Jenny's Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu and Veggies

Here's another throw-it-together dish from my fabulous friend Jenny P. Since I'm ALWAYS getting requests for vegan recipes, I figured it's time to post another one of Jenny's impromptu creations. I'm glad she wrote it down this time! Actually, it kind of cracks me up the way she writes a recipe. It's like she's just having a conversation with you, instead of listing the ingredients and then saying "first do this, then do that." Clearly, Jenny loves to cook with lots of FRESH herbs and other fresh ingredients, which is why I could devour anything she improvises in the kitchen. To make it a little easier, I've listed the ingredients she used, but I'm guessing you can switch things up however you like. Btw, don't let the long list put you off (I'm talking to YOU, Terri). Just use the list as a guideline and let your own tastes shine though. That's exactly what makes Jenny such an amazing cook! If you don't have any herbs and spices in your pantry, perhaps this would be a great reason to start building your spice collection!
 Thanx Jenny P!!

garlic
a cup of dry brown rice
olive oil
lemon juice, zest
salt and pepper
fresh sage
Thai basil
mint
cumin
coriander
Earth Balance
Firm tofu
ginger
red onion
red bell pepper
celery
carrot
pineapple
soy sauce
fresh kale
avocado



Okeedokey....I think this is what I did....lol.

I sautéed some minced garlic (a clove) and a cup of dry brown rice in olive oil over medium heat, just until a nice, light, golden brown; adding a little lemon zest and fresh ground pepper. Then I added 2 1/2 cups of water (cause that's what the people who wrote the directions on the rice package said to add...lol), a few sprigs of fresh sage and Thai basil and seasoned it with cumin, coriander and a touch of salt. I also grated a bit of fresh ginger into the pan, giving everything a light stir and turning the heat up to high. Once it started to boil, I dropped the heat down to low and covered it, letting it simmer for about 25 minutes (or until all the water was absorbed).

* The pan I used didn't have a non-stick coating on it, so when I added the water & spices, I dropped about a TBSP of the Earth Balance in there too so the rice wouldn't stick to the bottom. *

While that was set to simmer I cut up some firm tofu into bite size-ish, rectangular pieces and started to fry them up in olive oil (altho you could use whatever oil you like...I imagine sesame would work well for this) a large saute pan. I grated some more lemon zest and ginger over the tofu and seasoned it with the coriander, cumin & pepper and a little fresh lemon juice. I like to let the tofu get a nice golden brown, cooking most of the way thru on the one side before flipping it over.

 In the meantime, I diced some red onion, red bell pepper, carrot and celery. I didn't cut up a whole lot because I wanted the pineapple and the tofu to be the "stars" of the dish. Once the tofu was ready to flip, I added these veggies and some low sodium soy sauce and then lowered the heat a little.

While that was cooking, I chopped up a handful of fresh kale (cause we're all about it this week...lol), discarding the stems for this dish, and set it aside. Then I grabbed the pineapple from the fridge...which Louie had already chopped up the other day...maybe 3/4 to a full cup (however much you want....it's the star! lol)...and set that aside. I also chopped up some more fresh sage, mint and Thai basil and....you guessed it! Set it aside. Lol.

When the rice had almost soaked up all of the water (about 15-20 min), I tossed the kale in with it, right on top, removing the sprigs of sage & Thai basil and put the lid back on. *Don't stir!* Then I added the pineapple chunks to the center of the saute pan and turned the heat back up (pushing the tofu & veggies to the edge of the pan so they wouldn't overcook) to get them golden brown.

Once the rice had absorbed all of the water, I gave it a stir and then added it to the saute pan with a little more soy sauce, gently combining everything together to allow the flavors to meld together. (maybe 5ish minutes over the high heat)
 I waited until it was plated to add the fresh spices, that way you have the layered flavors of both muted (cooked) and bright (fresh) herbs. Then I sliced an avocado in half (leaving the pit in the half I didn't use to keep it fresher in the fridge) and sliced it longways in its shell, seasoning it with a touch of salt and fresh lemon. I placed the slices of avocado on top of each plated dish and served it up! And I think that's it! It was pretty easy. The whole thing only takes as long as it takes the rice to cook to make. Take that Rachel Ray! Lol.


