tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1975324862604824742024-03-05T03:57:25.519-08:00The Lady of ShallotsVegetarian and vegan recipes, cooking tips, and more!RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-23505930920590318512008-08-10T13:42:00.000-07:002008-08-10T13:43:11.376-07:00Lavender iced teaI used a tea-maker for this, but I can provide instructions for making this if you don't have one.<br /><br />You'll need:<br />5 regular black tea bags (whatever your favorite kind is)<br />2 tablespoons lavender<br />3 tablespoons honey<br />Ice and water<br /><br />Tea-maker: Pour the amount of water needed to brew 2 quarts of tea into the tea maker, using your tea-maker's instructions. Do NOT put ice in the pitcher, however. Put a coffee filter in the brew basket, then put the tea bags (remove the tags; they can add an unpleasant flavor to the tea) and lavender in the coffee filter. Brew the tea. Stir in the honey once the tea is finished; you want to do this while it's hot so it will dissolve quickly (so this is why you're waiting on the ice). Top off the pitcher with ice to the 2-quart mark. You're done :)<br /><br />No tea maker?<br />Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Put the lavender in a tea ball (if you don't have one, you can put it into some cheesecloth or a square of linen, then tie it off with a piece of string), and put the lavender and tea bags into a pitcher. Pour the water over the tea bags and lavender. Let steep for about 5 minutes, then remove the bags and lavender (use a slotted spoon if you took the tags off the bags). Stir in the honey, then top off the pitcher with ice.<br /><br />If you use a coffee maker for the brewing step, make sure you scrub out the brew basket and pot with vinegar or borax (borax works GREAT) to keep the tea from tasting like stale coffee.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-23428156141194036772008-07-19T18:18:00.000-07:002008-07-19T18:21:24.594-07:00Vegetarian BastillaBastilla is a Moroccan pastry; it is also called pigeon pie, because it traditionally contains pigeon meat. Obviously, I did not include pigeons in my version of it.<br /><br />I would recommend setting aside about an hour for prep time, and make sure you start with a clean kitchen that has your utensils and cooking dishes clean.<br /><br />The ingredients are divided according to how they are put together. Read through the entire directions at least once before starting.<br /><br />SO, you will need:<br /><br />1 package phyllo sheets, thawed (put the frozen package in the refrigerator overnight; leave in the refrigerator until you get to the step that asks for it)<br /><br />1 stick butter, halved, plus one tablespoon (you'll use part for one purpose, part for another)<br /><br />1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped<br />1 medium shallot, finely chopped<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric<br />1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1 teaspoon dry or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger<br />1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<br /><br />1 package Quorn tenders, finely chopped<br /><br />6 eggs<br />3 scallions, finely sliced<br />1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (can substitute cilantro if you like cilantro)<br /><br />1 1/2 cup almonds (unsalted, and you can use whole or sliced)<br />1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />2 teaspoons cinnamon<br /><br />1 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />extra cinnamon<br /><br />-----<br />Do all of the chopping of ingredients, then preheat the oven to 400ºF<br /><br />Put the almonds, granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a food processor until the almonds are well crushed. It is okay if there are a few pea-sized chunks, but you generally want them smaller than that. Set the almond/sugar mixture aside for now.<br /><br />Melt half a stick of butter in a large skillet, then sautee the onion, shallot, turmeric, ginger, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in the butter until the onions are translucent.<br /><br />Stir the Quorn into the onion mixture and cook until hot and very slightly browned in some places. You may need to dribble in a couple tablespoons of water to keep it from getting too dry to cook.<br /><br />Put the Quorn mixture into a bowl and set aside (alternatively, get out another skillet for the next step).<br /><br />Melt a tablespoon of butter in the skillet, then scramble the eggs and cook them. When they are partway done, fold in the parsley and scallions. Cook until the eggs are done, then add the Quorn mixture to the eggs and mix them together, then remove from heat and set aside.<br /><br />Now, you should have a skillet of egg/Quorn stuff, and a bowl of almond/sugar stuff. At this point, you may cover and refrigerate them to use later; you might even want to do this for half of them, because the recipe makes two large pastries.<br /><br />Melt the remaining butter in a bowl. Get out two pie pans and brush butter on their bottoms.