Marinated Portobello Pizzas
Posted: January 10, 2013 Filed under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: balsamic, cheese, Italian dressing, mozzarella, Parmesan, pepperoni, pizza, pizzas, Portobello 2 Comments
(Becky, the Mama.)
As long as I can remember I have wanted to be Italian. I look Italian. I FEEL the inner, fiery passions of an Italian. I love the way every little word in Italian sounds like music, or a romantic flirtation.
I met a beautiful grandmother from Sicily a few years ago, at a friend’s house in Denver, and after chatting a bit, she asked me if I was Italian. Be still il mio cuore (my heart).
I said, “No, but I really, really want to be.” What I didn’t say, but what I wanted to say was, “I want to live under the Tuscan sun by day, and I want the moon to hit my eye like a big pizza pie at night. I want to eat gelato and drink café in a piazza.” (And I want an excuse to use words “gelato,” “café” and “piazza” in a sentence every day.)
This lovely lady, immediately recognizing my Inner Sophia Loren said, with a wave of her hand, “No worries, I will make you Sicilian.”
“You will?”
“Yes,” she said, and then she ceremoniously took my face in her two cupped hands, looked in my eyes and said, “Now you are Sicilian.”
Poof!
So there ya go.
In honor of my bestowed-upon Sicilian-Italian-ness, I offer these beautiful little marinated Portobello pizzas for your eating and snacking pleasure today. You can fill them with anything you have on hand that you enjoy, the possibilities are endless: mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil; goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto; chopped veggies and lentils in a marinara sauce with vegan cheeses; humus and olives and red roasted peppers; chicken, asparagus and Alfredo sauce. I could go on and on, as we Italians are prone to do.
I filled these Portobellos with a rich home-made marina sauce I mixed with some leftover diced roasted veggies. Then I sprinkled them with mozzarella and Parmesan and topped with a few slices of turkey pepperoni.
Muah! Easy, pretty and delizioso! If you think ahead, try to pop the mushrooms into the marinade as soon as you bring them home from the grocer. The longer they marinate the better they taste! I ended up marinating these for almost 3 days. They were so juicy and flavorful.
This recipe has almost no carbs, is gluten free, and can easily be adjusted to be vegan or vegetarian. If you have lots of people over for a party who are all on special diets (and who isn’t these days? ) you can even make them to order. (Or let your guests make their own.)
Marinated Portobello Pizzas
Makes 2 Portobello Pizzas
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of your favorite Italian or balsamic salad dressing
2 large Portobello mushrooms
½ cup of your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce (mixed with any chopped leftover veggies you like)
2 T. grated mozzarella cheese (or a slice of fresh buffalo mozzarella)
2 T. Parmesan cheese
6 to 8 slices of turkey pepperoni (it has 70% less fat that regular pepperoni and the same amount of flavor)
Directions:
Marinate the mushrooms in the dressing for at least four hours or up to several days in a tightly covered container. (Put in fridge if you are marinating more than 4 hours. Otherwise you can leave the mushrooms to marinate on the counter top.)
Next, broil or grill the mushroom on both sides until the get grill marks or start to brown. Turn stem side up and carefully cut off the stem. (I chopped the stem and added it to marinara.) Place a generous spoonful of chunky marinara sauce on the mushrooms (about 1/4 cup each) then sprinkle each with a tablespoon of mozzarella and Parmesan. Finally top with pepperoni. Bake or Broil (about 6 inches from heat) until cheese is melted and pizzas are heated through. Now THAT’S amore!
Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Sliders
Posted: January 1, 2013 Filed under: Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: bean and rice veggie patties, black rice, black-eyed pea veggie burgers, lucky black-eyed pea sliders, new years recipes, sliders, what to do with leftover black-eyed peas 4 Comments
What to do with those leftover black-eyed peas from New Years? Make these delicious veggie burger sliders, of course.
Since my last post a little over a week ago, I celebrated Christmas six times across four days, I turned 29, I had a girlfriend and her two little ones spend the night, and I saw in a New Year. Tomorrow, we leave for our first overnight trip without Jackson (eeek!) for a little romantic getaway, and then my husband will turn the Big 3-0 before he returns to work on Monday.
Between Christmas, the New Year, and both of our birthdays in a two week span, the last thing I wanted to do for New Year’s Eve was to get gussied up and go out on the town with a bunch of crazy drivers on the streets. Instead, we opted to stay home and relax. We went for a walk, I played with a DSLR camera I’m borrowing, and I cooked and photographed leisurely in the kitchen without a little one at my feet too much while he played with his daddy.
Well, there were a few interruptions.
It was wonderful.
I stayed in my pjs most of the day, cooked up a big batch of Black-Eyed Peas and black rice and made veggie burgers and maple glazed sweet potato crisps for dinner. Today, I tried a recipe in a cookbook my mom gave me for my birthday, Spicy Vegetable Gumbo and added black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck, as the tradition goes. Jared confirmed that he was pretty sure it was working, because he was feeling pretty lucky having had two home cooked meals in a row.
I was feeling pretty lucky myself, finding six rocks in my dried beans. Surely that means something, right? At minimum, we lucked out of breaking six teeth. Now THAT’S luck.
Lucky rocks in the dried beans.
After dinner, I put littlebit to bed and made a proposal Jared couldn’t turn down.
“We have the house all to ourselves and just a few hours left in the year. How ’bout you and me pour ourselves a drink, slip into something comfortable, and organize the pantry?”
Because he’d been nagging me about it for days and there were cocktails involved, he obliged. I’m a lucky girl. We had so much fun, we tackled the fridge today. We’re going out of our 20s with a bang, I tell ya!
Believe it or not, we did actually stay up until midnight to toast in the new year.
Happy New Year!
If you are wondering what the heck to do with that big pot of leftover black-eyed peas, try this recipe for Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Veggie Burgers. They were so good, I chased that glass of champagne with a reheated patty for a midnight snack.
Burgers and chips, .
Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Sliders
Makes 8 sliders (4 servings)
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. cooked black-eyed peas*, or one can drained and rinsed (divided in half)
1 1/2 c. cooked rice (black rice, wild rice or brown rice) (divided in half)
1 T. mayonaise (I used veganaise)
1 c. spinach
1 green onion sprig, chopped
1 c. bread crumbs
Seasoning if needed (Salt, cajun seasoning, tabasco — my beans were plenty flavorful so I didn’t need any)
Small buns or rolls
Desired toppings: mayo, tabasco, lettuce, kale
Directions
Put half of the beans and rice and the mayo in a food processor. Process until it becomes a thick paste. Add a little water (cooking water from beans if you have it) if it needs help to get things moving. Stop and add the spinach, green onion, and the rest of the beans and rice. Pulse once or twice. You want it chunky. Transfer to a bowl and mix in bread crumbs. Taste for seasoning.
Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form patties.
(Optional Step: Pan fry patties in oil on medium heat until golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed, then bake. It gives it a nice color and crunch, but does add time, calories, and a mess for what turned out to be a minimal difference in the end product.)
Transfer patties to a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
Serve on small buns or rolls with desired toppings. I topped it with kale and a jalapeno mayo (6 T. of mayo, a seeded jalapeno, a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar blended until smooth). A tabasco flavored mayo would be good too.
*Easy Black-Eyed Peas: I just did the quick soak method, following the bag instructions. Rinsed and covered them with water (about an inch above the beans). Tossed in 3 cloves of chopped garlic, half an onion (not chopped), a couple sprigs of green onions and leeks left whole, and heavily seasoned with salt and Cajun seasoning. Brought to boil, lowered heat to simmer, tilted lid, simmered until tender. Only took about 30 minutes. They were pretty tender from the quick soak. Finished with a sprinkle of smoked salt.
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The Title: Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Sliders
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Let’s take a closer look.
Black Rice has a rich nutty flavor and a little more chew than brown rice. You could sub wild rice or brown rice.
Isn’t it pretty?
The food processor is super quick, but you could also chop the spinach and green onions and use a fork or your hands to squish everything up if you don’t have a food processor.
You want a nice thick mixture just sticky enough to hold everything together. Add more bread crumbs if needed.
You can pan fry them before baking to give them a little extra crunch on the outside. But for a lighter burger, skip this step.
For a lower fat, less mess, quicker option skip frying and just form the patties on the baking sheet like this one.
I do like the nice deep color that frying gives them, but I didn’t notice a big difference in the final product’s taste.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until they stay together when you pick them up.
Marinated, MOIST, Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
Posted: December 31, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tags: dijon mustard, grilled, marinated, moist, red wine vinegar, savory, terikyaki, turkey tenderloins, Worcestershire Sauce 7 Comments
(Becky, the Mama.)
This Grilled Turkey Loin Recipe is our MOST popular recipe on this site! Thanks so much for making it so! Be sure to also check out a new and awesome recipe for juicy, marinated grilled Pineapple Teriyaki flank steak. Also melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
“What is Sue making for dinner?” I asked Greg on the way to our friend’s home for a patio supper.
“I think she said turkey tenderloins,” Greg answered.
I must admit, though I knew our friend Sue to be a fabulous cook, I prepared myself for the dry, tasteless poultry that turkey breast has always been in my previous experience. (Obviously, I’ve not yet perfected the art of a moist Thanksgiving bird yet!)
So when Sue and her husband Jason served us a beautiful piece of grilled, moist turkey tenderloin, loaded with flavor, I was in awe. Then I asked for seconds. And then I woke up thinking about it the next day – the sign of truly memorable meal.
“Okay, Sue, how did you turn turkey breast into meat butter?”
She sent me a recipe for a marinade with lots of ingredients, but all of them were in my pantry. The tenderloins are best if you can marinate them for a few hours or overnight. Sue recommends using a digital meat thermometer to eliminate guesswork and avoid overcooking.
Turkey tenderloins typically come two to a package and are a little smaller than pork loins. In fact, they look a lot like chicken breasts, if the hen was named Dolly Parton. Two other benefits: this turkey is moist as can be, but has very little fat and is a great low-cal source of high quality protein. In addition, it is very affordable and the leftovers make fabulous sandwiches. (Try turkey, whipped cream cheese, green onions and cranberry sauce sandwiches!)
Don’t be too daunted by the list of ingredients: use what you have on hand and just substitute something similar if you are missing an ingredient or two. I have made a couple of tweaks to Sue’s recipe, and you can feel free to do the same and make it your own. Marinades are awfully forgiving. As long as you have something salty (salt, soy) something a little sweet (teriyaki, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup), something garlicky (fresh or powdered) and acidic (wine, vinegar, citrus juice) in the mix, it is probably going to be yummy!
Most of us are ready to get our health and our waistlines back in shape after the holidays, and this is a great recipe (under 170 calories in 3 oz serving) to put in your New Year file! I served these tenderloins pictured using the second grilling method in the recipe below. I roasted chunks of zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and garlic with a little olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar for a side dish. Lip-smacking good meal!
Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
- 2 turkey breast tenderloins
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 t. hot sauce such as Tabasco
- 1 T. maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 T. Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup wine, beer or cola
- Grill or Steak Seasoning (enough to sprinkle both sides of tenderloins)
Directions
Sprinkle all sides of turkey will steak or grill seasoning (or salt and pepper.) In a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl with pourable “spout” – whisk all the ingredients for marinade. Pour 2/3 cup into a Ziplock bag; add turkey. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight, turning at least once more during that time. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
When ready to cook, discard marinade that is in the bag with the tenderloins, then proceed to cook using one of the following methods.
Outdoor Grill: Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil or a heat resistant basting brush and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 7-9 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
Alternative Indoor Method: Use a nonstick or iron skillet grill pan that has been generously coated with olive oil and grill tenderloins on both sides until dark golden brown grill marks appear. Put in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook about 10 more minutes or until internal temp reaches 170 degrees.
Remove from oven or grill and immediately cover with foil to let juices redistribute before slicing. Heat reserved marinade to boiling in a small sauce pan and drizzle over the tenderloins.
