Vegetarian Foodie

Pecan Caramel Rolls

Once again, if you have not yet ordered Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day from Amazon... well, I suggest you do!

The Caramel Topping

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Soft Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
30 Pecan Halves

The Filling

4 Tablespoons soft and salted butter
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh and grated if available)
1/2 Cup chopped and toasted pecans (How to toast nuts?)
Pinch of black pepper

The Dough

This recipe

• Cream butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly on the bottom of a 9 inch pan. Scatter the pecans

• Dust the surface of refrigerated dough and quickly stretch back the sides to form a ball-rotate as you go
• Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 1/8 thick rectangle (use flour to prevent sticking as needed)
• Cream together the butter, sugar and spices. Spread evenly over the dough and top with chopped pecans

• Roll the dough into a log and cut into 8 pieces with a serrated knife. Place in your pan swirled edge up
  

• Cover with saran wrap and allow to rise for one hour
• Twenty minutes before baking time preheat the oven to 350 F
• Bake for 40 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove and invert asap (or they will be so very sticky on your pan)

These went very fast in our house...

Basil Pesto Recipe

The following is a basil pesto recipe from Giada's Family Dinners by Giade De Laurentis

• 2 Cups Fresh Basil
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan
• 2/3 Cup extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pulse basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Add oil and blend to consistency. Good in the fridge for 2 days, add salt and pepper if you so choose.

Same Recipes with Variations

I know I know, how very long it has been since I posted last. Moving has really been action packed. Once we moved the final box over, we spent a solid two weeks unpacking and acquainting ourselves with well, ourselves in the new digs. The husband agreed we were anxious to get back to work and officially begin a routine. 

That was all before we woke up to 4 inches of water in the basement that had backed up from a root invaded sewer line... Thus began the phone calls to plumbers, restoration experts, contractors, insurance agents etc etc. Lets just leave it at that. Take my word for it-it has been a hellish week and a crude welcoming. Oh, and the basement is where our home offices are located so our hopes to settle in and revisit our huge to-do lists have been dashed (temporarily). 

I think I am pleased to say that soon it will all be history.

In regards to food, we have graduated from convenience foods and we are preparing some old favorites with variations. For example, spinach lasagna inspired by the baked cannelloni recipe:

Blueberry Muffins inspired by strawberry muffins...

More soon...

Italian Inspired Crepes

The following recipe is one I had to try from this month's issue of Food and Wine.

Crepes

3/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Milk
A Tablespoon of Melted butter

Olive oil (for later...)

Whisk the flour and salt. In another bowl whisk the eggs and milk. Combine two bowls and mix until smooth. Add the melted butter... mix and refrigerate for 1 hour (I didn't read this part before hand and refrigerated for about 20 minutes because I was hungry! The crepes turned out fine).

The Inside

1 1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Tablespoon Parsley chopped
2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 Cup of Marinara (I used a can of roasted tomato chunks)

Mix all together now.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and pour in 1/4 Cup of the batter  (I eye-balled it). Tilt the pan to make a medium sized crepe. Cook for about 2 minutes...until the crepe is golden and flip. Continue to cook for another minute or two.

Continue with all batter...

Fill crepes and turn over into a semi circle. Arrange in a casserole dish as you like and top with marinara and any quantity of cheese you like.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Saturday Picnic

We live near a fantastic park that occupies many acres right in the city. It is a great place to walk, explore, hunt, get dirty in and of course picnic in. A picnic is a lovely novelty in which we as a family love to partake in. A favorite picnic sandwich is swiss cheese with mustard and pickles. Can you say, "Oh yes!"

Do you have a treat you especially prepare for picnics? Any groovy picnic traditions you would like to share with me so I can happily borrow them for our next picnic?

Spaghetti with Zucchini

Spaghetti
4 garlic Cloves Minced
6 Zucchini chopped into bite sized pieces
the Juice of 1 lemon
6 Large Basil Leaves cut into Strips
2 Handfuls of shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

• Prepare Spaghetti in a pot of Boiling Water
• Heat Olive oil in a pan to saute both the garlic and zucchini until browned
• Add to the zucchini pan: salt and pepper, lemon and basil.
• Remove from heat and pour on top of the pasta
• Top with Parmesan cheese

Perfect dish in the winter when one needs a taste of sunshine...

Spanish Rice with Quesadillas

Me gusta Spanish rice and quesadillas. Mi familia le gusta Spanish rice and quesadillas too... Te gusta?

Spanish Rice

Rice of choice (Brown or white and the quantity should reflect the appetites of the diners)
A Handful of Cilantro Chopped
Chopped tomatoes (2)
Diced Spring onions (4)
A Handful of Chopped Olives
Salt and Pepper to taste

Lime Wedges

Tonight some pals are coming for dinner and lucky for everyone it is Taco night!

Spaghetti with Goat Cheese

Goodbye spaghetti with tomato sauce (although that too has its place) but your new look is scrumptious and easy.   

The recipe was inspired by a Food and Wine recipe which I modified to suit my vegetarian tastes. The result was a handsome recipe that is a certain keeper for the repertoire. 

Spaghetti
Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves sliced
A Pinch of Red Pepper
2 Handfuls of Cheery Tomatoes Halved
A Head of Spinach Washed and Sliced
1 Cup Goat Cheese
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook the Spaghetti
2. In a large skillet add olive oil, garlic and red pepper. Cook until the garlic is browned and add the tomatoes. 3-5 minutes later add the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper
3. Add the tomato mix to the spaghetti and top with goat cheese

Enjoy this colorful and aromatic dish while it cooks....

Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas

This recipe can be served as a side or add rice and naan to make it a main dish.

1 Butternut Squash peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 can of chickpeas
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Vanilla Yogurt with Chopped Cilantro as a garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place chickpeas and squash in a roasting pan. Pour olive oil and salt & pepper to taste.
Roast for 40 minutes or until the squash are tender.

Macaroni and Cheese

This morning as I rose from the snuggly warmth of my bed I heard the crunch rustle rustle crunch of leaves outside of my window. It was then that I knew that the time has come to pull out the knee high socks. Knee high socks mean fall has arrived and so has the warm food of cozy comfort. It is time for macaroni and cheese.

• 2 Cups of Curly Pasta
• 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 1 Cup of Milk (I use Soy)
• 1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan
• 1/4 Blue Cheese
• 1 Cup Cheddar shredded
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• A handful of Bread Crumbs

Boil your pasta Al Dente
Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees
In a saute pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Allow the two ingredients to mix and bubble.
Add the milk and continue whisking until a sauce forms.
Remove from heat.
Set aside a small handful of the mixed cheeses for later.
Add the cheeses to the white sauce and put the heat on low if needed to melt everything together into a thick cheese goo.
Add the pasta to a casserole dish,. Pour the cheese goo over the pasta and mix well.
Add salt and pepper now if you choose.
Top pasta with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake until the cheese has melted and the top of the macaroni and cheese is crisp (30 minutes).