I discovered something new the other day and gave it a try. It worked great, so I just have to share.
We all have had those pre-made biscuits in the can. You know, the ones where you peel the paper until the can POPS open. Well, I saw somebody on tv the other day use them to make flatbread. I figured I'd try it out.
On the show, they rolled out the biscuits with a mixture of flour and cornmeal, but I was going for something a little different than them, so I used a combo of flour and sesame seeds. I tried it with just flour, though, too, and that worked just as well. You just press them down a little and roll them out the way you would a pie dough. I used two biscuits pressed together to make the size flatbread I wanted, which turned out to be about a 6-inch circle by using two biscuits. If you roll the dough out paper thin, you get a crispier, thin flatbread. If you don't roll the dough out to within an inch of its life, maybe a quarter inch, it will instead puff up just a little, and be a little softer.
After rolling out the biscuit dough, you just cook them in a nonstick pan with a tiny amount of oil, or a couple sprays of cooking spray. You have to add more oil or spray when you flip the flatbread.
Once the flatbread is cooked, you can do all kinds of things with it. I caramelized some slivered onions with some butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and a little sugar to push the caramelization. Then I spread those on the flatbread and topped them with thin slices of fresh mozzarella, and a little basil. I baked them in the oven for about 10 minutes, and YUM, it was great! I am sure I could do all sorts of other things with it, too. I have all kinds of ideas.
The next time you have one of those silly little cans of biscuit dough, give this a try, you won't be sorry.
Happy Holiday eating!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Christmas Traditions
Every family has their own Christmas traditions, and many involve food. In our family, the holiday festivities always began early. We had traditions that took place days or even weeks before the Big Day itself. For instance, we would have a tree-decorating party, and make a big deal of it. We'd get out all the ornaments, play Christmas music, and have a big spread of food and sparkling juice while we adorned the tree.
Another tradition was our Christmas Eve dinner, which was a much bigger deal for us than Christmas Day dinner. We always opened our gifts to each other and from others on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning, just the Santa Claus gifts were opened (and our stockings). Christmas Eve day was spent hanging out together, drinking, and eating. We always watched White Christmas in the afternoon with some appetizers. Then we'd have the big Christmas Eve feast, then dessert, after-dinner drinks, and present-opening.
Christmas Eve dinner was always fish or seafood in our house. It is a tradition that had been handed down from my grandmother's family. It is not a very common meal for Christmas; most people think of ham or turkey or something like that when they think of holiday meals (although I have heard that fish for holidays is a tradition in some Italian homes). For us, it was just normal. We sometimes had fish, but occassionally we would have crab legs. Alaskan King, of course. I never liked fish much, but I do love crab legs.
This year we are having Christmas Eve dinner at my sister's house in Ohio, and most of the family will be there. She told me they ordered tons of Alaskan King crab legs, and I'm excited! I'll definitely be cheating on my vegetarian diet this Christmas Eve. I didnt' even ask her what else we'll be having on the side, cuz really, who cares?!
On Christmas morning, after opening Santa gifts, we would sit down to our traditional breakfast of bagels, cream cheese, and lox. It is a simple meal that requires no cooking on a day when everybody has more important things to do than be stuck in the kitchen.
Whatever your traditions are, celebrate the season with joy, and be merry, but be safe!
Happy Holiday eating!
Another tradition was our Christmas Eve dinner, which was a much bigger deal for us than Christmas Day dinner. We always opened our gifts to each other and from others on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning, just the Santa Claus gifts were opened (and our stockings). Christmas Eve day was spent hanging out together, drinking, and eating. We always watched White Christmas in the afternoon with some appetizers. Then we'd have the big Christmas Eve feast, then dessert, after-dinner drinks, and present-opening.
Christmas Eve dinner was always fish or seafood in our house. It is a tradition that had been handed down from my grandmother's family. It is not a very common meal for Christmas; most people think of ham or turkey or something like that when they think of holiday meals (although I have heard that fish for holidays is a tradition in some Italian homes). For us, it was just normal. We sometimes had fish, but occassionally we would have crab legs. Alaskan King, of course. I never liked fish much, but I do love crab legs.
