Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps with a Surprise Sauce #dairyfree

Are you here for the Buffalo Cauliflower Wrap or the Surprise Sauce?

If it were me, I've got the inside scoop, say you're here for the sauce.  So what is it?  The sauce is a Vegan Blue Cheese and it will fool anyone into believing it's the real deal.  It fooled my family.  I secretly have a mad sauce crush going.  I really wanted to include the word Vegan in the title but I didn't want to scare anyone away.  The sauce is super delicious and dairy free.  

Why go without when you don't really have to and these wraps are good BUT with the sauce, they're better.   There I said it.  It's true though.

I wouldn't eat a chicken wrap without blue cheese dressing, so for me, I won't eat the spicy cauliflower florets without the sauce.  

They're married!  Like Lucy and Ricardo. Eric and Arial. I am running out of redheads...LOL  

My poor daughter Rye is my taste tester for almost everything.  It's not uncommon for me to yell for her to come and try something upstairs.  She never balks or says no--hey, there is food after all--and I sure appreciate that.  I value her opinion when it comes to honesty and I want an honest response to, "does it taste okay?"   My family's favorite response is, "it has an oaky, nutty, buttery flavor."  They heard this on a cooking show and use it ALLLLLL the time.

My kids eat a lot of new things, sometimes the same thing over and over until we get it just right, and I have learned that kids give great feedback when it comes to food.  Mine have no problem telling me "yay" or "nay" on something.  I appreciate that they feel comfortable in our home to be honest, even when they are critiquing their Mom's food.  That must be some damn good parenting right there--said with a bit of sarcasm and truth.

This dish was an unanimous YAY.  I have to really work my mouth to say that last sentence.  I shall never use that combination of words again--an unanimous.  Say that ten times fast.

Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps with a Vegan Bleu Cheese
One head makes enough for 5-6 wraps, depends on how full your wraps are.

This recipe is two fold: baked cauliflower florets and the blue cheese sauce

For the Buffalo Cauliflower you will need this:

1 head of cauliflower diced in to large pieces
Your favorite hot sauce, I use Franks
1 tablespoon Ghee or oil
Shredded lettuce
Wheat tortillas

Vegan Blue Cheese:

3/4 cup vegannaise (like mayonnaise but without egg)
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, fresh and minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 caps of apple cider vinegar
1 good squeeze of lemon
*optional: this is not vegan, but if that is not a concern for you and you just want dairy free, then add a bit of Worcestershire sauce.
1/4 cup crumbled firm tofu (strain or squeeze out excess water)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Add cauliflower to pan and drizzle with oil or ghee.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and cover in Franks.  Return to oven and bake until tender or to your liking.  Some people like a firmer piece to add texture to each bite.

2.  While cauliflower is baking make your sauce.  Add all of the ingredients and stir.

3.  Fill each wrap with lettuce and spicey cauliflower.  Add the Vegan Blue Cheese and serve.

4.  Store all left overs in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.  Sauce may last longer.

Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios

I have officially completed my first week of college.  I have felt many emotions this week: fear, excitement, and joy.  My favorite class is choir.  Yes, I am taking choir because I never took it in high school.  I love to sing and want a chance to work with a teacher to better my skills when it comes to belting out my favorite songs at random times in my life.  I like to say that my life is a musical.  

This little bowl of deliciousness is my favorite flavor combination when enjoying yogurt in the morning.  I can't explain why this combination of flavors works so well together--but it does.  I am not usually a person who eats loudly.  I am a quiet consumer when it comes to my table manners until I eat this.  Then, it's noisy and embarrassing.

I can't help myself.  You have the creamy texture of the yogurt combined with two crunchy elements-the pistachios and chocolate chips.  The tang of the oranges is never the same experience because they all taste different and finally the mint.  The mint is fresh and unexpected.  It is the glue that holds the dish together.  One without the other does not give the same experience.  Believe me I have tried and it doesn't punch the same POW that the original 5 ingredients do.  

I use dark chocolate chips and I unshell my own pistachios. You can use the kind that are already shelled.  I use all types of oranges and have even cheated with a can of canned mandarins.  I have tried this with greek yogurt, honey flavored yogurt and soy yogurt.  

