Come See Me at the New Site!

Hi, all!  I've moved the party over to www.kitchenrecessionista.com.  Come visit!

:)

Please Pardon My Dust ...

Hi, friends!  My radio (or blog ;)) silence these last few days have been due to migrating these pages over to a brand-spanking-new host.  You'll probably see a few facelifts over the next couple of days, but fear not -- we'll be all settled by week's end, I hope!

In the meantime, in exchange, I will show you a photo of the Wonder-Cat's new hairdo (brought about by first a roll in spilled canola oil and then a bathroom salon appointment with a bottle of Dawn).

 :)

Vegan Pesto With Rotini and Cherry Tomatoes.

A couple of months ago, I peeked out the back window into our backyard herb garden and eyed the basil, which had practically grown into a bush overnight and showed no sign of slowing down.  There was only one sensible reaction to such a predicament: Make pesto!

So I put together a quick vegan pesto in the food processor made up of a boatload of basil, several cloves of garlic, some salt and pepper, some olive oil, a good amount of pine nuts, and a little nutritional yeast for fun.  I pureed everything together, then placed the pesto by the spoonful into an ice-cube tray, which then went into the freezer to firm up before I transferred the now-frozen pesto cubes to a zip-top bag for storage.

My mind hasn’t strayed much from that pesto in the two months between then and now.  The idea of those cubes are always in the back of my brain, reminding me of their presence.  So tonight, I could take it no longer.  Tonight, we enjoyed pesto with rotini pasta.

As the pasta boiled, I prepped the pesto cubes by putting about seven of them – about half the tray – into a pan to heat.  Once they began to defrost, I added a container of yellow cherry tomatoes and stirred everything together to coat well.

Once the rotini was ready, I drained the pot and poured the pasta into the pan with the pesto and tomatoes, and then tossed the pasta to coat it until it had taken on a lovely basil-like hue.  After that, it was time to eat!

I am SUCH a fan of this pesto recipe, and tonight’s meal was no different.  We loved the garlicky flavor, which fused perfectly with a zesty olive oil and lots of warm, welcoming basil.  And the bite of the rotini made it the perfect pesto delivery vehicle!  The sauce got into all the pasta’s nooks and crannies, and the final result was simply grand.  I’m surprised we have enough for leftovers tomorrow!  But we do, and we’ll certainly enjoy them.

:)

Vegetarian Fish and Grits.

So, before we get to tonight’s meal, true confession time.

The recipe I had written down for tonight’s dinner was, in fact, “Shrimp and Grits.”  There it is, right there on my weekly planner, script as neat (or chickenscratch) as ever.  And that’s what I had in mind right up until the moment I opened the freezer and found not shrimp but, in fact, vegan fish sticks.  Which, I soon remembered, I’d purchased in lieu of the shrimp the last time I was at the grocery store, thinking I would give them a try and not remembering that I needed shrimp for an actual recipe for an actual dinner.

But never fear!  Fish and grits is another Southern favorite, and I myself am no stranger to it.  So fish and grits this meal became – no muss, no fuss.

I prepared the grits as the vegan fish baked, using almost the same recipe as I did when I debuted my vegan shrimp and grits a couple of months ago.  This time around, however, I made a couple of substitutions – Cajun seasoning for the salt, dairy cheese for the vegan version (because I had an open pouch of it from another recipe), and, finally, ketchup for the tomato sauce since I have other plans for the cans of sauce I’ve got in the cabinet right now.  The green chilies remained a mainstay, however, which was a wonderful way to add flavor and zing to the dish!

Within just a little while, the fish were baked and the grits were creamy, soft, and ready to eat.  All that was left to do was chow down!  I added a hunk (that’s the technical term) of baguette to the side for some more carby goodness and we got down to business!

Though this wasn’t quite the meal I’d planned for the evening, it was incredibly tasty and filling nonetheless.  This was the firt time I’d given the vegan fish sticks a try, and I really enjoyed both the flavor (seafoody without being too fishy) and texture (the perfect amount of flakiness and chewiness).  And I’m glad to have brought another Southern coastal meal into the vegetarian sphere along the way!

:)

Hallo, Germany, Part 2: Vegetarian Goulash.

You know, though I’ve read that goulash is a popular dish in Germany, LeeLee and I didn’t have the occasion to enjoy any while we were visiting Berlin.  Perhaps that’s because it’s more popular in the Bavarian region of the country?  (Is that even the case?  I read that somewhere. :))  At any rate, when we got back to the States, I knew I wanted to give a vegetarian version a try!

Using this recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen as my guide, I rolled up my sleeve and got to work!  I knew this recipe would be vegetarian and not vegan, so I was fine with using the Quorn “beef” crumbles (they include egg) as my ground-beef base.  Next, I added the rest of the ingredients to my trusty Le Creuset as the recipe called for, and heated some macaroni in a separate pot.  (Oh, how I wish I could have found a way to make this a one-pot dish!  Alas, I must clean one extra pan.  Such is life.)

LeeLee had just opened a new bottle of wine, so I was a bit heavy-handed with the red-wine addition, adding more along the lines of three-quarters of a cup, but I don’t think the end result was any worse for wear!  And wonder of wonders, Safeway carries its own brand of fire-roasted tomatoes – here’s to more savings!