This year we are having Christmas Eve dinner at my sister's house in Ohio, and most of the family will be there. She told me they ordered tons of Alaskan King crab legs, and I'm excited! I'll definitely be cheating on my vegetarian diet this Christmas Eve. I didnt' even ask her what else we'll be having on the side, cuz really, who cares?!
On Christmas morning, after opening Santa gifts, we would sit down to our traditional breakfast of bagels, cream cheese, and lox. It is a simple meal that requires no cooking on a day when everybody has more important things to do than be stuck in the kitchen.
Whatever your traditions are, celebrate the season with joy, and be merry, but be safe!
Happy Holiday eating!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Soup's On, Part V: Vegetable-Cheese Soup
There are a few different basic methods I use for creating cheese soup, but one of them is my own version of the cheese soup my mom used to make us when I was younger. It is yummy, and it also has (for me anyway) that nostalgic, remembered-taste aspect to it. It just uses Velveeta without any other cheeses, which you may think sounds silly, but it is really very good. It's the type of soup I make most often, which is really saying something. I like me some soup.
One key aspect to this soup is celery. I mix and match the veggies that go into this soup, but I never ever make it without celery. Celery, Velveeta, and a good-quality stock are essentials. Other veggies that go into the soup can be mixed and matched according to what is on hand.
The following amounts are approximate, and can be widely altered to suit your tastes or what is available:
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup veggies: thinly sliced or shredded carrot, minced or chopped potato, chopped frozen broccoli, etc.
1 cup milk mixed well with 2 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
4-6 cups good veggie stock (or other flavor stock you like)
10-12 oz. Velveeta, cubed
Salt, pepper, parsley
If using potatoes, I often par-boil them in a separate pot first while I'm chopping the other veggies. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the fresh veggies according to cook time. Celery first, then onions, then carrots. When they are softened, add any frozen veggies and milk/flour mixture. Let that cook for a minute or two until it thickens. Add in stock, parsley, and par-boiled potatoes if using those. Let the stock simmer until all the veggies are cooked; that may be a minute or several. Once the veggies are where you want them, start adding the Velveeta a little at a time, with the soup over medium-low heat and stirring often. If you let a Velveeta sauce stand over heat for too long, you'll get burned brown pieces on the bottom of the pot. It's not the end of the world, but it's not very appetizing-looking, so just stir often as you add the cheese. Once the cheese is all melted into the soup, taste for seasoning and thickness; add more cheese, stock, or seasoning as necessary.
My mom would use chicken stock for this soup, but I obviously always use veggie stock. Another difference is that my mom used both grated potatoes and grated carrots. That's works fine, too, you just want to add anything grated in later, with the frozen veggies, and not cook the hell out of them, or they'll turn to mush pretty quickly.
One trick of mine is to either make the stock right before making the soup or to heat up the stock I'm using in another pot. Either way the stock is warmed when I add it to the soup, so it won't take the temperature down dramatically.
I'm hungry.
Happy Holiday eating!
One key aspect to this soup is celery. I mix and match the veggies that go into this soup, but I never ever make it without celery. Celery, Velveeta, and a good-quality stock are essentials. Other veggies that go into the soup can be mixed and matched according to what is on hand.
The following amounts are approximate, and can be widely altered to suit your tastes or what is available:
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup veggies: thinly sliced or shredded carrot, minced or chopped potato, chopped frozen broccoli, etc.
1 cup milk mixed well with 2 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
4-6 cups good veggie stock (or other flavor stock you like)
10-12 oz. Velveeta, cubed
Salt, pepper, parsley
If using potatoes, I often par-boil them in a separate pot first while I'm chopping the other veggies. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the fresh veggies according to cook time. Celery first, then onions, then carrots. When they are softened, add any frozen veggies and milk/flour mixture. Let that cook for a minute or two until it thickens. Add in stock, parsley, and par-boiled potatoes if using those. Let the stock simmer until all the veggies are cooked; that may be a minute or several. Once the veggies are where you want them, start adding the Velveeta a little at a time, with the soup over medium-low heat and stirring often. If you let a Velveeta sauce stand over heat for too long, you'll get burned brown pieces on the bottom of the pot. It's not the end of the world, but it's not very appetizing-looking, so just stir often as you add the cheese. Once the cheese is all melted into the soup, taste for seasoning and thickness; add more cheese, stock, or seasoning as necessary.
