Enchanted Broccoli Forest – Moosewood Cookbook

One thing I cannot get over is how much my cooking has changed in the last year. Meals used to revolve around the ubiquitous boneless skinless chicken breast. Mushrooms, eggplants and squash were only side dishes. Cheese was melted over everything.

Up until a year ago I was cooking for a crowd, or at least more than two people. I used the crock pot and the pressure cooker; my freezer was packed full of whatever was on sale. Huge amounts of food were consumed.

When my children were little, I loved nothing better than to make ‘kid food,’ but this never meant boxed man ‘n cheese! It meant homemade meatballs served with fun shaped pasta. Or Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes. Or individual pizzas, each made to everyone’s personal preferences. Toothpick night, dip night, eat dessert first night.

I recently remembered this fun recipe and made it when my sons were home for dinner. I served it with Ina Garten’s Lemon Chicken (which, if you are still eating chicken is absolutely the best chicken dish on earth. Check it out here.)

Silly, I know….make a rice pilaf and stand some broccoli up like a little forest….then label it ‘enchanted’…… but I like it….and my kids used to love it….and that warms my heart….and besides, it tastes great. Kid food for grown-ups.

Here’s what you need:

1 small bunch broccoli

1 T oil or butter

1 C chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T lemon juice

6 C cooked rice – white or brown

Salt, pepper, cayenne to taste

2 t dried dill

1/4 – 1/2  t dried mint

1/4 C minced fresh parsley

1/2 C toasted sunflower seeds (or salted sunflower seeds)

1 C grated cheddar

More butter, melted for drizzling over the top

Here’s what you do:

Trim the broccoli making sure you have about 15 ‘trees’ that are long enough to stand up. Trim the tough spears. Plan to serve the remaining broccoli on the side. Steam the broccoli until just fork tender. Run under cold water to stop the cooking and to retain the bright green color.

Sauté the onions over medium heat until softened and not brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the lemon juice, seasonings, herbs, seeds, cheese and rice. Mix well and pour into a prepared 9 X 13 pan.  Arrange the broccoli in a pleasing way throughout the rice. Drizzle with melted butter. Create a tent out of aluminum foil to partially cover the veggies. Bake 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Serve right away.

Stuffed Baked Potato with Cashew Queso

Bake a potato. Add some of Isa Chandra’s Cashew Queso. Sprinkle generously with black beans, avocado and cilantro. Serve with pride.

Here’s what you need for Isa’s Cashew Queso:

1 C raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours or overnight

2 C vegetable broth

2 T white miso

2 T cornstarch

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic

2 t cumin

1 t ground ancho pepper (I used smoked paprika instead)

2 T nutritional yeast (optional)

½ t salt

1 T lemon juice

Here’s what you do:

Drain the cashews and place the nuts in a high speed blender or food processor. Add the vegetable broth, miso, and cornstarch. Sauté the onion and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another few minutes. Add the cooked veg to the blender. Add the seasonings and nutritional yeast to the blender. (save the lemon juice till the very end.) Blend on high until smooth and glossy. Pour into a sauce pan and heat and stir until thickened and bubbly – being careful not to scorch the bottom. At the last minute, stir in the lemon juice.

This was super on the baked potato and also great on sandwiches and burritos all week. Perfect, perfect, perfect for dipping. Think ‘crock- pot- and-Super -Bowl- party- good’. 

Goddess Nicoise – Isa Chandra

Well, I ended up actually seeing a Snowy Owl the other day – he was just sitting there, looking right down at me. No need to mention that I spent an hour searching for him, drove down every single muddy country road in the county and ended up half-way down some farmer’s driveway just so I could get this photo. Admit it – it was worth it! Isn’t he great?

Mr. Living Cookbook (aka Tim) also spotted some of these gorgeous birds and his photos are spectacular – so I must share them also.

I think spring might be just around the corner *FINALLY* here in West Michigan, so I bet the Snowy Owls will head up north soon.

Warmer weather (that means in the 20s and 30s folks) means my taste buds crave salads. This one comes from Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra. She does all things well. The dressing is excellent and can be drizzled on all kinds of stuff.  

