Saturday, June 9, 2012

Frozen Lemon Squares

This is my mom's recipe, so we grew up with it each summer.  I now also try to make it each summer.  I add a design made of chocolate syrup to the top, before freezing.  I usually buy the crumbs pre-made, which might be the reason that sometimes the crumbs don't stick together well.  I haven't tried making this in a pre-made crust yet. 


1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
whipped topping (Cool Whip, etc.  I use low-fat/fat free cool whip)


Combine margarine, crumbs and sugar
Press into 8 or 9-inch pan
In bowl, beat egg yolks
Stir in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice
Pour into crust
Top with topping and freeze

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Coconut Bread

I've made several quick breads and muffins from this book, and they are all easy to make and very good!  Recipes include photos for each bread.  I have also made recipes from the companion book, 501 Cookies.

This bread had a sponge texture and all the nuts were pushed to the top while baking.

Makes 1 loaf.

2 cups Bisquick mix
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 large eggs, beaten
3 TB melted margarine
1 1/2 cups milk

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, blend together the Bisquick, sugar, cinnamon, coconut, and pecans.  Add the eggs, butter, and milk all at one time.  Stir mixture until smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean and the top is golden.
 

501 Muffins: Plus Biscuits, Doughnuts, Popovers, Fritters, Scones and Other Quick Bread, Gregg R. Gillespie, 2009

Mushroom Risotto

Another very good Risotto dish!  I combined all the mushrooms together and just used 16 oz of what I usually use, splitting up half for the first part and half for use later.

4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup white wine 
1 TB oil
1 oz butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
8 oz field mushrooms, sliced
2 cups arborio rice
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
2 TB chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the stock and wine to a boil, reduce heat and keep at a simmer.

Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, then add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes or until the leeks are golden.  Add the field mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the rice to the mushroom mixture and stir until the grains become translucent.  Add 1 cup of the hot liquid to the rice and stir over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.  Continue to add the hot liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed between each addition.  Reserve the final 1/2 cup of liquid.

Stir in the button mushrooms and reserved liquid.  Cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.  Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.


The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, Bay Books, 2010

Pasta Vegetable Bake

1 TB olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 medium zucchinis, sliced
3 1/3 oz button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups dried pasta (penne or spiralli)
4 TB grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Heat oil in a frying pan.  Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cover over low heat for 4 minutes or until onions are soft.  Add zucchinis and mushrooms, cook for 3 minutes.  Add the sauce and peas, cook for 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook pasta for 10-12 minutes.  Drain.  Add to the vegetables in the pan.  Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake, covered, for 20-30 minutes.


The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, Bay Books, 2010



Saturday, April 28, 2012

Matzoh Stuffing

This cookbook captures old and new recipes from generations of one family.  It is an amazing book, if not just for all of the stories.  The author interviewed a lot of family members and has information about her family's immigration to America. This also fascinates me because of my own family research. This cookbook is not vegetarian, but some recipes are.

We made this stuffing for Passover this year. This might have been the only new dish, and it was very good. This recipe serves 12 people. This can be prepared as a stuffing casserole or stuffing muffins. We made it as a casserole.

Nondairy margarine or vegetable cooking spray, for greasing the casserole
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T nondairy margarine, plus slivers for scattering on the top
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium-sized carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
10 boards matzoh
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup homemade chicken stock, low-sodium boxed or canned chicken broth or vegetable stock
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole or 12 muffin cups.

Heat the oil and 2 T margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent and the carrots are fork-tender, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile. crumble the matzoh into a large bowl, add cold water to cover, and soak a few seconds, just until it is soft by not soggy. Drain the soaked matzoh thoroughly, wipe the bowl dry, and return the matzoh to the bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables to the softened matzoh. Stir in the parsley, stock, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly, and add more salt and pepper to taste.

To prepare a stuffing casserole, transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish, dot it lightly with thin silvers of margarine, and bake, uncovered, on the center oven rack until set and golden brown, 40-45 minutes.

To prepare stuffing muffins, place about 1/2 cup stuffing mixture to each muffin cup. Do them lightly with thin slivers of margarine, and bake on the center oven rack until set and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove them from the cups, and serve hot.


Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family, Judy Bart Kancigor, 2007.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Bukharan Vegetable and Fruit Stew

The author is also a rabbi, chef, historian and writer. This book has tons of useful and interesting information about the history of food in Jewish communities around the world.

This is a very good simple stew. I did not add the quince.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 turnip, peeled and diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large quince, peeled, cored, and chopped (optional)
1-2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the carrots, potatoes, and turnip and saute until well coated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, optional quince, apples, parsley, cilantro and salt. Add water to cover the mixture. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.


Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World, Gil Marks, 2005.

Tamarind Quinoa

Below is the original recipe. I didn't use the tamarind concentrate or the raisins, and used low-fat milk. Even so, this came out very good! The note in the cookbook says that it's a new way to dress up your quinoa.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons tarmarind concentrate
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, ginger, garlic, and coriander seeds in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Use a little cooking spray if needed.

Add the quinoa, broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed, stirring often. The quinoa should be tender and fluffy. Add the coconut milk and tamarind, and stir until the tamarind is completely dissolved. Fold in the raisins, peas, and cilantro. Turn off the heat, but keep covered to warm the peas through - about 5 minutes.


Appetite for Reduction, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, 2011