My mom would use chicken stock for this soup, but I obviously always use veggie stock. Another difference is that my mom used both grated potatoes and grated carrots. That's works fine, too, you just want to add anything grated in later, with the frozen veggies, and not cook the hell out of them, or they'll turn to mush pretty quickly.
One trick of mine is to either make the stock right before making the soup or to heat up the stock I'm using in another pot. Either way the stock is warmed when I add it to the soup, so it won't take the temperature down dramatically.
I'm hungry.
Happy Holiday eating!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Veggie Meats
When I first became a vegetarian, a whopping 18+ years ago, there weren't a lot of good veggie-meat options. There were a few things out there, like veggie dogs, and veggie burgers that at the time still were obvious veggie patties... meaning, there weren't any veggie burgers that looked and tasted like regular burgers.
Since that time, though, the veggie meat possibilities have exploded. There are all kinds of options for a multitude of uses, and many of them are quite tasty. It could be debated whether they taste exactly like the original, but I don't think that's the point. I use veggie meat substitutes in the same way I would use it's real counterpart, but it doesn't have to taste the exact same as the counterpart - it just has to taste good (and they do). Many options, however, are close enough to the original that they actually fool meat-eaters. For your consideration: I made tacos with burger crumbles once, and at the dinner my carnivorous friend, chowing down on her "meat-" filled taco and noticing that I had "meat" in mine too, asked me if I wasn't a vegetarian anymore. I happily informed her that the taco meat was not, in fact, meat, and she was truly surprised. Then she talked all night about how yummy it was.
Now, none of these items are necessary to be able to create vegetarian meals. You can forgo the meat part entirely and live just fine on veggies, carbs, dairy, all the millions of food options that need no meat or meat substitute. Some would even say that using veggie meats defeats the point of being a vegetarian. But I am not really using veggie meat products simply because I have to make meat-based meals. I make a lot of meat-free and fake-meat-free meals. It's just that there happen to be lots of delicious, protein-packed, healthy foods out there that are tasty, and that vegetarians can use, and I'm gonna use 'em. If I am able to make classic meat dishes with veggie meats that still taste great, then that is a bonus. But, I'm not trying to keep the 'meat and potatoes' formula in our food at all times. I just eat what I like, and sometimes that's meat-free, and other times it is fake meat.
We are so lucky that we have so many good, healthy, tasty meat-free options, and I do use them often. I figured I'd give a little sampling of some of my favorites out of the hundreds I've tried over the years, in case anybody needs info on adding these healthier options to your meals. Even for non-vegetarians, they are tasty enough that it's justifyable to bring these to your kitchen to save a few calories and fat grams. As a bonus, they are way easier to cook than meat, making for much faster meal prep time. This is just a tiny sampling and review of some veggie meats I have tried, with some info to get you started:
Morningstar Farms
Morningstar Farms makes lots of products that are easy to use and readily available in most supermarkets. Many of their products are vegetarian, but they also have vegan versions of some of their products.
Burger Crumbles: MF's Burger Crumbles are frozen and will substitute for ground beef or other ground meats in chilis, tomato sauce, sloppy joes, taco meat, and lots of other things. They are cooked, so they just have to be brought to temp to be ready to eat. This is the veggie meat we eat the most of. I use Burger Crumbles for many, many things.
Chik'n Strips: MF's frozen chick'n strips are great to use in sauce-free dishes, like a simple stir-fry. They soak up sauce, so you don't want to let them cook in a sauce or they will get soggy. If you want a sauce on them, you have to sauce them when serving. They are great just to sautee quickly and serve with mashed potatoes. Their texture and flavor, in comparison to real chicken, is one of the best. Good stuff.
Veggie Bacon: MF's version of bacon strips is also frozen, and the most like the 'real thing' out of the various veggie bacons I've had. They can be sauteed on the stove, but an easier way is just to lay them on a plate and nuke them in the microwave until they are the texture you want - less time for softer, more time for crispier. Veggie bacon is great on BLT's or for a breakfast sandwich.
Veggie Dogs: I like Morningstar Farm's Veggie Dogs better than most other brands I've had, but they are harder and harder to find these days. They taste exactly like regular hot dogs, and should be used accordingly.