We eat a lot of greek yogurt in our house.  So much that I just bought the system to make our own yogurt.  I plan on using coconut milk for ours. I bought a vegan starter from Amazon that was highly suggested by several blogs I follow.  

Yay me!  I hope it works.

This is our second favorite way to enjoy yogurt.  I have never lived anywhere that we could buy huge bags of cherries.  Well, we can in Oregon and it is amazing!  The come frozen and combine two types.  We heat them in the microwave until warm.  The juice just pours out of them when heated.  The fun part is that your yogurt turns pink.  We add my homemade granola to the mix and ta-da--it's a bowl of desire and comfort. 

To make homemade granola you can try these recipes below.  I make all of these throughout the year.  My newest one is Pecan Pie Granola.  I am still testing it and it should be added soon.

ALMOND GRANOLA 

PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA

DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA

GINGERBREAD GRANOLA

Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios
Makes one serving

1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt--plain, honey or vanilla work best
1 orange, peeled and diced into segments
1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
handful of pistachios-shelled
as many chocolate chips as you want

1.  Grab a bowl and start adding ingredients.  Mine looks pretty just for the picture.

Toasted Cashews

Are you going nuts yet?  Only a few more days before Christmas.  My house is a buzz with anxious adults and strung out kids.  They are way too excited this year.  The two year old is figuring things out pretty fast and the 8 year old is keeping her promise to not sleep much until Christmas day.  Send wine!

Our family eats a lot of nuts.  Even as a kid, I loved nuts.  One memory I have from my childhood are the bowls of nuts my grandparents had sitting around their home during the Christmas season.  They had the nut crackers and those thin picks.  Oh the piles of shells.  They were everywhere.  The grown ups from my childhood didn't know how to get up and throw the piles of shells away. I guess the Elf on the Shelf did that.

I tried the whole nut thing with my family and they did not care for it. Honestly I think it was too messy for their liking.  It's kind of like eating crab. My kids love it as long as I pick the meat out for them.  LOL

This is how we do holiday nuts in our house.  I have been toasting my own nuts for about 5 years.  The process is simple and I don't get too fancy but you can if you like.  I use my cast iron pans because it evenly heats the whole pan and they just turn out better each time I make them than when I use any other pan.

I buy my nuts raw and in a 25 pound bag. I store them in the freezer.  It takes us about 4-6 months to use them up and I find that they may go bad if I keep them in a drawer.  I toast them from a frozen state and have not had any problems with them turning out.

I use vegetable oil because olive oil can be too strong for my family and their taste buds.  I use flake salt to season them with after toasting.  I store them in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.  Honestly they rarely go this long because we add them to almost all of our salads and curry's.  

If I had to describe a toasted cashew it would be nutty creaminess.  The combination of the toasted outside combined with the sweet center is the perfect snack in my opinion.

Toasted Cashews 

2 cups of raw cashews, whole or halved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste

1.  Preheat a cast iron pan and add oil. Heat oil and toss cashews in.  Stir with a wooden spoon until nuts are brown on both sides.  Remove from heat to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

NOTE: Nuts will firm up once they are cool.

Ramen

Ramen rules the roost in our house.  I bet we make it twice a week. It is a dish everyone in our family will like and slurp up.  I rarely hear grunts, moans or words of displeasure of what we are having for lunch or dinner on these nights.

Our recipe for this dish is simple.  We use Japanese ramen noodles that I buy from Mai's (our local asian store in town) and use a vegetable broth seasoned with Tamari Sauce (gluten free soy sauce).  I have also thrown in a spoonful of miso soup base for added flavor. We include carrots, green onion, red onion and mushrooms.  We have also added: zucchini, hard boiled eggs, meat (if our guest eat meat), and celery.

Honestly, you can add anything you want to your ramen bowl.  The broth is a blank canvas and you can fill it up with what your family enjoys.  Make it your own. This is just what we do because its quick and makes the kids happy.  The kids don't want fancy or sophisticated.  It took me a while to figure this out but I am finally catching on to this whole parenting thing....kind of.