Here’s what you need:

16 oz chick peas, drained and rinsed

½ pound of small red potatoes, quartered and steamed until fork tender

½ pound of fresh green beans, stems removes and steamed until fork tender (did you know you can steam the potatoes and beans in the same pot? Start the potatoes first and add the beans when the potatoes are almost done. )

Red onion – sliced super thin to taste (I think I left these out – not a huge raw onion fan)

1/3 C good black Greek olives, pitted – whole or sliced in half

8 C leaf or romaine lettuce

1 C cherry tomatoes

Green Goddess Garlic Dressing

2 average size garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 C fresh chives, cut in 1 inch pieces

1/2 C  fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

2 T tahini

2 T nutritional yeast

1 T white miso

1/3 C water

2 T lemon juice

Arrange the salad on a large platter. Blend dressing ingredients until smooth in a high speed blender or food processor. Drizzle dressing liberally over veg.

Note: Isa likes to smash the chick peas, but I prefer them whole. Isa likes to add capers, but I can’t stand them. Isa also likes more garlic, but I refrain from too much raw garlic. 

Mushroom Lasagna with Cashew Ricotta

Get in the kitchen – but first go buy some mushrooms. This recipe is my creation, and it’s a keeper. I was in the mood for mushrooms and lasagna, and this is what I came up with. This recipe goes down in history - good for company but better for a Monday night at home with your family.

Here’s what you need:

16 oz sliced white mushrooms

8 oz sliced shitake mushrooms – make sure no stems are hiding in the package- they’re tough and chewy. Cut them off and search the pile to be sure none are hiding.

16 oz sliced portabella mushrooms – gills removed – use a small spoon to scrape them away.

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms – soaked in 1 ½ C boiling water for one hour. KEEP that water!

3 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz cherry tomatoes

12 lasagna noodles

1 t cornstarch

1 T Earth Balance butter

½ C dry white wine

Dried basil

1 recipe cashew ricotta

(1 ½ C raw cashews soaked in water for one hour. Drain off water. Place in blender with ½ C  fresh water, 2 T lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 2 T Nutritional yeast {optional, but adds a nice cheesy taste}, dash of onion powder. High speed, scraping down sides as needed, until creamy and fluffy.)

Here’s what you do:

Clean all the mushrooms and chop the larger pieces in about ½ inch chunks. Cut the soggy porcinis in smaller pieces too.  Sautee them all in a large pan in about 1 T olive oil.  Be patient. It takes about 12-15 minutes to get them browned on most sides.

Add another 1 T olive oil and drop in the minced garlic. Cook the garlic in the puddle of oil until it is fragrant – do not brown it! Even if you have to turn off the heat and let it just warm, that’s OK. Mix the garlic and mushrooms together.

At the same time that the mushrooms are cooking, reduce the soaking water from the porcinis. I added ½ C of dry white wine, some salt and pepper and simmered the liquid for about 10 – 15 minutes. You want about ½ C liquid.  When reduced, add 1 T Earth Balance butter and thicken it with about 1 t cornstarch. Instead of adding the cornstarch directly into the warm liquid, remove  ¼ of liquid to a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over it and whisk until totally dissolved. At this time, you can drizzle the slurry directly into the hot liquid – no lumps! Works like a charm every time. Heat until thick and glossy. The small amount of butter adds nice body and gloss. Pour the sauce over the mushrooms.

At the same time that all this is going on, sauté some cherry tomatoes by heating them in ½ T of olive oil. When they seem ready to ‘burst’, prick them with a sharp knife to release some juice and pressure. Continue to sauté them until they are nicely wilted and deglaze the pan with some more wine. Remove from heat and set aside. You want it to be a bit juicy.

At the same time this is all going on, boil the lasagna noodles according to the box.

Assemble the lasagna as follows: spray an 8 or 9 inch square pan and place about 10 tomatoes in the bottom of the pan to keep the pasta from sticking. Create layers of pasta, mushrooms, cashew ricotta until everything is used up. Leave some pasta for the top layer and pour the remaining tomatoes over the top, tucking any stray corners of pasta down. I drizzled some more wine over the top to prevent dryness. Sprinkle with dried basil. Bake 350 degrees until heated through – about 30 minutes.

