pressure cooker bean times... FYI

http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/05/25/pressure-cooker-bean-cooking-times-at-a-glance/

The Christmas Beast

This was the third year that we had a Christmas Rib Roast and I've got to say, I love the tradition!  This was the first year I had to cook it myself.  Here is the website that was really helpful: http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2011/03/22/restaurant-style-prime-rib-roast/  This year our roast was 7lbs... I think.  It had the bone on with it cut and then tied on.

And here is a reprint of the recipe from Pat:

If you have time or desire – you can “dry age’ the roast for 1-3 days in the fridge. (Pat dry, place on rack over plate with paper towel. Put in fridge, not touching anything) This intensifies the flavor even if done only one day. If your fridge has any “odors” you may just want to skip this step. We had a 3.5# “large end” rib roast in 2010.It fed 6 adults and 4 children with sparse leftovers. For that size we made a seasoning mix of 2 ½ to 3 T of Fleur de Sel + 2 ½ T cracked black pepper + 5 coarsely chopped cloves of garlic. Take roast out of fridge an hour before cooking to bring to room temp. Tie the roast with cotton twine, near each end parallel to the bones – it keeps the outer layer of meat from pulling away from the muscle Adjust the oven rack to lowest position and preheat to 250 degrees. (I think we did 250 w/ convection) . If you plan to make some gravy – you can put about ½ cup of flour in a small ovenproof container. Put it in the oven at the same time as the roast. It will brown/cook and when you use it to thicken the drippings it will give the gravy  a better flavor…since the flour has “has cooked” …plus it will  brown giving the gravy a deeper color. Heat a large heavy bottomed roasting pan ( I used the large cast iron frying pan) over medium high on a burner. Place the in the hot pan and cook on all sides until nicely browned. It should take about 6-8 minutes and may render about ½ cup of fat. Remove roast from pan, set a rack in bottom of pan and return roast onto the rack. Now is the time to season the meat w/ the mixture. Place the roast in oven until the thermometer registers 130 for medium rare – I think it should take about about 2 ½ hours. Once at 130 – remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand about20 minutes ( our roast went from 130 to 143 at the end of resting). Carve away. That’s all I have in my notes – hope it works out as well as your memory of the 2010 beast. Most of the guidance I used is from the Cook’s Illustrated “the New Best Recipe” book. Gravy is always a challenge. I poured the juices from the roasting pan, separating the fat out. I returned the “defatted” drippings to the roasting pan and adding some good beef stock/broth. Scape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. From here on in it’s a personal “game”. . . you need to taste to check for salt level – then decide whether you want to use broth, wine or water to “expand” the quantity … and you can make a thick paste with some of the browned flour – and add a tsp at a time to “thicken” to desired level. Be creative as you like – or if you have enough drippings, you may just want to defat and use it. Hope that provides some type of a recipe for you. Have fun and enjoy! Love to all Pat/Mom

Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

This soup ROCKED!  A winner.  Thank you, Pat!
Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup (Cooking Light – Best Recipes Nov 2012)

Hands on time: 28 minutes. Total time 28 minutes.

2 tsp canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
3½ cups vegetable broth, divided
1 cup dried small red lentils
1 tsp ground cumin (you may want to adjust to taste)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 cup water
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 T. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. fresh plain low fat yogurt (optional)
¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seed kernels, toasted
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

(Pat said: I shredded a carrot and added it to the soup on the second day + a little more ginger)

Heat a large Dutch oven over med-hi heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 4
minutes.

Stir in 3 cups of broth, lentils and the next 4 ingredients (though red pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat,
and simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Use blender until mixture is smooth. Return pot to medium heat (Pat uses a hand blender but I much preferred the consistency I could get with the vitamix)

Add remaining ½ c broth, 1 cup water and pumpkin to pot; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in
ginger and lemon juice.

Ladle into bowls; top each with dollop of yogurt, 1 T. pumpkin seed kerenels and 1 T. cilantro.

Makes 4 (1 ½ cup) servings.

Mujadara

This recipe was awesome!  All 5 of us loved it (and that is saying quite a bit that picky Ezra even liked it)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/lebanese-lentils-rice-and-caramelized-onions-mujadara-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils (not lentils du Puy), sorted for debris and rinsed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup basmati rice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, optional
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Greek yogurt, for serving, optional

Directions

Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.
Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.
Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.