In fact, we eat ramen so much in our house during these cold and rainy days that I invested in a set of Ramen bowls.  I love them.  I tried to buy them all a bit different. I love how they all work together with their own vibrant patterns showing off their own ramen noodles.  I paid about $14.00 a piece for them.  I have no idea if this is a good deal or not...but, they have been used a ton in the last month we have owned them.

A few weeks ago Cory brought home a selection of ramen noodles.  I am not talking about the prepackaged/all in one ramen noodles that sell for 5/1.00.  These are ramen noodles sold like Italian pasta noodles.  We tried fresh, frozen and dried.  They were from 5 different countries.  To be honest, the differences were minor but we kept going back to the Japanese brand as our favorite.  The taste and texture fit with what our expectation of a ramen noodle should be like.

The kids could care less...they just want ramen noodles.

The Japanese ramen noodles were the most expensive so beware of price.  They all have different price points and different ingredients.  Some were made with 2 ingredients and others had 5-6.  If this is important to you then read the labels.

Ramen
This is enough for 4 bowls.  The amounts will vary based on how many bowls you are preparing.  We usually plan on one cup of broth per bowl.  People are here for the noodles..LOL

4 cups of broth-vegetable, beef, or chicken
1-2 tablespoons of Tamari or Soy Sauce
1/4 cup of sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup green onion
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/5 cup sliced mushrooms

optional additions are: meat, hard boiled egg, zucchini, or what ever you want

1.  Cut vegetables into small slices, dices or pieces.  Add to broth.

2.  Heat broth to very hot.  We never boil the broth.  Keep broth very hot until vegetables are tender.

3. In a separate pot bring desired amount of water to a boil (see noodle instructions).  Add noodles and cook.  Drain and add to individual bowls.  Our noodles take about 6 minutes to cook.

4.  Add broth and veggies to noodles.  Add any other toppings to your ramen bowl. Serve.

This is a version where we used larger rice noodles and added fresh cilantro.  Keepin' it different!

Chinese Tofu Salad with Cashews

Cory and I used to make Chinese Chicken Salad all the time.  You may remember, it was the salad with Top Ramen added and sometimes served with chicken.  Since we are staying away from a lot of process food the Top Ramen is out.  We also have cut back on our meat.  Cabbage salad sounded boring.  I took the initiative to mix and match my ingredients to come up with a new version for our family and renamed it Chinese Tofu Salad.

It's not exactly like the salad we used to make but it had familiar notes to it.  I think he liked it because he went back for seconds and then thirds.

I used the Fried Tofu from Tuesdays recipe to top our salad.  I like warm protein on my salads.  The process of making fried tofu is in Tuesdays blog post. It is simple and creates a nice warm element to this salad.  

I also toasted sesame seeds and cashews.  The fried tofu, toasted sesame seeds and cashews create a party in your mouth.  The different flavor profiles with the simple dressing explode with flavor and freshness. 

Chinese Tofu Salad with Cashews and Sesame Seeds

1/2 head of cabbage, cut any way you like
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup toasted cashews
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
green onion for garnish on top
Fried Tofu-optional (see post for instructions on how to make)

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
3-5 drops of sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons sugar or coconut sugar

1.  Mix salad ingredients together.

2.  Combine dressing ingredients together.  Taste to make sure it is balanced correctly. Adjust with more rice wine, soy sauce or sugar.

3.  Pour dressing over salad and toss.  Add tofu to individual plates of salad. Garnish with green onion pieces.

Tofu and Red Onion Salad

I really wanted to name this salad Finnley's Favorite Salad in the Entire World but I think it might be a bit too long.  The girl loves red onions in rice vinegar.

We first had this salad a few weeks ago at our local Japanese restaurant.  I wasn't really sure what I was ordering but I knew that I liked tofu and red onions.  What could there be to not like? NOTHING!  It was delicious and Cory barely got any of it.

When we got home I knew that this needed to be added to our monthly menu line up.  To be honest the tofu freaked me out.  I had no idea what I was doing when it came to frying tofu and set out on a mission to dig a little deeper.  I own several cookbooks that helped me to figure it out.  