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Honey Chipotle Mexican Salad
Posted: December 20, 2012 Filed under: Main Dishes, Mexican Dishes, Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: chipotle honey dressing, fried tortilla chips, kale mexican salad, mexican salad, vegan entree salad Leave a comment
A childhood favorite, Mexican Salad, gets a facelift.
When I was a kid, a staple quick dinner in our house was Mexican Salad. You know, chopped ice berg or romaine lettuce, Ranch Style Beans, tomatoes, shredded cheese, catalina dressing, all topped off with a bag of fritos. Adding fritos to lettuce is a sure fire way to get kids to eat their greens.
This week I got invited to a Craft Night at a friend’s house. Let me just pause to say, wow. This working mom of two young kids hosts craft nights at her house every few months for 20-30 women. She gathers all the supplies, plans games and doorprizes, and even cooks dinner for everyone. People who handle this type of entertaining with ease simply amaze me. When I grow up, I want to be more like my friend Autumn.
Festive decorations, silly games (I drew that picture on my head), and adorable crafty ornaments.
The menu was a taco bar with requests for guests to bring a side or dessert. When I’m not sure there will be much for a vegan to eat, I like to bring a hearty side that will work as a main dish for me, but compliment the host’s meal and be a yummy side for others. That childhood Mexican Salad popped into mind as a perfect compliment to a taco bar. I decided to give it a facelift though. The thought of bottled dressing, packaged fritos, and flavorless iceberg lettuce made me cringe a little. Instead, I made a homemade sweet and spicy catalina dresssing using honey and a chipotle pepper. Because I needed the dish to travel easily, I decided to use kale instead of romaine or ice berg. Kale can be dressed ahead of time without wilting, making it the perfect green for make-ahead salads. Plus it’s a beautiful deep green, adding color to the table and it packs a ton of nutrition, not my first priority for party food, but certainly a bonus. Instead of fritos, I fried tortilla strips and sprinkled them with chipotle powder, salt, and lime juice. Covered in crispy fried chips, kale never looked so good!
I loved loved this. A few guests found it to be a little on the spicy side, so if you don’t like spice, you can seed the chipotle and use paprika instead of chipotle powder on the chips. You’ll still get all the flavor without the heat.
Delicious, filling, entree or side salad.
Honey Chipotle Mexican Salad
Serves 2-3 entree servings, 6-8 side servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
1 chipotle in adobo sauce (freeze remaining chipotles for future recipes) (remove seeds for mild version)
1/3 c. sweet onion chopped
1/3 c. organic ketchup
1/3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. honey (or agave)
Salad:
1 large bunch of kale or 2 small bunches, washed and torn off spine
2 cans vegetarian chili beans (I used Bush’s brand), drained and lightly rinsed
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
Tortilla Strips:
8 corn tortillas, cut into small strips
canola oil
salt
chipotle chili pepper powder (if you can’t find this, paprika or smoked paprika will work too)
1/2 a lime
Directions
In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Sweet, tangy, spicy. You’ll never want a bottle of boring Catalina dressing again!
Put the kale in a large bowl and make sure the pieces are bite size. Pour in the dressing and use your hands to massage it into the kale. Get in there and really rub it in. You want to break the fibers of the kale down so it’s easier to chew.
The secret to good kale salads is to massage the greens.
Gently stir in beans, tomatoes and avocados. (If you aren’t serving soon, hold off on chopping and adding avocados until you are about to serve.)
In a heavy duty skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil on medium heat. When oil is ready it will sizzle when you drop a tortilla strip in. Drop in a handful of tortilla strips at a time, fry for 1-2 minutes until they are crispy. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with just a little chipotle powder, salt, and lime juice. Repeat until all are cooked.
Just before serving, add the fried tortilla strips.
Easy to transport. Just bring the tortilla strips on the side and add them when you arrive at your destination.
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The Title: Honey Chipotle Mexican Salad
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Apple, Sausage and Kale Stuffing in Golden Squash “Bowls”
Posted: November 20, 2012 Filed under: Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: craisins, Field Roast apple sage sausage, kale, sausage and kale stuffing, stuffed squash, vegan stuffing, vegan Thanksgiving, winter squash recipes Leave a comment
Edible arrangements.
(Rachel, the daughter)
Every year around this time I make one of my favorite fall recipes with the pretty squash I’ve used to decorate my house. The centerpiece takes center stage in one magnificent dish with all the flavors of Thanksgiving–sage, apples, pecans, cranberries, squash, toasty bread stuffing. Sometimes I make it on Thanksgiving day, but we are traveling to my mom’s this year, so we had our annual stuffed squash fall celebration this weekend.
It has quite a few steps and takes a little longer than most of my recipes, but it’s totally worth it. To make a quicker but equally delicious version, you could roast pre-cut butternut squash and add it to the stuffing and just serve it in bowls.
I used Field Roast Apple Sage sausage, Earth Balance, and veggie stock to make this an all vegan dish. Of course, you can sub these with any sausage, butter, or stock you have on hand. If you have any vegetarians dining with you for Thanksgiving, this dish will totally wow them and it makes a beautiful presentation all of your guests will love.
***
A little note to you from us.
We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of laughter and love and joy and happy tears and delicious food. We are incredibly grateful for each one of our readers and all the love and support you’ve shown us as we’ve opened up our kitchens and our lives to you this year. We’ll be thinking of you as we tie on our aprons and make a great big Thanksgiving feast (and a monumental mess of Becky’s kitchen) in Denver together.
Love and gratitude,
Becky & Rachel
All the flavors of Thanksgiving in one beautiful bowl.