Really Good Vegan Sugar Cookies

I had to make pumpkin shaped sugar cookies for Phoebe's class this week and so I went in search of the perfect vegan, soy-free recipe (Phoebe and 3 others in the class are dairy-free).  I think I found a winner!  I adapted the recipe from here:  http://general.fastq.com/~jbpratt/recipes/dairyfree/desserts/sugarcookies.html

Dairy-free Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup palm oil shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg flax paste (1T ground flax to 3T warm water)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rice milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/4 cups + 3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (Shake and then level off with a knife.)

Cream the shortening and sugar together.  Add the egg, vanilla, baking powder, and
salt.  Mix.  Add the milk (or fruit juice).   Mix.  Add about a cup of flour at a time to
the creamed mixture.  Mix as much flour in with the mixer and the remainder by hand. 
Add extra if needed.  Roll the dough using a rolling pin (put in fridge for a short amount of time).  Cut cookies to be about 1/4
to 1/3 inch thick.  Place on parchment paper.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for
8 to 10 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly golden brown on the bottoms (or firm
on the tops.  (It takes longer for larger cookies.)  Sprinkle white or colored sugar on top
before baking or frost the cookies after they are baked and cooled.  Makes about 56
cookies (less if they are larger).

Becoming (almost) Vegan

We have always strived to eat as little meat as possible and before children this meant quite a few meals with cheese or soy as the main protein.  Once Lillian came along and was allergic to dairy and soy (and later Phoebe to eggs) we switched to eating more meat.  With the help of a friend (thanks, Goldie!) I stumbled across Dr. Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" book.  Between that and watching the documentary "Forks over Knives" I was convinced of a few things:
1.  Vegan diets are proven to be better for your health to a much larger degree than I realized
2.  Protein is actually in a lot of plants
3.  By eating meat and bread (and not enough veggies) my body will continue to be hungry and over stuff itself in order to get the necessary nutrients.  Eating a diet of plants means I'm getting more nutrients per calorie and not over eating.
4.  Now that I knew that I didn't need meat for nutrients I could consider being concerned with the animal industry practices that I have long tried to turn a blind eye to.

So I suppose we're not fully vegan, just mostly.  I am sure one could put together a very healthy diet that involved a little bit of meat (Fuhrman's plan isn't entirely vegan) but for us, it's been vegan and eggs at home and whatever out.  The kids eat a little more meat than Mark and I do while out.

I recall asking a vegan friend a while back 'what do you eat for dinner?' because it just didn't make sense to me and when she responded with lots of soy products I knew I couldn't do that (allergies).  But I have now learned enough recipes to do it.  So here is my ongoing list of vegan dinners

Vegan Dinners Featuring…

Beans

-mama’s sneaky black bean soup (vlb)

-katherine’s black bean soup

-bean burritos

-black bean and corn salad (whole foods website)

-chili

-stuffed peppers

-Red kidney beans with tomatoes and garam masala (doodle bug)

-Sherry’s chick pea stew (doodle bug)

-Chana Masala

-Minestrone soup

-Quick Chick Pea Curry (180 complete veg kitchen)

Lentils

-mujadara

-lentil soup (doodle bug)

-sloppy lentils                                                                                              

-lentil Egyptian stew

-lentil burgers (home made or don lee from costco)

Quinoa

-Quinoa salad with mushrooms, avocados, almonds, garlic salt & dressing

-Black bean & Quinoa (allrecipes)

Nuts

-Quinoa salad

-peanut & ginger stir fry

Other

-Aloo Gobi

-Portabella Mushroom burgers

-Pasta & sauce (add beans)

-Butternut squash soup

-Gingered acorn squash (240 complete V K)

-steel oats with kale

-veggie and hummus sandwiches

-veggies, wild rice and honey mustard wraps

Eggs (ok, I know it’s not vegan, but we eat eggs)

-scrambled

-quiche

Veggie side dishes

-kale krispies

-baked cauliflower

-everything steamed – broccoli, beans, peas, carrots

-sauted spinach, kale

-kale salad

Homemade Vegan Indian Cuisine

Chana Masala and Aloo Gobi.  Will be back with more info

Chana Masala (very good) http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/ChanaMasala.htm

• 1 can chickpeas in water (also called garbanzo beans) or 1 1/2 cups precooked + 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• juice from one lemon (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 large bunch of spinach or two handfuls, rinsed

Preparation:

In a large skillet or frying pan, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add chickpeas straight from the can, including all the water. Add spices and lemon juice, cover, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if needed, until chickpeas are cooked and soft.
Reduce heat, add spinach and cover. Allow spinach to wilt for 2-4 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy your chana masala!


