Recipe: Absurdly Easy Chocolate Cake (and frosting) (Vegan/Parve) February 5, 2010

It was my birthday this past Tuesday, so I am celebrating by posting this recipe which I have used for many years. The original post can be found here it is delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 3 cups flour (680 grams)
* 2 cups sugar (450 grams)
* 6 tablespoons cocoa (100 grams)
* 2 teaspoons baking soda (10 cc’s = 10 ml)
* 1 teaspoon salt (5 cc’s = 5 ml)
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil (200 cc’s)
* 2 tablespoon vinegar (30 cc’s)
* 2 teaspoon vanilla (10 cc’s)
* 2 cup cold water (480 cc’s)

Directions
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth. Bake two greased, floured pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes two layers of a two-layer 9-inch or 8-inch round cake, or one small sheet cake. When cool, frost it.

Frosting

* One pound (one box) confectioner’s sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup (2/3 stick) Earth Balance or other vegan margarine, room temperature
* 1/4 cup thin liquid (I use soymilk)
* 1-2 teaspoons flavoring, optional (usually vanilla extract)
* some drops of coloring, optional (juice of crushed berries works well)

Method:

Mix the sugar, salt, and margarine in a very clean bowl. Add the liquid. Beat until smooth, adding more liquid if necessary. Use immediately and rapidly: spread over a cooled cake with a rubber spatula or blunt knife. Decorate the cake quickly, before the frosting hardens.

Recipes: 4 Variations on Potato Croquettes (Croquetas de Papa) (Vegetarian-Dairy) February 1, 2010

My grandmother was born in Spain, and always cooked Spanish food for us. Her recipe for Croquetas de Papa is fantastic, unfortunately it does not contain any amounts as she knew it by heart. Here are a couple of delicious alternatives I enjoy. The first two recipes are in the original Spanish. The third one is from Paula Deen and also quite tasty, the fourth one is a fantastic alternative with veggie bacon bits. I hope you enjoy them!

Croquetas de patata y queso

Ingredientes

* 500 grs. de puré de patata
* 200 grs. de queso
* 2 huevos
* 2dl. de aceite de oliva virgen extra
* Nuez moscada rallada
* Pimienta
* Sal

Preparación
En un bol poner el puré de patata, agregar el queso rallado y los huevos, y sazonar con sal, pimienta y nuez moscada.
Formar las croquetas y freír en aceite caliente hasta que se doren. Escurrir sobre papel absorbente y servir enseguida.

******

Croquetas de Papa

INGREDIENTES

1kg. de papas cocidas con cáscara
1 huevo
1 cucharada de perejil picado
2 dientes de ajos picados
2 cucharadas de queso rallado
sal, pimienta y nuez moscada

Para empanizar
2 huevos
2 cucharadas de agua
harina cantidad necesaria

PREPARACION
Pelar las papas y pasarlas por el prensapuré.

Agregar, el huevo, el perejil, los ajos y el queso rallado.
Condimentar a gusto.
Revolver bien mezclando todo.

Formar las croquetas con las manos enharinadas.

Pasarlas primero por harina, luego por el huevo mezclado con el agua y luego por pan rallado.

Calentar el aceite pero sin que llegue a hervir.
Freírlas hasta que estén doradas y apoyarlas sobre papel absorbente.

Estas croquetas también se pueden cocinar al horno y quedan muy bien.
*******

Paula Deen’s Potato Croquettes

Yield: 15 croquettes
Cook time: 30 min
Total: 52 min

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons milk
* Salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon chopped green onion
* 2 egg yolks, beaten
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 cups mashed potatoes
* 1 egg, beaten
* Sifted dried bread crumbs
* Peanut oil, enough to fill pan 1/2-inch

Directions

Add milk, salt, pepper, chopped onion, beaten egg yolks and flour to mashed potatoes. Chill and then shape. Dip in the beaten egg, then roll through bread crumbs. Fry each croquette in shallow oil until brown on all sides.

Cook’s Note: Cook in small batches, giving each croquette at least 2 inches of space around it to not overcrowd the pan. This prevents the croquettes from crumbling while frying.

*******
Potato Croquettes

Ingredients

* 4 cups mashed potatoes
* 2 eggs
* 2 tablespoons dried parsley
* 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 tablespoons imitation bacon bits
* 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
* 1 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs
* oil for frying

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, eggs, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper, bacon bits and onion flakes. Form mixture into small logs, and dredge in the bread crumbs.
2. Pour oil 1/2 inch deep in a large, heavy skillet. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry them, flipping to fry them on both sides, until they are golden brown. Serve hot.

Recipe: Lemon Risotto With Brussels Sprouts (Vegetarian, Dairy) January 22, 2010

Lemon Risotto With Brussels Sprouts

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
Salt to taste
2 quarts well seasoned vegetable stock, as needed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to the boil, salt generously and add the Brussels sprouts. Boil two minutes, then transfer to the ice water. Drain, dry on paper towels and cut in quarters.

2. Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet. Sear the Brussels sprouts just until beginning to brown, about three minutes, stirring and shaking the pan. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in the same skillet, or in a large, wide saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown. Add the rice and the garlic, and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine, and stir until it has been absorbed. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, stirring in more stock when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often. After 10 minutes, stir in the Brussels sprouts. Continue adding stock and stirring. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, in about 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Advance preparation: You can begin up to several hours before serving. Proceed with the recipe and cook halfway through step 4 — that is, for about 15 minutes. The rice should still be hard when you remove it from the heat, and there should not be any liquid in the pan. Spread it in an even layer in the pan, and keep it away from the heat until you resume cooking. If the pan is not wide enough for you to spread the rice in a thin layer, transfer it to a sheet pan. Fifteen minutes before serving, bring the remaining stock back to a simmer, and reheat the rice. Resume cooking as instructed. Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman

Recipe: Pasta With Carrots, Risotto-Style (K-Dairy) January 18, 2010

Pasta with Carrots, Risotto-Style

8 cups Vegetable Stock
5 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 lb. gemelli (uncooked)
8 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and diced
1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 4 sprigs parsley, chopped

1. Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to keep stock hot.

2. Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and carrots and cook, stirring often, until pasta is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

3. Add 1 cup of the hot stock at a time to the pasta, stirring constantly; wait until almost all the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking and adding stock (you may have some stock left over) until pasta is tender but firm to the bite, 10–15 minutes.

4. Remove pot from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp. butter and the parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve with more freshly grated parmigiano, if you like.

SERVES 4 – 8
Recipe adapted from Saveur Magazine, which in turn adapted it from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman (Broadway Books, 2001). If you can’t find the short, twisted “twin” pasta called gemelli, use penne instead.

Orange-Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (K-Dairy) January 17, 2010

Orange-Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes: 18 cupcakes / Preparation time: 40 minutes Total time: 1 1/2 hours

CUPCAKES

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or sucanat)
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FROSTING

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

To make the cupcakes: In a medium bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, orange juice concentrate, oil, eggs and vanilla. Fold into the flour mixture just until blended. Divide the batter among the 18 cups (each cupcake should be about half full).

Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool the pan on a rack. Remove the cupcakes from pan and cool completely before frosting, about 40 minutes.

To make the frosting: In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and orange juice concentrate until smooth.

Nutritional Information:
175 calories (36% from fat), 7 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 26 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 179 mg sodium, 26 mg cholesterol, 1 gram fiber.

Adapted from a recipe by the Associated Press.

Raising Vegetarian Kids January 17, 2010

I’ve been asked for advice with regard to raising vegetarian children. You might want to start by looking at the following links and then get back to me with any questions you might have, I’ll be more than glad to help!

http://www.vegfamily.com/

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/veg_diets_for_children.html

http://www.thevegetariansite.com/vegchild.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_11242_raise-vegetarian-children.html

Recipe: Rigatoni with Tomato and White Wine Sauce & Parmigiano Reggiano (Dairy) January 17, 2010

Ingredients

* one medium onion, finely chopped
* 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 2 cups White Wine
* 1 can of crushed tomatoes
* 1 box of rigatoni
* salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil
* Parmigiano regiano cheese

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water 8-10 minutes. In a large skillet, place extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4-6 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the wine. Simmer gently and cook down. Add canned tomatoes, season well with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Toss in the pasta, top with some shaved or grated Parmigiano Regiano. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe: Key Lime Cheesecake (Dairy) January 17, 2010

Delicious. Can be stored in the refrigerator up to 24 hours before serving.

Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 8 hr 25 min
Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers or coconut bar cookies
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/3 cup lime juice

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix crumbs, butter and sugar; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 min.; cool.
Beat cream cheese and milk with mixer until blended. Add zest and juice; mix well. Pour into crust.
Refrigerate 8 hours.

Recipe: Mario Batali’s Whole Grain Rigatoni with Tuscan-Style Cauliflower and Pecorino (Vegetarian/Dairy) January 15, 2010

Mario Batali’s Whole Grain Rigatoni with Tuscan-Style Cauliflower and Pecorino

4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
6 mint leaves
½ tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 5-in. head of cauliflower, about 1 to 1¼ lbs.
1-lb. rigatoni pasta
½ cup grated pecorino cheese
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield ¼ cup

Serves: 4

Bring 6 quarts water to boil in a large spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 14- to 18-in. sauté pan, heat oil until just smoking and add onion, mint and red pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove leaves and base core from cauliflower and chop into ¼-in. pieces. Break the florets away from the central core and size them similarly. Cut the core into ¼-in. coins and throw all the pieces into the sauté pan with the onions. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring regularly for about 12 to 15 minutes, until cauliflower is softened and light brown but not mushy.

Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until “al dente,” about 8 to 12 minutes, and drain in colander. Toss hot pasta into pan with cauliflower and add grated cheese, black pepper and parsley. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Recipe: Light and Creamy Cheesecake (Dairy) January 14, 2010

Light and Creamy Cheesecake
Makes: 8-10 servings

Crust:

1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine crust ingredients and mix well. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9″ pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

To make filling: combine cream cheese, sour cream, cornstarch and sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Add butter and vanilla, blend until smooth (do not over mix). Pour into cooled crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until firm. Cool 1 hour.

Prepare topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread mixture over cooled cheesecake. Chill or freeze until ready to eat.

Nutrition information
Per serving: 484 calories, 35 grams fat, 20 grams saturated fat, 41 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, trace fiber, 98 milligrams cholesterol