At the same time I was flexing my baking skills with the Triple Chocolate Cake, I had the opportunity to try out a new vegetable side.
Among the guests at the dinner party was a friend of both Ox and myself, Maria. Maria is a vegetarian, so meatloaf was pretty much off the menu for her (although she was tempted, I have heard). So I volunteered to make an additional vegetable dish to go with the traditional “meatloaf sides” – mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn. Ox and I discussed it, and we both decided that this sounded like it would work best with the meal.
And we were right. Perhaps there’s something to cooking and eating vegetable dishes after all.
Southern Stir Fry
Serves 4
1 cup cold cooked rice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 cups lightly packed spinach leaves
Spray 12 inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. (Or melt a tablespoon of butter or a tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat).
Cook the rice, corn, thyme, garlic salt, pepper, and black-eyed peas until hot, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook until the spinach begins to wilt.
Source: Betty Crocker’s Fix-It-Fast Family Favorites, from General Mills Inc. © 2000
Notes from the Hare
Nothing to say, really – I used a red and black pepper blend instead of just red pepper. This went over very well at the dinner party.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Hearty Cajun Stuffed Steak
Several years ago, my roommates were having several friends over. I wasn’t going to be a part of the festivities, so I volunteered to cook the dinner. The spread was moderately impressive – I suppose that was my very first dinner party. I managed corn on the cob, a salad, some mashed potatoes, and this delectable morsel – which I found in the recipe cards I had mentioned just yesterday.
Hearty Cajun Stuffed Steak
Serves 4
1 pound beef top round steak (or any good thin cut of steak)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
½ pound bulk pork sausage
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (10-ounces) frozen spinach, chopped, thawed, and squeezed dry
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten.
Pound the steak into a ¼ inch rectangle. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Soak 12 wooden toothpicks in water.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook until sausage is brown and crumbly (about 10 minutes). Drain. Preheat grill.
Add spinach, bread crumbs, Parmesan, mustard, salt and egg to skillet. Mix well.
Spread filling over the steak. Roll the steak, jelly-roll style, to enclose the filling. Secure with toothpicks. Grill steak over low flames, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes for medium doneness.
Notes from the Hare
The bread crumbs can be replaced with any sort of crushed dry bread – croutons, crackers, or stuffing mix would work well. To crush them faster, run them through the food processor or blender for a few minutes.
If you don’t have a grill (or don’t want to use it), you can brown the steak on the stove in a skillet heated over medium heat, turning the steak as you go. Once it’s nice and brown, you can bake in a covered dish for about 45 minutes. The gas grill that my roommate had actually ran out of gas before the steak was completely cooked, so I had to finish it off in the oven
If you plan on cooking this in the oven, you can secure it with the toothpicks as above, or tie the steak with string if you prefer.
Hearty Cajun Stuffed Steak
Serves 4
1 pound beef top round steak (or any good thin cut of steak)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
½ pound bulk pork sausage
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (10-ounces) frozen spinach, chopped, thawed, and squeezed dry
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten.
Pound the steak into a ¼ inch rectangle. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Soak 12 wooden toothpicks in water.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook until sausage is brown and crumbly (about 10 minutes). Drain. Preheat grill.
Add spinach, bread crumbs, Parmesan, mustard, salt and egg to skillet. Mix well.
Spread filling over the steak. Roll the steak, jelly-roll style, to enclose the filling. Secure with toothpicks. Grill steak over low flames, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes for medium doneness.
Notes from the Hare
The bread crumbs can be replaced with any sort of crushed dry bread – croutons, crackers, or stuffing mix would work well. To crush them faster, run them through the food processor or blender for a few minutes.
If you don’t have a grill (or don’t want to use it), you can brown the steak on the stove in a skillet heated over medium heat, turning the steak as you go. Once it’s nice and brown, you can bake in a covered dish for about 45 minutes. The gas grill that my roommate had actually ran out of gas before the steak was completely cooked, so I had to finish it off in the oven
If you plan on cooking this in the oven, you can secure it with the toothpicks as above, or tie the steak with string if you prefer.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Cheeseburger Pie
A few years ago, I signed up for a series of recipe cards. I don’t think I got the entire set, but I got a lot of them. There’s several odd and / or interesting recipes included in the cards I have. Several of them are things I would never consider trying to make.
Like this, for example.
Cheeseburger Pie
Serves 6
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
1 pound ground beef
½ cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
8 slices American cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake pie shell for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and cook until brown and crumbly (about 5 minutes)
Add tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, and bouillon. Cook until bouillon dissolves and remove from heat. Add eggs and flour and mix well.
Tear 6 of the cheese slices into small pieces. Stir the cheese pieces into the meat mixture, then spoon into the pie shell. Bake the pie for 25 minutes, or until the filling is heated through.