<br /><br />Very gently open the package of phyllo dough (do not open it early; it dries out FAST) and unroll a sheaf of pastry leaves. They will resemble very fine sheets of paper. Take two sheets and layer them so that one covers half the pan (with the edges hanging out over the sides), while the other covers the other half. Layer more sheets on top of these in the same fashion until it seems fairly sturdy (if using Athenos brand, you'll use maybe 6-8 sheets if they are the little 8x10 sheets). If you're using larger, thicker sheets, you may be able to use just two. *<br /><br />Once BOTH pie pans have been prepared with phyllo dough, get out your bowls of egg/Quorn stuff and almond stuff. Starting with the almond mixture, alternately layer some of each mixture in the pie pans. Try to spread them such that you get about four layers total (two almond, two quorn) in each pan. You don't have to be exact here, and the layers are going to blend together. That's okay.<br /><br />The phyllo that is hanging over the edges of the pie pans should now be folded over the top of the fillings. Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter on top of the folded phyllo.<br /><br />Pop those suckers in the oven for fifteen minutes, or until the dough on top is golden brown.<br /><br />Remove from the oven. Put a plate upside-down over the top of each pie plate, and then very carefully (this means you, Brian) turn them over so that the pastry is turned out upon the plate. Remove the pie plate (and again, carefully--use oven mitts). <br /><br />You should now have a pastry on a plate. If it has been damaged by the turning out, that's fine! Cover each pastry with half of the powdered sugar (you can use a sifter or strainer to make it coat evenly), then sprinkle cinnamon on top in a criss-cross pattern (well, that's traditional, but hey, you can use a stencil to make something cuter, I suppose).<br /><br />Let it cool a little bit before eating! It is HOT. It is traditional to eat it with your fingers, no utensils. I, however, give you permission to use a fork or spoon :) Also, you can cut a slit in the top before serving to let some of the heat out quicker.<br /><br /><br />* Also note that you can make mini-bastilla with ramekins, and probably just use two small sheets for that, both centered on the ramekin.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-69231512035731696822008-02-27T14:01:00.000-08:002008-02-27T14:02:54.604-08:00Lentil StewPlease know that this was thrown together, and I might not remember exactly how it was done.<br /><br />2 cups lentils<br />4 cups water<br />1 tablespoon minced garlic<br />1 teaspoon Adobo with cumin<br />2 teaspoons Better than Bouillion (vegetarian)<br />1/2 teaspoon thyme<br />1 bay leaf<br />1 large carrot, chopped into small pieces<br />1 parsnip, quartered and slivered<br />1/2 onion, minced--OR 2 shallots minced<br />2 ribs celery*, chopped<br />1/2 cup chopped collared greens (I used frozen; I keep it on hand for my turtle's salads, haha)<br />1/2 stick butter (real stuff, if you can eat it)<br />Sea salt to taste<br />freshly ground pepper to taste (the more, the better, imo!)<br /><br />Throw it all in a small crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. You can kick start it a bit if you cook it on high for an hour or two in the beginning, then turn it down for another couple hours. If it's too rich, stir in some freshly cooked rice.<br /><br />* Don't toss the leaves out--chop them up and throw those in the pot too!RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-16897971615360463982008-01-31T15:30:00.000-08:002008-01-31T15:32:51.692-08:00You HAVE to be jokingI got this little missive in my email today:<br /><br /><blockquote>From: Anne R. Brooks<br />Date: 1/31/08<br /><br />Sent: To [me]<br /><br />cc: Alan Rupp, Ruth Fejfar; Carol Hamilton<br />Subject: Derby-Pie® Infringement<br /><br />To whom it may concern,<br /><br />It has come to my attention that you have published pages with a reference<br />to "Derby-Pie" or some similar name on the web page listed below. I wish to<br />inform you on behalf of Kern's Kitchen Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky, that<br />they hold the trademark for this name and it is not legally proper to<br />promote a product by this name without Kern's Kitchen's permission. The<br />registration number is Reg. No. 878,334 and it is on the Principal Register<br />with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.<br /><br />To avoid any formal legal action, it is requested that you remove any<br />reference to "Derby-Pie" on any and all web pages.<br /><br />The following WebPages contain the misuse:<br /><br />http://theladyofshallots.blogspot.com/2007/11/derby-pie.html<br /><br />If there are others we would ask that you take care of them also.<br /><br />Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have any questions please<br />direct them to:<br /><br />Carol Hamilton a paralegal at:<br />Lynch, Cox, Gilman & Mahan P.S.C.<br />400 West Market Street, Aegon Center<br />Suite 2200<br />Louisville, Kentucky 40202<br />Tel: 1 502 589-4215<br /><br />[email to: chamilton@lcgandm.com]<br /><br />Alan S. Rupp<br />President<br />Kern's Kitchen, Inc.<br />502-499-0285<br /><br />[email to:Alan@DerbyPie.com]</blockquote><br /><br />I will definitely never patronize this company--and I thank them for bringing themselves to my attention so that I can be sure not to do so.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-65205899207323667902008-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:002008-01-11T14:48:04.459-08:00Garlic, and shopping at the Asian groceryI gave up on fresh garlic a long time ago. It's annoying to peel, garlic presses are a pain to clean, and garlic goes bad too quickly to keep enough on hand for the amount that I use.