Apple, Sausage and Kale Stuffing
in Golden Squash “Bowls”
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 c. of cubed bread
1/2 – 1 T. olive oil (just enough to lightly coat the bread)
1/4 t. sage
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. oregano
——————
2 small winter squash (acorn, golden nugget, sugar pumpkin, kabocha, delicata)
water
2 t. Earth Balance
salt
——————
~ 1 T. Olive Oil
2 links of Field Roast Apple Sage Sausage (or your choice of sausage), sliced into bite size pieces
——————
2 stalks of celery, chopped into half moons
1/2 of white or yellow onion, diced
1 apple, diced
3 stalks of kale, leaves removed and torn into small chunks
1 c. pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup of craisins soaked in 2 cups of warm water
juice of 1 clementine or 1 T of orange juice
1/4 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper
——————
1 T. fresh parsley
1 c. veggie stock
Directions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a pan, toss bread cubes with olive oil, sage, garlic powder and oregano. Heat in oven until crispy and brown. Set aside to cool.
I used a mix of stale white bread and Ezekiel bread to make the croutons.
Step 2. Carefully cut the squash in half to make two “bowls”. You can cut it around the middle or from the stem to the bottom (the easiest way), depending on the shape. If you just want two bigger servings instead of four small ones, you can even just slice the top off of the squash for a pretty bowl presentation. (Search “stuffed squash” on google images to see lots of presentation options.) If needed, cut a little piece off of the bottom of your squash “bowl” to make a flat surface.
Remove the seeds from the squash. (Save the seeds for later and bake them with a little Earth Balance and seasonings for an hour at 300 degrees for a delicious snack.) In a large baking dish, put all the halves cut side down and add about 1/2 inch of water. Bake for 30 minutes or until the squash is nice and tender (you should be able to easily slice through the flesh with a spoon).
Step 3. While the squash is baking, heat a skillet to medium to medium high. Coat the bottom of the skillet with olive oil. Add sausage and brown on all sides, add more oil if it sticks to the pan. Set sausage aside on a paper towel lined plate.
Field Roast Apple Sage sausage works beautifully in this dish. It is soy & gmo free and has passed the taste test with my omnivore friends.
Step 4. In the same hot skillet, lower heat to medium and add a little more olive oil. Add the onions and celery and a pinch of salt. Stir occassionally until onions and celery are soft. Add the apples and kale. Saute until they are soft. Lower heat and stir in sausage, pecans, drained cranberries, clementine or orange juice, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Onions, celery, apples, kale, pecans, craisins, and apple sage sausage. Mmmmm.
Step 5. Drain the water from the squash pan and flip the squash cut side up. Put 1/2 a teaspoon of Earth Balance, butter or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt into each squash half.
Step 6. In a large bowl, combine croutons, sausage veggie mixture, and veggie stock. Spoon mixture into each squash half, letting any extras fill in the bottom of the pan.
I used 2 1/2 squash, but the stuffing is really the best part, so I reduced the recipe to just 2 squash. You and your guests will want to refill your squash bowls with a little extra stuffing. Trust me!
Cover with foil and heat for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and heat for 10 more minutes.
Serve with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving.
###
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Laugh, Cry, Cook Thanksgiving Round-Up (Lots of Vegan & Gluten-Free Options Everyone will Love)
Posted: November 12, 2012 Filed under: Appetizers, Breakfast Foods, Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Salads, Sides, Snacks, Soups, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: allergy-free holidays, glutten-free Thanksgiving menu, healthy Thanksgiving, modifiable meals for holidays, vegan Thanksgiving menu 2 CommentsThe other day while I was, ahem, procrastinating on doing some actual writing, I decided to organize my Pinterest boards. Obviously, that is a priority two weeks shy of a deadline. And while I was at it, I made a Vegan Thanksgiving Pinterest Board with all the recipes I have made or posted that would make lovely vegan dishes at Thanksgiving. Most are mine, some are moms, and a few are from some of my other favorite blogs.
I thought, in the midst of the final edits and recipe testing for the book and what not, instead of creating something new for my post this week, I’d round up some of our favorite recipes from this blog for Thanksgiving. Most are either vegan or can be easily made vegan with a few modifications, some are gluten-free, and a few are neither.
As a vegan myself and friend to many people with dairy, gluten, and even poultry allergies, I hope this list will give others with different eating habits some ideas for Thanksgiving dinner. I also hope it will be helpful to those who are cooking for people like me this Thanksgiving. Serving one or two special dishes for the “weird” eaters in your life is a way to show how much you love and care for them and to let them know you honor and respect their food choices. Believe me, it means more than you can know to arrive at someone’s home and realize they thought of you while planning their menu. It means they think you matter and want you to feel included at the family table. One yummy dish can say all that.
Jared, Jackson, and I will be heading to Colorado to spend Thanksgiving with Mom and Greg and to celebrate turning in our book. Whoohoo! It’s always a fun time when we get together. We laugh. If we’re lucky, we might even laugh until we cry. And of course, we cook!
Enjoy this Thanksgiving Roundup!
Oh, and I’ve updated our recipe page too, if you want to browse all of our recipes for your own holiday inspired pinterest board. 😉
ENTREES
Topless Veggie Pot Pie
Topless Veggie Potpie
You might want to make up another name for your grandmother 🙂
**Vegan
Rustic Iron Skillet Pot Pie
Rustic Iron Skillet Pot Pie
Would be great with shredded Turkey or Chicken, crumbled tempeh, or Chik’n Strips.
**Vegan variations listed in recipe
Fresh Corn & Roasted Poblano Soup
Fresh Corn & Roasted Poblano Chowder
If you are looking for something a little less traditional, this is one of our favorite fall dishes. It would make a delicious alternative for vegan or vegetarian guests. Adding a little Field Roast Applewood Sausage makes this a filling entree.
**vegan, gluten-free (optional vegan sausage contains gluten)
Roasted Cabbage, Sausage & Honey Balsamic Glaze
Roasted Cabbage & Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
I love my mom’s anecdote with this recipe. It will probably still be fitting for some of our family tables following this intense election. “Every good hostess knows that the best way to break up an awkward family debate is to divert attention by cooking something that smells amazing, and looks so delicious that all conversation stops, as wordless lip-licking and tummy-rubbing take over. This is one of those simple, delicious, comforting meals that could possibly bring about World Peace. At least at your dining table.”
