I love pudding much more now than I did before I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy at age 12, probably because it is such a huge treat - a 4-pack of chocolate soy pudding is easily $3. Every recipe I looked at was using ingredients that either I couldn't use or I wasn't sure how it would do with soy milk. Then I had a stroke of genius - visit the Silk soy milk website and see what recipes they have! I found a recipe for chocolate pudding, made it, and will definitely make that again! It was creamy, smooth, densely chocolate, not too sweet, and easy. Plus, it used 3 cups of soy milk, and a whole half gallon costs less than $3, so I can certainly make it at home for less than what it costs at the store when I am actually able to find it! This recipe is a keeper!
Chocolate Pudding
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 cups Silk, any flavor (I used Silk original)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine
1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix well.
2. Slowly add the Silk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. (I added 1/4 c., then another 1/4 c., then added 1/2 c. at a time until all whisked in.)
3. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat while whisking constantly. Lower heat to a simmer and cook gently for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until pudding begins to thicken. (It will thicken some when it cools. I took it off heat before it was the consistency of gravy, and cooled it is now the consistency of really thick gravy.)
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the margarine and vanilla.
5. Pour into 1 large bowl or 8 small serving bowls and refrigerate for at least an hour, until thoroughly chilled.
Recipe from http://www.silksoymilk.com/.
I also experimented with oatmeal bread yesterday. Fair warning: the recipe I used from http://www.reciperascal.com/ (the archive storage for breadnet) was not for beginners the way I found it! The recipe directions were very poor, and one ingredient was not included in the directions (listed in the ingredients but the directions never said when to add it). I'm listing my directions, not the original directions for this recipe. It's an easy recipe for a person who understands the basics of breadmaking - with the proper directions! The bread was good. A bit too crusty for my liking, and I didn't watch it and it really browned. The oatmeal the recipe called for putting on the outside looks nice, but it flakes off when you cut it. The interior, though, is definitely the star of the show. It is moist and tender but with great body, firm enough to hold up to a thick layer of jam, but tender enough that your teeth just sink into it and it's feather light across your tongue. It's a light brown, tan color. A and I couldn't discern the honey or the molasses, so I'm not sure why they were each needed since either one would bring the sugars needed to feed the yeast. I will likely try it with just honey to see how it turns out. The "cooked" oatmeal in this bread means it brings a lot of moisture while also bringing a lot of fiber and structure to the bread, and this bread should keep nicely for a few days.
Oatmeal Bread
2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp loose from the jar)
1/2 c. warm water (120 degrees - 130 degrees - piping hot tap water is usually the right temperature)
1/3 c. shortening
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. quick cooking oats
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. molasses
2 eggs, beaten
5-6 c. all purpose flour
1. Mix together the yeast and the warm water in a bowl. Allow this to sit to activate the yeast.
2. Combine the next six ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to combine and setting aside to cool to lukewarm.
3. When the oatmeal mixture is cooled to lukewarm, mix in the eggs and 2 cups of flour, and beat well.
4. Add the yeast mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough (I needed 3 more cups of flour.).
6. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. (I actually didn't flour the surface but just used the excess flour in my bowl and then didn't need anymore flour.)
7. Place in a greased bowl, turning the dough over once to grease the top. Cover with a towel and let it rise until double in size, 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
8. Punch down (this redistributes the yeast and air). Divide dough in half. Cover with the towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
9. Grease two 9"x5" bread pans and coat the inside with oats (I'll skip the oats part next time). Shape dough into loaves, and place in the pans. Cover with the towel and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
10.Mix 1 egg white with 1 T water and brush top of the loaves with the egg wash, then sprinkle with oats (I'll skip this part next time too.)
11. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more.
Showing posts with label comfort food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comfort food. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Wait, Make That Spicy Baked Macaroni and Rice Cheese!