<br /><br />Instead, I use minced or crushed garlic in a jar, the wet kind. It really tastes the same, is cheaper, it's easy to load up in a dish (spoonful after spoonful...mmmm!), and it keeps for a long time. No one has ever noticed the difference, and it's light-years tastier than garlic powder. It's saved me a lot of time, money, and aggravation. I also use ginger in the same format; we are ginger addicts here, and I never disappoint a guest with my cooking.<br /><br />If you really want to find inexpensive garlic in a jar, try the Asian market. I pay a lot less for many ingredients, including coconut milk, canned specialty vegetables (bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, baby corn), dried mushrooms, produce, fresh mangoes, and sauces (tamari, vegetarian oyster, stir-fry). Some of them are up to 50% less than in the standard grocery store, and there is little to no difference in quality. We hit up the Indian grocery for staples like basmati rice, dried chickpeas and lentils, and spices (cardamom is especially inexpensive, and it's a great place to get pre-blended spices like garam masala).<br /><br />Good food is important in our household. We eat a LOT of vegetables, and our friends really enjoy visiting for dinner. Because we're fairly poor, our food budget does not allow for much dining out, and fast food places are not vegetarian-friendly anyway. Lunches usually consist of leftovers, and snacks are cheap stuff like yogurt, dried fruits, cheap pretzels, and bulk nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans--I am allergic to peanuts, but okay with tree nuts). We're definitely not "junk food vegetarians"; we couldn't stand to eat so unimaginatively!RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-4619035054772825512007-12-22T05:36:00.000-08:002007-12-22T05:37:09.467-08:00tofu stroganoffYou'll need:<br />1lb of pressed, frozen/thawed tofu*, cubed<br />2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms (or other dark, meaty mushrooms, cut into small pieces)<br />1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I use Better Than Bouillion)<br />4 shallots, diced<br />2 teaspoons paprika<br />2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />1/2 cup red wine<br />2 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder (flour can be substituted)<br />olive oil<br />seasoning salt (Lawry's or similar)<br />freshly-ground pepper (I prefer a four peppercorn blend)<br />1/2 pound egg noodles (dry weight)<br />1/2 cup sour cream<br /><br />Use a big skillet for the stroganoff preparation! If you are using a nonstick pan, the tofu will not stick as badly; if you are not using a nonstick pan, you're going to need a metal spatula to scrape as you're browning the tofu. <br /><br />While you're cooking the tofu, start a pot of water for the egg noodles.<br /><br />Put some olive oil into the skillet and heat it up on medium-high. Once it's good and hot, toss in a little salt and the tofu. Cook the tofu until it is slightly darkened, scraping it and turning it every so often so it cooks evenly.<br /><br />Once it's cooked a bit, toss in the paprika, shallots, and mushrooms. Continue to turn the mixture over with the spatula until the mushrooms and shallots are well-cooked.<br /><br />Stir in the corn starch, folding it into the mixture until there are no lumps.<br /><br />Add in the stock, red wine, and tomato paste and stir thoroughly. If you're using Better Than Boullion, it's okay to just pour in the water and spoon in the bouillion mix without pre-cooking it (so easy!). Turn the heat to LOW and allow the mixture to simmer.<br /><br />Put the egg noodles into the pot of water that should be boiling by now and cook them according to directions.<br /><br />Once the noodles are cooked, the stroganoff mixture should be ready to serve. Grind in some pepper, and give it a taste test to see if it needs more salt.<br /><br />Serve stroganoff over the noodles, with sour cream on the side. I find that I like it better without the sour cream, but tastes may vary.<br /><br /><i>* To prepare the tofu:<br />Squeeze out as much water as you can without crushing the block.<br /><br />Set the tofu block on top of something screened, like in a colander, or a splatter guard placed over a . Put something clean on top, like an upside-down plate, and then pile something heavy on top, such as books, or a brick. Let the tofu sit like this for about half an hour. <br /><br />Toss the tofu into the freezer and allow it to freeze solid. Then, allow it to thaw. Freezing changes the texture, making it firmer and more spongey.</i>RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-48441733400133248352007-11-26T00:56:00.000-08:002007-11-26T00:58:06.861-08:007 things about the Lady of Shallots1. I can't stand beets or yams, but I love squash.<br /><br />2. I rarely use measuring spoons or cups.<br /><br />3. I think many people overuse garlic because they lack the skill to spice more subtly.<br /><br />4. I cannot make marinara sauce or pie crust.<br /><br />5. My favorite cookbook author is Robin Robertson.<br /><br />6. Any birthday cake for me MUST be a white cake with vanilla buttercream. Chocolate will NOT do.<br /><br />7. I never get take-out Chinese food. I learned to make my own, after having worked at three different stores that were next door to Chinese restaurants. I won't say anything more than that.