(printable recipe)

Snowy Owls and Mushroom Barley Soup

I never realized all the time I would have on my hands after becoming an empty-nester. Time for reading, piano and walking. Time for lunches with girlfriends, late movies with Tim, and long TV series on Netflix.  ( can anyone say ‘House of Cards’?)

I really wanna see one of these guys...I found this one on the internet. 

And speaking of time, today after church, Tim and I spent 2 hours driving around looking for Snowy Owls. TWO HOURS. Now, before you write me off as crazy, please understand that the beautiful Snowy Owl has decided to make the northern United States his home this winter, and he’s usually an arctic bird, so it’s pretty special to see one way down here in Michigan. 

*ALL* my friends have seen them. 

*EVERYONE* has a great photo on their phone of their favorite owl sighting. 

Supposedly you can see them *EVERYWHERE*….. So we decided to see for ourselves. ….. and of course…..we saw NONE. … Not one….

But we did see some pheasants.

And this HUGE hawk.

And this Merlin.

We had to settle for this plastic owl.

 Too much time on my hands? Maybe....  

Extra time also means I get to perfect recipes. Here is a re-make of an excellent Mushroom Barley Soup. Same recipe as I posted previously, but I added dill and lots of lemon juice at the end. Also a dollop of sour cream. Still soup weather up here.... 

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd

I have made this excellent recipe twice, both to great acclaim. It was the perfect ending to my recent Valentine’s Day dinner party. I was going to serve something chocolate, but decided on the lemon, just so I could taste the lemon curd again. It’s AWESOME.  I actually froze the cheesecake for a week or so before my party – no problems there. Just be sure to wrap it very well and thaw it slowly in the fridge.

 Don’t freeze the curd; make it just before serving and slather it on! The extra beauty of the lemon curd is that is covers over all the cracks in the cheesecake and makes a spectacular presentation.

The recipe comes from Fine Cooking and can be found here. Don’t change a single thing.

And speaking of Valentine’s Day and romance, here’s a light look at being married from church bulletin bloopers….

Diana and Don request your presents at their wedding.

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. 

Let us join David and Lisa in the celebration of their wedding and bring their happiness to a conclusion.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Let’s revisit the classics, shall we? I’m talkin’ super simple and full-on comfort. Check out those ingredients, but DO NOT be put-off by their simplicity! This baby never fails, plus it freezes like a dream. (in full disclosure, I have posted this recipe years ago here on this blog, but classics deserve a second look.) 

I served this at my recent Valentine’s Day dinner party and no one seemed to mind that the food  on their plate was creamy and cheesy and from the classic 9 X 13 casserole. I made another smaller casserole semi-veg by swapping out the chicken for sautéed mushrooms. It was heavenly!  

Speaking of classics, here are some killer love quotes I scattered about my house and dinner table as decorations at the party.

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."  (spoken by Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen)

 “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”  (Spoken by Catherine [or maybe Heathcliff??] in “Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

“To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the folds of life.” (Spoken by Jean Valjean  in “Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo)

For my entire Valentine’s Day menu, click here.

This is a horrible photo. You can't even see the green peppers in there! That's the best part of this casserole! Please disregard and use your imagination. 

Here’s what you need:

12 ounces wide noodles, cooked

8 ounces cream cheese (vegan is fine)

1 ½ C cottage cheese – large curd

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 Cup whole milk (non-dairy is fine)

½ - 1 thinly sliced green pepper

½ - 1 thinly sliced sweet onion

Some fresh parsley

4 C cubed or shredded chicken breast meat (or equal amounts of roasted or sautéed portabello mushrooms)

Mix it all together and bake. You could put the cheeses in a Cuisinart to get them totally creamy, or just use a wooden spoon and elbow grease. Maybe add some black pepper. Buttered bread crumbs on the top if you are feeling up to it. I’m telling you, classics are good. 

Cheese Straws

“Mrs Dalloway is always giving parties to cover the silence” 

― Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Last summer my daughter and I both read Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" while we were traveling to Tennessee and back.  It's terribly difficult to describe the plot of this short novel, but I'll simply say that it's the story of a high-society London woman who spends an entire day preparing for a party. The supporting characters are all people who have touched her life in some way or other - some are invited to the party and others are not. I was never really sure if Mrs. Dalloway is a happy person or a discontent person. The quote above makes her seem very shallow and trivial, but I liked her.  Obviously, I am not a literary critic!