Cut the remaining cheese slices into triangles. Arrange he triangles in a spoke fashion on top of the pie. Bake for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Cut the pie into wedges and serve.
Notes from the Hare
Any kind of cheese will work in this pie – Swiss, Provolone, Cheddar – so use whatever you like on a cheeseburger.
Like this, for example.
Cheeseburger Pie
Serves 6
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
1 pound ground beef
½ cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
8 slices American cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake pie shell for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and cook until brown and crumbly (about 5 minutes)
Add tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, and bouillon. Cook until bouillon dissolves and remove from heat. Add eggs and flour and mix well.
Tear 6 of the cheese slices into small pieces. Stir the cheese pieces into the meat mixture, then spoon into the pie shell. Bake the pie for 25 minutes, or until the filling is heated through.
Cut the remaining cheese slices into triangles. Arrange he triangles in a spoke fashion on top of the pie. Bake for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Cut the pie into wedges and serve.
Notes from the Hare
Any kind of cheese will work in this pie – Swiss, Provolone, Cheddar – so use whatever you like on a cheeseburger.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Mystery Solved - Roasted Salmon
One thing I have always liked was fish. Not fish sticks, mind you (because, really, what part of a fish can be made into sticks?). Fish.
Frozen fish fillets are ok, but I much prefer fresh. Baked fish is something I’m a particular sucker for. I generally don’t cook a lot of fish – growing up it wasn’t something that was cooked a lot at home. But that certainly doesn’t stop me from finding recipes now so I can correct that error, now does it?
Roasted Salmon
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark molasses, preferably unsulphured
2 teaspoons lime juice
4 salmon filets (6-8 ounces each) with skin
Vegetable or Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Whisk soy sauce, molasses, and lime juice in a shallow non-reactive dish. Add salmon filets, flesh side down, and marinate 30 minutes or slightly longer at cool room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease the foil with oil.
Place salmon fillets, flesh side up, on the baking sheet. Salt lightly. Roast salmon until flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pierced with a sharp knife, 10 to 14 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from over and, using a metal spatula, loosen each fillet from its skin and transfer to dinner plate.
Notes from the Hare
This salmon recipe came with the Crispy Asian Salad that I posted Tuesday – half of the dressing made for the salad can be drizzled over the fish, which you can then sprinkle with some of the remaining cilantro and peanuts.
Frozen fish fillets are ok, but I much prefer fresh. Baked fish is something I’m a particular sucker for. I generally don’t cook a lot of fish – growing up it wasn’t something that was cooked a lot at home. But that certainly doesn’t stop me from finding recipes now so I can correct that error, now does it?
Roasted Salmon
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark molasses, preferably unsulphured
2 teaspoons lime juice
4 salmon filets (6-8 ounces each) with skin
Vegetable or Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Whisk soy sauce, molasses, and lime juice in a shallow non-reactive dish. Add salmon filets, flesh side down, and marinate 30 minutes or slightly longer at cool room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease the foil with oil.
Place salmon fillets, flesh side up, on the baking sheet. Salt lightly. Roast salmon until flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pierced with a sharp knife, 10 to 14 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from over and, using a metal spatula, loosen each fillet from its skin and transfer to dinner plate.
Notes from the Hare
This salmon recipe came with the Crispy Asian Salad that I posted Tuesday – half of the dressing made for the salad can be drizzled over the fish, which you can then sprinkle with some of the remaining cilantro and peanuts.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Crispy Asian Salad - and a Mystery
You know, for a Hare, I’m not a big fan of salads.
Growing up I never had to “eat my vegetables.” Mom didn’t cook a lot in the first place, and she rarely had anything beyond mashed potatoes, corn, or green beans. Salad was never a big dinner item at home. I considered myself a carnivore, since that was the mainstay of my diet for a long time. Vegetables were not something I ate – veggies were what food ate.
This has changed – I’m much more omnivorous than I used to be, and salads in general aren’t that bad. This particular recipe I have yet to try, but I like cucumbers and almost every Asian dish I’ve tried, so this seemed like a good thing to keep around.
Crispy Asian Salad
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 medium lime
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon roasted red pepper flakes
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (about ½ a small head)
1 medium cucumber with peel, halved lengthwise, seeded, thinly sliced
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Whisk vinegar, lime juice and zest, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes in a small non-reactive bowl. In a large bowl toss lettuce, cucumber slices, ½ cup peanuts, and half of the cilantro.
Salad can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate salad and dressing separately, cover and leave remaining nuts and cilantro at room temperature. Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before using.
Toss salad with half of dressing to coat well.
Notes from the Hare
Wait, you say – only use half the dressing on the salad? What about the rest?
The rest can be drizzled onto tomorrow’s recipe, of course.