The method that I am using in this recipe is by far my favorite because its a simple process of heating up some oil, tossing the cubes of tofu in a starch and frying until golden brown.  I experimented with deep frying the pieces and it was messy and my tofu was a bit oily.  I think I am not set up to deep fry in my home kitchen and I will let the restaurants tend to that process.  I might need to invest in a Fry Daddy, but again, the pan fried method worked for us.  

The tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside--perfect!

I fry up a whole block of extra firm tofu because it reheats well for other dishes. I also used it in the recipe coming out on Friday for my Asian Tofu Salad with cashews and toasted sesame seeds.

A few weeks ago we had company and I threw this together in a very short amount of time.  My brother-n-law and sister-n-law thought the salad was a success.

During the photo shoot, Finnley, could not hold back.  She sat right down and started helping herself to her salad.  She was too cute to say no and so I continued shooting and she continued to eat. I love the picture above with her cute feet straddling her salad.  She is growing up too fast and these little moments remind me of that.

Below I will show you step by step how I prepare the tofu to fry.  The salad starts with four simple ingredients: red onion, rice vinegar, salt and pepper.

Tofu and Red Onion Salad

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1-3 tablespoon rice vinegar, depends on amount of onion used
salt and pepper
1 block of extra firm tofu
oil for frying
starch for coating

1.  30 minutes before you make your salad prepare the tofu.  See the images below to help you with this step.  Also cut the red onion and add the salt, pepper and rice vinegar.

2.  After 30 minutes, cut tofu into slices and then small pieces.  Toss in starch of your choice (corn, arrowroot, potato).

3.  Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of  a skillet.  Add tofu pieces one at a time.  They might clump together if you toss them all in at once.

4.  Fry on each side until golden brown and remove to a cookie rack until ready to add to the red onion.

5.  Top red onion salad with warm tofu and serve.

TOFU Instructions
This is how I remove the excess water from my tofu.  I wrap it in a dish towel and add something heavy to the top of it.  The dish towel will absorb the extra water and create a more dense block of tofu for frying.

I slice the tofu into 1/2 widths.

I then take each slice and make it 6 pieces.

Heat my oil, and add each piece one at a time.  

Let get golden brown on each side. Remove to cookie rack.

Salsa Verde

It's the holiday season and we are so excited in my house.  The tree is up and the decorations are out.  This is our first year in the beach house and we are settling in and starting new traditions.

I am sharing one of our favorite recipes this time of year.  In my mind I was under the assumption that Salsa Verde is a summer thing.  Well, in Oregon it's an all year round thing.

I can buy the ingredients at my local Fred Meyer and this brings a bit of freshness into our gray and winter months here at the beach.  We have seen so much rain.  One night we had 2.5 inches.  A LOT OF RAIN is in our forecast and this bright salsa is an easy way to add color to our plates and lives.

Each time I make Salsa Verde it disappears from the fridge.  My kids eat it as an after school or late night snack with chips.  My favorite is to drizzle it over my nachos with some fresh red salsa and cilantro.  I also make vegan burritos and use it as the sauce. 

I have noticed that if I use the smaller tomatillo's that it can be a bit tart.  We like this about the salsa but some people find it too strong.  I have used the tomatillos raw but I usually try to roast them or toss them in my cast iron pan for a few minutes.  This helps to round out the flavor and tartness.

You may have noticed that my recipes have become simpler.  We are still eating mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts and less meat.  It's been an easy transition and we love getting creative with the rainbow of fruits and vegetables at our local grocery store and Farmer Market.  I find I don't need long recipes to make delicious food for most of our meals.

I also notice that much of our cooking is using the "a little of this and a little of that" mentality.   If my recipes seem to not offer a lot of instruction its because they depend more on your taste buds and personal preferences than on following a recipe that is set in stone.  I want you to think about what you are cooking, taste your food, learn what you like, and learn about the ingredients you are working with.  

I hope you enjoy this bright, tart salsa this time of year.

Salsa Verde 

Makes about 2 cups

8-10 Tomatillos, raw or roasted

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1/4 cut onion

1 jalapeno--optional

salt to taste

lime juice to taste--optional

1 clove minced garlic

avocado--If you want a creamy version, this is a great way to use up a very ripe avocado.