Yesterday I was in the mood for comfort food, and all my comfort food cravings involved cheese. That can be a little tricky since I have a dairy allergy! I was out of "cheese" slices so no grilled cheese sandwich, out of my mozarella so no lasagna or pizza or any of that, out of my cheddar so no macaroni and cheese or scalloped potatoes. Wait a second! I had pepper jack style rice cheese already shredded in the freezer! And so a dish was born. I took a recipe I printed off 8 years ago (yes, 8!) from http://www.cooking.com/ and had never tried, then elminated or substituted almost all the ingredients and messed around with the directions. How's that for following a recipe? I'm really going to have to say that I was inspired by the recipe. Regardless, I prepared it in the afternoon, getting 5 mini loaf pans and one regular bread pan of baked macaroni and cheese (this recipe will make one 9x13 pan of baked macaroni and cheese). The regular loaf pan I made for dinner that evening, and I put the 5 mini loaf pans on a cutting board and sat them in the freezer (I'll double wrap them in foil and label them today) so that I can semi-thaw, bake, and have homemade baked macaroni and cheese 5 more times! Bliss. I can even take some of that chopped ham from Monday night and stir that in later for baked ham and macaroni and cheese. I'm drooling already.
The recipe turned out very good. It was slightly creamy but thick, just like baked macaroni and cheese should be. The flavor was excellent. Most homemade macaroni and cheese recipes call for good quality sharp cheddar cheese for good reason - use a bland cheese and end up with super bland macaroni and cheese (face it, the milk, flour, butter, and pasta aren't really the stars tap dancing on the taste buds for this). This is a problem I sometimes face with using cheese alternatives, as none of them ever really have that sharp bite. Still, if that's all you have.... The peppers in the cheese gave it some zing without overwhelming the tastebuds, and I really love how rice cheese melts so smoothly (really, far superior to soy cheeses many times). I baked the macaroni and cheese at 375 for 40 minutes, so that's what I did for our Italian sausages too - pull from the freezer, thaw, place 4 in an 8x8 baking dish, and bake them uncovered right next to the macaroni and cheese. Serve with some steamed whole green beans and some piping hot stewed tomatoes, and it was comfort on a plate.
(I messed with this so much that I'm writing this exactly as I did it - if you want to use dairy, just substitute in the appropriate items.)
1 lb elbow macaroni
12 T Blue Bonnet margarine (that's a stick and a half)
6 T flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 T dried parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups Silk plain soy milk warmed to gently steaming (a few minutes in the microwave)
6 c. shredded pepper jack style Rice Cheeze
1 1/4 c. coarse bread crumbs (I used flax and fiber bread crumbs - I make bread crumbs with whatever stale bread we have and then freeze, and this was in the freezer.)
3 T. cold Blue Bonnet margarine
1/2 c. Parma Zaan sprinkles by The Vegetarian Express (usually, these don't really have much flavor, but added to the topping was a nice touch)
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 baking dishes (or other chosen baking dishes).
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions until just done (should be 9 minutes). Drain well.
3. Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. When completely melted, add the flour mixture and gently whisk it in. Continue to gently whisk and to cook over medium heat (medium-low if you feel that medium is too high) for 2-3 minutes until your mixture goes from golden brown to a more light brown color. This is important! This is the roux, and if the flour in the roux is not cooked, you will get a paste flavor until of the spices.
5. When your roux is done, start slowly adding the warm soy milk. I add 1/2 cup, whisk it in thoroughly, add 1/2 cup, whisk it in thoroughly, then 1 cup, whisk, 1 cup, whisk, last 1 1/2 cups and whisk.
6. When all the soy milk is incorporated, turn the heat to medium-high and cook at a simmer or just below for a few minutes until the mixture starts to feel slightly thicker when you stir it gently with the whisk (it's as if the whisk has just a tiny bit more resistance on it as you stir with it, not actually whipping with it). At this point, add all of the cheese and switch to a spoon (the cheese shreds will get caught up in the whisk!).
7. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to stir occasionally and heat the mixture to melt the cheese. It's okay if there are bits that aren't melted, but it should be definitely more of a cheese sauce on the thin side Remember that the pasta will soak up the extra liquid and some will evaporate during baking.
8. Put the macaroni in its cooking pot, then pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir to combine. Pour it into the prepared pan(s).
9. In a medium bowl, cut the cold margarine into the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese substitute until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This can be done using the back of a fork, a pair of knives, or alternatively a food processor on pulse. It helps if the margarine is cut into bits or tsp sized slices before starting. This can be done while the sauce is being made; it doesn't have to be done at the end.
10. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven (everything is cooked, so this is just a browning on top, absorbing liquid, heating through kind of thing), covering with foil if the bread crumbs start to get too brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the liquid to absorb into the pasta.
The recipe turned out very good. It was slightly creamy but thick, just like baked macaroni and cheese should be. The flavor was excellent. Most homemade macaroni and cheese recipes call for good quality sharp cheddar cheese for good reason - use a bland cheese and end up with super bland macaroni and cheese (face it, the milk, flour, butter, and pasta aren't really the stars tap dancing on the taste buds for this). This is a problem I sometimes face with using cheese alternatives, as none of them ever really have that sharp bite. Still, if that's all you have.... The peppers in the cheese gave it some zing without overwhelming the tastebuds, and I really love how rice cheese melts so smoothly (really, far superior to soy cheeses many times). I baked the macaroni and cheese at 375 for 40 minutes, so that's what I did for our Italian sausages too - pull from the freezer, thaw, place 4 in an 8x8 baking dish, and bake them uncovered right next to the macaroni and cheese. Serve with some steamed whole green beans and some piping hot stewed tomatoes, and it was comfort on a plate.
(I messed with this so much that I'm writing this exactly as I did it - if you want to use dairy, just substitute in the appropriate items.)
1 lb elbow macaroni
12 T Blue Bonnet margarine (that's a stick and a half)
6 T flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 T dried parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups Silk plain soy milk warmed to gently steaming (a few minutes in the microwave)
6 c. shredded pepper jack style Rice Cheeze
1 1/4 c. coarse bread crumbs (I used flax and fiber bread crumbs - I make bread crumbs with whatever stale bread we have and then freeze, and this was in the freezer.)
3 T. cold Blue Bonnet margarine
1/2 c. Parma Zaan sprinkles by The Vegetarian Express (usually, these don't really have much flavor, but added to the topping was a nice touch)
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 baking dishes (or other chosen baking dishes).
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions until just done (should be 9 minutes). Drain well.
3. Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. When completely melted, add the flour mixture and gently whisk it in. Continue to gently whisk and to cook over medium heat (medium-low if you feel that medium is too high) for 2-3 minutes until your mixture goes from golden brown to a more light brown color. This is important! This is the roux, and if the flour in the roux is not cooked, you will get a paste flavor until of the spices.
5. When your roux is done, start slowly adding the warm soy milk. I add 1/2 cup, whisk it in thoroughly, add 1/2 cup, whisk it in thoroughly, then 1 cup, whisk, 1 cup, whisk, last 1 1/2 cups and whisk.
6. When all the soy milk is incorporated, turn the heat to medium-high and cook at a simmer or just below for a few minutes until the mixture starts to feel slightly thicker when you stir it gently with the whisk (it's as if the whisk has just a tiny bit more resistance on it as you stir with it, not actually whipping with it). At this point, add all of the cheese and switch to a spoon (the cheese shreds will get caught up in the whisk!).
7. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to stir occasionally and heat the mixture to melt the cheese. It's okay if there are bits that aren't melted, but it should be definitely more of a cheese sauce on the thin side Remember that the pasta will soak up the extra liquid and some will evaporate during baking.
8. Put the macaroni in its cooking pot, then pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir to combine. Pour it into the prepared pan(s).
9. In a medium bowl, cut the cold margarine into the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese substitute until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This can be done using the back of a fork, a pair of knives, or alternatively a food processor on pulse. It helps if the margarine is cut into bits or tsp sized slices before starting. This can be done while the sauce is being made; it doesn't have to be done at the end.
10. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven (everything is cooked, so this is just a browning on top, absorbing liquid, heating through kind of thing), covering with foil if the bread crumbs start to get too brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the liquid to absorb into the pasta.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Quick and Easy Comfort Food
Comfort food is different for every person. For me, it usually involves roasted meat, mashed potatoes, and/or gravy. Boiled pot pie in all its Pennsylvania Dutch glory, Thanksgiving dinner, meatloaf with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and savory beef gravy, roast beef crusty brown on the outside and juicy on the inside with creamy mashed potatoes topped with herbed gravy made from the drippings, baked meat pies with flaky golden crusts that I split open to reveal a steaming concoction of rich gravy, chunks of roasted meats, and bright vegetables. Of course, a comfort food meal for me absolutely must include a baked dessert - no fruit salad need apply for a comfort food meal! Creamy brown pumpkin pies that ease across your tongue, apple crisp with crunchy sweet topping and tender sweet apples underneath, cobblers that melt in your mouth and make you swoon, even a fabulous chocolate cake, moist but full bodied, subtle in its underlying flavors like cinnamon but with rich chocolate seducing your tastebuds.
