Category: vegetarian

Mom’s Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Truffles

For Christmas I received a huge bag of chocolate truffles – so yummy, but even after sharing, way too many to eat.  So I pulled out Mom’s old faithful chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe.  Growing up we didn’t have many sweets, but often we were lucky enough to get some of these.  Mom’s original recipe called for margarine, but I’ve used butter, which I’m sure she would also do nowadays.  These turn out crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside – the perfect oatmeal cookie, if you ask me. . . and my siblings, and all the neighbourhood kids from way back when.  Back then I thought it was unfair that the other kids always had Ding-dongs and Twinkies, but of course I now realize that I was the lucky one, to get home-baked cookies!

What you need:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 & 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 & 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup chopped chocolate truffles (or the old-school traditional, chocolate chips)

What you do:

1.  Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg until fluffy, then beat in the vanilla.

2.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and mix into the batter.

3.  Stir in the oats and nuts. (add chocolate chips now if you are using them)

4.  Drop be teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet.  Place a few pieces of truffle on top of each cookie.

5.  Bake at 350F for 12 minutes.

These keep well in an airtight container for a few days, or you can freeze them.  The recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies, and doubles easily if you need a bigger batch.

Homemade Ricotta

This is so easy to make, and it is really versatile.  So far I’ve put it on a cheese plate served with cranberry chutney, and I’ve used it as a pasta filling.  You can vary the texture by draining it for more or less time – a short draining time will make it nice and creamy and light.  I strained mine a bit too long, and it ended up a little drier and more crumbly than I would have liked.

I checked out a lot of web sites to figure out the recipe, but by far the most beautiful photos I found were on smitten kitchen.  I need a good camera one day soon!

What you need:

3 cups of 2% milk

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

What you do:

1.  Line a fine sieve with several layers of cheesecloth, and place over a large bowl.

2.  Place the milk, along with the salt, on medium-high heat and stir until it is just about to boil. It will be steaming and foaming on top at this point.  (190 degrees if you are using a thermometer.)  Remove from the heat before it boils.

3.  Add the lemon juice and just give it one or two stirs.  Let it sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

4.  Pour into the cheesecloth-lined sieve with the bowl underneath.  An awful lot of whey will come out, so you may need to empty the bowl and put it back again to collect more liquid.  The consistency depends on the amount of time you leave this to strain.  I left it for an hour, but mine ended up being too dry by the time it cooled.  Next time I will try 40 minutes and see how I like it.

For these toasts I just cut a baguette into thin slices, brushed them with olive oil, and sprinkled on some sea salt.  I broiled them until slightly browned, then let them cool.  I served them with a little ricotta spread and topped with cranberry chutney.  They are also great with the ricotta alone, drizzled with a little olive oil.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Having never tried snickerdoodles before, I was drawn to this particular recipe by the idea that they might taste eggnoggy.  It’s the nutmeg in the sugar coating and the addition of rum that gives them the eggnog flavour – there’s actually no eggnog in them.  They are easy to make, and you can vary the baking time depending on if you like them crispy or tender.  These aren’t a fancy cookie, but if you want something sweet and simple, then this one might be for you.

I got the recipe from A Whisk and a Spoon.  The original recipe called for extracts of rum and brandy, but I just used a little more of the real thing in my recipe.

What you need:

2 & 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 & 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons rum

2 large eggs

For the sugar coating:

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 cup sugar

What you do:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and beat well, then add the rum.

3.  Whisk the dry ingredients together in another bowl, then add them gradually to the butter mixture.

4.  Stir the nutmeg into the sugar in a small bowl.

5.  Scoop the dough with a teaspoon, then form into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands.  Roll each ball in the sugar and place them on the pan, leaving a good amount of space between them so they don’t melt into each other as they bake.

6.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them.  I did 8 minutes, and they were fabulous the first day.  After that they got a little crunchy, so I would try 7 minutes next time.  Place the baked cookies on a wire rack to cool.  But definitely try one while they are still warm!

Mom’s Creamy Chocolate Fudge

This creamy fudge is one of the recipes my mom made at Christmas every year when we were growing up.  It’s a crowd pleaser and it’s really easy to whip up a big pan of it.   And to me it tastes like Christmas!