Boca Brand
I don't enjoy most Boca products as much as I do Morningstar Farms', but Boca does have a huge selection of items and a few that I really like.
Boca Burgers: Boca brand veggie hamburgers are not my fave, but they seem to be really popular in general, so somebody obviously likes them. The reason I don't love them is that, for me, they tend to have a bit of an aftertaste (the same for Boca breakfast sausages), so I don't usually buy Boca burgers - I stick with Morningstar. They have a huge variety of flavors, and some of my friends love Boca's burgers, so it's worth it to give them a try.
Boca chick'n patties - this veggie version of the classic round, breaded, ready-for-a-bun chicken patty is a good substitute for the original. The breading is nice and crisp. The spicy version of chick'n patties have a nice kick to them. Great with mayo, ketchup, and cheese on a hamburger bun - old school.
Sausages - I really love Boca's selection of main-meal sausages. They have Italian, Bratwurst, and Smoked Sausages. Well, I don't know if they even make the smoked sausage anymore, because I haven't been able to find them. Which is a bummer, because I LOVED them. The Italian Sausages and Bratwurst by either Boca or Morningstar are great. They are super easy to heat and eat, and are perfect on a roll with your favorite toppings or served as-is next to a plate of noodles, sauerkraut, grilled veggies, whatever normally would go. I like to pair veggie Italian Sausage with my eggplant parmesan.
Worthington
Worthington is a company that has been around making veggie substitute products for a very long time. Almost all of their offerings are canned, instead of frozen. There is one product in particular that I love.
FriChik - I talked about using FriChik in my blog about Chicken Paprikash. Unlike MF's frozen chik'n strips, FriChik won't soak up all the sauce it's cooked in, making it great for dishes like Paprikash, or other stews, soups, and saucy dishes. FriChik is really moist and flavorful. It doesn't taste as much like chicken as some other chicken substitutes, but it's similar, and it doesn't matter anyway, because frichick istself is a very tasty item. I can eat it, sliced, straight out of the can. FriChik is super easy to use as it is already fully cooked and it's not frozen, so just heat and eat. However, FriChik can be much harder to find than Boca or MF products. I have had to order it online, but that's not difficult to do.
Weiners - Worthington makes cocktail weiners as well as full-size dogs that I have never had, but have heard are very good.
SmartDeli -
SmartDeli's vegetarian foods are usually refrigerated instead of frozen. Many supermarkets are carrying their products now, so they are easier to find.
Veggie Dogs - if I can't find MF's veggie dogs, my second choice is SmartDeli. Theirs are also a stealthy substitute for real dogs - Serve them and I bet no one would know the difference.
Lunch Meat - SmartDeli has a line of veggie lunch meats, most of which are quite tasty. The bologna is the closest match to the original, because bologna is so processed anyway, it's not hard to mimic. The turkey is also good. As a bonus, they are way less fatty than regular lunch meats, and have lots of healthy soy protein.
Chick'n strips - another type of veggie chicken in strip form, smartdeli's version is good for a few specific uses. They can handle sauces in the way that frichik can (unlike MF's chik'n strips), and they hold up well with frying. I make a breaded version of smartdeli's chick'n strips that tastes just like real fried chicken. I kid you not. When I want something homey, greasy and fried, I make smartdeli chick'n strip fried chicken. Ask my husband, and he'll tell you - it's good stuff.
Yves
This company makes several refrigerated items similar to what SmartDeli produces: lunchmeats, etc. These brands are often found right next to each other at the grocery store.
Pepperoni - when I need pepperoni, I use Yves brand. They can be used striaght from the package (no cooking needed, like most veggie meats) and put on pizzas, sandwiches, or just eaten straight up. The big difference between this and real pepperoni is that it doesn't ooze fat everywhere when you cook it. The taste is mildly spicy and very flavorful; it's not an exact match, but it fulfills the craving just fine.
Quorn
I'm not a huge fan of Quorn products. Unlike some other veggie meats which are soy-based, quorn's structure is based (if I remember correctly) on a fungus - a mushroom, I think- to get their protein structure. In any case, it is noticeably different with the texture than other brands, and I think they are very successful with the texture and overall look of the products. But, I haven't had a quorn product yet that was very tasty to me, or that I would replace with any of my other standbys. That's not to say that you shouldn't try quorn products, because they obviously do an ok busisness, so somebody is enjoying them. And, they have several unique items that other companies don't have: things like stuffed chick'n breasts, and other fully-prepared items.