**Vegan variation listed in recipe, gluten-free (vegan variation contains gluten)
Spicy Hominy, Kale and Butter Bean Bowl
Spicy Hominy, Kale, & Butterbean Bowl
Another one of our fall favorites. I make variations of this at least every few weeks in the cooler months. It is filling and nutritious and has lots of bright pretty colors. Sometimes I add diced butternut squash for even more fall flavor. It simmers in one pan in less than 30 minutes and can easily be re-heated, so it makes a great alternate meal for vegans at the table without taking up much extra time or kitchen space.
*vegan, gluten-free
APPETIZERS AND SNACKS
Let kids decorate their own Gobble-Gobble Turkey Toasts
Gobble-Gobble Turkey Toasts with Pumpkin Butter
Hold your little ones over until dinner and entertain them at the same time by letting them decorate their own Gobble-Gobble Turkey Toasts with Pumpkin Butter and a variety of toppings like chocolate chips, shredded coconut, walnuts, and dried cranberries. This is a fun way for vegans to incorporate turkeys into their child’s Thanksgiving experience.
**vegetarian, vegan-friendly, gluten-free friendly with gf bread
Warm Stuffed Dates
Warm Stuffed Dates: Two Minutes, Two Ingredients
These appetizers or snacks are so quick and easy, any one of your kitchen helpers could make them. They are melt-in-your mouth delicious when warm, but still great when they cool to room temperature, making them easy to make ahead and just leave out for the grazers. They also provide quick energy for a busy cook.
**Vegan, gluten-free
Carrot Cake Chutney
“Carrot Cake” Chutney (Topping for Cream Cheese & Crackers)
This stuff is amazing on crackers, but also a fun carrot cake “mix-in” for yogurt or ice cream. An easy and unique treat to serve at your next party or bring to a hostess.
**vegetarian, gluten-free, (chutney is vegan and you can easily sub vegan cream cheese)
Pumpkin Spice Dip for Apples (with Extra Toppings for “Double Dipping”)
Pumpkin Pie Dip with “Autumn Leaf” Apples
This recipe is creamy and tastes exactly like pumpkin pie, but uses real food, and most of it is good for you! The fun thing about this recipe is that you get to “double-dip” your apple slices: once in the pumpkin pie fluff and again in any topping of your choice. A friend of mine has a daughter who can’t have dairy and she told me she’s almost embarrassed to admit how many times they’ve made this recipe. In her words, they “can’t get enough!”
**vegan, gluten-free
SIDE DISHES
Baked Macaroni & Cashew Cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cashew Cheese
Non-vegans love this dish too and are always shocked when they find out there is no cream or cheese. Compared to real mac & cheese, this is more like a creamy pasta casserole. With the addition of some chickpeas, I often serve it as an entree.
**vegan, gluten-free w/ gf pasta
Pecan Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini
Pecan Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini
We probably need to retake these pics. It looks much prettier than the picture shows and it tastes amazing. My mom made this for me and I made her promise me she didn’t sneak meat in it. The walnuts really transform into a meaty texture. We both love this dish.
**vegetarian, vegan variation listed
Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa
This is my go-to quinoa recipe. It’s so easy and with a rice maker, it basically cooks itself while you get the rest of dinner made.
**vegan, gluten-free
Balsamic Roasted Garlic Vegetables
Roasted veggies are delicious on any occasion and even the pickiest veggie eaters often find they like vegetables that have gotten crisp and sweet in the oven.
**vegan, gluten-free
Orange Glazed Carrots
Sweet, buttery orange glazed carrots are the perfect compliment to any Thanksgiving dinner.
**Vegan with sub of Earth Balance, gluten-free
Sweet n’ Sour Green Bean with Bacon
Sweet n’ Sour Green Beans and Bacon
A nice alternative to the traditional Green Bean Casserole at Thanksgiving.
**Vegan variation listed in recipe
SALADS
Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing
Fruit Salad with Creamy Dressing
Perhaps the best fruit salad dressing we’ve ever tasted. This easy delicious two ingredient recipe will be your new favorite topping for everyday and holiday fruit salads. We promise you we’re not exaggerating.
**vegan, gluten-free
Cranberry Orange Kale Salad
This sweet orange marmalade dressing goes perfectly with massaged kale greens, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds. Kale is a great green for serving at dinner parties or holidays because it holds up well in dressing. In fact, you can dress this the day before and it will only taste better the next day. Just pull it out of the fridge, and sprinkle with toppings.
**vegan, gluten-free
Fruit & Almond Kale Salad with Clementine-Maple Dressing
Fruit & Almond Kale Salad with Clementine Maple Dressing
Another yummy kale salad option. This one is packed with lots of nuts and seeds, making it a nice filling salad for those who may skip out on the turkey or for your health conscious dinner guests.
*vegan, gluten-free if you sub tamari for the soy sauce
DESSERTS
Luscious Pumpkin Mousse Pie
Coconut has become a best friend in the Laugh, Cry, Cook kitchens. Even though my mom eats dairy, she too is hooked on the wonders of the cold cream from a full-fat coconut milk. Whip it into a whipped cream topping, use it for a yummy pumpkin pie dip (see the snacks and apps), and even make this Luscious Pumpkin Mousse Pie with it. Don’t even bother telling the guests it’s vegan…they will NEVER know. We think it may be the best pumpkin pie either of us have ever had.
**vegan
Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Bread Cobbler
Pumpkin Spice Butternut Squash Cobbler
A grown-up autumn twist on an old easy summer favorite that called for a can of peaches and a yellow cake mix. This version uses butternut squash and pumpkin spice bread mix instead.
**vegan
Healthy Apple Crisp
Buttery, not-too-sweet, crunchy and rustic. It has no refined sugars, but is made with natural coconut sugar and tad of pure maple syrup. The topping has no flour: it is all oats and nuts and seeds, giving it a fabulous crunchy texture. It is loaded with fiber and protein, a comforting autumn dessert, and healthy enough to serve the next day for fruit-nut breakfast oatmeal – re-heated and served with a little milk, cream or almond milk.
