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All of these recipes were made by my friends and I using ingredients purchased locally. Disclaimer: None of these recipes give exact measurements because I do everything to taste. Sorry, no hand-holding here. Acorn squash A good thing to do with white button mushrooms Asparagus is good Baked macaroni Baked mostaccioli BBQ seitan Black bean and tofu Cali burritos Bonzos Allegra Chai Chocolate chip cookies (with vegan option) Chocopretzels (with peanut butter variation) Cinnamon spread Denver sandwiches Egg scramble tostadas Faerie bread Ghetto couscous Goat cheese and roasted red pepper feast Guacamole salsa Hot portabella salad Jones' hot cocoa Lobster pot salad Mango port dessert Miso soup Peanut butter chocolate-dipped cookie things Pizza quesadillas Potato soup Pretzels and Nutella Protein bean salad Random spring salad Salad caprese Salad dressing (S)mashed potatoes (with vegan option) Spinach saute Strawberry spinach salad Summer salad Sweet bagel goodness Sweet burritos Sweet carrots Tako-su (octopus salad) Three mushroom saute Tofu shitake stirfry Wisdom tooth smoothie World famous fruit salad Acorn squash ------------ acorn squash butter brown sugar salt pepper Heat oven to 400. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the guts (seeds and soft pulp). Put a tablespoon or two of butter in the squash, and sprinkle gratuitously with brown sugar. Add a little salt and pepper for seasoning. Let it roast in the oven for about 45 minuets, or till soft enough, occasionally basting the squash with the butter/sugar mixture. A good thing to do with white button mushrooms ---------------------------------------------- Eat them raw with dijon or honey mustard. * My old friend Marcin taught me this trick. Asparagus is good ----------------- asparagus water butter lemon parmesan-romano salt/pepper (optional) Steam the asparagus for not too long, make sure it doesn't get limp. When done, drown those suckers in butter, squirt gratuitously with lemon juice, and lightly sprinkle with parmesan-romano. Baked macaroni -------------- 1 package macaroni 1 jar marinara sauce cottage cheese mozzarella chihuahua cheese cotija cheese onions mushrooms zucchini tomatoes Boil some water for the macaroni and cook it. Chop and saute the onions till they're translucent; wash and chop the other veggies but don't cook them. When the noodles are al dente, strain them and set them aside. Put a little marinara in the bottom of a casserole dish, along with a few of the veggies, then dump in a good layer of macaroni. Throw some more veggies and onions on the noodles, then spoon a little marinara over top, and a generous amount of cottage cheese; lightly mix the two together. Sprinkle with mozzarella and then add another layer of noodles and veggies. Top with more of the marinara/cottage cheese mix, then sprinkle with mozzarella, chihuahua and cotija. Bake at 420 degrees for twenty-five minutes or so. Let the dish cool for a bit when it comes out of the oven. Baked mostaccioli ----------------- olive oil 1 zucchini 1 tomato lots of onion (red, green, white) 4-5 cloves of garlic a handful of whole basil leaves some spinach 1 sweet red bell pepper mushrooms marinara mostaccioli noodles mozzarella Saute the garlic and onions in olive oil (I use a wok, because of the amount of sauce used). Add red pepper, zucchini, spinach, basil, mushrooms and any other found veggies that sound good. When that's done sauteing, add ~ 12-16 oz. of marinara sauce (from a jar, or make your own, doesn't matter). Let that cook down for about 20 minutes, adding appropriate spices (lemon pepper, salt, red pepper, oregano, whatever you like). While the sauce is simmering, boil some noodles, maybe six servings or so (we use mostaccioli, but rotini or farfalle would be fun too). When the noodles are al dente, drain them and put them in a 9x12 pan or some kind of greased casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the noodles and cover the top with grated cheese. Stick it in the preheated oven (350 degrees) for about 25 minutes. Serve! * This is Ellen's recipe. BBQ seitan ---------- 1 package seitan buncha BBQ sauce onions (optional) If including onions, chop them up and saute them till they're clear. Then wash the seitan and saute it up in a pan with a generous amount of BBQ sauce, maybe 8-10 ounces, preferably Sweet Baby Ray's. Atomly, the seitan nazi, says the trick with this dish is to use plenty of sauce and to overcook it just slightly, so that it begins to caramelize. * Got this one from Atomly, who brought it to a couple potlucks. Black bean and tofu Cali burritos --------------------------------- 2 cans of black beans 1 package of firm or extra firm tofu 1 (9oz) package frozen corn salsa 1 small can green chiles taco seasoning onion cumin garlic salt oil Spanish rice or tomato couscous (optional) tortillas lettuce avocado chihuahua cheese sour cream black olives Chop half an onion (we used red) and saute it in olive oil in a big pot till translucent. Meanwhile, drain