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Entry tags:

salad

Cauliflower Reuben Salad

Cauliflower Reuben Salad
Servings: 4 to 6 Active time: 20 mins Total time: 40 mins

INGREDIENTS

*For the salad
Fine salt
1 1/4 cups (9 ounces) French green lentils
1 garlic clove
1 medium head cauliflower (2 pounds), cut into florets (see Substitutions)
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (6 ounces) drained sauerkraut (a small amount of brine is okay; see Substitutions)
2 handfuls baby spinach or arugula
Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
4 small dill pickles, for serving (optional)
Rye bread, for serving (optional)

*For the dressing
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small dill pickle, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced or finely grated
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper

STEPS
1. Cook the lentils and roast the cauliflower: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils and garlic, reduce the heat so the water is at a simmer, and cook until just tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain (you can either discard the garlic or stir it a little, so it melts into the lentils).
3. Meanwhile, on a large sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with the oil and caraway seeds. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss again until combined. Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the florets are golden and just tender.
4. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, scallions, pickle, garlic, paprika, salt and a big pinch of pepper until combined.
5. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss together the lentils, cauliflower, sauerkraut and dressing until combined. Add the spinach or arugula, and gently toss again to coat.
6. Divide among bowls, top with scallions and serve, with a pickle and rye bread on the side, if desired.

*Make ahead: The cauliflower, lentils and dressing can be made and refrigerated separately for up to 1 day in advance.
*Storage: If you do not plan to eat the entire salad, refrigerate leftover cauliflower, lentils and dressing in separate containers for up to 4 days.

Entry tags:

The Best Hummus & Veggie Sandwiches

The Best Hummus & Veggie Sandwiches
Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

US
8 slices sandwich bread (Note)
½ cup hummus
½ cup baby spinach
½ medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
½ medium red onion, sliced
12 pepperoncini peppers, stems removed
½ cup clover sprouts, or broccoli sprouts, or another similar variety
2 medium avocados, sliced
Red wine vinegar,
Salt and pepper, to taste

Metric
8 slices sandwich bread (Note)
123 g hummus
15 g baby spinach
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
12 pepperoncini peppers, stems removed
16.5 g clover sprouts, or broccoli sprouts, or another similar variety
2 medium avocados, sliced
Red wine vinegar,
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Slather each bread slice with about a tablespoon of hummus (or more if you like!).
Layer half of the bread slices with baby spinach, cucumber slices, tomato slices, red onion slices, pepperoncini, sprouts, and avocado, sprinkling each layer lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the veggies with a dash of red wine vinegar.
Close up the sandwiches using the remaining bread slices. Serve.

Notes

Recommend sourdough or multigrain bread.

Entry tags:

candy

Cream Cheese Mints

Cream Cheese Mints
Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 8 dozen

Ingredients

8 oz package cream cheese, full fat, softened
1/4 cup Challenge butter, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp mint extract
gel food coloring
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling mints

Instructions

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Add the mint extract and mix until combined.
Gradually, add the remaining powdered sugar until smooth and consistent. You can do this with a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand.
Separate the mixture into four separate bowls, or however many different colors you want.
Add a small amount of food color to each bowl and stir in until the color is uniform.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. You don't want it sticking to your hands.
Line 2 quarter sheet pans with parchment paper and liberally dust with powdered sugar. Set aside.
Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into a 1-inch balls.
Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared sheet pans.
Gently press the tines of a fork into the top of each ball. (You can also use the bottom of a shot glass if you don't want the lines. Just dip the bottom of the glass into powdered sugar to keep it from sticking.)
Let stand, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm. If the bottoms have any moisture, flip over and let stand again until the bottoms of the mints are also firm.
Store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper, for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Mints can be refrigerated or frozen if desired.

Entry tags:

beef,
main dish

Cowboy Meatballs

Cowboy Meatballs
Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef
5 slices (5 oz. total) bacon, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated yellow onion (from 1 small [5 oz.] onion)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) or finely crushed saltine crackers
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), divided
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from 1 [7-oz.] can), divided
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 (10-oz.) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles (such as Rotel)
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
Sliced scallions

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F
Gently mix ground beef, bacon, egg, onion, panko, chili powder, garlic, pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 tablespoon of the chipotle chiles, 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl until combined.
Portion and roll meatballs into 12 (2-inch) balls (2 oz. each); arrange at least 1 inch apart on a parchment- or foil- lined baking sheet.
Bake meatballs in preheated oven until browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
While meatballs are baking, stir together tomatoes and chiles, barbecue sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon salt in a large skillet. Bring to simmer over medium-high, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often and pressing down on tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon or with a potato masher, until tomatoes are broken down and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer browned meatballs to sauce and return to medium. Cook, stirring gently and spooning sauce over meatballs, until evenly coated and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers at least 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover, and let cook, undisturbed, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with scallions.