1.  Roast the tomatillos on stove top with a little bit of oil or in a very hot oven for 10 minutes.

2.  Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.

3.  Taste and adjust flavors: add more lime, jalapeno, cilantro, or salt as needed.

4. Store in refrigerator.

Oyster Mushroom Quesadilla #vegan

I have moved to a mushroom paradise.  I never fully appreciated how abundant Oregon is brimming with mushrooms: wild and locally grown.  We are over the moon to discover this in our backyards at the Oregon coast.

Our family enjoys all types of mushrooms and in almost every form: raw, cooked, steamed, in soups, deep fried, and pickled.  We just love mushrooms.

I remember camping in the mountains of Utah about 10 years ago and finding a Snowball mushroom.  It was huge.  My husband was afraid to eat it but another camper also recognized it for what it was.  We agreed to fry it up in some olive oil with salt and pepper.  Oh that was a treat!

I don't do that very often.  We don't eat any wild mushroom we find unless we get a second opinion.  It just isn't worth it and we are not experienced enough to put our family in that kind of danger.  Some mushrooms are lethal.  Always know what you are eating before you eat it.

I have used several sites for my own personal identification purposes.  When we go out hiking or frisbee disc golfing we will encounter a variety of mushrooms along the trails.  I like this site HERE.  He has a great picture and brief description that helps me to TRY and identify what we have found.

We are lucky enough to live close to a mushroom farm.  This family is at our local Farmer's Market each week with tons of brown bags.  Inside each bag you will find a selection of mushrooms. Each bag is labeled, she has samples and generously shares her knowledge with us.  Their site is HERE.  Their farm is located in Eddyville which is about 35 miles from Corvallis, Oregon.

We use our mushrooms in everything.  I usually buy two or three bags and this will last us a week.  Our new favorite way of eating them is in a quesadilla. 

I buy whole wheat organic tortillas from a local coop in town.  I like these because they have few ingredients and taste fresh.  

We don't include cheese in our quesadillas.  I have used a tofu like cream cheese before but usually I just toast the tortillas on my grill, add the mushrooms and then toss in some arugula at the last minute for a fresh element.  I fold it over and serve it with our homemade Salsa Verde.  That recipe is coming soon.

For this recipe I sautéed the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper. I also added some red onions.  I cook them until they are tender and a bit wilted. 

I haven't included a step by step because these are pretty straight forward to make.

This is what you do:

-saute the mushrooms

-toast the tortilla

-add the mushrooms and anything else you desire

-fold in half and cut

-serve with a dipping sauce 

-eat

Pickled Radishes

Our family has fallen in love with pickled food.  We eat something pickled every day.  I often will have pickles, onions, asparagus, radishes or carrots pickling in our refrigerator on any given days.

I find that our friends and family that visit also enjoy these lovely side dishes.  Pickled food is great by its self, on a cracker, served with hummus or used as a topping in your favorite sandwich.

My two year old loves the red onions the best.  The red radishes are my husbands favorite.  Not only are they the right blend of sweet and tart, they are still firm enough to enjoy the bite that comes from eating a radish slice.  My favorite part?  The pink brine.  The pink comes from the red skin.  It just looks pretty.  I like pretty food.

Pickling is a great way to preserve food too.  It comes in handy for our family when I notice I have purchased too much of one thing.  Cucumbers come to my mind first.  I tend to buy one or two extra cucumbers that sit in the fridge for a bit too long.  I try really hard to not waste food.

I use a simple brine mixture for all of my pickling items.  I like the combination of rice wine, water, salt, and sugar.  To vary the flavorings I also add pickling spices, fresh herbs (my favorite is dill which is pictured in the photo above) and sometimes I will use a variety of vinegars.  I like rice wine because it is mild and has the right amount of "pucker" for our taste buds.  I can use it by itself or mixed with water and achieve great results.

Pickled Radishes

1 bunch of radishes, tops removed and sliced thin
1 cup of rice wine
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons of pickling spices
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
***take note: the sugar and salt are just estimates.  Taste the brine and then decide if you want more salt or sugar or both.  Sometimes I will do this after it has sat for an hour too.