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-70960406118463855232007-11-26T00:45:00.000-08:002008-12-11T12:00:03.842-08:00Spritz cookiesThis is my favorite tried-and-true recipe for pressed cookies. I grew up with this recipe.<br /><br />1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened<br />1/4 cup shortening (I usually use margarine instead)<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1 egg<br />2 teaspoons <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LQJFYK?ie=UTF8&tag=shdaonthsa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000LQJFYK">vanilla extract</a>*<br />2 cups flour<br />1/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />Optional: a few drops of food coloring can be added as desired.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix up everything but the flour, then stir in the flour**. <br /><br />Follow the directions on your <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AXQA7Y?ie=UTF8&tag=shdaonthsa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000AXQA7Y">cookie press</a>, using it to put the cookies on the sheets about an inch apart from one another. If you just want the flavor without the cookie press, you can drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7um8EZbivClr09TsAc65k2WXqkFhgBMKET9ngXzMG9h44qRzUFRcsfripzVdqvi8aOsEiuSiUtKxjjtYVnssrPcMVm_IhnsS7ZONVoxTsZwp-6hnxhCWW-rjoa2kG8pqwghetGzo70c2/s1600-h/nonpareils.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7um8EZbivClr09TsAc65k2WXqkFhgBMKET9ngXzMG9h44qRzUFRcsfripzVdqvi8aOsEiuSiUtKxjjtYVnssrPcMVm_IhnsS7ZONVoxTsZwp-6hnxhCWW-rjoa2kG8pqwghetGzo70c2/s200/nonpareils.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137067903057357922" /></a>Decorate the cookies with sprinkles, colored sugar, or other candies before baking, if desired. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000VMB5Q?ie=UTF8&tag=shdaonthsa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000VMB5Q">Rainbow nonpareils</a> look awesome on tree-shaped cookies!<br /><br />Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow these to cool thoroughly on a wire rack for the best texture<br /><br /><i>* A half teaspoon of almond extract can be substituted for half a teaspoon of the vanilla, if you want. I love almond extract.<br /><br />**If using a stand mixer, do not overmix the flour--only mix until it is combined. If you mix it too long, the gluten in the flour will change its quality and make chewy cookies. These are supposed to be crispy, not chewy.</i>RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-47423325743697031562007-11-21T07:03:00.000-08:002007-11-21T07:05:44.691-08:00Pecanless pecan pie<b>The challenge:</b> To find or create the best-tasting pecanless pecan pie recipe for a friend, who revealed that he liked the "goo" of pecan pie, but didn't like pecans.<br /><br /><b>Basics of pecan pie:</b> Pecan pie is a type of custard pie made mostly with corn syrup, pecans, and most of the other typical custard pie ingredients (eggs, vanilla, butter). Some people (including me) prefer to use brown sugar and a little water instead of the corn syrup; if you use white sugar, a dab of molasses can give it the brown sugar flavor.<br /><br /><b>Experimentation:</b> I tried out several variations, including one that replaced the pecans with oatmeal, before I finally settled on this recipe. I actually didn't like it at first, but after it had set for a day, it was exactly right. <br /><br />Let me FIRST give you my favorite pecan pie recipe:<br />3 eggs <br />2 cups brown sugar mixed with 1/4 cup water<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1 teaspoon vanilla<br />tiniest little dash of nutmeg<br />1/3 cup butter, melted<br />1 cup pecans, broken or halved (whatever you've got)<br />1 pie crust<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix everything but the nuts (and pie crust) together until it's smooth; stir in the nuts; pour into pie shell; bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for at least twenty minutes before serving.<br /><br />*************************************<br /><br />NOW! For the pecanless version!<br /><br />1/3 cup butter, softened<br />1 3/4 cup brown sugar<br />3 tablespoons heavy cream<br />3 eggs, well-beaten<br />1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (do NOT add more; it will overpower the pie even in small quantities!)<br />1 pie crust<br /><br />Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. Cream together the sugar and butter, then blend in the eggs, cream, and nutmeg. Beat this mixture until it's well-blended and slightly fluffed (this will take about 45 seconds with a silicone spatula). Pour into the pie crust and bake for 55 minutes. At the 40 minute mark, check the pie and cover the crust with foil or a pie guard if it seems pretty dark. <br /><br />Allow the pie to cool for a minimum of an hour. Baking it the day before it is to be eaten is ideal; it can take a while to set. If you prefer it to be very liquidy, though, pull it out of the oven at 45 minutes and eat it the same day. It depends on your preference!RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-16130762780493345422007-11-11T22:26:00.000-08:002007-11-11T22:27:26.863-08:00Yummy squash stewMy guests really liked this. I did too! I recommend some kind of bread or biscuit to go with this.