Jenny's Tips:
-You can add more oil where needed depending on how much the tofu absorbs.
-Whenever I cook with soy sauce, I don't really use salt, but you can always add more s&p to taste if need be.

Cheesy Beef and Cabbage Bake

 
 If you know me, you know how much I love a delicious casserole that's easy and comforting. Those were the exact words that came to mind when Claire sent me this recipe that she had found. I love beef, I love cabbage and I love cheese...sounds like a winner to me!
Of course, I decided to tweak it a little....
 The original recipe didn't call for the french fried onion ring topping, but I always feel like a little crispy on top is a good thing. Another little change I made was that it was supposed to be baked in a pie plate, but like I always say, "More is more!" so I tweaked the amounts and baked it in a larger casserole dish. What can I say? When you grow up having 10 siblings, you get used to cooking for a larger crowd!
 So there you have it. Try it the next time you want something homey and comforting. It'll definitely hit the spot!

1 pound ground beef
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cups cabbage, about half of a medium head, chopped
3 tablespoon butter
4 oz mushrooms, (any variety) sliced
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1 half pint heavy cream
8 ounce cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 eggs, beaten
Extra shredded cheese
1 cup french fried onion rings

Brown the hamburger, celery, and onion in a very large nonstick skillet or wok; drain the fat. Add the cabbage and butter; cook until the cabbage starts to wilt. Add the mushrooms and cook until the cabbage and mushrooms are very soft and start to brown slightly. Season with pepper, salt and garlic powder to taste. Add the thyme, broth, and cream; bring to boil and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened. Watch closely so it doesn't boil over or evaporate completely. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, then the beaten eggs. Pour into a greased 9x13 glass casserole dish. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.Remove from oven. Top with extra cheese and french fried onion rings. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the onion rings are crispy and golden. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.


Tips:
Whenever I make a casserole, I always wind up going a little heavier with the veggies, hence baking it in a larger casserole. (I even thought about adding sliced carrots.) In this case, the original said to add only one rib of celery and only 2 tbs of chopped onion. I prefer to use the whole onion, rather than having any of it leftover, only to be wrapped up and forgotten in the bottom of the crisper drawer of my fridge. Is that scenario familiar to anyone else or am I the only one who does that?

Raspberry Cheese Danish

 My friend, Laura, was about to throw away some old magazines, and she asked me if I'd like to have them. Since they were all about cooking, of course, I said yes. Eventually, I got around to browsing an issue of Taste of Home, and I found a bunch of recipes that all start with a can of refrigerated crescent roll dough. These little bits of heaven were the first to get my attention, and they looked so simple and quick, I decided to try them.
 I did make one little change, though. You know how the crescent roll dough has perforations when you pop it out of the can? Well, the recipe required you to press them together to make squares of dough, rather than triangles. So, I figured, why not just buy the solid sheets of dough instead of the crescent rolls and just cut them into squares? It makes sense, right? So that's exactly what I did, and it worked perfectly. SO delicious and "bakery" level good!!
 So, give these a try. They're simple enough for a novice baker, and they only take a few minutes to prepare. Perfect for a Sunday Brunch!

1 8oz tube of refrigerated store bought regular or seamless crescent roll dough
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
raspberry pie or pastry filling

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbs milk

Heat oven to 375F.
Unroll crescent dough. If using the regular crescents, separate into 4 rectangles and seal together the perforations. Cut each in half making 8 squares. If using the solid sheet, simply cut it into 8 squares using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife.
 In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Spread 1 tbs diagonally across each square. Top with 1 tbs of the raspberry pie filling. Pinch together the 2 opposite corners of dough over the filling to seal. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
 Stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with the milk until smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled danishes. Try not to eat every single one of them in one sitting.