Growing up I never had to “eat my vegetables.” Mom didn’t cook a lot in the first place, and she rarely had anything beyond mashed potatoes, corn, or green beans. Salad was never a big dinner item at home. I considered myself a carnivore, since that was the mainstay of my diet for a long time. Vegetables were not something I ate – veggies were what food ate.
This has changed – I’m much more omnivorous than I used to be, and salads in general aren’t that bad. This particular recipe I have yet to try, but I like cucumbers and almost every Asian dish I’ve tried, so this seemed like a good thing to keep around.
Crispy Asian Salad
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 medium lime
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon roasted red pepper flakes
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (about ½ a small head)
1 medium cucumber with peel, halved lengthwise, seeded, thinly sliced
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Whisk vinegar, lime juice and zest, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes in a small non-reactive bowl. In a large bowl toss lettuce, cucumber slices, ½ cup peanuts, and half of the cilantro.
Salad can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate salad and dressing separately, cover and leave remaining nuts and cilantro at room temperature. Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before using.
Toss salad with half of dressing to coat well.
Notes from the Hare
Wait, you say – only use half the dressing on the salad? What about the rest?
The rest can be drizzled onto tomorrow’s recipe, of course.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Although I know I found this recipe online, I haven’t been able to re-locate it anywhere. Luckily I saved a copy for myself.
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 3
3 ½ cups chicken broth (roughly 2 14 ounce cans)
1 cup water
¾ cup dried fine egg noodles
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup fresh peapods, halved crosswise, or half of a 6 ounce pack of frozen peapods, thawed and sliced crosswise
In a large saucepan combine chicken broth, water, noodles, soy sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling. Stir in the sweet pepper, carrot, and green onions. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and noodles are tender.
Stir in chicken and pea pods. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes more or until pea pods are crisp-tender.
Notes from the Hare
Nothing this time - ,mainly because I haven’t made this in a long while and I didn’t play much with it the last time I made it.
It’s good for a cold, though – that I can attest to.
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 3
3 ½ cups chicken broth (roughly 2 14 ounce cans)
1 cup water
¾ cup dried fine egg noodles
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup fresh peapods, halved crosswise, or half of a 6 ounce pack of frozen peapods, thawed and sliced crosswise
In a large saucepan combine chicken broth, water, noodles, soy sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling. Stir in the sweet pepper, carrot, and green onions. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and noodles are tender.
Stir in chicken and pea pods. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes more or until pea pods are crisp-tender.
Notes from the Hare
Nothing this time - ,mainly because I haven’t made this in a long while and I didn’t play much with it the last time I made it.
It’s good for a cold, though – that I can attest to.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Triple Chocolate Cake
Lets talk cake.
Perhaps, in your family, or among your circle of friends, there is one person who is better at baking than others. One person whose cakes always seem a little more moist, a little more light.
In my family, that was me.
I bake a good cake. I don’t say this lightly, either. One year, I baked six birthday cakes. Incidentally, my family compromises six people, myself included.
Recently I got to flex my baking skills for a friends birthday. When asked what kind of cake he wanted me to bake, he said “Whatever.” So I grabbed this quick and easy – and so very yummy – cake.
Triple Chocolate Cake
Makes 1 10-inch cake
1 package (18-20 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 package (3-5 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
4 large eggs
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, chocolate chips, sour cream, eggs, pecans, water, and oil in a large bowl and stir until well blended. Pour batter into a well greased 12-cup Bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for one hour, or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on wire rack. Top the cake with a small amount of sifted powdered sugar, melted chocolate sauce, or melted jelly.
Source: The Best of Mr. Food Volume 2 from Oxmoor House, Inc. © 2001
Notes from the Hare
When picking your cake mix, pudding mix, and chips, go with your tastes. If you have real chocoholics that will be sampling the cake, go for something rich on all fronts. Pretty much any combination will work. Similarly, if you don’t like pecans, use chopped almonds, walnuts, peanuts – whatever you prefer. Leave them out if you prefer. Or add more.
For the birthday cake, I melted some strawberry preserves and drizzled them over the cake.
Perhaps, in your family, or among your circle of friends, there is one person who is better at baking than others. One person whose cakes always seem a little more moist, a little more light.
In my family, that was me.
I bake a good cake. I don’t say this lightly, either. One year, I baked six birthday cakes. Incidentally, my family compromises six people, myself included.
Recently I got to flex my baking skills for a friends birthday. When asked what kind of cake he wanted me to bake, he said “Whatever.” So I grabbed this quick and easy – and so very yummy – cake.
Triple Chocolate Cake
Makes 1 10-inch cake
1 package (18-20 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 package (3-5 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
4 large eggs
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, chocolate chips, sour cream, eggs, pecans, water, and oil in a large bowl and stir until well blended. Pour batter into a well greased 12-cup Bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for one hour, or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on wire rack. Top the cake with a small amount of sifted powdered sugar, melted chocolate sauce, or melted jelly.