Veat
Veat products have been around for quite a while, and they have several types of veggie meats that are, once again, frozen. I haven't tried all the veat products, but there is one that I use from time to time.
Veat Chick'n: The taste of veat chicken is not exactly like chicken; but it is a good taste. One handy thing is that they have various cuts of veat that are easy to use; you can buy veat chicken in little cubes for a stir fry or to skewer and grill, or buy long strips for chicken fingers or whatever. I don't buy veat often, but when I do, it's because they have the exact shape and style I need for a specific use.
Hopefully this helps explain a little about veggie meats and demystifies the idea of using them once in a while. Even if you are a meat-eater, there are plenty of veggie meats that anybody would love, meat-eater or not, and it's a great way to add some good soy protein into your diet and reduce some of the fat and cholesterol. Give them a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. And if you have a veggie burger that sucks, rest assured there are many out there that don't.
Happy eating!
Since that time, though, the veggie meat possibilities have exploded. There are all kinds of options for a multitude of uses, and many of them are quite tasty. It could be debated whether they taste exactly like the original, but I don't think that's the point. I use veggie meat substitutes in the same way I would use it's real counterpart, but it doesn't have to taste the exact same as the counterpart - it just has to taste good (and they do). Many options, however, are close enough to the original that they actually fool meat-eaters. For your consideration: I made tacos with burger crumbles once, and at the dinner my carnivorous friend, chowing down on her "meat-" filled taco and noticing that I had "meat" in mine too, asked me if I wasn't a vegetarian anymore. I happily informed her that the taco meat was not, in fact, meat, and she was truly surprised. Then she talked all night about how yummy it was.
Now, none of these items are necessary to be able to create vegetarian meals. You can forgo the meat part entirely and live just fine on veggies, carbs, dairy, all the millions of food options that need no meat or meat substitute. Some would even say that using veggie meats defeats the point of being a vegetarian. But I am not really using veggie meat products simply because I have to make meat-based meals. I make a lot of meat-free and fake-meat-free meals. It's just that there happen to be lots of delicious, protein-packed, healthy foods out there that are tasty, and that vegetarians can use, and I'm gonna use 'em. If I am able to make classic meat dishes with veggie meats that still taste great, then that is a bonus. But, I'm not trying to keep the 'meat and potatoes' formula in our food at all times. I just eat what I like, and sometimes that's meat-free, and other times it is fake meat.
We are so lucky that we have so many good, healthy, tasty meat-free options, and I do use them often. I figured I'd give a little sampling of some of my favorites out of the hundreds I've tried over the years, in case anybody needs info on adding these healthier options to your meals. Even for non-vegetarians, they are tasty enough that it's justifyable to bring these to your kitchen to save a few calories and fat grams. As a bonus, they are way easier to cook than meat, making for much faster meal prep time. This is just a tiny sampling and review of some veggie meats I have tried, with some info to get you started:
Morningstar Farms
Morningstar Farms makes lots of products that are easy to use and readily available in most supermarkets. Many of their products are vegetarian, but they also have vegan versions of some of their products.
Burger Crumbles: MF's Burger Crumbles are frozen and will substitute for ground beef or other ground meats in chilis, tomato sauce, sloppy joes, taco meat, and lots of other things. They are cooked, so they just have to be brought to temp to be ready to eat. This is the veggie meat we eat the most of. I use Burger Crumbles for many, many things.
Chik'n Strips: MF's frozen chick'n strips are great to use in sauce-free dishes, like a simple stir-fry. They soak up sauce, so you don't want to let them cook in a sauce or they will get soggy. If you want a sauce on them, you have to sauce them when serving. They are great just to sautee quickly and serve with mashed potatoes. Their texture and flavor, in comparison to real chicken, is one of the best. Good stuff.
Veggie Bacon: MF's version of bacon strips is also frozen, and the most like the 'real thing' out of the various veggie bacons I've had. They can be sauteed on the stove, but an easier way is just to lay them on a plate and nuke them in the microwave until they are the texture you want - less time for softer, more time for crispier. Veggie bacon is great on BLT's or for a breakfast sandwich.