<br /><br />You'll need:<br />To start:<br />1 spaghetti or butternut squash, peeled*, scooped out, and chopped into chunks<br />2 parsnips chopped into chunks<br />2 large carrots chopped into chunks OR a couple handfuls of baby carrots (use what you've got)<br />1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained<br />1 15.5 ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed (or use dried ones you've cooked, whatever)<br />1 chopped yellow onion<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon cumin<br />1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika<br />1/4 teaspoon turmeric<br />2 teaspoons fresh or jar ginger<br />2 teaspoons garlic (or 2 cloves)<br />freshly ground pepper (as much as you like)<br />1 or more teaspoons sea salt (as much as you like--taste and adjust before serving!)<br />2 cups vegetable stock (I use "Better than Bouillion" to make mine)<br />2 tablespoons lemon juice<br /><br />Put all of the above into a crock pot. Let it cook for about 5 or 6 hours. <br /><br />About half an hour before serving, put in the following:<br />1/2 cup green beans (frozen or fresh)<br />1/2 cup peas (frozen, NOT canned)<br />1/2 cup chopped dried apricots and golden raisins (proportions up to you)<br /><br />Stir it up before serving; there's a LOT of stuff in this to mix together. If you use spaghetti squash, it will disintegrate slightly. That's normal and okay. <br /><br />If you don't have a HUGE crock pot, by the way, you may want to halve this recipe!<br /><br />* I've found a regular vegetable peeler works well for these two squashes. It's harder to use it on an acorn squash because of the ridges, but smooth-skinned squashes are no troubleRioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-16464124592295233752007-11-11T22:12:00.001-08:002007-11-11T22:14:18.463-08:00Spiced cider or cranberry juiceA favorite hot drink to warm up a cold day. <br /><br />You'll need:<br />Half a gallon of cider or cranberry juice (or some of each)<br />1 orange<br />3 whole cloves*<br />1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)<br />1 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1 teaspoon cinnamon <i>or</i> 2 cinnamon sticks<br />a mesh tea infuser, preferably a big one<br />one coffee filter<br /><br />Pour the cider and/or juice into a saucepan or slow cooker, put the lid on, and heat it on a low setting.<br /><br />Put all the ground spices in the middle of the coffee filter. Gather up the edges of the filter and twist to form a sachet. Roll the sachet up and stuff it into the tea infuser, then drop the infuser into the cider.<br /><br />Slice the orange into 1/4 inch slices. Stick the whole cloves into one of them (do NOT be tempted to overdo it on the cloves, it will be very nasty if you do) and float the oranges in the cider. <br /><br />Float the cinnamon sticks in the cider as well, if you have them. Alternatively, use ground cinnamon in the filter and serve the mugs with a cinnamon stick stuck in each one.<br /><br />Let this simmer for about 15 minutes minimum. Ladle into mugs. You can top off the cider with more as it is used up; this is especially useful if you're having a party and are using the slow cooker.<br /><br />Hint: If your cider isn't very good (which it might not be if it was heat pasteurized; if you want cold-pasteurized cider in the Albany area, try Indian Ladder farms. If you're in the Quincy, IL area, I STRONGLY recommend Edgewood Orchards cider), add a tablespoon of honey to make it better.<br /><br />Play with this recipe! Drop in whole cranberries, apple slices, crystallized ginger, whatever you can think of. Tweak the spices. Add some rum. Try a teaspoon of spiced rum butter on top. The possibilities are endless.<br /><br />* if you don't have whole cloves, use 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and put it in the filter with the other ground spices.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-90831170734085804852007-11-11T16:15:00.000-08:002008-01-31T16:21:47.228-08:00Illinois PieI have renamed my pie due to the wackos who have made their money by suing people who use the original name. I'd never have heard of them if they hadn't sent me a nastygram, and they've ensured that I won't be purchasing their products (or recommending them) ever. I also noted that their "trademarked" pie contains walnuts, which kind of defeats the purpose of the whole southern theme. Therefore, I have named MY recipe after the state in which I grew up, because the pecan's scientific name is <span style="font-style:italic;">Carya illinoinensis</span>. :)<br /><br />A word of warning: If you try to leave out the bourbon, the recipe just won't work properly; the ingredients do not stratify into the layers like they should.<br /><br />You need:<br />1 pie shell (there is no top crust)*<br />1 cup brown sugar<br />1/2 cup flour<br />1 stick butter, melted<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />2 tablespoons bourbon<br />6 oz semisweet chocolate chips (half a bag, generally)<br />1 cup chopped pecans<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350ºF.<br /><br />Mix all but the pie crust together (this is easier if you stir in the pecans and chocolate chips last) and pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Goes <i>great</i> with vanilla ice cream.