Obviously, today is a day that I'm feeling the need for some comfort food! I don't have the time for boiled pot pie or even baked meat pies and I'm out of baked meat pies in the freezer, darn it. No thawed turkeys, chickens, or beef roasts hanging out in my fridge, either. Things aren't looking good for me! Then inspiration hits: my crockpot and the venison pieces in my freezer can make beef/venison tips and gravy and the mashed potatoes in my freezer can be reheated to go with them. I still have green beans and wax beans in the fridge from my harvest the other day, and I think roasting them will be a great side dish. Now for dessert.... I came across a recipe for vegan raspberry mocha cake the other day, and that sounds made to order for decadent but easy dessert. In fact, the recipe even looks like I can freeze 1/2 the cake for eating later - cut into serving size pieces, flash freeze, bag or put into a freezer container, then get them out to thaw when I want. Convenience comfort food I've made myself using whole foods, no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, no preservatives, a fraction of the price, and no worries about my food allergies. I love it!
Beef/Venison Tips
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt (I prefer kosher salt for its cleaner flavor)
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 c. beef broth/stock (I use 2 tsp beef base from Sam's Club + 2 cups boiling water, which costs pennies and tastes great)
Worcestershire sauce to taste, at least 1 tsp and up to 1 T
2 tsp tomato paste (can substitute in ketchup, but I prefer to use the less sweet, whole foods option of tomato paste)
2-3 lb cubed red meat - beef sirloin tips, beef stew meat, venison chucks, etc.
Optional: 1/2 c. chopped green onions and 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
Thickening paste: 3 T flour or cornstarch + 1/4 cup dry red wine, water, or broth (cool, not hot!)
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper and toss with the meat cubes to coat thoroughly. Place in a crockpot. If using green onions and mushrooms, add those.
Combine beef broth, worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Pour over everything in the crockpot, and stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-12 hours. Crockpots vary, so check after 7 hours for doneness!
One hour before serving, turn to high setting. Make the thickening paste by stirring together the flour/cornstarch and the liquid until smooth, then stir into crockpot. If you add flour or cornstarch to a hot liquid, it will clump. Mixing it into a cool liquid first results in a thickener that doesn't clump.
Mashed potatoes from the freezer: make extra mashed potatoes, then portion the cool mashed potatoes into quart or gallon freezer bags (1 cup is a nice individual portion, and you can do 1 cup portions in sandwich bags and then put two sandwich bags in a quart bag or several into a gallon bag). I like to lay them on a cutting board and press flat, freeze, then I can stack them easily or stand them on end, plus they are only 1/2" thick or so which speeds up reheating. Reheating takes only minutes in the microwave.
Roasted Green Beans
Experience has made it possible for me to throw any roasted vegetable together. General rule of thumb: 1 lb vegetable (green beans, asparagus, radishes, onions, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) + 2-3 tsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt + 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Roast at a high temperature such as 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Times vary for each vegetable because of size and initial crispness. Green beans, wax beans, and asparagus take about 8 minutes, while brussels sprouts take closer to 45, cauliflower takes about 25. Vegetables can be placed into a gallon zipper bag with oil and seasonings poured in on top, bag closed, shaken, then poured into a shallow baking pan that can accommodate the vegetables in a single layer.
Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 T vinegar dissolved in 1/4 c. water
3/4 c. strong brewed coffee or espresso (I've added 1 tsp instant coffee to 3/4 c. regular coffee)
3/4 c. raspberry preserves (I'm using homemade red raspberry jam, but I don't see why seedless raspberry jelly couldn't be used for those who hate the seeds!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan or two round cake pans (guessing on this one since the recipe didn't give a pan size, just said "cake pans").
Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly incorporate into the dry mix the oil and vanilla, then the vinegar in water, coffee, and raspberry preserves. When batter is well mixed, it will be smooth and creamy.