**vegan, gluten-free w/ gf oats
Warm Chocolate Coconut Almond Cake
A vegan version of a German Chocolate Cake that my mom keeps bragging about. Mom, can I make this my official request for this to be served at our Thanksgiving? Thank you! 🙂
**Vegan
Honorable Mention Desserts:
We have so many yummy desserts, but this post is getting super long, so I’ve just linked to a few more worth checking out.
Refreshing Mandarin Orange and Pineapple Cake (vegan friendly)
No Bake Apricot Bars (vegan, gluten-free)
Blueberry Oat Nut Bars (vegan and gluten-free friendly — see Rachel’s variation in the comment section)
Coconut Covered Cherries (vegan, gluten-free)
Powerhouse Chocolate Pudding Pie (vegan, gluten-free option)
Pumpkin Cookie Butter Cookies (vegan)
Superfood Hemp Chocolate Treats (vegan w/ vegan chocolate)
BREAKFASTS
Yes, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day…even on Thanksgiving. No one wants the cook to pass out from low blood sugar levels in the middle of prepping dinner.
Kinda’ Healthy Vegan Apple Fritters
Kinda’ Healthy Vegan Apple Fritters (vegan)
Sweet Pecan Pie Breakfast Oatmeal (vegan, gluten-free friendly)
Healthy Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal (vegan, gluten-free friendly)
Some hints for cooking for vegans
Some of your favorite dishes can be easily modified for a vegan guest if you just know a few tricks.
Eggs: 1 T. of flax meal mixed with 3 T. of warm water will gel up in a few minutes and can be used as an egg substitute in most baked goods. 1/2 a banana also usually works in sweet breads or muffins.
Butter: Earth Balance is a delicious vegan butter substitute. In fact, if you already use margarine, you’ll hardly notice a difference int the taste. It is readily available at Whole Foods and Krogers here. My small town Wal-Mart even started carrying it.
Milk: Unsweetened almond milk is my favorite substitute for most of my cooking. It has a very mild taste so it doesn’t overpower a dish. Soy milk seems to have the best results for baking cakes and cupcakes though I usually use almond milk anyway because it’s what I have on hand.
Buttermilk: Add 1 T. of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 c. soy milk (soy does work best for this trick) and let sit for about 10 minutes. (FYI, this trick happens to work with cow’s milk too, if you don’t have buttermilk on hand and aren’t dairy-free.)
Meat: Don’t assume that the vegans in your life will be thrilled with a fake chicken breast as their main entree. Some will, but many of us, especially the ones who technically try to follow a plant-based diet, don’t actually eat many of those processed fake products. I have found a few that I like: Field Roast Applewood Sausages are my favorite meat substitute. They are GMO and soy-free and taste delicious. I’ve used the Chick’n Strips a few times too and those are pretty good on a pizza or something. Whole Foods has a Chick’n Salad in their deli that is quite good. I like cooking with tofu, but it’s taken me some time to learn how to make it taste good. Really, you don’t need fake meat or even soy to have a filling meal. Lentils, split-peas, chickpeas, and beans are all healthy filling options and can easily replace the meat in a lot of recipes.
Cheese: Vegan cheese substitutes are getting better and better all the time. Daiya is the most common shredded cheese substitute. It’s pretty good. We like it on our pizza. Though I don’t think it will fool anyone into thinking it’s real cheese. There are also cream cheese and sour cream substitutes that are pretty good, especially if used in a recipe or dip. I have a recipe on the blog for Nacho Cheese using cashews and sunflower seeds. The cashew cheese for the macaroni (above) could be used for any other casserole type dish as well. Their are also lots of recipes online for different cheeses, like ricotta cheese or parmesan. One of our readers even left a tip that you can make your own sour cream and cream cheese. If you can think it, some food blogger has probably blogged it. 🙂
I hope you find this helpful as you prepare a Thanksgiving meal that includes all the different palates in your family at one table. May the food join your family together in love and respect for one another. May we all honor each other and our differences on this day of gratitude and thanks.
Smoky Baked Goulash
Posted: November 3, 2012 Filed under: Beef, Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: bar-b-que, bbq, Goulash, Hungarian, olives, onions, peppers, ranch dressing, Smoky Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama.)
The other night was crazy.
I performed my usual bedtime routines: bath, then walked through the kitchen on the way to the bedroom, put lotion on my feet and legs and got in bed.
Suddenly my feet were on FIRE! Could not imagine why, but I rushed to get a wet cloth and washed them off. Thankfully, the pain subsided, so I padded back through the kitchen, applied more lotion, back in bed. Feet on fire!
I trekked back to the kitchen where I saw that while making the recipe, I somehow spilled Tony’s Cajun Seasoning all over the kitchen floor. So basically, I was putting salt and cayenne pepper on my feet, then rubbing it in with lotion.
I hate it with this happens, don’t you?
So enjoy this recipe for Smoky Baked Goulash, as it is delicious and easy and great for a crowd. (When your family is tired of turkey, this is a great make-ahead dish to stick in the oven and serve with a simple salad.) Just make sure to let it melt in your mouth, and not on your feet.
Smoky Baked Goulash
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Serves six to eight people
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage
(*Vegans: In place of beef and sausage, use a mixture of crumbled vegan sausage– Field Roast Apple Sage brand recommended; lentils or beans; and chopped Portobello mushrooms to equal about 2 ½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
½ c. BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s brand)
1 t. cumin
1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. Hungarian paprika
½ t. Tony’s Cajun seasoning
Salt & Pepper to Taste
8 oz Penne Noodles (I used a high fiber Barilla Plus brand)
½ c to 1 c. cheddar cheese
1 red onion, diced
1 chopped sweet red or yellow pepper (or mixture)
½ cup Lite Ranch Dressing
¼ cup sliced olives, green or black
Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. While they are cooking, brown the hamburger and crumbled turkey sausage in a large skillet (Vegans, use a little olive oil and sauté the mushrooms and vegan sausage, then add beans or lentils.)
Add can of crushed tomatoes, bar-b-que sauce and seasonings to browned meat in skillet Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate pan sauté onions and pepper in olive oil. (To save time, you can do this when you brown the meat. But it is prettier to see that layer of color on top of the casserole.)