Source: The Best of Mr. Food Volume 2 from Oxmoor House, Inc. © 2001
Notes from the Hare
When picking your cake mix, pudding mix, and chips, go with your tastes. If you have real chocoholics that will be sampling the cake, go for something rich on all fronts. Pretty much any combination will work. Similarly, if you don’t like pecans, use chopped almonds, walnuts, peanuts – whatever you prefer. Leave them out if you prefer. Or add more.
For the birthday cake, I melted some strawberry preserves and drizzled them over the cake.
Tender Lamb Shanks in Red Wine with Onion, Garlic and Tomatoes
Tender lamb shanks in red wine with onion, garlic and tomatoes.
Suggestions: Casseroles like these are good made a day ahead. Cool quickly, then refrigerate. To serve, remove excess fat off the top, then reheat thoroughly.
Serves: 4 person(s)
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 2hrs 10 mins
Ingredients:
8 baby pickling onions, skins removed
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp tomato paste, reduced salt
14 oz can tomatoes in juice, chopped
2 Tbsp extra water
1 tsp beef stock powder
1 tsp garlic stock powder
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 lamb shanks, trimmed (10 oz each)
1 pkt french onion soup mix
1 roasted red pepper, skinned and cut into quarters
1 roasted yellow pepper, skinned and cut into quarters
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325?F.
Place lamb shanks, onions and garlic cloves in a large casserole dish.
Combine the soup mix, wine, water, thyme, tomato paste and stock powders in a bowl, then stir in the tomatoes and juice. Pour over the lamb shanks. Cover casserole. Cook in oven for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once after about 1 hour.
Add the peppers; cover and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Skim any excess fat from the top of the sauce. Combine the cornstarch and water, and stir into the casserole.
Return to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve with couscous or mashed potatoes.
Serving suggestions and garnishes not included in recipe analysis.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
Calories: 478 cals
Kilojoules: 1,998 kJ
Fat: 6.0 g
Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
Protein: 74.0 g
Cholesterol: 198.0 mg
Sodium: 672 mg
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Fiber: 4.5 g
Suggestions: Casseroles like these are good made a day ahead. Cool quickly, then refrigerate. To serve, remove excess fat off the top, then reheat thoroughly.
Serves: 4 person(s)
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 2hrs 10 mins
Ingredients:
8 baby pickling onions, skins removed
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp tomato paste, reduced salt
14 oz can tomatoes in juice, chopped
2 Tbsp extra water
1 tsp beef stock powder
1 tsp garlic stock powder
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 lamb shanks, trimmed (10 oz each)
1 pkt french onion soup mix
1 roasted red pepper, skinned and cut into quarters
1 roasted yellow pepper, skinned and cut into quarters
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325?F.
Place lamb shanks, onions and garlic cloves in a large casserole dish.
Combine the soup mix, wine, water, thyme, tomato paste and stock powders in a bowl, then stir in the tomatoes and juice. Pour over the lamb shanks. Cover casserole. Cook in oven for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once after about 1 hour.
Add the peppers; cover and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Skim any excess fat from the top of the sauce. Combine the cornstarch and water, and stir into the casserole.
Return to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve with couscous or mashed potatoes.
Serving suggestions and garnishes not included in recipe analysis.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
Calories: 478 cals
Kilojoules: 1,998 kJ
Fat: 6.0 g
Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
Protein: 74.0 g
Cholesterol: 198.0 mg
Sodium: 672 mg
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Fiber: 4.5 g
Chunky Vegetable Chowder
Hi, Ox here. Just discovered this recipe. Haven't fixed it yet, but it looks absolutely YUMMY!
Chunky Vegetable Chowder
By CalorieKing.com
Serve this soup with a crusty roll and it's a hearty meal on a cold winter's eve.
Serves: 4 person(s)
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
1 medium potato, cubed
2 cup pumpkin, cubed
1 vegetable stock cube
3 cup water
2 Tbsp smoke-flavoured textured soy bits
1 Tbsp margarine (milk-free)
2 Tbsp flour
2 cup soy drink
15 oz canned corn kernels, drained
1 lb leek, sliced
2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
Directions:
Place leeks, potato, carrots, pumpkin, stock cube and water into a large saucepan.
Cover; bring mixture to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add corn and soy bits. Remove from heat.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan (or microwave on High 100% for 1 minute). Add flour then cook or microwave for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and gradually add soy.
Return to heat, stirring continuously until mixture thickens.
Season with salt.
Stir white sauce into vegetable mixture and heat through.
