Category: Vegetarian

Crunchy Onion Rings

4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound Visalia onions. Cut into 1/3 to 1/2 inch slices and separate into rings

3 C buttermilk

2 C flour

1 C yellow cornmeal

2 T cumin

1 t salt

3 T ancho chili powder

1 t cayenne

4 C peanut oil

Directions

Heat oil to 365 degrees F in large deep skillet. Mix flour, cornmeal, cumin, chili powder,cayenne,salt,and pepper in large bowl.Pour buttermilk into large bowl and add onion rings. Dredge onion rings in flour. Add coated onion rings to oil and cook until golden brown about 2 – 3 minutes. Transfer to cookie rack covered with layer of paper towel to drain. Ready to serve.

Pickled Jalapeños

Our friend had a big crop of jalapeños and shared with us. We had more than I could use immediately. I made my Grandsons favorite pickle, jalapeño pickles. So easy, so tasty.

Ingredients

1pound jalapeños

1 T salt

1 1/2 C white vinegar

1/2 C water

4 garlic cloves

1-2 T sugar¹

Directions

Sterilize two pint sealable jars and set aside.²

In medium nonreactive pan add water, vinegar, salt, sugar and bring to a boil.

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Put on gloves

Wash and dry  jalapeños

Slice jalapeños then place jalapeños and garlic cloves in jar leaving 1/2 inch at top.

Add boiled pickling liquid and let stand 10 minutes and cover.

Place in refrigerator and let stand  about 3 days.

Note

1  I added 2 T of sugar as these jalapenos had a lot of heat.

2  I boiled the Kerr® jars in water for 15 minutes and then transferred them to a clean cloth to cool down.

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Chowder

Chunky caulifower cheddar cheese soup that is a favorite on cool fall evenings.

Ingredients

1 carrot chopped

1 medium onion minced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 T olive oil

1 medium cauliflower

4 C vegetable broth

2 T butter

2 T flour

2 C milk

2 C shedded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

Directions

Serves 4-6

Cut cauliflower in half and decore. Coarse chop florets and set aside in medium bowl

Add olive oil to large sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add carrots and onion and saute for two minutes, Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add chopped cauliflower and broth and bring to boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove about 1/3 of the caulifower mixture to bowl and puree using immersion blender and then add back to large saucepan.

Melt butter in medium size skillet and add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add milk gradually while whisking and cook for 5 minutes.

Add cheese and mix until blended and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add into cauliflower mixture and stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve with green salad and crusty rustic bread.

NOTE:

Toppings such as chives, croutons, crispy onion flakes, sour cream, or popcorn can be added.

If you desire a thicker soup. Make the roux with 3 tablespoons of butter and flour.

If I have leftover soup, I cook pasta elbows* and add in the leftover soup. Pour into baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup shedded cheese on the top.  Cook in the oven at 350º F for 15 minutes. I serve this as a side dish.  * Amount of pasta depends on how much leftover soup.

 

 

Fennel Cabbage Slaw

An easy to make flavorful slaw that captures in a single bite sweetness from the red cabbage, spiciness from the radishes, and anise from the fennel.

Ingresients

1 C finely sliced red cabbage

1 fennel bulb

8 radishes sliced

Lemon Galic DressingLemon Garlic Dressing

Salt and pepper

Directions

4 Servings

Remove stalks from fennel bulb and set aside.

Core the bulb and then fine slice and place in medium bowl.

Cut fronds from stalks and coarse chop. Add to bowl.

Add sliced cabbage and radishes to bowl.

Dress with lemon garlic dressing, Season to taste with salt and pepper

Serve.

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Cilantro Basil Pesto

An easy to make pesto with cilantro and basil that has a fresh summery taste. It is delicious served with fresh pasta and seared shrimp or diver seallops with a dusting of fresh grated parmesan.

Ingredients

2 C cilantro leaves and stems rough chopped

1 C packed basil leaves

3 garlic cloves

1/2 C cashews unsalted

1/2 to 2/3 C olive oil

1/3 C Parmesan cheese shredded

1/4 to 1/2 t salt

Directions

Makes about 2 cups

Place cilantro, basil, garlic, and cashews in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Scrape down sides of bowl then add Parmesan.

Turn on processor and slowly add in olive oil until pesto is smooth.

Add salt and pulse to combine.

Ready to serve or freeze¹.

