has changed in my lifestyle. This last year I have been grasping a plant-based diet. To be honest, I was eating a lot of processed foods. Last month, I have started more of a real plant based diet with help of a dietician. Home cooking is the best thing you can do and with that I have made a point to try new foods and meal plan.

This week, my new recipe is a carb load. It contains chickpeas, potato, and  A carrot. My fiance made his very delicious, very meaty thai red curry this last weekend. With me being plant-based, I did not eat it but have been craving it ever since. I was inspired to create a dish for myself that would fulfill my want of curry. As a side note, you can switch the veggies around to the ones you want like eggplant and bell peppers.

Ingredients

1 can of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 splash of soy sauce
Juice of 1/8 th of a lime
1 can of chickpea
1 russet potato cubed
1 medium carrot sliced in coins
1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
Thai basil
Cilantro

Directions

1. Cook potato in boiling water. And drain potato.

2. Bring coconut milk to simmer on medium heat, add brown sugar and curry powder, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the onion to a heated pan with a teaspoon of oil till they sweat. Add carrot stir until carrot is softened, 2 minutes. Add potato and chickpeas and heat through.

4. Add chickpea mixture to curry and stir till combined. Add soy sauce, lime juice, cilantro and thai basil.

5. Ready to serve with rice! I add a lot of basil and sriracha.

Spinach turnovers

Ingredients

1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 cup  finely chopped onion

1 container of refrigerated biscuits * you can purchase accidentally vegan

Salt and pepper to taste

Oven is needed to 400 degrees for this recipe.

Directions

First, in a small pan and a lil oil, toast pine nuts and onion for 5 min or until nuts are slightly browning. Fold the onion nut mix  with the spinach. Separate the biscuit dough and place one biscuit between two pieces of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the biscuit to a diameter of 4 to 5 inches. Carefully remove the top wax paper from the dough. Add a heaping tablespoon of spinach slightly un centered on the dough. Fold the dough over the spinach and pinch the edges shut with a fork. Place the shut turnover on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat until you are out of biscuit dough. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and cook 8 to 10 min. 

These turnovers can be eaten ASAP or room temp or cold. Enjoy.

Homemade Chimichangas

I wanted to do a little something different from my usual Italian, french, and Asian food for Goe and I to enjoy. So I came across a basic chimi recipe and I added fresh tomatoes and used jalapeno cheddar cream cheese instead of plain. I cooked the chicken with Mrs dash fiesta lime seasoning in the oven at 350 until completely cooked. Okay now that you know that this is a tweaked recipe know that you can change it to your tastes! Here is how I love it.
Ingredients
1 package of eight wheat tortillas
1 package of eight oz cream cheese (hvyee cheddar jalapeno)
2 cups of mild cheddar cheese shredded
1 skinned and chopped tomato
1 pound of cooked chicken shredded (explained above)
1 1/2 teaspoons of taco seasoning
For toppings you can use....
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
Directions
1. Using a spatula, mix the cream cheese,  tomato, taco seasoning, and Cheddar cheese until blended.
2. Fold in the chicken
3. Separate the chicken mixture to each tortilla and fold it up on all four sides into a square
4. Place them seams side down on a greased cookie sheet and spray the tops of the chimichangas with Pam too
5. Bake in the oven at 350 for 15 min then flip them over and bake for another 15 min
6. Top with toppings and enjoy!!!

Sausage kale pasta

This is a good pasta dish. which takes no time at all. I would estimate maybe 15 min. Serves 6.

Ingredients....
One large bunch kale
One pound ground sausage/pork
One pound pasta
Italian seasoning or oregano, garlic, and basil, pepper
Three eggs
Parmesan and or mozzarella

Directions...
Make your pasta like normal... boiled salted water
Brown sausage and mix in the seasoning
Once browned, add kale and stir around until wilted
Mix in eggs
Turn off heat and add pasta
Plate the pasta and meat/kale mixture
Sprinkle with parmesan and/ or mozzarella

Enjoy... This is a earthy flavor, I say it is because of the taste of the kale.

