Shepherd's Pie

From Better Homes & Garden

This savory shepherd's pie doesn't have to be difficult to make. Use leftover mashed potatoesor substitute instant mashed potatoes instead of starting from scratch. Carrots, onions, beans, and garlic make up the bottom layer that is seasoned with herbs. The flavor is rich and creamy; you will never know that this is a vegetarian version.

• 3 small potatoes (3/4 pound)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14-1/2-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and cut up
• 1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn or mixed vegetables
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce or A1 steak sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• Paprika (optional)

1. Peel and quarter potatoes. Cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. In a small saucepan cook garlic and dried basil in margarine or butter for 15 seconds. Add to mashed potatoes along with salt. Gradually beat in enough milk to make light and fluffy. Set aside.
2. For filling, in a medium saucepan cook onion and carrot in hot oil until onion is tender but not brown. Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, frozen vegetables, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Heat until bubbly.
3. Transfer vegetable mixture to an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan. Drop mashed potatoes in 4 mounds over vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and, if desired, paprika. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese begins to brown. Makes 4 servings.

Fried Rice

From Better Homes & Garden

This vegetarian dish makes a complete meal with eggs and plenty of vegetables to satisfy anyone's taste. The vegetables are cooked to a crisp-tender, providing a crunchy texture, and the onion and garlic provide a flavor that blends this entire dish together. The extra eggs are a nice addition to this fried rice.

• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 small onion, (1/3 cup) chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 stalks celery, thinly bias-sliced (1 cup)
• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (1-1/2 cups)
• 1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
• 4 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained
• 2 medium carrots, shredded (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 green onions, sliced (1/3 cup)
• Crinkle-cut carrot slices (optional)

1. In a small bowl combine eggs and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. Preheat over medium heat. Stir-fry chopped onion and garlic in hot oil about 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add egg mixture and stir gently to scramble. When set, remove egg mixture from the wok. Cut up any large pieces of egg mixture. Let wok cool.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon cooking oil into the cooled wok or skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry celery in hot oil for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sweet pepper; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
4. Add cooked rice, bamboo shoots, carrots, and peas. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons soy sauce. Cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes or until heated through. Add cooked egg mixture and green onions; cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately. Garnish with carrot slices, if desired. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Almond Jelly Dessert - 2 versions

Version 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions

1. Pour 1 cup water in a bowl; sprinkle the gelatin over the water; stir until the gelatin is partially dissolved. Set aside.
2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the gelatin mixture. Add the milk, sugar, and almond extract; stir until the sugar and gelatin are completely dissolved; pour mixture into a large, shallow container. Refrigerate until firm, 3 to 4 hours. Cut into small squares to serve.

Serving tip  For a delightful chewy texture, mix in cooked sago, black pearls, or nata de coco.

Version 2
 This refreshing dessert if perfect for hot summer nights.

• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
• 3 1/2 x 10g sachets powdered gelatine
• 3/4 tsp almond essence
• 395g can sweetened condensed milk
• Lychees, honeydew, rockmelon, watermelon and peach, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces, to serve

1. Place sugar and 2 cups water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Sprinkle gelatine over and stir until dissolved. Stir in almond essence, condensed milk and 3 cups water until well combined. Pour mixture into a 19 x 29cm slice tin and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight until set.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut jelly into 2cm cubes. Divide among bowls with fruits.

Notes

• This recipe needs to be started 6 hours ahead or up to 1 day in advance. Food note: This dessert is sometimes called almond tofu, because of its resemblance to tofu.
• Make the most of summer produce with our zucchini re

Cooking Vegetables

From Stonesoup.

The original recipe is for broccoli, but as I’ve learned with a bit of experimentation, it is a wonderful way to cook most other vegetables as well.

So how do you do it?

Step 1. Heat a large fry pan (preferably with a lid) on your highest heat for 3-4 minutes.

Step 2. Rinse and chop up the veg while the pan is heating.

Step 3. Add a little oil to the hot pan, drop in your veg and jam the lid on (or cover with a baking tray). Cook for 2 minutes

Step 4. Stir, add a splash more water (Heston adds butter here which can be lovely too). Cook for a further 2 minutes with the lid on. Taste veg, if it needs more time, leave it for another minute or so.