Aloo Gobi http://veganrd.blogspot.com/2012/03/authentic-aloo-gobi.html

• 1 medium head cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into bite-sized florets
• 3 medium potatoes (red skinned really nice), peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed (about 1 cup chopped leaves, packed)
• 1 Tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 14.5-oz can organic diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 cup or so of water
• 2 tsp garam masala

Cut up the cauliflower and potatoes. You can do this in advance, keeping the cauliflower covered and the potatoes in cold water. It might be wise to de-leaf, wash, and chop the cilantro well in advance too, since this is really a time suck. (Doing fresh herbs in advance helps me greatly with time management!)

Heat canola oil and cumin seeds in a very large saucepan.

When the seeds start to sizzle, add the onion and saute for about 7-8 minutes over medium heat. You want to cook the onions to transluscent, not brown them.

Add cilantro, turmeric, and salt. Stir until well-combined.

Add tomatoes, juice and all, and the garlic and ginger. Stir well until heated through.

Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus water. Toss gently so that the veggies are coated with the sauce.

Cover pan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Test veggies to be sure they're tender.

Add the garam masala, stir again, and serve. I find that this tastes best if you let it sit in the pan (off the heat) for about 15 minutes, served warm rather than hot.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad-- YUMMY!

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro
4. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-and-black-beans/detail.aspx

Yummy Kale Salad from Rachael

grabbed a bunch of kale. soaked in cold water to get rid of any wayward bugs
then i cut it all up with kitchen scissors into bite sized pieces

then i pulled out my blender and threw in
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of tahini
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinager
handful of fresh parsley
handful of chives
sea salt,  pepper

blend it all together adding some water as it blends to achieve a good consistency

chop up a cuke or 2
and grab some dried cranberries (or cherries)
and pine nuts

toss it all together.  i imagine red pepper would be good in it too but we didn't have any on hand

Chelsea's Potato Salad

This looked good-
For those who asked - here is a quick and dirty recipe for my honey mustard potato salad
(all measurements are rough estimates)
1 bag small to medium red potatoes
1 small diced onion
2-3 stalks diced celery
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dill (I used dried, but fresh would be better)
salt to taste

boil whole potatoes in salted water until fork tender but still a bit firm
drain and cover potatoes with cold water till cool enough to handle
peel and cut potatoes into bite sized pieces (I left some peels in cuz I'm crazy like that)
soak diced onions in ACV - (takes the bite out and makes them tangy)
mix oil, mustard, honey and dill together.
add to potatoes and onions and celery - mix gently to combine - add salt to taste...

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

This is the best vegan chocolate frosting I've ever made.  I adapted a regular frosting recipe:

1/4 c. butter either vegan butter or some combo of palm oil/coconut oil
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. RICE milk
1/2 c. VEGAN chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter, milk and sugar to a boil, add chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until cool. Will frost a 9 x 13 cake.

Quinoa Salad

My 'go-to' Quinoa recipe:

Quinoa (prepared as instructed, I usually use veggie broth)
Almond slices
Raisins (plumped in microwave by heating in water for a few minutes)
Mushrooms (sliced and sauteed in oil)
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic salt
Sliced Avocado

The exact amounts change with each time I make it so I don't have measurements.  This is best if given a little time to sit and cool

Nicole's Amazing Zucchini Bread

This was just about the yummiest thing I've had in a while.  I wonder if it'd work with a flax egg?