Variations:
Serving suggestions and garnishes not included in recipe analysis.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
Calories: 325 cals
Kilojoules: 1,360 kJ
Fat: 13.0 g
Carbohydrates: 42.0 g
Protein: 14.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 610 mg
Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
Fiber: 0.0 g
Chunky Vegetable Chowder
By CalorieKing.com
Serve this soup with a crusty roll and it's a hearty meal on a cold winter's eve.
Serves: 4 person(s)
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
1 medium potato, cubed
2 cup pumpkin, cubed
1 vegetable stock cube
3 cup water
2 Tbsp smoke-flavoured textured soy bits
1 Tbsp margarine (milk-free)
2 Tbsp flour
2 cup soy drink
15 oz canned corn kernels, drained
1 lb leek, sliced
2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
Directions:
Place leeks, potato, carrots, pumpkin, stock cube and water into a large saucepan.
Cover; bring mixture to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add corn and soy bits. Remove from heat.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan (or microwave on High 100% for 1 minute). Add flour then cook or microwave for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and gradually add soy.
Return to heat, stirring continuously until mixture thickens.
Season with salt.
Stir white sauce into vegetable mixture and heat through.
Variations:
Serving suggestions and garnishes not included in recipe analysis.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
Calories: 325 cals
Kilojoules: 1,360 kJ
Fat: 13.0 g
Carbohydrates: 42.0 g
Protein: 14.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 610 mg
Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
Fiber: 0.0 g
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Taco Soup
Given that most days I get home from work with almost no desire to do anything, I am a big fan of quick and easy recipes. Anything that I can prepare without a lot of work is likely to be something I’ll make often – especially if cleanup is easy too.
A quick soup is especially good. First off, its soup – perhaps the most comforting of comfort foods. Second, it’s easy to make a lot of soup for company. Third, on a good cold day, a hot bowl of soup most always hits the spot.
With all that in mind, here’s one of my favorite quick and easy soup recipes.
Taco Soup
Serves 8 to 10
1 pound ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans (14 - 16 ounces) Mexican style chili beans, undrained
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 – 6 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 ½ cups of water
Assorted garnishes
Cook beef and onion in a large pot over, medium high heat until the meat is browned and the onion is tender, stirring until the meat crumbles. Drain and return to pot.
Stir in the beans, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chilies, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon soup into bowls. Top with corn chips, tortilla strips, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese – pretty much anything you like on a taco can go on your taco soup.
Source: The Best of Mr. Food from Oxmoor House, Inc. © 2000
Notes from the Hare
Sometimes I leave out the onion – mainly because I forget to get one. I routinely forget the ranch dressing mix, and it doesn’t seem to impact the taste at all. You can add more spices to your own taste as well. I like some black and red pepper in mine, for example.
I tend to mix up the beans a little – my usual mix is 2 cans of chili beans and 1 can of black beans.
The meat is flexible too. You can make this with ground beef, sirloin, pork, sausage, chicken or turkey if you are so inclined. Vegetarians can use any meat substitute (like Crumbles) in place of the real meat.
A quick soup is especially good. First off, its soup – perhaps the most comforting of comfort foods. Second, it’s easy to make a lot of soup for company. Third, on a good cold day, a hot bowl of soup most always hits the spot.
With all that in mind, here’s one of my favorite quick and easy soup recipes.
Taco Soup
Serves 8 to 10
1 pound ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans (14 - 16 ounces) Mexican style chili beans, undrained
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14 – 16 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 – 6 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 ½ cups of water
Assorted garnishes
Cook beef and onion in a large pot over, medium high heat until the meat is browned and the onion is tender, stirring until the meat crumbles. Drain and return to pot.
Stir in the beans, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chilies, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon soup into bowls. Top with corn chips, tortilla strips, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese – pretty much anything you like on a taco can go on your taco soup.
Source: The Best of Mr. Food from Oxmoor House, Inc. © 2000
Notes from the Hare
Sometimes I leave out the onion – mainly because I forget to get one. I routinely forget the ranch dressing mix, and it doesn’t seem to impact the taste at all. You can add more spices to your own taste as well. I like some black and red pepper in mine, for example.
I tend to mix up the beans a little – my usual mix is 2 cans of chili beans and 1 can of black beans.
The meat is flexible too. You can make this with ground beef, sirloin, pork, sausage, chicken or turkey if you are so inclined. Vegetarians can use any meat substitute (like Crumbles) in place of the real meat.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
40 Cloves and a Chicken
One of my favorite cooking shows comes on the Food Network - Good Eats. Not only do you get some tasty recipes, but you also get a little food history, some nutritional information, equipment tips, and some of the science of cooking – and it’s entertaining and fun to watch to boot.
Some weeks ago, one particular recipe caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try. Garlic is one thing I don’t cook a lot with – mainly because it was never a big ingredient around the house when I grew up. The episode in question (entitled “In the Bulb of the Night”) featured an interesting looking chicken dish that called for 40 – yes, 40 – cloves of garlic.