Too easy.

super simple bok choy with miso dressing
serves 2

I’ve served this as a side to roast chicken. But you could also make a meal out of it but tossing in some roast nuts or a few chunks of avocado. Leftover chicken is also lovely.

Feel free to take this method and apply to other veg. I can’t wait to get some decent asparagus to try. And you must give it a go with broccoli. So good.

1 bunch bok choy
1 scant tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Heat a large frying pan (preferably with a lid) on your highest heat for 3-4 minutes.

2. Rinse bok choy well and slice the stems about 1inch across.

3. Add a little oil to the hot pan, drop in your bok choy and jam the lid on (or cover with a baking tray). Cook for 2 minutes

4. Stir, add a splash more water. Cook for a further 2 minutes with the lid on. Taste veg, if it needs more time, leave it for another minute or so.

5. While the bok choy is cooking whisk together miso, balsamic, 1 tablespoon water and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Taste and season if needed, but usually the miso is salty enough.

6. When the bok choy is done place on a serving plate and drizzle with the dressing.

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Buttermilk Quick Bread & Variations

From The Kitchn.

This is a versatile recipe, to be sure. Add some diced fruit and warm spices, and this loaf becomes part of a brunch buffet. Go the other way with shredded cheese, savory herbs, and onions, and you could take this to any barbecue, football party, or potluck dinner with confidence that every last crumb will be eaten before the night is over.

Whether you stick with the basic recipe or change it up, the method is the same. Combine all the dry ingredients, whisk together the liquid ones, and then gently stir them together into a shaggy batter. Pour into a loaf pan, bake for about forty-five minutes, and it's ready to go on the table.

Basic Buttermilk Quick Bread

Makes one loaf

2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4 oz) white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray a standard 9x5 loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Melt the butter, if using. Whisk it in a separate bowl with the buttermilk and the egg.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients. Gently stir and fold the ingredients until all the flour has been incorporated and a shaggy, wet batter is formed. Be careful not to over-mix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and pat it into the corners. Bake for 45-50 minutes. When finished, the loaf should be domed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and slicing.

Wrap baked loaves tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Baked loaves can also be wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to three months.

Basic Variations:

• Sugar can be reduced to a tablespoon for more savory breads.
• Up to half the flour can be substituted with an alternative flour.
• Replace the buttermilk with a mix of yogurt and milk or milk and a squeeze of lemon.
• Use up to 1 1/2 cups fruits, nuts, olives, cheese, or other ingredients, added to the dry ingredients.
• Use 1-3 teaspoons of herbs or spices, added to the dry ingredients.

10 Variations:

1. Cranberry-Walnut Loaf (pictured above) - 1 c. dried cranberries, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, 1 tsp vanilla, zest from one orange
2. Apple-Cinnamon Loaf - 1 c. diced apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped nuts
3. Cherry-Almond Loaf - 1 c. dried cherries, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped almonds, 1 tsp almond extract
4. Blueberry Loaf - 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 tsp vanilla, zest from one lemon
5. Ginger-Orange Loaf - zest from two oranges, 1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch of cloves, pinch of nutmeg
6. Herbed Sun-dried Tomato and Cheese Loaf (pictured below) - reduce sugar to 1 T, 1/2 c. grated cheese, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme, 2 T minced sun-dried tomatoes
7. Onion-Dill Loaf - reduce sugar to 2 T, one minced onion cooked until soft, 1 T minced fresh dill
8. Pesto Loaf - reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon, 1/4 c. pesto, 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
9. Spicy Jalapeno Loaf - reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons, 1/4 cup minced jalapeno peppers, 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tsp chili powder
10. Irish Soda Bread Look-Alike Loaf - reduce sugar to 1/4 cup, 1 T caraway seeds, 3/4 cup raisins

Slow Cooker: Mid-Winter Spiced Porridge for a Crowd

From The Kitchn.