The zucchini bread recipe:
In a bowl, sift 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 teaspoons cinnamon

In a big bowl, add 3 eggs, 2 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup oil (I used canola), 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat well. Slowly add mixture above until well blended

Stir in 2 cups of grated zucchini and 1 cup of walnuts (I substituted almond slivers... the walnuts are better)

Grease pan and add flour to Pan to prevent sticking.  Bake at 325. I set timer for 45 minutes. Then do the toothpick test. If it's not clean I bake it longer at 5 minute increments.

2012-05-29 13.49.17

2012-05-29 13.49.17
Originally uploaded by LMN and Friends

We saw a couple doll house picnic tables in a store window on a walk the other day so the girls and I made our own versions. The polly pockets are very happy to have a place to eat and I am quite surprised at the sturdiness of popcycle sticks and hot glue.

My favorite Black Bean Corn Salad

From wholefoods.com...

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad

|

Serves 6

Simple to prepare, colorful and flavorful, this salad combines fresh sweet corn, tender black beans, crisp red peppers and zesty cilantro in a simple rice vinegar dressing.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups no-salt-added cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Method

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 1 minute, then drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again. (If using frozen corn, skip this step.) Meanwhile, rinse onions in cold water to remove some of their sharp, acidic flavor; drain well and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Add beans, corn, onion and bell pepper and toss until just incorporated. Cover and chill for about 2 hours. Add cilantro and toss again before serving.

Banana Oat Bars

Here they are, Sharon.  Banana Oat Bars... I change how I make them every time but here are the basics:

2 mashed bananas
2 cups quick oats (I have used slightly ground up old fashioned but quick work better)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (omitted the last time, I didn't have it)
1/2 cup dried fruit (dates, raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries, or whatever is on hand)
1/4 cup nuts & seeds (the original recipe calls for walnuts but I don't do walnuts so my mix has some of the following: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almond slices)
1/4 cup applesauce
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
honey (maybe a Tbsp or slightly more?)
Cinnamon (maybe a 1/2 tsp?)
Nutmeg (1/4 tsp?)
Vanilla (splash)
Almond Butter (1/4 cup?)
Cocoa Powder


Mix all, put in 8x8 pan.  350 oven for 30 minutes (it will turn brown on edges).  Let cool in pan.  Cut and eat.

If you're wondering about the exact ones I made today, Sharon and Ted, I omitted the coconut and Cocoa Powder and used quick oats.

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans)

yummy!
http://vegweb.com/recipes/rajma-red-kidney-beans

2 cup Red kidney beans
3 qt Water
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 tablespoon Salt

1/4 cup Oil
garlic
1 cup Onion, Chopped
1 piece ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
3 Chopped tomatoes
Coriander leaves for garnish

Red lentil & letter soup

This made up soup was actually pretty good so I'm going to write it down:

3 yellow squash
1 onion
4 baby bok choy (chopped save leaves to put in later)
3 roma tomatoes
8 cups veggie broth (homemade)
1 t cumin
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t corriander
1/2 t paprika
1/2 cup mini pasta letters
1/2 cup red lentils
2 cups? red kidney beans

sautee veggies, add tomatoes, broth and spices.  Bring to a boil, add pasta, add lentils.  Turn to simmer.  Add kidney beans and keep on simmer or low until served.

Swiss Chard with a little extra grit

I made this dish tonight to use the swiss chard I bought at the market.  It was a lovely dish that required a lot of work (more than anticipated) but it was totally ruined in the end.  Apparently one can not treat swiss chard like lettuce.  A salad spinner did not get all the dirt off of it and it was incredibly gritty.  Unfortunately, I didn't notice until the whole thing was together.  Bummer.  But Ezra (16mo) ate it up and Mark and I suffered through the grit and I might make it again sometime.

French lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto
http://www.marthastewart.com/355364/french-lentil-and-swiss-chard-risotto?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/produce-guide-fall&center=276955&gallery=274967&slide=259421

My modifications:

• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
• 1/3 cup French green lentils, picked over
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 large leeks (about 3/4 pound), white and light-green parts only 2 green onions
  
• 4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, homemade veggie stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine red wine
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese omitted
  
• 1/3 cup finely shredded radicchio, for garnish omitted
  

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentils, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain lentils, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, wash Swiss chard, and remove the leaves from the stalks. Slice the leaves into very thin 2-inch strips, and cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice. Discard the larger stems. Cook Swiss chard in a wok or a large skillet over high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a colander.
3. Cut leeks in half lengthwise, and slice into very thin semicircles. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift out of the water, and drain in a colander. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a bare simmer.
5. Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; add leeks, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add rice and thyme leaves, and continue stirring until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
6. Raise the heat to medium high, add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy but still a little firm in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in lentils, Swiss chard, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the risotto among six plates, and garnish with the shredded radicchio. Serve immediately.