1.  Use a clean container.  I like glass.  Add the sliced radishes, sugar, and salt.   If you choose to add fresh herbs, do this now too.

2.  In a small pot add vinegar, pickling spices, and water.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Add hot mixture to radishes.  Let cool on counter.

3.  Refrigerate when cool.  We eat our pickled products within two weeks.

Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan

If I have to pick one recipe that has quickly become our favorite for this year it is this tomato soup.  My entire family LOVES it.  I make it at least once a week.  

We have named this Isabella's Tomato Soup because she is the one that request it the most.  Last week I taught her how to make it as part of our Friday Cooking Class.  Isabella is becoming quite the culinary student.  I have enjoyed teaching her about the basics of cooking, the health benefits of cooking from scratch, and the time together in the kitchen.

This recipe is dairy free and I have made it with all types of dairy free milk: rice, almond, soy and coconut milk.  We really like the coconut milk the best.  I use the full fat and the soup is very creamy and dreamy.

We use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes.  I think the texture and flavor from using the two benefits from having a variety of tomatoes.  

It is quick!  We whip this soup up in about 20 minutes.  I try to let it simmer for a few minutes but I usually have a handful of people asking me, "is it ready yet?" every few minutes.  The soup is great the next day too.

Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup red onion, diced small

1 tablespoon Italian Parsley, finely minced

2 teaspoons oil of your choice, to sauté onion

2 tablespoons flour

2 cans Organic Diced Tomatoes

2 cans Organic Coconut Milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic paste

salt and pepper to taste

 1.  Heat a small pot with oil.  Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley, salt and pepper.  Cook over heat for 1 minute.

2.  Add tomatoes and coconut milk.  Do not drain juice from tomatoes.

3.  Stir together.  Using a hand held blender stick, puree soup until smooth. See picture below.  It will be light pink and as it cooks, the color will change to a beautiful orange red.  If you don't have this, then add to a blender and puree and return to pot.

4.  Heat soup until thick.  I don't usually boil this soup.  Once the soup is thick, I turn the heat down and let it simmer for 15 minutes.  Taste and season according to your family's needs.

5.  We serve this with homemade croutons.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Cowboy Caviar

I love this side dish, relish, snack, appetizer or salad topping.  It has many uses. 

The obvious way to enjoy the Cowboy Caviar is with tortilla chips but I also like to use the left overs for salads and sandwiches.

Honestly, you can add anything to this wonderful array of color served in a bowl or take out what you don't like.  

I think these are some of the best recipes because they are so easily adaptable to your own families likes and dislikes.   I know that when I make it when my Mom is in town to leave out the black-eyed peas--she hates them.  I know that if I am going to be eating it I have to make a small batch for myself without the peppers.  I just learned that I am very allergic to bell peppers (and here I thought it was the eggs--LOL)

Do you see how this can be altered and recreated a ton of different ways.  I think adding jicama to this would also be really good.  I just thought of that so next time I will change it up a bit.

I like to serve this dish warm instead of cold.  My teeth are really sensitive to cold things. I just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, enough to take the cold edge off.

I think we will be making this soon, I smell a good football game right around the corner.

ENJOY!

Cowboy Caviar

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15.5 oz can of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 cup of orange bell pepper, chopped small

2/3 cup red onion, chopped small

1 15 oz. can white or yellow corn, drained

2 medium tomatoes, chopped small

1/2-1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1.5 cups of your favorite Italian salad dressing

Salt to taste

Jalapenos (optional--not pictured)

Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well

Serve with chips, as a salad topping, over fish or by itself.

Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Gingerbread Granola

This is the fourth granola recipe that I have made this year.  I enjoy making the different flavors and my family loves eating them.

The other flavors that I have made can be found at the links below:

Honey Almond Granola

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Gingerbread is a favorite flavor at our home.  Each and every year we attempt homemade gingerbread cookies and houses.

My favorite morning breakfast is honey greek yogurt with a big scoop of granola sprinkled over the top.

I also enjoy eating the granola as a bowl of cereal.

I added this recipe to Capital Style Magazines list of neighborhood, teacher and friend gifts.  I think, in a cellophane bag with a big bow this would make a wonderful homemade treat.