<br /><br />*About the Lady's pie crust issues: There are some things in this world that are harder for some people than others. Pie crust is an ancient nemesis of mine, and I have spent many an afternoon weeping because of it. No, don't offer to teach me. I've had at least four people try and fail. I know my limitations, and using a pre-made crust saves me the frustration as well as the time and cleanup of making it from scratch. For this particular recipe, I use a frozen crust that comes in the pie pan. Check ingredients carefully! Generic or store brands often use animal fat or lard. Non-generics generally use vegetable shortening, and the difference in price is minimal. If you are good at making pie crust, of course, have at it! :)RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-4404631955744974892007-09-21T19:08:00.001-07:002007-09-21T19:08:43.202-07:00Almost *too* easy cornbreadIngredients:<br />1 package corn bread mix*<br />1 egg<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />1/3 cup milk<br />1 11 oz can sweet corn**<br />1 tablespoon ground rosemary***<br />2 tablespoons chopped scallions<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400ºF. Mix the stuff together and pour into a small baking dish (I use my Pyrex 8.5x6.5" dish from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005B8K5?ie=UTF8&tag=shdaonthsa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00005B8K5">this set</a>, but an 8x8 would work too) and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. This is a very tender, moist bread, so it would't work well for muffins. <br /><br />Serve plain or with butter. Goes GREAT with barbecue sauce, especially Gardenburger Riblets.<br /><br /><br />* I used the Betty Crocker one. Jiffy's is not vegetarian. These mixes are about 75 cents apiece, so they're super easy and cheap.<br /><br />** I used the "super sweet" from Green Giant. Very, very tasty!<br /><br />*** If you have dried whole rosemary, you can grind it in a mortar and pestle. If you have fresh stuff, chop it until it is fairly fine. Whole rosemary is pointy and painful.<br /><br />This is the cute little mortar and pestle I have; it is small and easy to use:<br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shdaonthsa-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000FRVUOS&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-73130651575011457572007-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:002007-09-19T07:38:07.048-07:00Ultimate blueberry cobblerIngredients for dough:<br />2 cups flour<br />1/3 cup sugar<br />3 teaspoons baking powder<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />6 tablespoons margarine or shortening<br />1 cup milk<br />1 teaspoon almond extract<br /><br />Ingredients for fruit filling:<br />1 lb blueberries, fresh or frozen<br />2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />2 tablespoons Chambord<br />3 tablespoons sugar<br />1 teaspoon almond extract<br /><br />Additional ingredients:<br />1/4 cup sliced almonds<br />1 teaspoon sugar (brown, raw, or white)<br /><br />Stir together the filling ingredients and set aside.<br /><br />Heat oven to 400ºF. <br /><br />Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Add the shortening and blend with a fork or pastry blender until mixture is in marble-sized chunks. Stir in milk just until dough forms a ball. Divide the dough in half, and spread one half over the bottom of a greased square baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned, then remove from oven and spread fruit mixture on top of the cooked dough, using a rubber scraper to get all the juice into the pan. Drop remaining dough in spoonfuls over the top of the blueberries until it is fairly evenly spread without touching the sides of the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup almonds and teaspoon of sugar evenly over the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-19507068879437965602007-08-31T18:28:00.000-07:002007-08-31T18:36:43.242-07:00QuesadillasWe had some tasty quesadillas tonight. One of the good things I did was use Cubanelle peppers. I have been unable to tolerate bell peppers for some time now, and a friend whose husband has a similar problem told me that he is able to eat Cubanelles with no trouble. <br /><br />Stuff you need:<br />Half a butternut squash<br />package of tortillas (we used sun-dried tomato ones, but use what you've got)<br />2 Cubanelle peppers, sliced<br />1 onion or 1 bunch scallions, chopped<br />Cheddar cheese (or whatever your favorite kind is, you'll need ~2 cups)<br />garlic<br />cumin<br />pepper<br />salt<br />sour cream<br /><br />First, steam or bake the squash until it's tender. Remove the rind and mash it up, adding salt and garlic to taste. You can use pre-cooked frozen squash, or the pre-cut frozen squash if it's easier. You can also find pre-cut, peeled butternut squash in the produce department these days.<br /><br />Next, spread some squash over 1/2 of a tortilla. You will want it to be a thin but even layer. <br /><br />Put chopped peppers and onion on top of the squash, and sprinkle pepper and cumin on top.<br /><br />Put about 1/4-1/2 (depending on size and taste) cup cheese on top of the peppers and onions.<br /><br />Fold the quesadilla in half and bake at 350F for about 7 or 8 minutes (until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melted). Serve with sour cream on the side.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-80312092418451962082007-08-29T23:15:00.001-07:002007-08-29T23:15:24.958-07:00Organizing Your RecipesThis idea was part Catt's, part mine. When she is looking at a magazine, and she sees a recipe that she likes, she'll tear out the page(s) containing the recipe rather than keep the whole magazine. Or, she'll cut out the recipe if it's small.