Tips:
I guess the main helpful hint in this recipe was the using of the solid sheet of dough instead of the perforated one. It really just made everything so much easier. Plus, it makes a nicer cleaner finished product. You could even make mini danishes by cutting it into 16 tiny squares instead of the 8 large squares. Of course, you would use half as much filling, but the baking would remain the same.
 If you don't have pie or pastry filling, you can also use raspberry jam. I was concerned that the jam might melt and drip down the sides of the danish, so I used the pastry filling, but feel free to use whichever you prefer.
 Substitute any flavor you like! Pineapple, strawberry, blueberry, cherry, peach, and even chocolate would be FABULOUS with the cheese filling, or just let the cheese stand alone!

Bananas Foster French Toast

Have you ever had Bananas Foster? If you're not familiar with it, it's a FABULOUS dessert consisting of bananas cooked with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then spiked with a little rum and ignited until the alcohol burns off. Then you serve it over vanilla ice cream. Sounds like heaven on a plate, doesn't it? (Actually, it's been on my list of recipes for a while now, soon to be posted!)
 So, what if you took all of that awesomeness and made a French toast version of it? When my sister, Cathy, showed me Betty Crocker's version, it CLEARLY fell into the "How can this not be good?" category. Of course, I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly, and then I decided to make it for Chris and Claire. It was an immediate hit and it was SUPER easy! It's also a time saver because you throw it together the night before you wanna serve it, then just pop it in the oven in the morning. Simple!! I think I might need to make this for Easter Brunch.
I think you should too!!!

1 loaf Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon bread
10 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup maple syrup

Topping:
2 cups maple syrup
1 tsp rum extract
6-8 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped pecans, (optional)

Spray bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange bread cubes in baking dish in an even layer. In large bowl, beat eggs, milk and 3/4 cup of the maple syrup with wire whisk. Pour over bread in baking dish. Using the back of a big spoon, press bread cubes down so that they get coated with the custard liquid. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
 Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown along edges. Let stand 7 to 10 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 2 cups maple syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warm. Stir in rum extract. Sprinkle banana slices and pecans (if using) evenly over bread; drizzle with warmed syrup mixture. Serve immediately.

Tips:
This goes PERFECTLY with your favorite crisped bacon or sausage. Just sayin!
The French toast part of this recipe serves as a blank canvas for any kind of topping you like. If bananas are not your thing, try any kind of fresh fruit! Sliced ripe peaches or apples sprinkled with a little cinnamon sugar would be amazing. Also strawberries or blueberries. Oh, and make sure you heat the maple syrup. It's just SO much better that way!!!
Actually, come to think of it, the next time I make this, I think I might put the bananas and syrup together in a small pan over medium heat, just until the bananas are heated through (instead of just heating the syrup and pouring it over cold bananas). Mmmm......

Nancy's Tea Biscuits

Here's a little taste of home-baked goodness from my dear friend, Nancy. They're quick and simple, so you can whip up a fresh batch and have them out of the oven in no time. They're light and flaky and cozy and comforting and delicious and yummy and perfect! Serve them warm, just out of the oven, with a little spoonful of Fresh Orange Marmalade or Strawberry Jam. They're just the thing for a Sunday brunch or a midweek afternoon tea. Love 'em! Thanx Nance!

Hi Joe,
 Just remembered you had asked for my tea biscuit recipe a while back and I don't think I every sent it over to you. Hope you like these as much as we do. I make them almost every week now. Tom and the boys love them!

 I found three different recipes online and took parts from each that I liked. It turned out to be my own recipe. I cut way back on the salt suggested. I added just a little sugar. One recipe said no sugar and another recipe said half a cup. I decided on 1 tablespoon and it is just the right sweetness, especially since I added the raisins and the recipes I looked at did not have raisins in them. The thing I like best about them is that they turn out very flaky and light. Sometimes biscuits are too heavy, but you can eat two of these and you don't feel like you over did it. I also use fat free milk to save some calories. Let me know what you think when you try them.
Love,

 Nancy

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking power
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins (soak in water for about 15 minutes to rehydrate)
One egg beaten with one tablespoon of water for egg wash

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut butter in until mixture has a fine crumb texture. Stir in milk with a fork to make a soft dough. Drain the raisins from the water and add raisins into dough. Knead 8 to 10 times, and then roll out to a thickness of ½ inch. Cut into rounds with a cookie or biscuit cutter (I used a small juice glass). Place on cookie sheet, and allow to rest for a few minutes. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (until light golden brown on top). Serve warm.