Recipe: Gingerbread Granola

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/4 cup oil
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4.5 cups of uncooked oatmeal
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup blanched almonds
3 tablespoons flax meal

Preheat oven to 275.

In a medium sauce pan, combine first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil.

In a large bowl mix oatmeal, coconut, nuts and flax meal.

Pour boiled molasses mixture over oatmeal mixture.

Stir well. Add to a cookie sheet.

Bake for one hour total time, but checking and stirring granola every 15 minutes.

Granola will turn a rich color. Remove from oven and cool.

Store in airtight container. Good for 2 months.

  

217. Pumpkin Spice Granola

 

This is my third recipe for granola.  It is so easy to make that I just can't bring myself to buy the stuff in the store ever again.

I had my hand on a box the other day because the front of the packaging looked so enticing.  I shook my head and told myself to go home and make a fresh batch.

 I did.

I am so glad that I tried to make Pumpkin Spice Granola.  I wasn't sure if I had gotten the spice combination correct.  Once it is made, it's made.

I am happy to report that it turned out with a strong flavor of pumpkin pie and had the same crunch that my other two granola's have.

I added pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients and I did not know if this would change the makeup of the maple syrup blend.   I was pleasantly surprised.  It added a depth to the pumpkin flavor and did not affect the texture.

I eat this as cereal with milk or served over a bowl of honey greek yogurt.

In fact, as I am typing this I am dabbing the corner's of my lips with a white napkin….oh it's a keeper!

I was so glad to find clusters in this batch of granola.  They are packed full of pumpkin flavor and have a crunchy texture.

I am a strange eater sometimes.  This is one example.  When I open a bag of potato chips I eat all of the folded, doubled over chips first.  In my opinion, these are just simply the best.  They are crispy and when you bite into the many layers, my mouth and mind work together and send the signal that this is how every chip should be. 

It drives my family crazy.

The granola does not have edges that are folded but the clusters do the same thing to my brain.  With every bite it sends a signal of perfection.  As I bite through each cluster, it falls apart and is very crunchy.

Yes, I did go through the bowl and pick out a few clusters.  

I figure to get more of the clusters in your granola, when mixing the granola, use your hands and squish handfuls together and gently dump on cookie tray.  Try not to over stir the first two times you move the granola around.  You could also reduce the amount of oatmeal by one cup to allow for more of the wet ingredient to "cluster" the granola.

I know this is not rocket science but it is what keeps me up at night…LOL

Tell me what food habits you have that drive your family crazy in the comments below.  

Recipe:  Pumpkin Spice Granola

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup light extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice (recipe below or use store bought)

2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree

5-6 cups of uncooked oatmeal, just plain old oatmeal

1/2 cup of grated or shredded coconut

1/2 cup of blanched almonds

dried cranberries (optional)

1/4 cup of brown sugar (optional)

NOTE:  With granola you can add a variety of seeds or nuts to the process.  I add any dried fruit after it is prepared.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl combine oatmeal, nuts and coconut.  If you are adding seeds add them know too.

Set aside.

In a medium size saucepan, add syrup, oil, vanilla and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin puree.

Immediately pour over oatmeal mixture.  Toss.

Pour granola onto a cookie sheet with rimmed sides.

Every 15 minutes, gently toss granola.  After about 45 you should start to smell the granola and see a change in color.  It will start to darken.  I let my granola bake for 1hour, stirring it every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.  I sprinkled some brown sugar over this batch while still hot and gently mixed.  This is optional but does add a nice look and additional sweetness to the granola.

Cool and store in tightly sealed container.

This can be stored for up to one month.  After that quality of flavors may start to break down.


Recipe:  Pumpkin Spice

I made my own.  It turned out great and taste just like pumpkin pie to me.

1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon of cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ginger

Combine together and use accordingly.

  

Vegetable Tian

I spend a few minutes each day chatting with myself, do you?  My conversations range from things I should have said to questions I would be asked if I were on a radio station.  All quite silly things to be truthful.