Entry tags:

appetizer,
snacks

Candied Bacon Crackers

Candied Bacon Crackers
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 8

Ingredients

32 rectangular buttery crackers (such as Club) (from 1 [13.7-oz.] pkg.)
10 to 12 center-cut bacon slices, cut into 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-in. pieces
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, divided
Freshly ground pepper (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Arrange crackers on an oven-safe wire rack fitted over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Arrange bacon pieces evenly over crackers lengthwise, and carefully tuck any overhang under cracker edges (bacon will shrink when cooked).

Brush 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup evenly over bacon.

Bake in preheated oven until browned and crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully brush evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and let cool on wire rack 5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm with a few grinds of pepper, if desired.

Variations

Make these bacon crackers more personal to your tastes. Add ingredients like hot sauce, jalapeños, and crushed red pepper on top of the bacon. Serve with a creamy dip or dollop each one with a herb-infused sour cream dollop.

Entry tags:

cheesecake,
dessert

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Total Time: 2 hours Yield: 12-14 Servings

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/2 cups (201g) vanilla wafer crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup (52) sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
5 tbsp (70g) butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling
24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (207g) sugar
3 tbsp (24g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (230g) sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, room temperature

Cinnamon Filling
1 1/4 cups (281g) packed light brown sugar
5 tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
6 tbsp (84g) butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (173g) powdered sugar
4–5 tbsp heavy cream

( Read more... )

Okonomiyaki, Savory Japanese Pancakes

Okonomiyaki, Savory Japanese Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dashi
1 egg plus one egg yolk
one big handful (or two) of julienne napa cabbage, bean sprouts, kimchi, mustard greens, shiso leaves, or a combination of all
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup minced raw shrimp
4 tablespoons toasted rapeseed oil or other sturdy vegetable oil

Garnish

Bulldog brand tonkatsu sauce
Kewpie mayo
Julienne nori
Katsuo bushi
Japanese pickled vegetables or pickled ginger

The Crumble

1/2 cup well-roasted macadamia nuts, nice and dark!
2 dried toasted hot chiles
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon toasted dried shrimp
3 tablespoons toasted dried seaweed (dulse, hijiki or other edible seaweed)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Using a whisk, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In another bowl whisk the dashi and egg together.
Slowly pour the wet mix into the dry, and fold to create a thick batter. Fold in the vegetables, shrimp and scallions.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium. Add half the vegetable oil to the pan. Add the batter, cooking until the bottom is golden brown, add some oil down the sides of the pan and turn the pancake over, cooking until brown on the other side as well.
Plate the pancake, brush or drizzle tonkatsu sauce on the top, followed by a drizzle of Kewpie, some nori and finally some katsuo bushi.
Serve with a bowl of the macadamia crumble for everyone to share.

Entry tags:

indian

MIXED VEGETABLE PAKORA BAKED

MIXED VEGETABLE PAKORA BAKED
PREP TIME 10 mins COOK TIME 25 mins TOTAL TIME 35 mins Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
1 loaded cup cauliflower florets, raw
¾ to 1 cup chopped onion
½ to ¾ cup broccoli florets, raw or steamed
⅓ Cup carrots, baby or chopped
⅓ Cup chopped potato, raw or cooked
1 green chili
½ inch ginger
¼ cup packed chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp mint leaves (optional)
⅓ Tsp ajwain (carom seeds) or toasted cumin seeds
¼ tsp or more cayenne
½ tsp to ¾ tsp salt
1 tsp Chaat Masala or amchur (dry mango powder)
2 Tbsp semolina flour (use brown rice flour to make gluten-free)
⅔ Cup or more chickpea flour
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp oil
Water as needed

INSTRUCTIONS
Chop the veggies roughly into similarly sized chunks or florets (1 to 1.5 inch). Add all the chopped vegetables, green chili, ginger, cilantro and mint in a food processor and pulse a few times to make an evenly finely chopped or grated state. You can also add a ⅓ cup or more greens of choice at this step.
Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the spices, salt, ⅓ tsp chaat masala and semolina.
Add the chickpea flour to the bowl, sprinkle the baking soda all over and mix in (or mix the baking soda into the chickpea flour before adding). Add a Tbsp or so more chickpea flour if needed. You need just a light coating of flour on all the veggies. See pictures above.
Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes so the veggies can leak some moisture into the flour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Add oil and a sprinkle of a water (1 -2 tsp) to the bowl and mix in. Depending on the vegetables, you might or might not need more water. The mixture should not be a batter, but should stick into balls with your hands. Add water a tsp at a time till the mixture just starts to stick.
Using your hands or a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, place scoops on parchment lined baking sheet. Keep the scoops small, around 1.5 inches, so the veggies can cook through. Spray oil (or brush) on the pakoras.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Cool for a minute. Sprinkle the remaining chaat masala and serve with mint chutney or tamarind date chutney or ketchup or sauces of choice.

