Thousand Island Dressing

Essentially trying to make it without using Vegenaise as the base, purely for cost effectiveness.

makes about 1 cup
3 Tbsp 1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp water
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp pickle relish

Blend all ingredients except oil and pickle relish until smooth. Slowly dribble in the canola oil while the blender/food processor is whirring, letting it emulsify. I do this by using the liquid dribbly thing in my Cuisinart, and adding about 2 Tbsp at a time. Stir in the pickle relish.

Advertisements

Poppyseed Dressing

Trying to copycat Brianna’s Poppyseed Dressing, our favoritest- no doubt related to the fact that it has 14g of fat, 7g of sugar and 160 calories in a 2 Tbsp serving.

It probably comes to no surprise that I concocted this recipe based on reading the label of Brianna’s, putting the ingredients in order, and calculating the amount of salt/sugar/oil to use based on the nutrition information. The only thing that I added more of than I think the bottle would state are the poppyseeds. Turned out pretty good.

makes about 1 cup

6 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp water
2 4 pearl onions, peeled (or about 2 Tbsp minced white onion)
4 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp ground mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
(1/2 tsp xanthun gum – this would thicken and stabilize it if you have it, but not necessary)
2 tsp poppy seeds

Blend all ingredients except oil, xanthun gum (if using) and poppy seeds until smooth. Slowly dribble in the canola oil while the blender/food processor is whirring, letting it emulsify. I do this by using the liquid dribbly thing in my Cuisinart, and adding about 2 Tbsp at a time. Whir in the xanthun gum if using. Stir in the poppy seeds.

tamarind chickpeas

serves 8

2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cans 3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 of a 7.5 oz jar date & tamarind chutney (I got it at Fiesta)
(cilantro for garnish)

Heat oil in a dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Let seeds pop about 30 seconds. Add onions and salt and saute a minute or two. Add garlic and saute a bit more, until onions are translucent and beginning to brown in parts (about 5 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reached desired thickness (at least 30 minutes, but can simmer for quite some time).

Hot Dogs!

Dry
Makes 16 hot dogs
2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2/3 cup dry TVP granules
2 T dehydrated chopped onion
1 T granulated garlic
4 t paprika
2 t pepper
1 1/2 t Goya Adobo red-top
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric

Wet Mix
1 3/4 cups cold water
1/4 cup BBQ sauce or steak sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Marmite yeast extract
1 tsp liquid smoke

Put all of the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until uniform, then put in a separate bowl and create a well in the middle. Whisk wet ingredients together in another bowl until Marmite and bbq sauce are completely dissolved. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and squish with your hands until combined. Get water going in a pot with steamer tray. Divide into 16 pieces and shape each into a vague log on tinfoil. Roll up like tightly and twist the ends (like a tootsie roll). Steam for 60 minutes, let cool and unroll.

Tastes best when made ahead, allowed to refrigerate and firm up, then pan fried whole or in pieces.

Baked Jollof Brown Rice

There are many variations, but it seems to be a staple throughout most of Africa. Fairly similar to Spanish rice (in fact, to make Spanish rice, you could use the same recipe, just omit the bell peppers and/or carrots, sub oregano for thyme and cumin for tumeric). As with most African recipes, it is traditionally spicy, but I have omitted the spice for the sake of my children.

This was a big hit with the kids. It was a pretty big hit with me, too. It was super flavorful, healthy, and once it was in the oven it took space off the stove and countertop (this was my first attempt at baking rice, so that was quite novel). I had reduced the water from the various recipes that I had adapted it from, but it was still a bit mushy, so I will reduce it a bit further next time.

Makes about 10 cups, enough for 4-6 as a main dish or 6-8 as a side dish
1 Tbsp oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
(spicy to preferences – scotch bonnet chilis are traditional, or cayenne)
2 c uncooked brown rice (I used a long grain Jasmine variety)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
3 1/3 c 3 c un-chicken or veggie broth (I used Harvest Vegetarian Chicken Flavor Bullion that I got from My Thanh)
1 c frozen peas

-Preheat the oven to 375′.
-In a dutch oven on the stovetop, heat the oil.
-Saute the onions and peppers for 5 minutes to soften.
-Add the carrots and garlic and sautee another minute.
-Stir in the salt and spices, then tomato paste and then brown rice and saute for another 3 minutes, until rice begins to brown and absorb some tomato color.
-Add in the broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.
-Turn off heat, put the lid on, and slide the pot into the oven. Bake for 1 hour.
-Turn off the oven and wait ten minutes before removing from the oven.
– Fluff with a fork, stir in the peas and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Pumpkin Bread

Easy Recipe, lots of sugar (not as healthy as it could be), but yummy. Tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had some chance to ‘age’. Freeze one for later use or go ahead and give it away.

Yield: 3 Loaves
* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1/2 cup applesauce
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup water
* 3 cups white sugar
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 5×9 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Oats & Beans & Barley Loaf

Do you or I or anyone know how oats and beans and barley loaf?

Since I am making this for Samhain, aka Irish Halloween, I tried to pay attention to what I knew about ‘traditional’ Irish foods – oats, barley, simple spices, and (apparently) hazelnuts.

This is a very easy recipe but takes about 2 hours. It’s much easier to cook the lentils/barley in the rice cooker ahead of time, because mixing everything together is easy when they’re cool to the touch.

It came out a little bit dry – but a really good texture and very firm. I would double the glaze and mix half of it into the loaf if I re-made it.

1 cup green/brown lentils
1/2 cup hulled barley
3 cups water
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 onion, diced small
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup parsley, minced
3 Tbsp hazelnuts, chopped (or walnuts)
1 tsp Goya Adobo
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasonings (or 1/2 tsp each sage, marjoram & rosemary)

For optional glaze, mix together:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Cook lentils, barley and water in a rice cooker. Alternatively, bring to boil, simmer for 45 min-1 hour, until done.

Preheat oven to 350. In a soup pot or dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together chickpea flour and water. Add lentil-barley mixture and remaining ingredients to onion mixture, then stir in chickpea mixture. Press into a greased loaf pan, spread on glaze if using, and bake for 45 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before slicing.