And it’s a very tasty dish at that.
40 Cloves and A Chicken
1 whole chicken (broiler or fryer), cut into 8 pieces
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 sprigs fresh thyme
40 peeled cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat; add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 ½ hours.
Remove chicken from oven. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, carve, and serve
(Original recipe can be found here)
Notes from the Hare
When I cooked this I used 6 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless. Also, since the grocery didn’t have any fresh thyme, I used fresh rosemary instead. Also, I don’t have a skillet big enough to hold all that chicken that is oven safe, so I browned the chicken on the stove and transferred it to a baking dish that I then covered with aluminum foil.
One of the things I really love about Good Eats, though? The occasional little nuggets of wisdom that don’t show up on the website. Case in point – while the chicken is resting, grab a kitchen brush and some good crusty bread. Coat the bread in the olive oil from the pan, then bake it for a couple of minutes until toasted. When serving, the individual garlic cloves can be spread on the toasted bread just like butter.
Some weeks ago, one particular recipe caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try. Garlic is one thing I don’t cook a lot with – mainly because it was never a big ingredient around the house when I grew up. The episode in question (entitled “In the Bulb of the Night”) featured an interesting looking chicken dish that called for 40 – yes, 40 – cloves of garlic.
And it’s a very tasty dish at that.
40 Cloves and A Chicken
1 whole chicken (broiler or fryer), cut into 8 pieces
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 sprigs fresh thyme
40 peeled cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat; add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 ½ hours.
Remove chicken from oven. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, carve, and serve
(Original recipe can be found here)
Notes from the Hare
When I cooked this I used 6 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless. Also, since the grocery didn’t have any fresh thyme, I used fresh rosemary instead. Also, I don’t have a skillet big enough to hold all that chicken that is oven safe, so I browned the chicken on the stove and transferred it to a baking dish that I then covered with aluminum foil.
One of the things I really love about Good Eats, though? The occasional little nuggets of wisdom that don’t show up on the website. Case in point – while the chicken is resting, grab a kitchen brush and some good crusty bread. Coat the bread in the olive oil from the pan, then bake it for a couple of minutes until toasted. When serving, the individual garlic cloves can be spread on the toasted bread just like butter.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Ricotta Honey Pudding
I’ll admit that I have a sweet tooth – consequentially a lot of my recipes revolve around dessert. Not all of them, mind you but I do love my deserts.
I don’t know where this came from originally, but I prepared it at Thanksgiving last year ands it was very tasty and went over quite well.
Ricotta Honey Pudding
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup honey
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
Ground cinnamon for garnish
1 pint fresh raspberries
Combine ricotta, honey, egg yolks and vanilla in saucepan and heat over low heat until warmed through.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into ricotta mixture and heat for a few minutes.
Spoon pudding into serving bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Chill for 1 - 2 hours. Garnish with raspberries or another of your favorite fruits.
Notes from the Hare
I prepared it without the fresh raspberries or any other fruit and a generous shaking of cinnamon. I imagine mixing a little nutmeg with the cinnamon would be good as well.
I don’t know where this came from originally, but I prepared it at Thanksgiving last year ands it was very tasty and went over quite well.
Ricotta Honey Pudding
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup honey
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
Ground cinnamon for garnish
1 pint fresh raspberries
Combine ricotta, honey, egg yolks and vanilla in saucepan and heat over low heat until warmed through.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into ricotta mixture and heat for a few minutes.
Spoon pudding into serving bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Chill for 1 - 2 hours. Garnish with raspberries or another of your favorite fruits.
Notes from the Hare
I prepared it without the fresh raspberries or any other fruit and a generous shaking of cinnamon. I imagine mixing a little nutmeg with the cinnamon would be good as well.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Spanish Hot Chocolate
Hare here. For my first post, I thought we would start things off with something sweet and very tasty.
Most people think chocolate when they think of Valentines Day. Nothing wrong with it, mind you, but for anyone who would like to do something a little sweeter than usual for their sweetie, I ca recommend this recipe for a Spanish style hot chocolate.
I found this one in one of my cookbooks – at the request of a friend no less. For anyone not familiar with this, a small bit of warning up front – this is some thick chocolate. Very thick. According to the cookbook, “you almost need to eat it with a spoon.” And that’s the truth, folks.
Of course, that also makes it perfect for dipping things, like small cookies, or fruit, or bits of pastry.
Spanish Hot Chocolate
Serves 4-6
3 ½ ounces (100 grams) semisweet chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa, broken up
2 ½ cups of milk
a generous ½ cup of superfine sugar
3 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt.
Melt the chocolate in the milk in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and continue stirring until it dissolves.