Tortellini Chicken Soup

With me being sick, soup to me is good medicine. I thought why not share this delicious soup.

For this recipe you will need:
9 ounces of three-cheese wheat tortellini
29 ounces of low sodium chicken broth
a jar of light alfredo sauce or 3 cups of my homemade alfredo
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1/3 cups of sun-dried tomato strips
3 handfuls of baby spinach
1 cup mushrooms cut in small bitefuls

The steps:
1. cook the tortellini how the directions tell you, drain and set aside
2. combine the broth and alfredo, add chicken, mushrooms, and dried tomatoes, stir
3. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes
4. add tortellini and spinach, cook for 1-3 minutes until it is heated through and spinach is slightly wilted...

Enjoy this meal, you can add any veggie you love and have fun spending time with those you love!!

Turkey burger

this recipe can be tweaked to your liking....
you will need:
1 small zuchini finely shredded
1/2 red onion chopped, fine
1/2 red pepper
1 tbs.garlic pepper
1/8 cup mustard
1 seeded jalpeno, chopped fine
1 lb ground turkey
mix all these together with hands until fully combined
shape into the size of burger you wish and cook on skillet, flip occassionally until internal reads 165 degrees...
now you can make ur burger i added the burger to a wheat bun.
munseter cheese, tomato, lettuce, and bacon

have fun with it

chicken salad pasta

i was in the mood for chicken salad but did not have mayo or bread or tortilla wraps.
this recipe contains:
1 apple
2 celery stalk
1 large carrot
8 baby tomatoes, halved
1 large chicken breast, cooked and cut up into bite size pieces
1/2 package of pasta
2 tbspn honey mustard

chop each veggie up and cook pasta
mix everything together veggies, pasta, chicken, and mustard

Homemade Hot Pocket

Ingredient:
1 package of pastry puff sheets
any type of meat... I picked chicken (cooked)
any type of cheese... I picked shredded Italian Mix
any vegetable... I picked mushroom and broccoli
1 egg

Directions:
Have the the vegetables chopped up in pieces the smaller the better.
Thaw the pastry puff according to package (mine said 40 min)
Roll the pastry puff to 1/4 in or smaller, be careful not to make it too thin or it will tear
Cut the sheets to be 3 in by 5in.
Place one rectangle of pastry on a cooking sheet
Make the egg wash (one egg scrambled)
Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash
Place the filling in the middle to how much you want and how much will fit
Then place another pastry sheet on top pushing the edges together with your fingers
Take a fork and press the edges again
Brush the egg wash over the top and cut two slits 1/2 in with a knife.
Repeat till you have how many you want

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
cook for 20-30 min rotating at the half time mark to prevent sticking to the pan 

Crockpot chili :)

This is my first recipe for my own chili... I love it and Goe enjoyed it. I will make more.... choose as much of each ingredient to ur flavor buds

Ingredients
Beef
Okra
A can of diced tomatoes
Sweet chili sauce (that Asian red bottle with a green top)
Corn
Beef stock
Red chili beans (one can)
Kidney beans (one can)
Garlic

Directions
Cook the ground beef
Dump all ingredients and cook for 4 hours

Granny's Chicken and Noodles!

I love this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken thawed
1 cup chopped onion
2 pared and chopped carrots
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3 cups Homemade Noodles (previous recipe)

Instructions:
1) If you are making homemade noodles make them before you start to make this recipe
2) Remove the neck and insides (heart, gizzards, liver). drop bird in large kettle. cover with water and cook until bird is fully cooked (my mother says 30 minutes).
3) Pull the bird out of the water and let cool until you can handle it without getting burned
4) Pull meat off the bone and take off the skin, and make the chicken bite-size.
5) Add the chicken to the water you cooked the chicken originally in.
6) Add onion, carrots, celery, black pepper.
7) Bring to a Boil
8) Add Homemade Noodles and cook for about 10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked.