Veggie Dogs: I like Morningstar Farm's Veggie Dogs better than most other brands I've had, but they are harder and harder to find these days. They taste exactly like regular hot dogs, and should be used accordingly.
Boca Brand
I don't enjoy most Boca products as much as I do Morningstar Farms', but Boca does have a huge selection of items and a few that I really like.
Boca Burgers: Boca brand veggie hamburgers are not my fave, but they seem to be really popular in general, so somebody obviously likes them. The reason I don't love them is that, for me, they tend to have a bit of an aftertaste (the same for Boca breakfast sausages), so I don't usually buy Boca burgers - I stick with Morningstar. They have a huge variety of flavors, and some of my friends love Boca's burgers, so it's worth it to give them a try.
Boca chick'n patties - this veggie version of the classic round, breaded, ready-for-a-bun chicken patty is a good substitute for the original. The breading is nice and crisp. The spicy version of chick'n patties have a nice kick to them. Great with mayo, ketchup, and cheese on a hamburger bun - old school.
Sausages - I really love Boca's selection of main-meal sausages. They have Italian, Bratwurst, and Smoked Sausages. Well, I don't know if they even make the smoked sausage anymore, because I haven't been able to find them. Which is a bummer, because I LOVED them. The Italian Sausages and Bratwurst by either Boca or Morningstar are great. They are super easy to heat and eat, and are perfect on a roll with your favorite toppings or served as-is next to a plate of noodles, sauerkraut, grilled veggies, whatever normally would go. I like to pair veggie Italian Sausage with my eggplant parmesan.
Worthington
Worthington is a company that has been around making veggie substitute products for a very long time. Almost all of their offerings are canned, instead of frozen. There is one product in particular that I love.
FriChik - I talked about using FriChik in my blog about Chicken Paprikash. Unlike MF's frozen chik'n strips, FriChik won't soak up all the sauce it's cooked in, making it great for dishes like Paprikash, or other stews, soups, and saucy dishes. FriChik is really moist and flavorful. It doesn't taste as much like chicken as some other chicken substitutes, but it's similar, and it doesn't matter anyway, because frichick istself is a very tasty item. I can eat it, sliced, straight out of the can. FriChik is super easy to use as it is already fully cooked and it's not frozen, so just heat and eat. However, FriChik can be much harder to find than Boca or MF products. I have had to order it online, but that's not difficult to do.
Weiners - Worthington makes cocktail weiners as well as full-size dogs that I have never had, but have heard are very good.
SmartDeli -
SmartDeli's vegetarian foods are usually refrigerated instead of frozen. Many supermarkets are carrying their products now, so they are easier to find.
Veggie Dogs - if I can't find MF's veggie dogs, my second choice is SmartDeli. Theirs are also a stealthy substitute for real dogs - Serve them and I bet no one would know the difference.
Lunch Meat - SmartDeli has a line of veggie lunch meats, most of which are quite tasty. The bologna is the closest match to the original, because bologna is so processed anyway, it's not hard to mimic. The turkey is also good. As a bonus, they are way less fatty than regular lunch meats, and have lots of healthy soy protein.
Chick'n strips - another type of veggie chicken in strip form, smartdeli's version is good for a few specific uses. They can handle sauces in the way that frichik can (unlike MF's chik'n strips), and they hold up well with frying. I make a breaded version of smartdeli's chick'n strips that tastes just like real fried chicken. I kid you not. When I want something homey, greasy and fried, I make smartdeli chick'n strip fried chicken. Ask my husband, and he'll tell you - it's good stuff.
Yves
This company makes several refrigerated items similar to what SmartDeli produces: lunchmeats, etc. These brands are often found right next to each other at the grocery store.
Pepperoni - when I need pepperoni, I use Yves brand. They can be used striaght from the package (no cooking needed, like most veggie meats) and put on pizzas, sandwiches, or just eaten straight up. The big difference between this and real pepperoni is that it doesn't ooze fat everywhere when you cook it. The taste is mildly spicy and very flavorful; it's not an exact match, but it fulfills the craving just fine.