Note:

¹You can freeze the pesto in ice cream trays and transfer to air tight plastic bags or  freeze it small plastic containers that have air tight lids.

 

Greek Salad on Lavash with Tzatziki Sauce

A delicious combination of Greek inspired dishes served on a flatbread. It is bursting with flavor and texture from both the creamy, chunky tzatziki sauce and the salty, acidic Greek dressed salad.

Ingredients

Lavash

1 lavash(9 inches by 12 inches)

1 T olive oil

3/4 C Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 C feta cheese crumbled

Greek Salad Ingredients

1/2 C English cucumber diced

1/2 C tomato diced

1/3 C shallot or red onion sliced thin

½ C red or yellow pepper diced

1 T mint chopped

3 T Kalamata olives chopped

2 C baby romaine

1/3 C Greek salad dressing

Directions

Serves 2 or 4.

Preheat oven to 420º F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Flatbread Prep

Place flatbread on baking sheet and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.

Transfer to oven and bake about 2 minutes per side and remove from oven and cool.

Salad

Combine all salad ingredients except romaine and toss with dressing and set aside to marinate.

Assemble the Lavash

Place the flatbread on large serving platter.

Spread tzatziki sauce onto lavash.

Combine the marinated salad vegetables with the romaine and toss to coat. Spread the salad over the tzatziki flatbread.

Sprinkle with feta and cut the lavash into two or four pieces.

Serve

Note:

This is a favorite luncheon dish. Easy to make. My cousin also said she uses whole wheat pitas in place of the whole wheat flatbread that I use.

 

 

Greek Salad Dressing

A traditional Greek dressing made with fresh herbs. Serve on a Greek salad or any salad, pasta, or dress a cold vegetable plate.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves minced

2 t basil minced

1 T oregano minced

2 t Dijon mustard

3 T lemon juice

5 T red wine vinegar

1 t salt

1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Tools and ingredients

In a small bowl, combine together the garlic, herbs, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Then slowly add the olive oil whisking until the dressing is emulsified. Transfer to salad dressing container.

Note:

I used fresh herbs and lemon from my garden for the dressing. I used about three more times fresh herbs than I would dried herbs.

 

Frisée, Radish and Endive Salad

Frisée offers so many textures in a bite from the delicate slightly bitter lacy leaves to the crunch of its stem. The radishes offer spiciness. It is a stunning salad visually.

Ingredients

1 large head of Frisée or curly endive¹

6-8 radishes sliced thin

2 heads of endive rough chop

1/3 C sunflower seeds

Lemon Garlic DressingLemon Garlic Dressing

Directions

Serves 2-4

Wash and shake dry Frisée. Place on serving platter. Add endive, radishes, and sunflower seeds.

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Drizzle with dressing. Cut into halves or quarters and serve.

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NOTES:

¹I used organic Frisée . The heads are very large but tender and slightly bitter to the taste.

Gluten Free Peanutbutter Cookies

An easy to make gluten free cookie that is chocked full of peanutbutter and chcolate. It is has a nice crunch with the addition of the oats.It tstes good crumbled on top of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

1/3 stick buteer softened

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 C chunky peanut butter

2 t baking soda

3 C old-fashioned oatmeal

10.53 ounce bag Milk Cocolate M&M’s or chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven 325º F  Parchment covered baking sheeys

In medium add butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla and whisk.

Add peanutbutter and mix until incorporated

Add oatmeal and baking soda and mix.

Add M&M’s and combine.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheet evenly spaced and bake 10-12 minutes. Do not overtake.

Let cookies rest a couple minutes and then gently lift with spatula to baking rack.

 

Yogurt Waffels

A light fluffy textured waffel crispy on outside and soft on the inside. They do not get soggy after adding maple syrup.

Ingredients

 1 ½ C flour

2 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

1 ½ C yogurt¹

1 t vanilla

3 T butter melted

Directions

Preheat waffle iron to medium setting  Serves 6

Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl and set aside

In small bowl add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla than whisk.

Add egg yogurt mixture and butter to flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Spray top and bottom irons with PAM or lightly brush with melted butter. Ladle waffle makers recommended batter amount into the iron, Cook until golden brown about 6-8 minutes. Remove and serve with maple syrup or berry toppings.

Note:

¹Any yogurt can be used. I use plain Greek yogurt.

I do not add sugar. Maple syrup or berry toppings provide the sugar element.

These waffles can be frozen and reheated in a microwave or toaster.