Homemade Noodles (egg)

This recipe was past down to me. I love these noodles and make them for chicken alfredo... alfredo sauce in previous post! This makes you 3 cups of cooked noodles!

Ingredients: 

1 beaten egg

2 Tablespoons Milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

Instructions:

1) Combine to make stiff dough

2) Roll very thin on a floured surface (this keeps the dough from sticking on the counter) 

              *tip: flour rolling pin too

3) Let stand for 20 mintues

4) Flour dough (this keeps it from sticking to itself for the next step)

5) Roll up loosely; slice 1/4 in. wide; unroll and spread out

6) Let dry for 2 hours! (if not using immediately, they can be stored in a container until needed)
7) Drop into boiling soup or boiling salt water. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Broccoli and Beef Pasta (Slow Cooker Recipe)

This makes 4 servings and made in a Crock Pot. It cooks for 5 hours and you need to be able to return to it about every 2 hours.

Ingredients:

2 cups broccoli florets or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup beef broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tbs. tomato paste
2 cups cooked pasta (1 cup uncooked pasta)
3 ounces shredded cheddar cheese or grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1) layer broccoli, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, tomatoes, and beef broth in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 hours.
2)Combing beef and garlic in large nonstick skillet, cook over high heat for 6-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat apart with wooden spoon. Pour off drippings. Add beef mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for another 2 hours
3)Stir in tomato paste. Add pasta and cheese. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more until the cheese melts and mixture is heated through.

When I made this, I used tri color heart noodles. And it served over for to feed more like 8.

Grandma's best Macaroni and cheese

Warning if you try this at home, you will become addicted and refuse to eat mac and cheese from a box of powdered cheese!!!!

ingredients :
2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni
1 block of mild cheddar cheese, cut in cubes
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup of milk (I use half and half)
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of butter
dash of salt and pepper for taste

Instructions :
1. Cook the macaroni. set aside.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan. stir in 3 tablespoons of flour, add milk and stir until it thickens add salt and pepper.
3. Add the sauce and onion to the macaroni
4. Pour into a casserole dish, sprayed with a nonstick oil. lay strips of cheese over the top
5. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes until its thickened.

Now I added lean ground beef here to add protein to the main dish. I normally just stick with the recipe not adding anything special, however, you can add any meat or veggie to it!

Cooking Experiment- Chicken Alfredo Pot Pie

Chicken Alfredo Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated breadstick dough
my alfredo recipe (or a 16oz jar of alfredo with 2 cups of milk)
2 cup frozen green beans, thawed
2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3 cups cooked cut in 1/2 inch cubed chicken
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. dried tyme leaves
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In large saucepan, combine sauce, vegetables, and chicken. Bring to boil stirring frequently
Combine Parmesan Cheese and seasonings in a small bowl.
Unroll breadstick dough and make 12 strips. Cut each strip in half and twist each strip and roll in the seasonings mix.
Pour chicken mix into a 13X9" glass baking dish and top with the twisted breadsticks.
Sprinkle with any remaining cheese mix.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until breadsticks are golden brown.

Total cook time is 50 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

*my changes
since I didnt have enough of the veggies that were listed... I made sure I had 5 cups of veggies but I added broccoli to make up the missing cup I had.

*my comments
I made this for the household of six and still had leftovers. Out of the six of us that did try this four enjoyed it. My little sister said that the best part is the bread stick topping!

A twist to Alfredo

I wanted to try to make my own homemade Alfredo sauce, and I found a basic recipe for cream cheese alfredo. Once you try this, you will never want to go back to the jar ever again! The Lord knows that I will not! I have two recipes here but I am just going to tell you the last one is after making the original a couple of times. 

Original Recipe Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

My Changes

Trade the grated Parmesan with:

4oz of fresh finely shredded Parmesan Cheese

2oz of fresh shredded Asiago Cheese

Also I cut down the milk to make the sauce thick to 1 1/4 cup

Directions

Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve. 

In the end, this sauce is going to be delicious. You can add it to anything you like Alfredo with...