When noodles are done, lightly oil a large rectangle casserole pan, and place noodles in it, in an even layer. Gently spoon the meat sauce over the noodles.
Next, spoon sautéed onions and peppers over the sauce. Then sprinkle cheddar cheese over all, as much as you like. (We go light on the cheese, but if you love it, go for it! Vegans, omit cheese or use a vegan cheese product.)
Then pour pretty “squiggles” of Ranch Dressing over cheese layer. (Vegans use Vegan Ranch Dressing or make Rachel’s awesome recipe!)
Finally top with olives.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until melts and dish is hot all the way through.
Variations: This is a great recipe for using left-over veggies: corn, diced carrots, mushrooms, diced squash, beans — it is all good.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Smoky Baked Goulash
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This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
Tofu Scramble Tacos
Posted: October 23, 2012 Filed under: Breakfast Foods, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Mexican Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: gluten-free, savory breakfast, scrambled egg substitutes, scrambled tofu taco, vegan, vegan breakfast taco, vegetarian mexican food 7 Comments
(Rachel, the daughter)
Jared, Jackson and I went to the Texas State Veggie Fair this weekend. I’m a terrible blogger and didn’t take any pictures of my food. I blame my hungry toddler. We scoped out all the food trucks and booths and contemplated fresh squeezed juice or mac-n-cheese and a barbeque sandwich, but our eyes kept venturing to the long line behind the Corn Dogs and Fried Cinnamon Rolls. When in Rome, right? What’s a fair without fried food? I stood in the 20 minute line while Jared took Jackson to play on the playground.
Finally, I returned to my boys juggling two corn dogs, a fried cinnamon roll and a handcrafted root beer. We sat on the lawn and indulged. If you’re having trouble imagining how good it was, here’s Jackson’s face after his first bite of fried fair food.
“Fried food, where have you been all my life!?!”
I think this picture says it all. Yum.
That deep fried cinnamon roll was worth every glorious calorie, but as soon as I got home, I whipped up a big kale salad for dinner. My body felt like it was shutting down from all the grease, sugar, and processed fake-meat products I had consumed. Sometimes you just have to give your body what it wants and then deal with the consequences.
For months after going vegan, I continued to crave eggs. I couldn’t get them off my mind. One night, after a wedding with nothing vegan on the menu, we went with some friends to a bar with a midnight breakfast burrito buffet. I was so hungry and finally caved and ate an egg and potato breakfast burrito. My stomach was in knots for two days, proving wrong the myth that if we are craving something our body must need it.
Lucky for me, I finally discovered a breakfast burrito that satisfied my craving for eggs without sacrificing my vegan diet or my stomach lining. Tofu scramble looks and feels just like pale scrambled eggs and with a little seasoning tastes eerily similar. Jared has been nagging me to make this all week. It’s truly crave-worthy. If you’re curious about tofu or have had bad experiences with it before, try out tofu scramble.
Tofu Scramble Tacos make a hearty savory vegan breakfast or an easy weeknight dinner.
Tofu Scramble Tacos
Serves 4
Ingredients
2-4 T. Olive Oil
2 small red potatoes, diced (or any veggies of your your choice — onions, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini…)
1 clove of garlic, minced or chopped
1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 block of tofu
1 t. salt (divided)
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. onion powder
2 c. baby spinach
8 tortillas (I really like the new Artisan Corn & Whole Wheat Blend by Mission)
16 oz Black Beans
1 avocado, sliced or diced (optional garnish)
salsa (optional garnish)
cilantro (optional garnish)
I used potatoes, spinach, corn, and garlic, but you can easily modify this to whatever veggies or greens you have on hand — bell peppers, poblano peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, summer squash, zucchini, kale, swiss chard, and collard greens would all be delicious.
Directions
Heat oil in a non-stick skillet, use enough to generously coat the bottom of the pan. Pan-fry potatoes (or any other veggies) with 1/2 t of salt on medium heat until they are tender, stirring often. I covered the potatoes to help them cook quicker, other veggies may not need to be covered though. Bring heat down and add the garlic. Stir continuously to keep garlic from burning.
As soon as the garlic is translucent, crumble the tofu into the pan (just squish it up in your hands and break into little crumbles). Add smoked paprika, onion powder, pepper, and remaining salt. Return heat to medium and stir and cook for about five minutes. Add corn and cook until corn is heated through ( a few more minutes). Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted.
Tofu scramble has a texture really similar to scrambled eggs. With the right seasoning, you can hardly tell the difference.
Serve in tortillas with black beans, avocados, cilantro, and salsa.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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The Title: Tofu Scramble Tacos
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Italian Chickpea Bread Casserole (Vegan)
Posted: October 18, 2012 Filed under: Italian, Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: cooking with dry chickpeas, italian chickpea bread casserole, plant-based whole foods recipes, savory bread pudding, vegan bread casserole Leave a comment
Italian Chickpea Bread Casserole
(Rachel, the daughter)
This weekend we had our first family stomach virus, a true milestone in parenting. Jackson woke up on Saturday morning sick. Sunday night, I went to bed early, my queasy stomach telling me I too had been bitten by the bug.
I’ll spare you all the details, but at the pinnacle of our monumental family milestone, Jackson woke up crying around 3am. Jared tried to console him to no avail, so he brought him to me to nurse him in bed. Within seconds Jackson was calm. And seconds after that, I pulled away, tossed him back to Jared and ran to our bathroom.
Through the walls, I could hear our poor baby bawling. I felt terrible, but knew his daddy had him until I could get to him again. And then I heard sounds echoing my own from the other bathroom.
Oh no. Not Jared too.
As soon as I could, I rushed to Jackson’s room. Pitiful baby was sitting up in his crib with all the lights on in nothing but a sloppily placed diaper, sobbing. Apparently, daddy had been bitten by the bug mid diaper change.
I re-aligned his diaper, zipped him back into his footie pajamas and rocked and nursed him. I prayed “God, just 10 minutes. Please just give me 10 minutes to get him back to sleep in his crib.” He answered and gave me exactly enough time, no more, no less.