What you need:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

350 grams (12oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1 7 0z jar marshmallow cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

(you could also add a cup of chopped nuts)

What you do:

1.  Coat a 9×13 inch pan with butter.

2.  Place the sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a large saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil, then cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring.

3.  Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the chocolate chips, marshmallow and vanilla.  Pour it into the pan and let it cool.

The fudge will not be too hard to cut, but it cuts more neatly if you heat up your knife in hot water between each cut.

Chocolate Cocoa Nib and Pecan Biscotti

 

 

Desiring something a little more chocolatey I reworked my tried and true biscotti recipe to make these – they’re not too sweet, and they satisfy the cravings for chocolate.  If you’d rather not mess around with the dipping chocolate you could just add some semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter instead.

What you need:

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups white flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup pecan pieces

2 tablespoons cocoa nibs

(3/4 cup semisweet chocolate optional)

For the chocolate coating:

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

What to do:

1. Cream the butter, then add sugar, then eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.

4. Combine dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.  Add the nuts and cocoa nibs and stir until just combined.

5. Divide the dough into two pieces.  With floured hands form into two logs on a baking sheet.  Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes.

6. Slice the baked rolls diagonally and place on a baking sheet.  Lower the oven to 300F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until slighty browned.  Turn over and bake for another 10-15, until that side is also slightly browned.

7. Place on cooling racks to cool before you dip them.

8.  Using a double boiler, or just a bowl over a pot of water, bring the water to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Place 2oz of the chocolate in the top of the double boiler, and stir from time to time until it melts completely.

9.  Take the chocolate off the heat and add the rest of the chocolate, stirring until it melts completely.  Return to the heat and stir until it is very liquidy again.  I use this method to temper the chocolate without a candy thermometer – tempering makes the chocolate firm when it cools, and gives it a shiny finish.

10.  Dip each biscotti into the chocolate and let it sit until the chocolate hardens.

Store the biscotti in an airtight container.  They last quite a while – well, they would last quite a while if people didn’t eat them all up!

Key Lime Cake

A tangy glaze and a slightly crisp crust on this new recipe are what makes me think I’ll definitely make it again.  Plus everyone else who ate it with afternoon tea took a piece home without being forced – a sure sign of a great cake!  It’s not a fancy cake, but for tea or coffee or a casual dessert cake it works great.

The recipe comes from All Cakes Considered by Melissa Gray, from which I have gotten many amazing recipes over the last few years.

I had no key limes, so I used regular ones; lemons would work great too.

What you need:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 & 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon lime juice

zest of 1 lime

For the glaze:

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 regular limes)

1 cup icing sugar

What you do:

1.  Prepare an 8-inch square or round pan by cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350F.

3.  Cream the butter, then gradually beat in the sugar.  One by one, beat in the eggs.

4.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together.

5.  Add half of the dry ingredients, then half the cream.  Repeat with the flour and cream, then beat for about 2 minutes.

6.  Add the lime juice and zest, and beat for about 2 more minutes.

7.  Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes.  Cover the cake with foil to avoid too much browning, and bake for 20 more minutes.  Insert a toothpick to see of the cake is done – I needed about 5 more minutes for mine.

8.  Let the cake sit in the pan to cool for about 10 minutes.  Then run a knife around the edge and invert the cake onto a cooling rack.  Invert one more time onto another rack so it is right-side-up.

9.  Combine the icing sugar and lime juice.  Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick or skewer.  Place the cooling rack on top of a plate to catch the drippings, and drizzle the glaze on top.  Use the glaze that drips onto the plate as well, as more will absorb if you pour it on again.

10.  Allow the cake to cool (I ate it slightly warm and it was so good).  You can sprinkle a little icing sugar on top so it’s pretty when you serve it, if you’ve had time to let it cool.  Enjoy!

Lentils with Browned Onions and Veggies

One of the reasons this recipe is so delicious is the browned onions, and a little white wine doesn’t hurt!  It can be a vegetarian main, or a side dish to just about anything.  Salmon worked really well as a pairing for this one, but chicken or just a salad would be great too.  I made this a while ago, but I’m going to make it again this week because it’s one of my new favourites.

I found the recipe on this site.  I made a few changes, such as browning the onions rather than cooking until translucent, I used white wine in place of some of the chicken stock, and I didn’t add the agave nectar that the recipe called for.  The blogger says that both salmon and lentils help de-stress and balance moods, and provides omega-3 and magnesium.  I sure felt happy after eating it, maybe just because it tasted so good.

