Sweet and Smoky Glazed Tofu Ham (Isa Chandra)

Vegan Month of Food 2017
“Lines and Light”

(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

“Where do you get your protein?” they inquire.
“Where do you get your fiber?” I respond.

Day 3:  But where do you get your protein? Make a protein packed meal.
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

Can you even believe how gorgeous this tofu is? Seriously! TOFU HAM! That’s crazy! As you might know, tofu is made from soy beans and those little babies are loaded with protein – easily digested, delicious protein.

I followed the recipe closely, but I used marmalade instead of apricot jam. I also skipped the whiskey and smoked salt. I’m telling you, the marinade actually tasted like ham. It was smoky and sweet and thick and dark. One important note is to really press the tofu well. This will help it obtain that chewy, toothsome bite we tofu lovers crave. 

Find this excellent recipe HERE. (Thanks, Isa!)

A Trio of Tasty Tidbits

Mini Florentine Cups, Cheddar Ham Cups and Chicken Taco Cups
(My 100th post)

Hors d’oeuvre. According to the dictionary (which I had to use to check on my spelling)  “out of the ordinary, apart from the main work, a relish or more elaborate preparation served before the first course of a meal.”

I also found this definition, which I love: “a small bit of appetizing food, as spicy meat, fish, cheese, or a preparation of chopped or creamed foods, often served on crackers or small pieces of toast, for eating at cocktail parties or other gatherings where drinks are served with no other food.”  I love how in this official definition they mention specifically where to eat hors d’oeuvres – at a cocktail party or gathering where drinks are served. Don’t let that scare you away from eating them any old night of the week. They make a great casual dinner, with or without drinks.

The recipes below come from two cookbooks I recently purchased: “Kraft Philadelphia Cheesecakes and More” and “Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes.” I tweaked them each a tiny bit. Isn’t it fun that each hors d’oeuvre used something different for its ‘cup’? The spinach cup uses turkey, which I thought would never work, but it is outstanding! These were probably my favorite of the three and I love that they are carb free. They reheated beautifully and made an excellent cold lunch the next day.

The cheddar ham hors d’oeuvre uses a biscuit for its cup, so you know how good those are. Tender, cheesy, a bit chewy. These were my son’s favorites – a great after school snack the next day. These also reheated beautifully.

The chicken taco uses a wonton wrapper for its cup – you can find wontons in the produce department of larger grocery stores. Super easy and super fun to use. They were really crisp and chewy. These could be garnished with black olives, jalapenos, green onions or even more cheese. Really, really fun! We all loved these!

Mini Florentine Cups (makes 24)

1  9 ounce package frozen chopped spinach-thawed, and well drained

½ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 Cup low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese)

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

24 slices Oscar Mayer Deli Style Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Allow the spinach to thaw for a while and then run hot water over it through a wire sieve. When all the icy parts are thawed, squeeze every drop of water out of it. Using a fork, mix together all the ingredients (except turkey). This takes some elbow grease, but be persistent. Arrange the turkey carefully in ungreased mini muffin tins. Divide the cheese mixture evenly between the ‘turkey cups’ – I resorted to using my hands because the mixture was way too stubborn for spoons. Bake 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Cheddar Ham Cups (makes 2 ½ dozen)

2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

5 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, finely diced

3 slices bacon, diced and fried until crisp

½ Cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tube refrigerated flaky biscuits (10.2 ounces)

Cut each biscuit into thirds and press each tiny section into ungreased mini muffin tins, using your fingers and thumbs to press them up the sides. Mix the remaining ingredients and divide evenly between the biscuit cups. One important note: if you are using a nonstick pan, these will come out like a dream. I don’t recommend an aluminum pan because the cups won’t come out nicely. (I know this from experience!) Bake 9-11 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Allow to rest in the pan for a few minutes before removing.

Chicken Taco Cups (makes about 36)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 package low-sodium taco seasoning

1 small onion, diced

2 C red salsa

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

36 wonton wrappers

Stir the chicken cubes and taco seasoning until well blended. Cook chicken until juices run clear- about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to food processor and process until finely chopped.  In a bowl, combine chicken, salsa, onion, and cheese.

Press wontons in greased mini muffin tins and bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees or until lightly browned. (Peek in the oven and make sure the wontons don’t fall in on themselves – you want them to remain wide open.)

Remove from oven and fill with chicken mixture. Bake for another 15 minutes or until warmed through. Garnish as desired.

I think all three of these would be great served not only as hors d’oeuvres or as a light dinner but at a breakfast buffet or with a salad luncheon. The Cheddar Ham Cups and the Chicken Taco Cups both froze and reheated perfectly. Enjoy these! 

breakfast braid

Saturday mornings at our house can be pretty lazy. I’m an early riser, but usually I just sit around, read and drink coffee all morning. I just finished reading the 2011 Newberry Medal winner Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. Since I teach Middle School Language Arts, I usually try to keep up with those titles. I’m also reading Julie of the Wolves by Jeanne Craighead George along with my students. It's been a while since I've read it and I'm greatly enjoying it. My grown up book this week is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck.

Our two oldest kids are home from college for spring break this week, so Saturday was the perfect time to spend just a tiny bit of time on a hot breakfast for them. This was the first time I have made this and it was pretty good, but I can see lots of variations and possibilities. Next time I will jazz up the eggs with some green peppers, onions and tomatoes. You could make it spicy with green chilies or even jalapeno peppers and hot sauce in the egg mixture.

Here’s what you need:

½ C milk (I used skim)

4 oz. low fat cream cheese

8 eggs

2 packages low fat crescent rolls

6 oz. deli ham, thinly sliced

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Lightly spray baking sheet and lay out one package of crescent rolls in a large rectangle. Press the seams together so the goodness does not leak out too much while baking. Arrange the second package of crescent rolls along the edges of the rectangle of dough. Place the wide end on the dough and hang the point of the triangle over the edge of the baking sheet. Layer the ham on the dough. Mix the cream cheese and milk until blended; whisk in eggs, salt and pepper to taste.

Gently cook the eggs until just cooked – they should remain very soft. Spoon the eggs over the ham, sprinkle with shredded cheddar.

Fold in the tips of the crescent roll triangle to form a braid. Bake for about 25 minutes or until roll is nicely browned. I suggest a serrated knife to create a pretty slice. 

(printable recipe)