With these said conversations I solve many world problems, issues with family and convince myself that I pretty much have all of the answers.  If only someone would ask.  Of course I am joking, I don't have all the answers but sometimes it's fun to pretend that we do.  

On this day, a week ago, I was playing the what if game.  What if I were on a radio show and someone asked me,  "who would you say was your greatest influence in the kitchen?"

I was so quick and on my feet for this pretend interview that I immediately said, "why, my grandmother of course".

This is when the conversation became really fun and active in my head.  I actually had to disagree with myself and somehow I was okay with that.

I stopped the interview, and proceeded to have a quick moment of reflection.  This is what I learned about my influences for my passion of cooking and preparing food.

1.  My grandmother did influence me in the kitchen on many levels, but she was not the ONE influence.  The thing I learned and remember most often, is that when you are making a recipe always put everything away as you use it.  Then when your cookies are made, there is not a huge mess to clean up (hubby please take note).  I realized that my grandmother made the same things for dinners.  She rarely altered the food fare on the table.  Her influence for me was the desire to be in the kitchen and work with my hands.  She made fabulous desserts.

2.  My mother worked and owned a restaurant.  I was influenced by being in the kitchens and smelling the food that was being prepared.  My Mom worked really hard so that her three girls could have the things they needed and wanted.  She taught me to work hard and this has influenced my passion for cooking and writing.  Along the way my Mom has continued to try and learn new recipes, I love this desire to evolve and create.  She has continued to learn new things.

3.  I love to travel.  When we have traveled in the past we visit the museums, the parks, the rides, the tours and the tourist spots of most places we visit.  I have decided that most cities and towns have pretty much the same functions with a few unique places to visit.  The key is finding what makes each of those places unique and different.  I find that this is fondly found in the foods that are served around town.  Food tells a story of the region or location just as much as the people or museums do.  Traveling has had a huge influence on the way that I cook and find inspiration. I often return home from a trip and try to find recipes or develop recipes that remind me of where I had just been.  

4.  My family, health and desire to eat right probably have the greatest influence over how I cook and what I make.  Without my kids I would not have a reason to make big meals, prepare for birthdays,  save recipes, share or teach with them my love for making bread and this list could go on an on.

Getting back to the question, "who would you say was your greatest influence in the kitchen?" I would have to say my family, my love for traveling and my willingness to never stop learning.

It's these influences that influenced this dish.  I did not develop this dish, it has been around for years.  I just had the ingredients on hand, new that my family would love it, saw it on several other blogs, immediately thought of my time spent in France and it was my ever increasing desire to do something new and different that influenced this dish to be made last week.  As my life changes I am sure my influences will too.  I look forward to the adventure ahead.  

This is a simple way to use your veggies from the garden to create a dish with a gourmet flair and appearance.  Using sprigs of fresh herbs adds that special little touch to make your family and friends ooh and ah. 

ENJOY!

8-3-2012 This recipe was shared on Amee's Savory Dish: Fit and Fabulous Friday.  Go check out the other amazing and healthy recipes.

Recipe:  Vegetable Tian

zucchini

potato

yellow squash

tomatoes

1 red onion

minced garlic

fresh herbs, I used thyme from my garden

1/2 cup of cheese, I used Edam.  Cheddar, Jack, Parmesan all can be used too.

Why are there not any ingredient amounts?  Simply because this dish can be made in a 9X13 or as an individual serving.  You decide how big or how much you want to make and that will determine what you will need to have on hand.

For me, I did one of each (except for the tomato, I had two).  This was prepared in a 7X10 tian (shallow ceramic baking dish).

Preheat your oven to 375. 

Cut your veggies.  I used a mandolin and this is how I was able to achieve the consistency in width for each veggie.

Saute your chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil.

In the bottom of your baking dish, spread the onion/garlic mixture.  Start stacking your veggies and then laying them in rows in your dish.  You can pack them tight if you want, they do reduce and shrink a bit when cooked.

Season with salt, pepper and olive oil.  I added 4 sprigs of thyme.  Cover with foil and bake until done.  Mine took 40 minutes to cook.  It was all based on the potatoes (they took the longest to cook).  When they were done, I removed the foil and added some cheese.

Without cheese.

With cheese.