The recipe steps were super-easy to follow, and the prep work was almost nil.  And the aroma emanating from the French oven – wow!  Such a wonderfully hearty, homey blend of spices and ingredients.

After about 25 total minutes of cooking time, spread out among about four steps, dinner was ready for consumption.  And consume we did!  We each went back for at least two helpings (I say “at least two” in order to keep some level of anonymity … one of us went back for a third dollop, though I’m not saying who!).  And as the icing on the cake (or the olives in the goulash?), we have plenty left for lunch tomorrow for us both.

It was wonderful to take a little mental trip back to Germany for a half-hour or so this evening!  I can’t stress enough how much fun we had visiting the country – and how we can’t wait to go back!  In the meantime, a little vegetarian goulash will have to suffice.

:)

New Recipe: Vegetarian “Scallop” Chowder.

If it’s Monday, it’s Crock-Pot night here at Chez Recessionista!  And what better time to enjoy said Crock-Pot than on a cool autumn night.

I know I’ve waxed poetic about the slow cooker time after time here, but I just can’t get over how wonderful it is to spend a few minutes of prep in the morning only to have dinner fully cooked by the time I get home from work.  Also, on nights like tonight, it really helps me thread the ol’ scheduling needle when time is tight but appetites are huge.

Have I told you about my tai chi class?  I take tai chi on Monday evenings, and as a result I have only about an hour’s turnaround time between the time I come home from work and the time I jet off again for class, leaving poor LeeLee in the dust.  The Crock-Pot works wonders in getting dinner on the table with time to spare!  As usual, it’s a faithful companion.

Tonight I decided to concoct a new recipe: vegetarian “scallop” chowder!  I took a package of Sophie’s Kitchen scallops and blended it with onions, potatoes, corn, spices, hot sauce, and water (full recipe, with measurements, below) and heated everything in the Crock-Pot for the day as LeeLee and I toiled away.  Then, upon arriving home, I added a can of evaporated milk, stirred it in well, and allowed the flavors to mingle for a few minutes while I heated half a baguette for dipping.  Then, it was time to eat!

I know I haven’t always been a fan of vegetarian scallops – they can sometimes be too bland – but this recipe spices them right on up.  LeeLee and I both loved the creaminess of the chowder and the bite of the scallops, blended with the corn’s sweetness and the potatoes’ freshness (these potatoes came from our Labor Day Weekend potato-picking extravaganza!).  The chipotle powder, pepper, and Tabasco gave the chowder a spicy undertone, which we both enjoyed (though I think I’ll dial the heat up a bit more next time).  And the true testament: We both went back for heaping seconds!  You can’t ask for a better endorsement than that.

VEGETARIAN “SCALLOP” CHOWDER

Serves four

What you’ll need:

1 package vegetarian scallops

4-8 potatoes (depending on size), diced

1 onion, diced

1 can kernel corn

1 can creamed corn

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. chipotle powder

Several dashes of hot sauce (to taste)

2.5 cups water

1 can evaporated milk

Add all of the above (except for the evaporated milk) to a slow cooker and stir to combine.  Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-6.

Fifteen minutes before serving, add the evaporated milk and stir to combine.  Allow to heat on Low for 15 minutes.  Then: Serve and enjoy!

:)

Sunday Cookout: Smoked Portobello Mushroom Steaks With Smoked Acorn Squash and Steamed Veggies.

I hereby declare the 2014 Smoker Season open!

Tonight, we fired up our trusty Brinkmann smoker for the first time this autumn, and as per usual, it didn’t disappoint.  Its first meal of the year was a favorite: Portobello mushroom “steaks” with acorn squash!  We rounded out the plate with some steamed mixed vegetables (cooked indoors), and dinner was complete.  And wonderful.

First, I prepared the acorn squash, which arrived in one of our last boxes from Great Country Farms.  I halved the squash lengthwise, scooped out the seeds, and rubbed each half in olive oil.  Then, I wrapped each half in a thin layer of aluminum foil and poked a few holes in each foil pouch to allow for the smoke to season the squash.  Once the smoker was fully heated, I placed the halves cut-side down on the bottom grate and put the lid on!  The squash cooked for a total of 2 hours in order to become perfectly tender.

About half an hour later, it was time to put the mushrooms on.  I’d marinated them earlier in the afternoon with a blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and chipotle powder, leaving them in the fridge to soak up all of the flavors.  So when it came time to put them into the smoker, the hard work was already done!  I just plunked them on and let them cook for about 90 minutes.

With five minutes left to go in the cooking process, I steamed a package of mixed vegetables in the microwave – nary an indoor pot had to be dirtied for this meal!

Then it was time to take everything off the smoker.  The mushrooms had darkened very nicely and were a bit shriveled – that’s what you’re looking for!   The squash gave under a gentle squeeze, which is also a sign of success.  We plated everything – adding some goat cheese to the mushrooms and some cinnamon and honey to the squash – and dug in.

The bad news?  We have no leftovers for tomorrow.  The good news: We both loved the meal!  Smoker season is such a fun change from the summertime grilling season; both have their benefits, of course, but the change of pace is always welcome.  I can’t wait to fire it up again next week and see what happens!

:)