Put the cornstarch in a small bowl and make a well in the center. Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot liquid and gradually stir the cornstarch into the liquid until a smooth, thick paste forms. Stir in another 2 tablespoons of hot liquid.
Stir all the cornstarch mixture into the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add vanilla and pinch of salt and bring to a boil, stirring, until the chocolate thickens. Pour into coffee cups and serve.
Source: Food of the World: Spain, the Food and Lifestyle, from Parragon Publishing © 2003
Notes from the Hare
When I tried this out the first time, I used Baker’s chocolate. I doubt I had 70% cocoa in that, but it worked relatively well. I’ve yet to make it with the recommended chocolate, but I will.
I believe the recipe would work best if the chocolate is in relatively large chunks. I had several shavings and small bits of chocolate in mine, and they tend to stick to the spoon and not melt, which annoys me greatly.
The chocolate thickens pretty fast. I didn’t notice it happening. One minute I was stirring along, nice and smooth, and the next minute I was stirring very slowly because the chocolate was thick. It’s a quick transition.
Most people think chocolate when they think of Valentines Day. Nothing wrong with it, mind you, but for anyone who would like to do something a little sweeter than usual for their sweetie, I ca recommend this recipe for a Spanish style hot chocolate.
I found this one in one of my cookbooks – at the request of a friend no less. For anyone not familiar with this, a small bit of warning up front – this is some thick chocolate. Very thick. According to the cookbook, “you almost need to eat it with a spoon.” And that’s the truth, folks.
Of course, that also makes it perfect for dipping things, like small cookies, or fruit, or bits of pastry.
Spanish Hot Chocolate
Serves 4-6
3 ½ ounces (100 grams) semisweet chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa, broken up
2 ½ cups of milk
a generous ½ cup of superfine sugar
3 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt.
Melt the chocolate in the milk in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and continue stirring until it dissolves.
Put the cornstarch in a small bowl and make a well in the center. Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot liquid and gradually stir the cornstarch into the liquid until a smooth, thick paste forms. Stir in another 2 tablespoons of hot liquid.
Stir all the cornstarch mixture into the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add vanilla and pinch of salt and bring to a boil, stirring, until the chocolate thickens. Pour into coffee cups and serve.
Source: Food of the World: Spain, the Food and Lifestyle, from Parragon Publishing © 2003
Notes from the Hare
When I tried this out the first time, I used Baker’s chocolate. I doubt I had 70% cocoa in that, but it worked relatively well. I’ve yet to make it with the recommended chocolate, but I will.
I believe the recipe would work best if the chocolate is in relatively large chunks. I had several shavings and small bits of chocolate in mine, and they tend to stick to the spoon and not melt, which annoys me greatly.
The chocolate thickens pretty fast. I didn’t notice it happening. One minute I was stirring along, nice and smooth, and the next minute I was stirring very slowly because the chocolate was thick. It’s a quick transition.
Brunswick Stew
Hello all, this is Ox. I found this recipe on-line and have really wanted to try it, which I haven't done so far. If anyone out there tries it, let me know how it turned out.
Main Course: Brunswick Stew
1 whole chicken,
cut up 3 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 10-oz. bag frozen butter beans
1 16.5-oz. bag white shoepeg corn
1 16-oz. can stewed tomatoes
3 small potatoes, cut in bite sized pieces
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. marjoram
3 Tbsp. butter
Put chicken pieces in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Add celery, onion, salt and pepper and boil until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot reserving the water. Add remaining ingredients to pot and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours until tender. When chicken has cooled, remove meat from bones. Add chicken to vegetables and cook for another 1/2 hour. The Skinny: Use only skinless chicken breasts.
Main Course: Brunswick Stew
1 whole chicken,
cut up 3 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 10-oz. bag frozen butter beans
1 16.5-oz. bag white shoepeg corn
1 16-oz. can stewed tomatoes
3 small potatoes, cut in bite sized pieces
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. marjoram
3 Tbsp. butter
Put chicken pieces in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Add celery, onion, salt and pepper and boil until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot reserving the water. Add remaining ingredients to pot and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours until tender. When chicken has cooled, remove meat from bones. Add chicken to vegetables and cook for another 1/2 hour. The Skinny: Use only skinless chicken breasts.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Welcome to the Ox and Hare Inn!
We’ll start with a little background and a couple of general notes about the place, before we get down to business proper.
Some time ago, I (being the Hare) and my good friend (being the Ox) decided to start swapping recipes. Ox set up a group for our exchange, and we started trading our culinary delights through e-mail. To be fair, she was generally much better about e-mailing recipes than I was.
A few weeks ago, she and I were talking about the group and the apparent lack of members. She and I were the only people involved, so it seemed kind of silly to have a group, I thought.
“Oh, other people look at it,” she said. “Some of my family looks at it, and some of my friends. And a few random people from around the Net too.”