Tips from Joey:
To cut the butter into the dry ingredients, I just threw everything into a food processor and pulsed it a few times until it resembled coarse crumbs. Super fast!
Instead of greasing the baking sheet, just line it with parchment paper, or use a silpat (nonstick mat).
If you like a sweeter biscuit, go ahead and add another tbs of sugar, but they seriously don't need it, especially if you're serving them with jam.
For a little variation, try using Craisins (dried cranberries) or other dried fruit instead of the raisins.
For a little hint of sunshine, you could even add a little grated orange or lemon zest to the dough before you roll them out. Delish!

Penne Pasta with Sausage and Sun-dried Tomatoes

I was recently browsing my website, looking for something that I could just throw together for dinner for Jerry and me. We knew we wanted something pasta, but couldn't decide which dish to make. We had it narrowed down to two. I was either going to make the Penne Pasta with Fresh and Sun-dried Tomatoes, or the Bow Ties with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions. So, since we couldn't choose one, I decided to do both! I took a little bit from each recipe and made a whole new dish! Clever, huh? It was FABULOUS!!!
 To be honest, I wasn't even going post the recipe because, in my mind, it was something that I "just threw together". But Jerry convinced me to post it because it was SO yummy! It was really simple too! So, there you have it. Here's one more dish to add to your "just throw it together" repertoire. I know you'll love it!!


1 lb penne pasta
a few glugs of olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, sliced into medallions
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
5 or 6 fresh plum tomatoes, diced
a few big splashes of white wine
1 small jar sun dried tomatoes in oil, cut into strips
a handful of chopped fresh basil
a handful of grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper


 Place a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once or twice around the pan with olive oil and then add the sausage medallions. Brown them on both sides. Remove from pan and set it aside, but don't drain the pan. Add the onions to the pan and saute until they begin to soften. Add garlic, diced fresh tomatoes, and wine. Simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down. Add sausage back to the pan. Give it a good stir. Add the sun dried tomatoes, basil, cheese, and salt and pepper.
Place pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water. Boil until al dente. Drain and toss with sausage and tomatoes. Top with more cheese and a little more fresh basil.

Tips:
When you brown the sausage, just put them in the pan and leave them alone. Don't be stirring them around and flipping the pan all over the place. You want to just leave them alone until they get nice and brown on the bottom, and then turn them over to do the same thing on the other side. It'll give MUCH better flavor. seriously!
The fresh basil is key. It REALLY gives the whole dish a big burst of freshness. If you simply MUST use dried basil, then add some chopped fresh parsley. 
Use any favorite pasta instead of the penne. How about bow ties?
If spicy is your thing, then use hot Italian sausage (or a combination of hot and sweet). You could also add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.
When you add the sun dried tomatoes, be sure to drain most of the oil. Otherwise, the sauce will be too oily. It's ok to add just a little of the tomato oil, though, depending on how much fat is rendered from the sausage. Use your own judgement!

Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes

 Ok, so, ya know how I always say how awesome a new recipe is? I often use words like "bangin" or "slammin", or "to die for"....... Well, is there a word that means all of those things combined? Because, seriously, just wait until you taste these! They're insanely good! Jerry used the word AMAZING. Chris used the word OUTRAGEOUS. I'm running out of adjectives!
 If you like Irish Cream, then this is the dessert for you. You get a HUGE punch of Irish Cream flavor, they're moist and rich and just look how festive they are! You should make these the next time you go to a St. Patty's Day party. Or now. Now would be good too....


1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup water
1 tbs milk
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Heat oven to 325F.
Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine Irish cream, water and milk. In a third bowl, sift together the flour baking powder and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the wet mixture. Divide batter equally between the 12 cupcakes and bake for about 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly tapped. Cool completely before frosting with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting.


Tip:
If you prefer a different brand of Irish cream, by all means, use it!! You could even try any of the flavored varieties of Bailey's Irish Cream. YUM!
If you're baking for a crowd, simply double the recipe! More is more!