The novel touches on so many themes - including mental illness, suicide, unrequited love and post traumatic stress.  The story is set in 1914, which I love and the book is chock full of memorable lines. My daughter and I kept interrupting each other to read aloud.

"Mom, listen, 'The world wavered and quivered and threatened to burst into flames.'” 

"Jenny, listen, 'What does the brain matter when compared with the heart?'"

"Mom, listen, 'She always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day.'"

"Jenny, listen, 'They went in and out of each other's minds without any effort.'" 

Needless to say, Mrs. Dalloway's party is a great success and she is the toast of the town. We, the readers, are left to wonder if that's all that's needed for happiness in this life..... "Her life was a tissue of vanity and deceit." 

And speaking of parties, here's another appetizer I served at my recent Valentine’s Day dinner party – everyone always loves these. Click here for the recipe which is on my other blog – did you know I used to write another blog? Lots of great stuff over there.

I think it's important to consider if you want your appetizers to be eaten with fingers or with silverware. If you go with silverware, then you need places where folks can set their drinks. You also need plates. 

For my entire Valentine's Day menu, click here. 

Lemon Ginger Shrimp

I hosted a dinner party on Valentine’s Day. I made it super easy on myself and served a casserole, roasted vegetables and salad. I don’t think friends minded or even noticed that the food was simple and comforting. It’s most fun just to be together, right? Besides, as long as the dessert is killer, who remembers what the main meal is.

My table was so pretty – all my best china, silverware and stemware. Bonus – I used my red Christmas chargers and they were the perfect Valentine touch. Red candles, roses, fun love quotes scattered around. Oh, and lots of wine and beer….. (secret to a great party!) Pandora station: Bossa nova … check it out – my new addiction.

Another great success of my party was the special wine my friend Dawn brought. She actually researched both a white and red to enhance a chicken casserole. We loved our mini wine tasting during the meal….and especially loved the dessert wine – a delicious Moscato d’Asti.

Here’s my menu – I’ll share recipes!

Hors d’oeuvres: Lemon Ginger Shrimp, Cheese Straws, store bought olives and marinated mushrooms

Main Course: Cheesy Chicken Casserole, Roasted asparagus and carrots, Romaine Salad with lemony dressing (I rarely serve dinner rolls)

Dessert: Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd and German Chocolate Nutty Pie (made by my friend Laura and totally perfect!)

Here’s what you need: (I adapted this from a few recipes I researched on allrecipes.com)

2-3 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ C olive oil

2 t sesame oil

¼ C lemon juice

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minces

¼ C fresh cilantro

1 t paprika

Salt, pepper

Here’s what you do:

Prepare the shrimp and set aside. Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pour over the raw shrimp and marinate for 2 hours (no longer though). Grill the shrimp over medium heat, allowing some of the thick marinade to cling to the shrimp. I skewered mine after I grilled them. But you could skewer them first, I imagine, and have equal success. Never overcook shrimp! Just till pink – then they’re done! 

Signs of the Season – dealing with tomatoes and snow

You can tell it’s winter in Michigan by looking at the tomatoes in the grocery store.

You can also tell it’s winter in Michigan by the ghastly amounts of snow, but that’s another story.

At first glance, these tomatoes seem fine, but take a close look at their freakish pink color, their hothouse sameness and their bizarre uniformity. Something is wrong. I think it’s lack of sun and dirt.

Anyway, it will be August before you know it and we will have glorious tomatoes straight from our very own garden in no time – lush red, nothing forced, each fruit a unique and exquisite individual.  

In the meantime, more shoveling, more dark days, more sweaters…..and more dealing with tomatoes from, well, who knows where.

If you find yourself with a dozen rock hard, flavorless, mealy tomatoes, I highly suggest you follow my example:

Remove the skins by coring the tomato and dropping them into gently boiling water for a minute or so. The skins should easily peel off. Scrape out the flavorless guts of the tomato. Slather them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until some color is appearing on the tomatoes. You are creating flavor!

I tossed mine over some garlicky pasta. I threw in some fresh spinach for good measure – Delicious!