and press the tofu, and then mash it up. Once the onions are clear, throw all of the first group of ingredients in: black beans, chiles, corn, tofu, half a jar of salsa or so, taco seasoning and spices. Bring this mixture to a bubble, then let it simmer uncovered for half an hour or forty-five minutes, till some of the wateryness cooks off. While the bean and tofu mix is simmering, you can make some Spanish rice or tomato couscous on the side (to use as additional burrito stuffing). When everything is ready, heat your tortillas for a minute, then make burritos with the tofu/bean mix, rice or couscous, and toppings (lettuce, tomato, olives, etc.) This recipe can feed a lot of people or create leftovers for the rest of the week. * Ellen got this recipe from her Phunky Bitches list. Bonzos Allegra -------------- 1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) balsamic vinegar soy sauce red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional) Drain and wash the bonzos. Add vinegar and soy sauce to taste; I prefer something close to a 3:2 ratio. stir it up and eat. To add some extra kick, mix in red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste. I'm a vinegar freak so this is one of my favourite snacks. Also, I've found that a flavoured vinegar, such as cherry balsamic, really adds a nice dimension. * I used to know this girl, Allegra. She was pretty special, and she taught me this way to eat chickpeas. Chai ---- a handful of cinnamon half a handful of cardamom pods handful of allspice half a handful of star anise one whole nutmeg, slightly crushed some black peppercorns (to taste) some fresh ginger root (to taste) 3 cloves some orange peel optional: half a handful of cinnamon-orange spice tea vanilla bean Bring 6-8 quarts of water to boil. Add all of the ingredients, and let simmer, covered, for 8-10 hours. (Warning: the whole house will smell like chai!) By the end, about 1/3 to 1/2 the water will have boiled off. Strain the tea out, it should be about a gallon. Serve with soy milk (or the cow stuff if you prefer that). Flavor with vanilla syrup or honey. * I made a gallon of this every week in college, which allowed me to perfect the amounts of each spice that I prefer. Chocolate chip cookies (with vegan option) ------------------------------------------ 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup shortening 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 Tbsp. water 2 eggs 1 cup chopped nuts 1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) Preheat oven to 375. Grease two large cookie sheets; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, powder, cinnamon and salt. In a mixing bowl with mixer, cream the softened butter, banana, sugars, shortening, vanilla, and water until fluffy. Add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, being careful not to over-cook: this is important. Take them out before they get too brown. To make vegan, follow the above directions with the following ingredients: 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup margarine 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco) 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp. water or soy milk 1 small banana, mushed 1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) * My mom went on a five-year quest to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie. The first recipe was what she discovered; the second recipe is my vegan variation. Chocopretzels (with peanut butter variation) -------------------------------------------- pretzels semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips peanut butter Make a double boiler by heating water in a pot, and then melt the chocolate chips in a pot or metal bowl placed on top of the pot with the water. Smear some peanut butter on half of a pretzel, and then dip it in the evenly-melted chocolate. Place the pretzel on a piece of wax paper and repeat. For instant gratification, put the pretzels in the freezer; they'll be solid in a few minutes. * Mandy made this one night when we were craving something sweet. Cinnamon spread --------------- 2.5 oz. margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar, unpacked 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/8 cup non-dairy creamer 2 tablespoons water 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla Cream the brown sugar and margarine till fluffy. Add cinnamon and non-dairy creamer. Add half the water and half the powdered sugar and beat till smooth. Add vanilla and the rest of the water and powdered sugar, beat till smooth. Spread on toast, fruit, cake, bread, anything. * This was the only good thing to come from a U of I dorm cafeteria. I ate it up every day, and at the end of the year got the recipe from a cafeteria lady; she was quite flattered that I asked for it. It's...a little too sweet for me now, but at the time, I loved it. Denver sandwiches ----------------- This recipe can be made vegetarian (with veggie dogs). hot dogs lettuce tomato mayonnaise bread/hamburger buns The best kind of hot dogs to