NOTES
Mint Chutney:
Blend ½ cup mint, ½ cup cilantro, 1 garlic clove, ½ inch ginger, ½ green chili, ½ pear or apple, salt, cayenne, lemon juice, chaat masala to taste. Taste and adjust salt, lemon and chaat masala and add water if needed.

Variation: Add ¼ to ½ tsp turmeric with the spices.
Use other veggies like zucchini, sweet potato, seasonal squash.

Entry tags:

cake

Earthquake Cake

Earthquake Cake
Time: 50 minutes Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 (15.25-ounce) package German chocolate cake mix, plus the ingredients called for in the package instructions
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
Step 3 - Spread the coconut and pecans in the bottom of the baking pan.
Step 4 - Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to package instructions.
Step 5 - Pour the batter over the coconut and pecans.
Step 6 - In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Step 7 - Add the powdered sugar and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture, beating until smooth.
Step 8 - Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter. The final result should look spotted.
Step 9 - Bake the cake for 50 minutes.
Step 10 - Remove the cake from the oven and invert it so the coconut and pecans are on top.
Step 11 - Allow the Earthquake Cake to cool completely before serving.

Entry tags:

sandwiches

Avocado Tuna Salad

Avocado Tuna Salad
Prep Time: 2 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Servings: 6 sandwiches

Ingredients

US
3 (5-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil well-drained
3 tablespoons finely diced celery
3 tablespoons finely diced bread and butter pickles
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Dressing
1 large ripe avocado divided, see note 1
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup mayo plus more as needed
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Metric
425g tuna in olive oil well-drained
24g finely diced celery
24g finely diced bread and butter pickles
14g finely diced red onion
8g finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Dressing
1 large ripe avocado divided, see note 1
15g lemon juice
80g mayo plus more as needed
5g Dijon-style mustard
5g olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Thoroughly drain tuna and set aside.
Halve and pit the avocado. Mash 3 tablespoons and add to a large bowl. Dice the rest and set aside. Add lemon juice, mayo, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocado. Whisk until smooth.
Add tuna, celery, pickles, red onion, parsley, and diced avocado to the bowl. Stir gently to combine. Adjust seasoning and add more mayo (1 to 4 tablespoons) if needed.
Enjoy on toasted bread with mayo, in a lettuce wrap, or with pita chips. Best enjoyed immediately, as avocado browns after 1–2 hours.

Recipe Notes
Note 1: Wait until the avocado is fully ripe for the best creaminess and flavor.
Storage: Avocado Tuna Salad is best eaten the same day since the avocado browns over time. Freezing not recommended.

Current Mood: accomplished

Entry tags:

Recipe: "Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup"

I made this today. Now I regret all the leftover mashed potatoes that I've tossed in the past. If you have leftover spuds, this is well worth considering.

"Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup"

Ingredients:
1/8 cup diced bacon (about 2 strips)
1/2 sweet onion, diced
about 1 cup leftover instant mashed potatoes
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
about 1/4 cup shredded Gouda cheese

( Read more... )

Royal Eggs (Huevos Reales)

Royal Eggs (Huevos Reales)

2 Tbs (30 ml) raisins
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry sherry
12 egg yolks
2 cups (500 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbs (30 ml) toasted pine nuts (pignoli)

Combine the raisins and the sherry in a small cup and allow
to steep for at least 30 minutes. Beat the egg yolks until they
make a ribbon. Pour into a shallow greased pan which is set
in a larger pan partially filled with hot water. Bake in a
preheated 350F (180C) oven until the eggs are set, about 20
minutes. Cool to room temperature and cut into cubes or
diamond shapes. Meanwhile combine the sugar, water, and
cinnamon stick in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil
for 5 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick, add the egg cubes,
and simmer over very low heat until the egg cubes are saturated
with the syrup. Stir in the raisins and sherry and serve garnished
with pine nuts. Serves 4 to 6.

Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!

Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means

karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

( The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.

Entry tags:

cheesecake,
dessert

Espresso Cheesecake

Espresso Cheesecake
Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1-hour Servings 12

Ingredients

Crust
2 cups OREO cookie crumbs (not double stuffed) about 20 cookies
6 tablespoons butter melted
¼ teaspoon salt

Filling
24 ounces cream cheese softened (3 packages)
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¼ cup espresso or strong coffee
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 eggs

Ganache Topping
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate roughly chopped (bars are best to use BUT you can use high quality chocolate chips)

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese softened
4 tablespoons butter softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ to 1 cup powdered sugar
espresso beans optional

( Read more... )