Pour into prepared cake pan(s) and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean with no cake/batter clinging to it.
Cool before frosting or sprinkling with powdered sugar.
Recipe from http://vegetarian.about.com.
Obviously, today is a day that I'm feeling the need for some comfort food! I don't have the time for boiled pot pie or even baked meat pies and I'm out of baked meat pies in the freezer, darn it. No thawed turkeys, chickens, or beef roasts hanging out in my fridge, either. Things aren't looking good for me! Then inspiration hits: my crockpot and the venison pieces in my freezer can make beef/venison tips and gravy and the mashed potatoes in my freezer can be reheated to go with them. I still have green beans and wax beans in the fridge from my harvest the other day, and I think roasting them will be a great side dish. Now for dessert.... I came across a recipe for vegan raspberry mocha cake the other day, and that sounds made to order for decadent but easy dessert. In fact, the recipe even looks like I can freeze 1/2 the cake for eating later - cut into serving size pieces, flash freeze, bag or put into a freezer container, then get them out to thaw when I want. Convenience comfort food I've made myself using whole foods, no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, no preservatives, a fraction of the price, and no worries about my food allergies. I love it!
Beef/Venison Tips
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt (I prefer kosher salt for its cleaner flavor)
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 c. beef broth/stock (I use 2 tsp beef base from Sam's Club + 2 cups boiling water, which costs pennies and tastes great)
Worcestershire sauce to taste, at least 1 tsp and up to 1 T
2 tsp tomato paste (can substitute in ketchup, but I prefer to use the less sweet, whole foods option of tomato paste)
2-3 lb cubed red meat - beef sirloin tips, beef stew meat, venison chucks, etc.
Optional: 1/2 c. chopped green onions and 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
Thickening paste: 3 T flour or cornstarch + 1/4 cup dry red wine, water, or broth (cool, not hot!)
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper and toss with the meat cubes to coat thoroughly. Place in a crockpot. If using green onions and mushrooms, add those.
Combine beef broth, worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Pour over everything in the crockpot, and stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-12 hours. Crockpots vary, so check after 7 hours for doneness!
One hour before serving, turn to high setting. Make the thickening paste by stirring together the flour/cornstarch and the liquid until smooth, then stir into crockpot. If you add flour or cornstarch to a hot liquid, it will clump. Mixing it into a cool liquid first results in a thickener that doesn't clump.
Mashed potatoes from the freezer: make extra mashed potatoes, then portion the cool mashed potatoes into quart or gallon freezer bags (1 cup is a nice individual portion, and you can do 1 cup portions in sandwich bags and then put two sandwich bags in a quart bag or several into a gallon bag). I like to lay them on a cutting board and press flat, freeze, then I can stack them easily or stand them on end, plus they are only 1/2" thick or so which speeds up reheating. Reheating takes only minutes in the microwave.
Roasted Green Beans
Experience has made it possible for me to throw any roasted vegetable together. General rule of thumb: 1 lb vegetable (green beans, asparagus, radishes, onions, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) + 2-3 tsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt + 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Roast at a high temperature such as 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Times vary for each vegetable because of size and initial crispness. Green beans, wax beans, and asparagus take about 8 minutes, while brussels sprouts take closer to 45, cauliflower takes about 25. Vegetables can be placed into a gallon zipper bag with oil and seasonings poured in on top, bag closed, shaken, then poured into a shallow baking pan that can accommodate the vegetables in a single layer.
Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 T vinegar dissolved in 1/4 c. water
3/4 c. strong brewed coffee or espresso (I've added 1 tsp instant coffee to 3/4 c. regular coffee)
3/4 c. raspberry preserves (I'm using homemade red raspberry jam, but I don't see why seedless raspberry jelly couldn't be used for those who hate the seeds!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan or two round cake pans (guessing on this one since the recipe didn't give a pan size, just said "cake pans").
Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly incorporate into the dry mix the oil and vanilla, then the vinegar in water, coffee, and raspberry preserves. When batter is well mixed, it will be smooth and creamy.
Pour into prepared cake pan(s) and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean with no cake/batter clinging to it.
Cool before frosting or sprinkling with powdered sugar.
Recipe from http://vegetarian.about.com.
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