use are the thick, bright red kind, but I haven't seen them around in years. Veggie dogs can also be used. Cut the hot dogs in half, like a book, connected at the spine. Fry them up! When they're nice and done, make sandwiches with them using lettuce, tomato slices, and mayo. Simple, but really good. * This was my dad's sandwich. For years, I thought it was a known sandwich, like a BLT, but as it turns out, it's something my dad ate as a kid once on a trip to Denver. Thus, the Denver sandwich. Egg scramble tostadas --------------------- red onion 1 green pepper zucchini spinach tomato eggs (2-3 per person) milk chihuahua cheese avocado tostadas butter salt pepper First, chop all veggies. Saute the onions in butter till clear; add green pepper and zucchini, then spinach. In a separate bowl, whisk up the eggs and a little bit of milk, and add the mixture to the veggies when they are almost soft. Salt and pepper to taste. When the eggs are almost done, add the cheese and tomatoes. Slice up some avocados and lay them on a tostada; heap on the cooked egg scramble and enjoy! * Not entirely sure on this one, but I think it was Jeffrey that made this one. Faerie bread ------------ white bread butter colored decorative sugar balls Butter the bread and sprinkle it with the sprinkles. Sounds ghetto, tastes good! * My roommates when I lived in Sydney told me about this; apparently it's a common thing and Australian birthday parties, and is actually pretty good, in a craving-sugar kind of way. Ghetto couscous --------------- one can of vegetable soup 8 oz. plain couscous garlic salt lemon pepper Campbell's vegetable soup is my preference, or used to be, because it was vegetarian, but a beef or chicken broth will work too. A vegetable soup is nice, because it supplements the texture of the couscous, adding veggies without necessitating time to chop and cook them. The trick is to use a condensed soup, because you'll need the extra can of water added. Heat the soup till it's almost boiling. Throw in the plain couscous, enough so that it looks right (remember, this stuff absorbs). Then turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for about five minutes. When it's ready, add seasonings to taste: cinnamon, cayenne, garlic, pepper, whatever tastes right (I've been known to throw in a little ketchup). Makes for good leftovers. * I made this up in college when I was broke, vegan, and didn't have time to cook. Goat cheese and roasted red pepper feast ---------------------------------------- goat cheese roasted red peppers French bread endive, preferably Belgian olive oil balsamic vinegar Start by roasting the peppers, or by buying a jar pre-roasted. Next, warm the cheese to soften it, no more than 5 minutes in a 300 degree oven; you want it soft, not melted. Meanwhile, slice up the bread and prep the endive (clean, chop, etc.). Serve everything as a component: peppers on one plate, cheese on another, individual bowls of endive, bread in a basket. That way everyone can assemble their servings according to their personal preferences. This meal has two main components: goat cheese and peppers on the bread, and endive/goat cheese/red pepper salads. The oil is for dipping extra bread in, and the vinegar is for the salads. * We ate this when Sara Jane came to town. Ellen made it up, after being inspired by a similarly-themed sandwich at Cafe Kopi in Champaign. Guacamole salsa --------------- half an avocado 3-4 teaspoons salsa, to taste lemon juice salt pepper Peel the avocado and smash it up in a small bowl with a fork. Mix in the salsa, then add lemon juice, salt and pepper according to preferences. Eat with chips, yum! * I like guacamole, I like salsa. I got tired of serving them in separate bowls. Hot portabella salad -------------------- romaine lettuce Boston lettuce spinach chickpeas broccoli zucchini green onion red onion carrots red pepper green pepper tomatoes celery 2-3 portabella mushrooms half a lime garlic salt lemon pepper balsamic vinegar Wash and tear up all of the leafy stuff (lettuce, spinach). Then, excepting the portabellas, chop/grate/chunk up all the vegetables, and throw them in with the leafy stuff. Toss the salad. Ten minutes before it is to be served, prepare the portabellas by washing them, removing the stems, and cutting them into long, thick slices. Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a pan and saute them in it. Squirt the lime juice in the saute, along with a tiny bit of vinegar, salt, and pepper. Don't overcook the portabellas; serve them separately or over the salad when hot. Jones' hot cocoa ---------------- 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder water milk/soy milk This recipe can be easily scaled; just keep the sugar:cocoa ratio at 2:1. First, mix the dry ingredients together evenly. Then add a little water, maybe a quarter or a half cup or so, and bring that to a boil. As soon as it boils add milk to taste, about four cups. Stir until heated to a good warmth, add marshmallows or Chambord and drink. When cooled, makes a very rich chocolate milk. * This is the Jones' cocoa recipe (the Joneses being my maternal grandmother's family). My mom has an old silver spoon with a "J" on it that has one side worn flat from stirring cocoa for so many years. Lobster pot salad ----------------- Named so because it's a big enough salad to make in a lobster pot. 2 bags of lettuce a bunch of cherry tomatoes red grapes 1 or 2 apples feta cheese walnuts raspberry vinaigrette dressing (I would've added onions, but this was Julian's salad, and he doesn't like them.) Dump the greens in the lobster pot. Cut the apple into chunks and throw it in there. Next, do a layer of tomatoes, then a layer of grapes. Crumble on the feta and top off with walnuts. Isn't that pretty? Now put the lid on the lobster pot and shake that baby up! Drizzle with a good raspberry vinaigrette and serve. * As said above, this is my friend (and former roommate) Julian's salad, he made it for me one night when I was visiting in Hyde Park. Mango port dessert ------------------ mangoes tawny port Use about one mango per person. Remove the skin and thinly slice the mangoes. In a bowl, pour some port over the mango immediately before serving (you don't have to drown them); that's all there is to it! The better the port, the better this dish will taste, so I use a Warre's or Noval port, aged a minimum of ten years. Also, eat it slowly, because the flavour develops and changes as the mango absorbs the port. * My dad and stepmother were served this dessert in Portugal, and couldn't wait to make it for me. Also good with peaches, pears, even apples, but I like mangoes best. Miso soup --------- 6 cups water 4 generous tablespoons miso (red or white) 8 dried shitake mushrooms 3 chopped green onions tofu optional: wakame seaweed spinach bonito flakes (fish) 1 packet noodles (soba or udon) Soak the shitake mushrooms for about ten minutes in a bowl of warm water while preparing the rest of the soup. In one pot, boil some water for the noodles. In a separate pot, heat six cups of water; when it starts to simmer, add the miso paste and turn down heat. Chop the onions and throw them in. If using fresh tofu, rinse and press it, then cube it and add to the soup. Once the shitake are soft, remove the stems, pat them dry, cut them in half and add them to the soup as well. Let simmer until the noodles are done. Drain the noodles and keep them separate. When the soup is to taste, pour it over the noodles. Note: It's best to keep miso soup simple; too many ingredients crowd it. If adding any of the optional ingredients, try to use only one or two. Peanut butter chocolate dipped cookie-things -------------------------------------------- Ritz crackers creamy peanut butter chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white) Spread some peanut butter between two Ritz crackers. Slowly melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, and then fully dunk each Ritz/pb sandwich-thing into the chocolate. Let them cool and harden on wax paper. I know this sounds kind of odd but it's really good and easy! * I can't remember if Mandy made this up, or if it was Lacey. Pizza quesadillas ----------------- I also make regular quesadillas (tortillas and chihuahua cheese, with the occasional sliced avocado thrown in), but this variation is my newest fast and easy food kick. flour tortillas chihuahua cheese mozzarella cheese marinara sauce Grate both cheeses (one will do if you don't have two). Heat the pan and spray with cooking oil or butter, so the tortillas don't stick. If there are two people eating I like to use two pans so both quesadillas are done at the same time. Once the pans are hot, put the tortillas in, and spread some marinara sauce on them, not quite to the edge of the tortilla. Next, add cheese to liking, and let it cook over a medium-low heat (so as not to burn the tortillas). Once the cheese has started to melt on top, close the quesadilla by folding it in half, and flip it occasionally until both sides are the desired brown. * I made this up in the midst of a quesadilla kick, because everything tastes better with marinara. A woman that I used to work with is from Argentina; she pronounces these as "quesadishas," so now that's how I hear it when I say it to myself. Potato soup ----------- 3-4 potatoes peeled and chopped 1/2 white onion some green onion 2 sticks of celery, chopped 2 Tbsp butter 1 3/4 cup water 4 Tbsp flour dissolved in 1/4 cup water 2 cups milk celery salt salt garlic lemon pepper black pepper rosemary Chop the onions and garlic and saute them in butter in a medium-sized pot. Once the onions are near clear, add the water, potatoes, and celery, bringing the soup to a boil. Add the salts and peppers, then simmer for about 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, make the flour/water paste (adding flour incrementally to water); when that's done add the milk. Pour this mix in the soup, cook another 30 minutes or so (till thick), occasionally stirring, not letting it boil, and seasoning to taste. Next time I make this I'm going to try adding some fresh spinach! Pretzels and Nutella -------------------- Dip some pretzel rods in Nutella. Oh yeah, that's good. * At my old job, where there was a fully-stocked kitchen, pretzel rods were a hot commodity. I think it was Jeff Palmer who discovered how good they were with Nutella. Protein bean salad ------------------ 3 cans black beans 2 cans of corn 1 can garbanzo beans cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered red and green onion, chopped fresh cilantro to taste sliced mushrooms 1/2 tsp. cumin pinch of cinnamon pepper to season juice from a lemon 1/2 to 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil salt pepper cayenne Drain everything that comes in a can and put it in a big bowl. Chop all of the veggies and add them in. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice in a separate bowl, then stir it in. Add the seasonings and adjust to taste. * Ellen's been making this since college. It's an awesome dip, and marinates itself, getting better the day after you make it. Salad caprese ------------- 2 medium ripe tomatoes 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella fresh basil olive oil balsamic vinegar lemon juice salt pepper Slice the tomatoes, cut each slice in half (or chunk the tomatoes in whatever way appeals to you), and layer them on the bottom of a pretty dish. Next, slice the mozzarella and arrange it on top of the tomatoes. Tear/cut/shred the basil and arrange it as the top layer. In a small bowl, mix up the olive oil and vinegar at about a 3:2 ratio, with a bit of lemon juice thrown in, and drizzle that mixture over the top of the salad. Season with salt and pepper and serve. * I discovered this salad when I went to Italy in the summer of 2001, and would eat it every day if I could. The type of fresh mozzarella and tomatoes used make a big difference, so buy quality ingredients. Stanley's carries some local mozzarella that's decent, from Carol Stream I believe, and tomatoes grown in a family member's garden always taste best. Random spring salad ------------------- cauliflower red cabbage an apple olive oil balsamic vinegar lemon juice rice or apple vinegar ground cinnamon Slice up the produce into bite-sized pieces or smaller and put into a bowl. In a side bowl, mix the vinegars, oil and lemon juice. Drizzle that over the produce, and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon. * The apple, cauliflower and cabbage were the only good fresh veggies for sale at Pete's; a random combo, but it works. Amanda saw me eating them separately, and suggested I make it into a salad with a vinaigrette. I remembered Cinnamon mentioning how she'd added ground cinnamon from The Spice House to a vinaigrette, so I tried it and loved it. Salad dressing -------------- balsamic vinegar rice vinegar soy sauce red miso lemon dijon Mix the above ingredients in any combination and ratio that suits your tastes. Serve over salad - preferably one that involves spinach, red onion, and mushrooms. * Inspired by reading about Ryan making his own dressing. (S)mashed potatoes (with vegan option) -------------------------------------- 15 or so medium-sized potatoes 1 1/2 cup or so warm milk/rice dream 1 stick of butter or 8 tablespoons soy margarine salt pepper garlic (optional) Peel the potatoes, soaking them in cold water. When they're all peeled, boil them in clean water until they start to fall apart, about 25-30 minutes. Drain, and put the potatoes in a big mixing bowl. Smash them up a bit, adding all the butter (or margarine) and about half the milk (or milk substitute). If you have an electric mixer use it, it makes them fluffier. Add the rest of the milk, and salt, pepper, and sauteed garlic to taste. Spinach saute ------------- spinach butter lemon juice tomatoes (optional) onion (optional) Melt the butter, about 2-3 tablespoons depending on how much spinach you're making. If using onions, saute them in the butter until they're clear, then add the spinach (and tomatoes if used), mixing in the lemon juice (a 2:1 butter to lemon juice ratio is good). The key to this saute is to use real butter. It really makes a big difference. Also, spinach really cooks down, so if you want a lot, make a whole lot, but don't overcook it. * I discovered this dish at Wishbone, where I used to eat lunch when I worked in Greektown. So good. Strawberry spinach salad ------------------------ a bunch of spinach (about a bag) some strawberries (a carton or so) red onion poppyseed dressing Wash and shred the spinach. Clean the strawberries and slice them up; do the same with the onion. Throw it all in a bowl, toss with poppyseed dressing. * This is one of Amanda's signature dishes. Summer salad ------------ tomatoes avocado lime olive oil salt and pepper Slice the avocados and tomatoes, and arrange them nicely on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, then lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Simple, but wonderful flavour. For best results, use the best avocado and tomato you can find. * Robin made this for me the day after she got