Makes about eight 1-cup servings; recipe can be doubled

2 cups steel-cut oats
8 cups water
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped figs or raisins
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 orange

Toppings: chopped roasted nuts, jam, fresh fruit, more dried fruit, milk, yogurt, leftover eggnog

Combine everything except the orange zest and toppings in the bowl of a 3-quart or larger slow-cooker. Set the cooker on its lowest cook setting ("LOW" or 8-10 hours), and leave overnight.

If you happen to get up in the night, give the porridge a stir as you pass by. If not, no worries.

In the morning, break up the thin film that forms over the top of the porridge and stir it in. Scrape the sides and bottom. Stir in the orange zest.

Serve with toppings. Leftover porridge will keep refrigerated for at least a week. Reheat with a little milk or water to make creamy again.

Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers

Chickpeas, versatile, protein-rich legumes, have been a Middle Eastern staple for thousands of years. Author Habeeb Salloum's mother grew them in her prairie garden in Saskatchewan, and he, enamored of the cooking of his childhood, created this dish for his children, identical twin girls Muna and Leila and son Raji, when they lived in Toronto.

2 cups dried chickpeas
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 small red chile, stemmed and finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
3 medium tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put chickpeas in a medium bowl and add enough cold water to cover by 2''. Set aside to soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight, then drain.

2. Place chickpeas in a medium pot, add enough cold water to cover by 3'', and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until chickpeas are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers, chiles, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, tarragon, half the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add chickpeas and simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve hot or cold, sprinkled with remaining parsley.

Brussels Sprouts and Carrots with Almonds

If your Brussels sprouts are really big, you may want to cut them into six wedges.

• YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine

• 1 1/2 cups julienne-cut carrot
• 3 cups trimmed Brussels sprouts, quartered (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrot; sauté 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add parsley and remaining ingredients; cook 30 seconds or until the sugar melts, stirring constantly.

Cheese Pimiento Spread

3 small or 1 large red bell pepper

2 c grated Magnolia queso de bola

1 c softened unsalted butter

1 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar

1 loaf sliced bread (whole wheat or white)

Dice red pepper finely and measure enough to make 1/3 cup. In a bowl, combine the diced pepper with the grated queso de bola, softened butter and sugar. Mix until smooth. Taste a small amount and add more sugar according to taste.

If desired, trim the crusts from the bread (save the crusts for another use or bake them into bread pudding). Spread the cheese mixture on the bread slices and put together bread slices in pairs to make sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches into desired sizes (squares, triangles or rectangles) or use cookie cutters to make decorative shapes.

Store any leftover cheese spread in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator and use within three days.

You can also use this as a spread for crackers and melba toast or for toasted sliced bread and for hot pan de sal.

Makes around 2 cups.

Cook’s tips:

Be sure to peel off the red waxy rind of the queso de bola before grating it.

To pack sandwiches as baon: wrap the sandwiches tightly in wax paper or food-grade plastic wrap.

To soften the butter, remove from refrigerator and leave at room temperature for about one hour.

Visit the author’s blog at www.normachikiamco.com; www.facebook. com/normachikiamco, Twitter/NormaChikiamco

Black-bean sweet potato chili

The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried black beans (Plan B: Two 15-ounce cans, but I highly recommend
• the texture and flavor of dried beans)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeledand smashed
• 1 tsp. salt

Sauce

• 1 medium-size sweet potato (12 to 16 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• (2 to 2½ cups)
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 medium-size onion, chopped finely
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb. ground cumin
• tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 to 2½ cups tomato puree
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste, dissolved in ¼ cup water
• 1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced

Possible garnishes: Chopped fresh cilantro, grated cotija or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped scallions, dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

Directions:

Place the beans in a soup pot and cover with water, plus a few inches. Soak for at least 4 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain.

Return the beans to the pot, add 4½ cups water to cover, plus the garlic. Bring to a boil, and cook at a hard boil for 5 minutes. Skim off any scum that rises to the top.

Lower heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for at least 1 hour, until beans are tender to the bite. Cooking time will depend on the age of the beans — older beans take longer.

Season the beans with the salt and remove the garlic cloves.

Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan and add the sweet potato cubes. Return to a boil, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water, and set aside in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, followed by the cumin, cinnamon, oregano, cayenne, smoked paprika and salt, and stir to combine. The mixture will be pasty. Add sweet potato cubes, stirring to coat with the aromatics and spices. Cook foran additional 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat.

Add 2 cups of the tomato puree and increase heat to medium, bringing to a lively simmer. Stir in the tomato paste mixture and chipotle chiles, lower heat, and cook until well blended, about 10 minutes, stirring regularly
to keep from sticking and burning.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the beans and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat until you are satisfied with the overall consistency and texture of the chili, about 30 minutes. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in more tomato puree or water.

Serve hot as is, over rice or with tortillas or corn bread.

Servings: 6
Nutritional information per serving: 374 calories, 60g carbohydrates, 17g protein, 8g fat (1g saturated),
0mg cholesterol, 18g fiber, 718mg sodium

Spinach and Chickpeas

Here's a simple version from Mark Bittman.

Ingredients

Chickpeas

Spinach

Bread crumbs

Pimentón (smoked paprika)

Cumin

Garlic

Sherry vinegar

Olive oil.

Preparation

1. Cook a couple of cloves of minced garlic in a generous amount of olive oil until fragrant, and then add bread crumbs made from 4 or 5 slices of crusty bread (pulse in a food processor for best results); cook, stirring frequently until evenly toasted; remove.

2. Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté a pound of spinach, along with 1 teaspoon each cumin and pimentón.

3. When the spinach begins to wilt, add a can of chickpeas, drained (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas), and cook for 5 minutes or so.

4. When you’re ready to serve, stir in a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and sprinkle with the toasted bread crumbs.

For a more complicated one, try this from Smitten Kitchen:

Espinacas con Garbanzos [Spinach and Chickpeas]
Adapted from Moro: The Cookbook and Lobstersquad

One of the reason I blended recipes was because I wanted the approachability of Ximena’s version but also some of the extras in Moro’s — the vinegar, paprika and the fried bread, mashed to a paste. Except, in hindsight, I think I’d also enjoy this recipewithout the bread (see Notes below). It would be a bit thinner and saucier and possibly harder to slop onto a piece of toast, but also a bit lighter — in weight, not just calories. If you’re bread-averse or think you’d enjoy it without the crumbs in the sauce, give it a spin and let us know how it goes.

Tomato sauce, by the way, is emphatically not traditional in this dish but after making Ximena’s version with it — she says “you don’t have to use tomato in this recipe, but it’s so much better with it” — I can’t have it any other way.

Last note: This recipe is flexible. If you end up with a little less spinach or a little more sauce, or if you want it with a little less this or a little more that, so be it. Enjoy it. Have fun with it.

1/2 pound (230 grams) dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender* or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound (450 grams) spinach, washed
A hefty 1-inch slice from a country loaf or about 2 slices from sandwich loaf bread (2.5 ounces or 75 grams), crusts removed and cut inset small cubes
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato sauce (I used canned stuff I keep around)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top, or on fried bread toasts (as the Spanish do).

* I make all of my dried beans in the slow-cooker these days. They are perfect every time, and the flavor of fresh beans — even the sad-looking ones from grocery store bins I used — is incomparable. No presoaking, just cover them 2 to 3 inches of water and cook them 3 hours on high. (I have learned that cooking time can vary widely in slow-cookers so allot more time than you might need. I often make mine in the day or days before and let them cool in their cooking water, which is then by then very flavorful.)

** This might be my favorite ingredient on earth — it’s amazing on eggs and potatoes, too. If you can’t find it locally, Amazon and Penzeys are among a bunch of places that sell it online.

• Notes: 
  When I was done with the spinach, I’d saute the garlic (which I’d mince instead of slice) in just one tablespoon of olive oil (so you can skip 2 of the 6 tablespoons of oil, and the bread, of course) with the spices for a minute, then just add the tomato sauce and chickpeas. Skips the food processor step, too! So this would make this already uncomplicated recipe even easier.
  Also, this might taste good sprinkled with some fried bread crumbs as well as the paprika, if you’re looking for a way to work them in without overly thickening the dish.