<br /><br />The result was a pile of snippets and pages, so I tamed the pile by hole-punching the whole pages and sticking them in a binder, then taping the snippets to either a full size sheet of paper that I hole-punched, or to an index card. I know that a lot of people intend to write the whole recipe out on the index cards, but who really has the time for that, especially if it's one that you haven't tried yet? Taping it to the card works just as well--you can wrap it around the side of the card if it's a long snippet. <br /><br />The next step is to keep track of the ones you try. If it's a keeper, move it to a different binder marked "Keepers". If it was indifferent or crappy, rip the page out, throw it in the recycle bin, and be done with it. <br /><br />Also, if you're trying stuff out in a cookbook, feel free to take a pencil to that sucker. I am merciless with my cookbooks, marking the recipes in a star-rating system, and commenting with adjustments or alternative ideas. I can never leave a recipe well-enough alone, so making notes right in the book helps me keep track of what I've done, what's worked, and what I shouldn't bother with again.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-57664344565664455872007-08-26T21:22:00.000-07:002007-08-26T21:31:12.102-07:00Mashed potatoes. So simple, so filling, and a traditional comfort food. Yet, it's possible to have boring, bland, gluey mashed potatoes if you're not doing a few simple things.<br /><br />The first important matter is to select the right potatoes. I prefer r<b>ussets or Yukon golds</b>--they mash very well and make light, fluffy mashed because of their high starch content. Red-skinned potatoes are NOT good for this because they will become gluey; if you really like the flavor, use red-skinned potatoes for potato salad or scalloped potatoes instead. Generally, go with a "high starch" potato; there are some weird varieties out there like Caribe potatoes that might work too, so just research your varieties before trying something different.<br /><br />So now, you've got your potato variety in order. Now you have to decide: Peel on or peel off? I usually scrub them down pretty hard with a potato brush, using the tip to nick out the eyes (yes, that's what the point at the end of your potato brush is for)*. and chop them up with the peels on. I have better things to do than peel potatoes, and I like having the peels in anyway. Yukon golds have a thinner, more delicate peel than the russets, so if you're a peel-on kind of cook, those are a better choice.<br /><br />How are you going to cook them? You can throw them in a big pot and boil them, like most people do. I still occasionally do that, but mostly I use my steamer to cook them. I've burned my hands too many times trying to pour a big pot of potatoes through a colander, and the steamer leaves the stove free for other things. I use the steamer for all kinds of other foods, too, so it's a pretty good investment. <br /><br />Now, during the cooking process, I usually use some kind of herb to infuse the potatoes. The steamer has a "scenter basket", while I use a giant tea ball in a boiling pot. The herbs are usually whole rosemary and bay leaves, but fresh thyme wouldn't be a bad idea either. I don't put them directly into the pot because rosemary is a craptastic thing to get stuck in your throat, and it's impossible to pick it out like you would a bay leaf. Infusing the flavor this way works very well, and you'd be surprised at how far a little rosemary goes to flavor a lot of potatoes!<br /><br />Another sneaky trick I use is to chop up a parsnip (or two) and steam/boil it right along with the potatoes. It will mash up nicely with the potatoes, blending in due to its color, and will impart a bit of nutty flavor. <br /><br />Now, for the mashing, you can do whatever you want. Some people like to mash up the old fashioned way with a handheld potato masher. I can't really do that without pain, so I toss the potatoes into my stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mash them. You can also use an electric hand mixer; they're a little cheaper than stand mixers. Use what you've got. Butter/margarine are tossed in during this process, along with your liquid (milk, cream, sour cream, soy milk, whatever you prefer), along with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Be gentle with the pepper; it's very easy to overpower potatoes with it. Give the potatoes several taste tests to get the salt just right. Everybody has a different preference, so it's up to you to sort out the amount you want. If you want to make it a little more interesting, use some seasoned salt instead of regular stuff.<br /><br />I prefer not to have gravy, but if you must, Tofurky's giblet gravy is absolutely delicious and totally vegan. Enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">* Potato brushes that have cute little potato shaped designs are adorable, but they lack the eye-gouger; they are less useful than the more utilitarian design linked below.