Homemade Tortillas

These were awesome!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=866034

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1.5 cups boiling water
Save Now!

Directions

Put flour, salt, and baking powder into Kitchen-Aid mixer and mix, using the paddle blade. Pour boiling water over this and mix thoroughly. Switch to dough hook and knead for 2 minutes. This helps the gluten in the flour develop and absorb the water. Shape into 24 balls (I would say fewer for larger tortillas) and let rest 20 minutes. Heat a cast-iron griddle or non-stick pan to medium high heat. Roll out on an unfloured, ungreased countertop. I roll mine into squares. Roll as thin as you can and stretch the dough when you pick it up to place it on your hot griddle. Cook on both sides. Slip the hot tortilla into a zip-lock bag and zip it up. Keep doing this. The trapped steam keeps the tortillas soft. If you want to freeze these, let the bag cool and then place it in the freezer.

Baba Ganoush Recipe

This one was great:  http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/07/baba-ganosh/ 

Here is my modification-
3 medium-sized eggplants ( I used two large)
1/2 cup (130g) tahini (roasted sesame paste) (I used just toasted sesame seeds)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice  (store bought)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (2 t pre-chopped)
1/8 teaspoon chile powder (omitted)
1 tablespoon olive oil
a half bunch picked flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves (1 t coriander)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

2. Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.)

3. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance.
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.  (Vitamix)
6. Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Chill for a few hours before serving. Serve with crackers, sliced baguette, or toasted pita chips.
Storage: Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

Summer Squash

I am the only one in my house that will eat summer squash sauteed or grilled so I am on the hunt to find a recipe to use the squash that comes in our produce box.  These two looked interesting:
Fried Squash Puffs (because everything is good fried, right?): http://southernfood.about.com/od/summersquash/r/bl90814j.htm

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound yellow squash, about 2 medium, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, grated
• vegetable oil

Preparation:

Add squash to saucepan and cover with salted water. Cook, covered, 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash enough squash to make 1 cup. Combine squash and egg and blend well. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt, stir well. Add squash mixture and onions, stir until blended. Drop squash mixture by level tablespoon into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, turning once.
Makes about 2 dozen.

I liked these, as did several of the people at the party I made them for.  However, the kids and Mark did not.  I think they'd like them if they were dipped in ketsup or maybe  applesauce?

Summer Squash Bread: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/summer-squash-bread/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded summer squash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold in the squash. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Easter 2012

Easter 2012
Originally uploaded by LMN and Friends

I made these for Lillian's preschool class. http://inspiredbyfamilymag.com/2012/03/26/bunny-shaped-pretzels/ They turned out great!

Leprechaun Tricks

Well, I guess if you put out rainbow bread that leprechaun keeps coming back to play tricks... here is what the little guy did:

left all the green toys out
rearranged the chairs and put the stools at the table with doll house chairs on them
set up the entire train set in the living room
put the playsilks in a rainbow
used the magnetic letters to write a message (picture to come)
set breakfast up in the living room
turned the milk green

And here is his final note:

Today is the last trick I play

I must go, I cannot stay

The tricks were fun

But now they’re done

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Rainbow bread

Pinterest has been quite an inspiration to me recently. A couple days ago I came across an idea for making rainbow bread and I just had to try it. So I used the recipe I had (http://doodlebugdeb.blogspot.com/2011/06/homemade-bread.html) and split it into six balls to color with food coloring.
Then we stacked them to let them rise in rainbow order:
It was hard to get the colors in but IT WORKED!!
So much fun.
And now the bread it out for the leprechauns to come tonight. The kids will wake tomorrow morning to find all of their green toys out and this note:

Hi Navin kids, thanks for the bread

no gifts this time, just tricks instead

I played with toys the color green

but I'll make sure I am not seen

I’ll come again when you’re in bed