Vegetarian

Vegetarian Chili with Pumpkin

prehfusLeave a comment

The pumpkin flavor in this chili definitely stays in the background, but it adds warmth along with vitamins! Note: Don’t forget to soak the beans the night before.

  • 1 1/2 pounds dried beans (I use a combination of small pinto beans and black beans)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin or pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 Serrano chilies (fresh), seeds removed (membranes intact) and finely chopped
  • 3 chipotle chilies in adobo (canned), minced
  • 1 quart vegetable stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons cumin
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • Kosher salt to taste (2-3 teaspoons, depending on saltiness of the stock you use)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste
  • Several dashes of hot sauce

Rinse the beans and soak overnight. In the morning, rinse beans thoroughly and place them in a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on high heat for 30 minutes and then switch to low heat for 8-9 hours or until beans are tender.

Serve with some, all, or none of these:

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Grated cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh tomato
  • Chopped black olives

Serves 8-10

Jodi’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Beth Isola, who calls them “simply delightful”.

  • 24 frozen white dinner rolls (Rhodes brand preferred)
  • 1 large box of butterscotch pudding (not instant)
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ t. cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place frozen rolls in a non-stick, sprayed Bundt pan.  Sprinkle dry pudding over frozen rolls.  Sprinkle nuts over frozen rolls.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon, increase heat to medium and bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Pour mixture over rolls.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Set on counter overnight.

In morning, preheat oven to 350.  Remove foil, place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before turning onto large plate.

Sea Salt Caramels

prehfus1 Comment

Submitted by Carl LaFrance in response to our request for edible gift ideas.

  • 1 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel
  • 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.

4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.

5. Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.

6. Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.

7. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.

Farro and White Bean Salad

prehfus1 Comment

This hearty salad is delicious, nutritious and portable. It works well as a picnic side dish, or yummy vegetarian main dish. Farro is a European grain similar to barley or wheat berries. It can be found in many grocery stores and most “healthy food” stores.

· 10 ounces farro (about 1 ½ cups)

· 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (divided)

· ½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2- inch pieces

· ½ cup pitted black olives

· 2 medium tomatoes, diced

· 1 (14-ounce) can white beans (Great Northern, Cannellini, etc.), drained and rinsed well

· ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese

· 3 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives

· 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

· ¼ cup tasty olive oil

· ¼ cup champagne vinegar (or other flavorful white wine vinegar)

· 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

· Ground black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine farro with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes more. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl.

While the farro is cooling, cook green beans in salted, boiling water for 1-2 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

When the farro has cooled, add green beans, olives, tomatoes, Parmesan, chives, and parsley; stir to combine.

To make the dressing, mix vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk or shake to combine. Pour vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss and serve.

Serves 4 as a main dish or 6-8 as a side dish.

Bread Pudding

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Karen Schihl, who got it from Mrs. Fields Cookie Book , c 1992.

  • 12 slices raisin nut bread (I use one loaf Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Raisin Bread, thus no nuts. 12 whole and 4 half slices)
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
  • 2 butter croissants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup plus 1/8 tsp. white sugar, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups (1 quart) light cream or half-and-half
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter sides and bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Butter one side of each bread slice and layer in pan alternately with croissants (6 slices bread, croissant slices, 6 slices bread).

In large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed beat eggs until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and beat at medium speed until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low and add cream; mix until smooth.

Pour egg-cream mixture over bread and croissant slices. The slices will absorb egg-cream mixture slowly, so continue adding liquid until all is in pan.
In a small bowl combine cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Sprinkle sugar-spice mixture over the bread pudding.

Fill a baking pan larger than the 9-by-13-inch bread pudding pan halfway up with hot water. Place in oven. Set bread pudding pan in the water bath. Bake 45-50 minutes or until custard is set. When set, remove bread pudding from the oven, and discard water in larger pan. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Yield: 12 servings

Chunky Potato Soup with Dill

prehfusLeave a comment

From Gourmet Magazine, February 2008, credit was given to Ruth Cousineau.

  • 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 pound russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 4 cups water or chicken stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill

Cook vegetables in butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, covered, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and stick to bottom of pot, about 15 minutes. Add water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer 3 cups soup to a blender with milk and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot, then stir in dill and salt and pepper to taste.

Pineapple Upside Down Kugel

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Beth Isola

  • 1 lb medium noodles
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1/2 pint sour cream
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 cans sliced pineapple (you’ll need enough slices to cover the bottom of a 9×13″ pan)
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (either light or dark, whichever you prefer)
  • Marachino cherries — enough to place one inside each pineapple slice

Cook noodles in salted water, drain and cool.

Add eggs, sour cream, butter, salt and vanilla to cooked noodles.  Mix well.

Prepare 9×13″ pan by buttering well.

Sprinkle brown sugar on bottom of pan.

Arrange pineapple slices over sugar.  Put one cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

Pour noodle mixture in pan.

Bake at 350 for one hour.

Invert immediately onto serving platter.

Enjoy!

Can be frozen and reheated at serving time.

Spicy Thai Peanut Dip

prehfus2 Comments

Submitted by Kimberly Garcia

  • 2/3 cups peanut butter  (chunky or smooth)
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (I usually use Lee Kim Kee brand)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight and serve with your favorite veggies.   (My step-mother likes using endive, grilled asparagus and blanched snow peas).

Rehfwitz Basic Smooth Lentil Soup

prehfusLeave a comment

You can skip the last step if you prefer your lentils whole.

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 pound brown lentils
  • 2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock or broth
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 2 teaspoons (or more) dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons (or more) dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Sauté until tender.

Add carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add lentils and stir for about 1 minute.  Add stock, tomatoes, and seasoning.

Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 45 minutes.  Use an immersion (stick) blender to blend until smooth.