Salmon Egg Foo Yung

This recipe was my grandma's- I never had it before, but had copied from her recipe box a long time ago, and finally got around to making it tonight. I love Chinese food, and am constantly looking for new Chinese recipes that I can make at home. This one was fairly easy and tasted (in my opinion) better then take-out. I'm sure much healthier too!

Ingredients:

1 can (7 3/4 oz) salmon (drain and flake)
4 eggs1 cup bean sprouts
3 tablespoons minced green onions
1 can sliced mushrooms
canola oil

1.) Beat the eggs. Fold in the sprouts, green onions, mushrooms, and salmon.

2.) Heat canola oil in the bottom of a skillet over medium high heat.

3.) Measure out about three tablespoons of the egg mixture and place it in the skillet. The eggs will bubble, and then you can flip it over to brown the other side. The egg mixture will become like a small "egg pancake." Once both sides are brown, set on a plate. (Since you are making a batch of these, I suggest covering the cooked ones with foil to keep them hot until serving.)

4.) To make the accompanying sauce, combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3/4 cup of water and cook it in a small sauce pan until it dissolves. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Once the sauce is bubbling and thick, remove from the heat.

5.) Serve the salmon egg foo yung patties over rice, and top with the sauce.

Vegetarian Chili

This is an easy chili recipe from Linda Rosensweig's "New Vegetarian Cuisine" cookbook. You can cut back on the chili powder to make it less spicy, or add more for an extra kick. It's best to serve this chili with something (like cornbread), as it can be pretty spicy.

Also, you can vary your ingredients- I use this as a basic chili and add or take out what I want. I have never made it with tofu as I think there are plenty of other ingredients.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped sweet red peppers
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces firm tofu, well drained and squeezed dry between paper towels
1 tablespoon unbleached flour
1 tablespoon chili powder1 teaspoon coca powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can (14 1/2 oz) low-sodium stewed tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 1/4 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1.) In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the scallions, red peppers, green peppers, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender.

2.) Crumble the tofu and add to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden.

3.) Add the flour, chili powder, cocoa powder and ground pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their liquid) and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until slightly thick.

4.) Stir in the beans and cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes.

White Pizza with Broccoli and Mushrooms

This is a great take on a white pizza-full of lots of healthy vegetables, and a nice garlicky flavor. It's not your average pizza, but it's nice to deviate from the norm. This recipe calls for store bought pizza dough- but I made my own, following the basic pizza dough recipe in Joy of Cooking. I added a bit of oregano to the dough for a little extra flavor.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, divided (I always use butter over margarine)
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
8 oz. broccoli florets (3 cups)1 tablespoon all-purpose flour1 cup low-fat milk
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 13.8 oz. package refrigerated pizza dough

1.) Place pizza stone or baking sheet in center of oven, and heat to 425 degrees.

2.) Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 4-7 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and 1/3 cup water. Cover tightly, and steam broccoli in skillet 3-4 minutes, or until tender. (Broccoli will be a vibrant green color when done.)

3.) Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes, or until pale golden, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, garlic, and salt. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan until sauce is smooth and cheese is melted.

4.) Shape pizza dough. Remove pizza stone/baking sheet from oven and place dough on it.

5.) Spread white sauce over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge, and top with broccoli mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over top. Return to oven, and bake 18-20 minutes, or until edges of pizza are golden and center is hot and bubbly. Cool slightly before slicing and serving.

(This recipe is courtesy of the April 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine.)

Very Lemon Wedges

Very Lemon Wedges
This dessert was originally made for a dinner party, but our guests canceled last minute so we got to reap the benefits of the extras!

I don't remember where I found this recipe, but it's pretty easy to make, is mostly ingredients that you would already have in your kitchen, and is perfect for spring.


I served it with some powdered sugar dusted on top. Next time, I would save some of the lemon zest to sprinkle on top as well.

Ingredients:

Base-
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour (I used all-purpose flour)

Topping-
8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 egg
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.) To make the base, mix butter, sugar, and flour to a dough, using a blender or food processor. (This will not form a big ball of dough- instead, get it to where it will press together between your fingers and stick, and then you can easily press it down into your pan with a spatula.) Press into a round tart pan, ovenproof dish, or pie pan.

2.) Bake in preheated oven, 350 degrees, for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden. (Don't over bake! I kept mine in a bit too long, and it still tastes wonderful, but it's hard to cut.)

3.) For the topping, blend cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract together until smooth in a blender or food processor. Spoon the filling over the cooked base and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until just set.

4.) Let cool, then cut.

Baked Chiles Rellenos with Cheese

Baked Chiles Rellenos with Cheese

This is one of my dad's favorite things to get at a Mexican restaurant. I've tried chiles rellenos before, but never made it a whole meal. While continuing to look for new vegetarian recipes, I came across this in the Joy of Cooking. (By the way, if you don't own a copy of this cookbook, go out and buy it now! It has everything you could possibly imagine in it, plus lots of tips and techniques for new cooks.)

I wasn't sure what poblano peppers were, but luckily found them in our supermarket- the skin looked a bit wrinkly, but otherwise pretty good. Here is what they looked like before I put them in the oven to soften up:



I had trouble getting the peppers to blacken. Joy of Cooking suggests holding them over a burner, but we have an electric oven in our apartment so I couldn't do that. I put them in the oven for a bit, and while they didn't turn black, they did soften.



The stuffing for the peppers is complete goodness: where can you go wrong with cheese?


Ingredients:

6 medium poblano peppers
8 ounces Mexican Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, brick, or mild Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (*I bought a Mexican blend at the store.)
2 large scallions, minced
warmed chunky salsa
chopped fresh cilantro

1.) Grill or broil the poblano peppers, turning occasionally, over a burner or 4 inches below a preheated broiler until blistered and blackened on all sides and slightly softened, 5 to 10 minutes.

2.) Peel the charred skin from the peppers and rinse them briefly. Make a long slit in the side of each pepper and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Pat dry and place on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3.) Mix together the cheese and scallions.

4.) Form into six ovals, then stuff the ovals into the center of the peppers and gently reshape them. Bake for 15 minutes to thoroughly heat through. Serve hot.





I served them alongside rice and tortilla chips. This was a pretty quick and easy dinner-and a nice break from the typical Mexican dinner of burritos or quesadillas.

Two types of peanut butter cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

My husband and I made these cookies for a Christmas party we had at our apartment. Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate?


Ingredients:

48 Hershey's kisses, unwrapped
1/2 cup shortening or butter (I always use butter)
3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar1 egg
2 T milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
sugar for dusting


1.) Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Beat butter and peanut butter until well blended. Add 1/3 cup of sugar and brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt, and gradually beat this mixture into the peanut butter mixture.

3.) Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
4.) Bake for 8-10 minutes until browned lightly. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove cookies to a rack to cool.

*This makes 4 dozen cookies.



Magical Peanut Butter Cookies



So there is a theme going here... peanut butter! These cookies are super, super easy to make and require very few ingredients. This recipe is from Paula Deen. I would double or triple the recipe, as these will go quick!

*I used real sugar, not Splenda.