</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0007DHN32&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00005OTZ6&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0006N900C&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000ORFLYE&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0865475784&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ladyshallots-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0000DE2SS&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-78737723708956401222007-08-16T00:29:00.000-07:002007-08-16T00:46:50.577-07:00Essential tools: The Rice CookerI received my first rice cooker as a wedding gift nine years ago (yes, my first wedding). Now that I have one, I can't imagine how I managed life without it. I put in rice, water, and possibly seasonings, put the lid on, and flick the switch. No stirring, no watching the pot, just perfect rice <span style="font-style:italic;">every</span> time with almost no effort. Doubly good is that, to clean it, I just soak the pan for a little while, and anything stuck to it comes right off.<br /><br />Rice is a perfect companion to many of my dishes, and I keep at least a couple types of rice on hand. We buy basmati rice in large cloth bags at the Indian grocery, and we buy jasmine rice in large quantities at the Asian grocery. <br /><br />Because these wonderfully scented rices are fantastic on their own, I usually leave them plain while cooking. Sometimes, however, I toss in a bay leaf, or I sprinkle in some cardamom. Either one can lend a little something to the rice.<br /><br />If I have a lot of leftover rice, I will sometimes use it to make rice pudding, or store it for the next day's meal. There is no such thing as "too much" rice. It's too versatile to go to waste!<br /><br />I would like to impart one piece of advice for use of the rice cooker: Use a little bit of extra water than you would normally use for stovetop cooking. This will prevent the rice burning on the bottom. My general rule of thumb is an extra half cup of water, but if you've got a really large cooker, you may have to use more. I have our formula tacked up on the fridge:<br /><blockquote>W = 2R + .5<br />The quantity of water is equal to twice the amount of rice, plus a half cup. So, if you are cooking one cup of rice, you will need two and a half cups of water.</blockquote><br />Another bonus of rice cookers is that they usually can also steam vegetables. So, you can cook your rice in the bottom while steaming a basket of carrots and broccoli up top! Very easy, no stove needed, and you can work on things other than standing over a hot stove!<br /><br />Some are fancy and digital, while others are simple. Ours is simple, and it works just fine. You don't have to spend a lot to get good results! Also, please note the size of the cooker that you're getting. If you have more than two to feed, a larger cooker is a good idea, but if it's just for two, a smaller quantity of rice tends to burn in the bigger cooker--so you'd want to go for the three cup model. The links below are just an example of what's out there; search for rice cookers to see all kinds of them. Read the product reviews carefully, too, so you don't end up with a dud. There are a few out there that are very cheap, and you should avoid them. Expect to spend about $20 for a simple 3-cup cooker that works pretty well. I wouldn't trust anything that costs less than that.<br /><br />Finally, if you do get a rice cooker, I'd love to hear about it--what brand, what model, whether it's really good or too cheaply made. Good luck, and enjoy :)<br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shdaonthsa-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0009E3F68&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shdaonthsa-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00007J5U7&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shdaonthsa-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00006IUV8&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197532486260482474.post-46795848779549824542007-08-16T00:27:00.000-07:002007-08-16T01:07:37.978-07:00How I do what I doMuch of my cookery is "spoonful of this, pinch of that" sort of stuff. I find that, with a few very simple ingredients, I can make a number of different meals taste really good. Some of the essentials:<br />- a jar of minced ginger (cheap at the Asian or Indian grocery)<br />- a jar of minced or crushed garlic<br />- Tamari soy sauce<br />- lemon juice<br />- lime juice<br />- orange juice<br />- sea salt (the gray stuff at the co-op is fabulous)<br />- thyme (dry or fresh; dry's easier, but they make a paste in a tube now, of all things!)<br />- olive oil<br /><br />Seriously, a combination of most of the above, with your choice of one of the citrus juices, makes a very basic but very tasty "sauce" for cooking vegetables. Some favorite combinations:<br /><br />- Zucchini and mushrooms, with chopped tomatoes thrown in at the very end (and sometimes a can of chick peas). The tomatoes can be fresh or canned--canned ones are best if you can't get garden-fresh ones. The tastless, grainy, painfully acidic things that pass for modern tomatoes in grocery stores are NOT worth your time. Cherry or grape tomatoes, however, are the exception. You toss them in at the end of cooking so that they don't get too mushy; you want them hot, slightly seared, with the skin wrinkling just slightly.<br /><br />- green beans (or other fresh beans, including the yellow wax beans and dragon beans), chopped into 2-inch segments, with sliced almonds<br /><br />- snow peas, broccoli, carrots, and cashews.<br /><br />We generally serve the vegetables over rice; our preference is basmati rice, but jasmine rice is also wonderfully aromatic and delicious. I love it when the basmati fragrance fills our home. It's doubly good when I've put a pinch of cardamom powder in the rice cooker.RioIririhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04358432680088606342noreply@blogger.com0