Quorn
I'm not a huge fan of Quorn products. Unlike some other veggie meats which are soy-based, quorn's structure is based (if I remember correctly) on a fungus - a mushroom, I think- to get their protein structure. In any case, it is noticeably different with the texture than other brands, and I think they are very successful with the texture and overall look of the products. But, I haven't had a quorn product yet that was very tasty to me, or that I would replace with any of my other standbys. That's not to say that you shouldn't try quorn products, because they obviously do an ok busisness, so somebody is enjoying them. And, they have several unique items that other companies don't have: things like stuffed chick'n breasts, and other fully-prepared items.
Veat
Veat products have been around for quite a while, and they have several types of veggie meats that are, once again, frozen. I haven't tried all the veat products, but there is one that I use from time to time.
Veat Chick'n: The taste of veat chicken is not exactly like chicken; but it is a good taste. One handy thing is that they have various cuts of veat that are easy to use; you can buy veat chicken in little cubes for a stir fry or to skewer and grill, or buy long strips for chicken fingers or whatever. I don't buy veat often, but when I do, it's because they have the exact shape and style I need for a specific use.
Hopefully this helps explain a little about veggie meats and demystifies the idea of using them once in a while. Even if you are a meat-eater, there are plenty of veggie meats that anybody would love, meat-eater or not, and it's a great way to add some good soy protein into your diet and reduce some of the fat and cholesterol. Give them a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. And if you have a veggie burger that sucks, rest assured there are many out there that don't.
Happy eating!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Spinach Dip: Cold
Now, my basic recipe for cold spinach dip. Most spinach dip you can buy at the store is so light on the spinach that it seems like you are putting just a blob of mayo on your cracker. I like my spinach dip to actually have some spinach in it, and since it is so damn easy to make, I always make my own instead of buying it.
I really like the crunch of water chestnuts in this dip. Adding chopped green onion, a kick of hot peppers, or fresh dill can make a nice variation.
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and very well drained
1/2 c real mayo
1 tbsp milk or cream
1/3 c water chestnuts (canned), drained, chopped
1/4 tsp each salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper
Stir everything together well and season to taste. Add more mayo for a creamier dip; add more milk for a thinner dip.
If you want to use fresh baby spinach for the dip instead of frozen, you can sautee chopped fresh spinach in a little butter or oil, tossing until the spinach is wilted. Just be sure to let it cool before using in the recipe.
I love cold spinach dip with water crackers, but like the hot version, it goes well on just about anything.
Happy Holiday eating!
I really like the crunch of water chestnuts in this dip. Adding chopped green onion, a kick of hot peppers, or fresh dill can make a nice variation.
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and very well drained
1/2 c real mayo
1 tbsp milk or cream
1/3 c water chestnuts (canned), drained, chopped
1/4 tsp each salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper
Stir everything together well and season to taste. Add more mayo for a creamier dip; add more milk for a thinner dip.
If you want to use fresh baby spinach for the dip instead of frozen, you can sautee chopped fresh spinach in a little butter or oil, tossing until the spinach is wilted. Just be sure to let it cool before using in the recipe.
I love cold spinach dip with water crackers, but like the hot version, it goes well on just about anything.
Happy Holiday eating!
Spinach Dip: Hot
I love spinach dip in all its forms, cold, hot, with or without artichokes... all kinds. Cold or hot, it's great for either a homey snack, or for a holiday party table. Plus, no matter how fatty it is, you can comfort yourself in knowing it is chock-full of healthy spinach. I am going to give my basic recipe for both hot and cold spinach dips. First, the hot.
For this recipe, you can use whatever cheeses you like, but white cheeses look best, I think, and parmesan is a must for sprinkling on top. You can also add other veggies to this basic format, such as red peppers, or the classic artichoke hearts.