What you need:

2 cups lentils (french if you have them; I didn’t so I just used green lentils)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 leeks, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 cup homemade chicken stock, or vegetable stock for vegetarians (or 1 & 1/2 if you’re not using the wine)

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

What you do:

1.  Put the lentils into a bowl and cover them with boiling water.  Let this sit for about 15 minutes while you prepare the onions.

2.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a pot, then add the onions.  Let them cook on medium low heat, stirring, until they begin to brown.

3.  Add the leeks, and thyme to the onions, cooking for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

4.  Drain the lentils, then add them to the onion mixture, along with the carrots, celery, soup stock, wine and tomato paste.  Cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.  Then add the wine vinegar, and you’re all set.

It’s also good served with a dollop of plain yogurt!

Crepes with Peach Compote (or anything else)

In the spirit of  “clean out the fridge” weekend, Sunday morning called for crepes.  We pulled all the jams, fruits, cheeses, nut butters, yogurt and syrup out of the fridge for toppings.  The only tricky part was finding the right consistency for the batter and learning how to swirl it around quickly so it covered the surface of the pan, or most of it anyways.

After we had our fill I cooked up the last of the batter, cooled the crepes, then placed them between sheets of plastic wrap, popped them into a baggie and stored them in the freezer to reheat and eat later.

I found this in Mark Bittman’s book How to Cook Everything.

What you need for the crepes:

1 cup flour

1 & 1/4 cups milk

pinch of salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

What you need for the peach compote:

1 peach

a smidgen of brown sugar

a splash of brandy

What you do:

1.  Whisk the flour, salt and sugar together.  Whisk in the milk until there are no clumps.  Whisk in the eggs, then the cooled butter.  If you have the time, put the batter in the fridge for an hour or so.

2.  Peel, then cut the peach up. Put it in a pot with a tiny bit of water.  Cook until soft, then stir in the sugar and brandy.  Serve hot.

3.  Heat a lightweight pan or crepe pan to medium heat.  If your pan is not non-stick, add a little butter to the pan.

4.  When the pan is hot, pour in about 1/4 cup of batter, quickly turning the pan in a circular motion so the batter covers the surface of the pan.  Okay, so this might not work out as planned – so practice a little!  They still taste fine!  If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk.

I like to serve mine fresh out of the pan, but you could put them in a low oven between clean towels.  Just about anything goes in crepes – one of the favourites this time was brie with guava jelly.  So good!

Lemony Kale with Onions, Garlic and Pine Nuts

Another quick, easy and delicious way to serve up the super-food kale!  Kale is one of the few things I can harvest from my garden year-round, so it’s always good to find some new ways to cook it up.

What you need:

1-2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

olive oil

1/4 of a red onion, sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped

1/2 a lemon

salt, to taste

What you do:

1.  Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan.  Add the sliced onions and cook until they are browned.

2.  Add the garlic, cooking briefly, then add the chopped kale.  Toss the kale with tongs a few times until it is wilted and the onions and garlic are distributed throughout.

3.  Squeeze on a little lemon, a little salt too, and then toss the pine nuts in.

Serve it right away!

Panzanella

 

For this salad I used tomatoes from my garden – they are so flavourful!  A local farmer’s market is another great place to find amazing tomatoes if you don’t have a garden yourself.  I also used the remnants of a crusty loaf from the farmer’s market.  We ate this one at a picnic at English Bay.  Gorgeous, delicious.

What you need:

a few great tomatoes

cucumber

a few slices of stale bread

1 clove garlic

fresh oregano and basil

salt and pepper

olive oil

balsamic or red wine vinegar

What you do:

1.  Cut the tomatoes into chunks, removing a lot of the liquid.  Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and let them sit in a colander to drain.

2.  Chop the cucumber.

3.  Cut the clove of garlic in half and rub the bread slices with it.  Cut the bread into cubes.

4.  Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and throw in the cubed bread.  Cook, turning from time to time, until the bread is browned and crispy on the outside.

5.  Throw the bread, tomatoes and cucumbers together in a bowl along with the herbs, salt and pepper and a few splashes of olive oil and vinegar, to taste.

6.  Toss it all up and you’re ready to go.  Some recipes say to let it all sit for a while, but I prefer for the bread to retain a bit of its crispiness, so I like to eat it right away.