Which surprised me, honestly.
We talked more, and it came out that several times it had been suggested that we create a slightly easier to browse and more permanent home for the recipes. This seemed like a fine idea to us both – but how to set it up? And what to call it?
Setting it up turned out to be easy – Ox and I both maintain journals online, and Ox has had a Blog for a while (which you can check out here if you like) and she has had nothing but good things to say about Blogger, so here we are. The name however – all we could come up with initially was that it needed to be some sort of inn – the kind of place you would walk into on a cold windy night, weary from the road, and be able to sit down at a roaring fire with a plate of good food to enjoy.
But what to call it?
Then, not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting, thinking about nothing specific, when I happened upon my Chinese Zodiac sign. I’m a rabbit – a hare. And Ox is, well, an ox. I suggested the idea to her, and she agreed.
So as I said, welcome to the Ox and Hare Inn.
Now for a few specifics.
The Ox and Hare Inn was established as a place to share food – or, more specifically, recipes. Ox and I will be making posts hopefully every day with some recipe that we have accumulated over the years.
Comments are open to everyone who wants to leave one, and please do – if you try a recipe and it works wonderfully, we’d like to know. If it doesn’t come out quite right, you can tell us that too. It could be that something got left out of the recipe (although we’ll try not to leave anything out).
The only thing we would like to say right now is this – we don’t know where all these recipes came from. Yes, a lot of them we have gotten from our families and some are from friends. Some have been found in the newspaper, some in magazines, some on TV shows or on the Internet, some on food packages, and some from cookbooks. If we have a source for the recipe, we’ll include it. If we don’t, we won’t. If you disagree with our source listed, that’s fine – but we’d really rather not deal with that here. Recipes are meant to be shared, after all. Where you found it is less important that sharing it with someone else.
Recipes will go up through the week, at least one a day from either Ox or myself. Anything you would like to see outside of recipes, by all means let us know. Tips on preparation, thoughts on presentation, things to watch out for, tools – we’ll provide what information and experience we can on any given topic. If you have a recipe that you would like to share, e-mail us and let us know.
Look for the first tasty morsels to be up tomorrow. And thanks for stopping by.
Some time ago, I (being the Hare) and my good friend (being the Ox) decided to start swapping recipes. Ox set up a group for our exchange, and we started trading our culinary delights through e-mail. To be fair, she was generally much better about e-mailing recipes than I was.
A few weeks ago, she and I were talking about the group and the apparent lack of members. She and I were the only people involved, so it seemed kind of silly to have a group, I thought.
“Oh, other people look at it,” she said. “Some of my family looks at it, and some of my friends. And a few random people from around the Net too.”
Which surprised me, honestly.
We talked more, and it came out that several times it had been suggested that we create a slightly easier to browse and more permanent home for the recipes. This seemed like a fine idea to us both – but how to set it up? And what to call it?
Setting it up turned out to be easy – Ox and I both maintain journals online, and Ox has had a Blog for a while (which you can check out here if you like) and she has had nothing but good things to say about Blogger, so here we are. The name however – all we could come up with initially was that it needed to be some sort of inn – the kind of place you would walk into on a cold windy night, weary from the road, and be able to sit down at a roaring fire with a plate of good food to enjoy.
But what to call it?
Then, not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting, thinking about nothing specific, when I happened upon my Chinese Zodiac sign. I’m a rabbit – a hare. And Ox is, well, an ox. I suggested the idea to her, and she agreed.
So as I said, welcome to the Ox and Hare Inn.
Now for a few specifics.
The Ox and Hare Inn was established as a place to share food – or, more specifically, recipes. Ox and I will be making posts hopefully every day with some recipe that we have accumulated over the years.
Comments are open to everyone who wants to leave one, and please do – if you try a recipe and it works wonderfully, we’d like to know. If it doesn’t come out quite right, you can tell us that too. It could be that something got left out of the recipe (although we’ll try not to leave anything out).
The only thing we would like to say right now is this – we don’t know where all these recipes came from. Yes, a lot of them we have gotten from our families and some are from friends. Some have been found in the newspaper, some in magazines, some on TV shows or on the Internet, some on food packages, and some from cookbooks. If we have a source for the recipe, we’ll include it. If we don’t, we won’t. If you disagree with our source listed, that’s fine – but we’d really rather not deal with that here. Recipes are meant to be shared, after all. Where you found it is less important that sharing it with someone else.
Recipes will go up through the week, at least one a day from either Ox or myself. Anything you would like to see outside of recipes, by all means let us know. Tips on preparation, thoughts on presentation, things to watch out for, tools – we’ll provide what information and experience we can on any given topic. If you have a recipe that you would like to share, e-mail us and let us know.
Look for the first tasty morsels to be up tomorrow. And thanks for stopping by.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)