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp finely minced yellow, white, or green onion
1 large bag baby spinach, washed, thoroughly dried, excess stems picked out, and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced (or pressed in a garlic presser)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
a few grinds black pepper
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c cream
2 oz. white cheddar, shredded
2 oz. mozzarella, shredded
1/4 c parmesan, grated, divided
In a large non-stick pan, sautee onions in butter for two minutes; stir in garlic, crushed red pepper, parsley, black pepper, and salt; add fresh spinach and toss until spinach wilts, a few minutes. (You can use frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained, instead).) In a small cup or bowl, mix flour into cream until fully incorporated. Pour spinach into a baking dish; stir in shredded cheeses, half the parmesan, and cream mixture; mix everything together. Flatten out the top of the dip, and sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until dip is hot and bubbling. If you want, for a browner "crust" on top, you can then finish the dip under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Warm, bubbly spinach dip is great with tortilla chips, bread, or veggies. I like to serve it with pita I cut into triangles, lightly seasoned and toasted. This dip goes with just about anything.
Happy Holiday eating!
For this recipe, you can use whatever cheeses you like, but white cheeses look best, I think, and parmesan is a must for sprinkling on top. You can also add other veggies to this basic format, such as red peppers, or the classic artichoke hearts.
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp finely minced yellow, white, or green onion
1 large bag baby spinach, washed, thoroughly dried, excess stems picked out, and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced (or pressed in a garlic presser)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
a few grinds black pepper
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c cream
2 oz. white cheddar, shredded
2 oz. mozzarella, shredded
1/4 c parmesan, grated, divided
In a large non-stick pan, sautee onions in butter for two minutes; stir in garlic, crushed red pepper, parsley, black pepper, and salt; add fresh spinach and toss until spinach wilts, a few minutes. (You can use frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained, instead).) In a small cup or bowl, mix flour into cream until fully incorporated. Pour spinach into a baking dish; stir in shredded cheeses, half the parmesan, and cream mixture; mix everything together. Flatten out the top of the dip, and sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until dip is hot and bubbling. If you want, for a browner "crust" on top, you can then finish the dip under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Warm, bubbly spinach dip is great with tortilla chips, bread, or veggies. I like to serve it with pita I cut into triangles, lightly seasoned and toasted. This dip goes with just about anything.
Happy Holiday eating!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Soup's On, Part IV: Confetti Black Bean Soup
Instead of yellow or white onions, I like to use green onions in this soup, for their nice sharp flavor as well as bright green color. But, any sort of onion will do, even red onions if you like them. Most of these ingredients are things I keep around, but if I don't have them all, leaving something out here or there is totally fine. You should adjust amounts to your preference and ingredient availability, but here is a general format to start with:
Canola or other veggie oil
3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 roasted red pepper (a few tablespoons), chopped
1/4 c sweet corn, frozen or canned
1 can black beans, with the canned liquid
2 tbsp mild green chiles, chopped
3-4 cups very good veggie stock, plus extra water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
dash of garlic
black pepper
fresh cilantro
Sautee the onions in a few tablespoons of oil for just a minute or two, and then add in the other ingredients. I use the liquid from the canned beans, plus about 3 cups each veggie stock and water, to produce the broth for the soup. After the soup has simmered together for a few minutes, taste for seasoning, and add salt or seasonings as necessary. Fresh cilantro and some crunchy tortilla strips make a nice garnish for this super-easy soup.
Happy eating!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Festive Decor
For my final Thanksgiving-related post, I wanted to show you a few of the things I did for decor. I rarely have a reason to really deck out the table, so I wanted to make the dinner special. I used my nice china (which isn't anything super exotic or fancy, but still, nice) and set the table with my pretty gold and silver snowflake napkins. I used a tablecloth instead of the matching snowflake placemats, and instead used one of the placemats as the base for a centerpiece.
The centerpiece was just the sparkly placemat with miscellaneous gourds which I had sprayed with gold glitter. Yes, I sprayed the gourds with glitter. It was more subtle than you might think. And, it added a little sparkle when the flames from the candles hit the glitter. I had several more gourds, but some of them started to get soft and rot. Bummer. By then, I couldn't find any more of those little gourds anywhere! The stores were cleared out. So my centerpiece was a little sparse, but it worked out alright.
One fun thing I was excited about, decor-wise, were these little mulitcolored leaf-shaped dishes I found. They are super cute. They don't really match the gold and silver color scheme I was going for, but I just couldn't resist. I used them on an appetizer tray to hold olives and gherkins.
Creating pretty decor and table settings helps make a meal special. Any young kid knows that it is fun to play dress-up once in a while; it's fun to do that with meals, too.
Happy eating!
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