back from a vacation in Costa Rica; she said it tasted like summer, and she was right. Two months later, she sold all her stuff and moved there. Sweet bagel goodness --------------------- bagel banana peanut butter honey Slice the bagel and toast it. When it's done, wait about thirty seconds or so for it to cool before spreading on the peanut butter (this way it won't get too melty). I use creamy peanut butter, but then again I always use creamy. It's a texture thang. Anyway, slice up the banana and place the slices on top of the peanut butter, and then drizzle the whole thing with honey. So good! * I used to eat a lot of toast like this in college. When I worked at Curious, Jen made these bagels whenever the kitchen had bananas. Sweet burritos --------------------- flour tortillas chocolate syrup peanut butter honey cinnamon Spread the peanut butter on the tortilla, drizzle with honey and chocolate syrup, sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll it up and eat! * I ate these all the time when I was vegan, broke, and craving something sweet after all the stores closed. Sweet carrots ------------- three carrots olive oil butter brown sugar balsamic vinegar Chop the carrots into inch-long sections, and saute them in olive oil with a little butter for at least ten minutes, covered with a lid to retain moisture. Then, mix in a tablespoon of brown sugar and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and saute another five minutes with the lid on. I use cherry balsamic, which gives it a light sweetness. When it's done, drizzle the remaining juice onto some couscous. * Amanda made this up. Tako-su (octopus salad) -------------------- 1 octopus tentacle red onion cucumber lemon sweetened rice vinegar soy sauce sesame oil sesame seeds Thinly slice the octopus, then do the same with cucumber and red onion. In a separate bowl, mix mostly vinegar with a little soy sauce, juice from a lemon, and a dash of sesame oil (hot sesame oil will add a little extra body). Add that to the octopus mix and let it marinate a few minutes, then drain off most of the liquid and serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. Three mushroom saute -------------------- baby portabellas fresh shitake enoki white onion rice noodles shoyu butter red miso rice vinegar dijon mustard hot sesame oil garlic black bean sauce lime If you like onions as much as I do, chop half a white onion and saute it in butter; if not, use a quarter of an onion. This dish is best prepared in a wok so there's plenty of room to add things. While the onion's cooking, clean the mushrooms and marinade them in a mix of soy sauce, miso, vinegar, mustard, sesame oil, black bean sauce, and lime. Adjust the marinade to taste; if you're lacking any of the ingredients, that's Ok, this recipe leaves tons of room for variation. On the side, have some water boiling for the rice noodles, and start them cooking. Once the onions are clear, add the shitake and portabellas to the saute. A few minutes after that, drain the noodles and add them - they should still be a little underdone, as they will continue to cook once they are added to the saute. Throw the juice of the marinade, minus the enoki, in with the noodles and mushrooms, and let it cook down for ten minutes or so. At the very end, add the enoki, let it simmer for just a minute, and then serve. Tofu shitake stirfry -------------------- 1 cube extra firm tofu a bunch of shitake mushrooms green onions brown sauce a tiny bit of ginger 2-3 cloves of garlic olive oil lemon juice soy sauce rice (optional) Slice the tofu and press it between two plates with paper towels to absorb the water, then cube it. Let it marinade in the brown sauce (available at any Asian grocery). Slice up the shitake. In a wok, saute the garlic, chopped onions and ginger. Add the tofu with the brown sauce, soy sauce, and lemon juice to taste, and any spices that seem necessary (I like a little cinnamon in this). Finally, add the mushrooms, and let it simmer for about five minutes. Serve over rice if so inclined. Wisdom tooth smoothie --------------------- two bananas honey ice orange juice yogurt (about 8 oz.) Put a lot of ice in a blender. Peel the bananas and throw them in, with a teaspoon of honey, the yogurt (peach works nicely), and a bit of OJ for consistency. Blend until smooth. * Not surprisingly, I drank a lot of these when I had my wisdom teeth out. World famous fruit salad --------------------- apples oranges bananas grapes peaches whatever other fruit you have around yogurt, berry-flavoured (about 24 oz.) Chop up all the fruit into smallish bits. Throw it all in a bowl, and mix in the yogurt, about two or three small tubs worth, enough to give the fruit a nice, even coating. Berry flavours work best, but anything will do. * When I was really little, my dad made this every Sunday evening for the hippie church's potluck dinner, every week. I felt all special because he let me pick the flavours of yogurt. I was about three years old, so I really did believe that this was a world famous dish. |