These are the moments I wondered about before having kids. The last stomach virus I had was in my first trimester when I was pregnant with Jackson. It was the first time I truly feared becoming a mom and questioned whether I had what it took for the life long commitment of motherhood. I wondered if I’d be able to handle sickness with a baby or child or the sleepless nights. And now I know, it may be really hard, but apparently I can do it. I’ve been to the edge (of the toilet seat) and back. I’ve conquered the throne. I’ve, well, you get the jist of it. I somehow feel accomplished now. Like I’ve come into my own as a mom.
So what if I laid on the floor and let Jackson eat peanut butter straight from the jar for lunch. So what if we watched two episodes of Sesame Street from the DVR. So what if I still have cheerio crumbs and peanut butter stuck in my carpet. So what. I did it. I made it through. Some days that’s the best you can do, just make it through. And I did.
Today I finally felt like my normal self again. After little but broth and pasta for the last couple of days, I was in the mood for a real meal. This Italian Chickpea Bread Casserole hit the spot. It’s warm and comforting and, though it takes a little while to simmer and cook, was very simple to make.
I love the different textures in this dish: crunchy on top, fluffy soft cloud-like in the middle, chewiness in the chickpeas. A texture party in my mouth.
Italian Chickpea Bread Casserole
Serves 6
Ingredients
½ pound chickpeas, soaked or 2 cans drained and rinsed
16 oz crushed tomatoes w/ basil
2 c. veggie broth or water
1 t. coconut or brown sugar
1 t. balsamic vinegar
2 T. dried minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups small tomatoes, whole (I used 8-9 campari tomatoes ) or 16 oz of canned whole tomatoes
8 pieces of bread, (I used Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain bread)
Olive Oil for brushing bread
Salt & Pepper
Optional Garnish of Caramelized Balsamic Onions
1 onion, sliced
1 T. Olive Oil
1 T. Earth Balance
1 T. Balsamic Vinegar
1 t. coconut or brown sugar
Pinch of salt
Few twists of cracked pepper
Directions
Drain soaked chickpeas and return to large pot. Add first eight ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer covered on low for 30-45 minutes (until chickpeas are cooked through—if using canned chickpeas you can cut time to 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. On a baking sheet, line up bread slices and brush one side with a little olive oil. Place in oven (you can start while it’s still preheating) and bake until the bread is hard, but not burnt (I baked mine for 15 minutes, flipped it and baked for another 15).
In a high-sided casserole dish, lay out four of your pieces of toast. Breaking them up as needed to fit. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
No need for perfection, just fit it in there.
When your chickpeas are cooked through, pour half of the tomato mixture over the bread. Then repeat with the remaining bread and tomato mixture.
Simmering chickpeas with the tomatoes and seasoning.
Sprinkle the top with salt and fresh crack pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
While this is baking, you can either kick back and relax, make a side salad or veggie and or caramelize some balsamic onions for the top of the casserole. It’s good either way, but who doesn’t love a little caramelized onion on just about anything?
Balsamic Caramelized Onions — you can actually cook down more than this if you have more patience than I do (or don’t have a whiny toddler at your feet testing every patient bone in your body :))
Directions for Optional Balsamic Caramelized Onion
Pour oil and butter into a cold skillet, heat to medium and add onions. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 more minutes or until the onions are soft, brown and completely cooked through.
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The Title: Italian Chickpea Bread Casserole (Vegan)
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Pesto Parmesan Chicken
Posted: October 9, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegan Options | Tags: cheese, chicken, italian, marinara, panko, Parmagiano, Parmesan, pesto 7 Comments
(Becky, the Mama.)
I was famished after a gym workout this week, and decided to grab a bite to eat on my way home. Cruising through the drive-through lane at Taco Bell, I placed my order for a taco. The voice on the intercom sounded confused, so I repeated my order again, louder and with more clarity. And that is when I actually looked at the menu and realized…. I was in line at Starbucks.
One of my Facebook friends quipped, “So did you ask them to make you a Taco Frappucino?”
Granted, there is nothing appealing about the thought of a Taco Frappucino, but you’d be surprised at how many of my favorite recipes are created because of accidents. Or because I am hungry for a particular something, but out of an ingredient or two, so try to make due with substitutes. Time and again, the substitute often proves to be an improvement on the original recipe.
Such is the case with today’s recipe. Typically, when I make Chicken Parmesan, I use thin cutlets. What I had on hand was a couple of monster size breasts (Yes, my husband could not keep himself from making a few jokes about that) and I was in too much of a hurry to pound them thin.
Secondly, I often dip the cutlets in egg whites and grated garlic before rolling in Panko crumbs and Parmesan. Alas, nary an egg or a clove of garlic anywhere in the house.
That is when I spied a large jar of pesto that I’d purchased at Sam’s Club (it is surprisingly tasty, some of the best purchased pesto I’ve tried). One thing led to another and I ended up covering the breasts with pesto, then rolling them in Panko and grated Parmesan cheese. What we ended up with, eventually, was the best Chicken Parm I’ve ever made. In fact, it was the best Chicken Parmagiano I’ve ever eaten. The chicken inside stayed incredibly tender and when you cut through it, you could see the pretty layer of green pesto, golden Panko, red marinara and white cheese. Now that’s amore.
Pesto Parmesan Chicken
Serves 2 people (with big appetites)
Ingredients
2 large boneless chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper (to taste, to sprinkle lightly on chicken)
2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite bottled brand or homemade)
¼ cup fresh or grated mozzarella
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. butter
1/2 cup Pesto
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Heat Oven to 400 degrees
Instructions:
Heat the marina in a saucepan until hot.
Put olive oil and butter in a large oven proof skillet and heat to medium high.
Rinse and pat boneless chicken breasts dry. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Put pesto in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl mix Panko and ½ c. Parmesan cheese. Lay chicken breasts, one at a time, into pesto first, coating both sides of breast and edges thoroughly, and then in Panko-Parm mixture, coating both sides and edges of breasts thoroughly again.
Saute the breasts on both sides until the coating is crispy and golden. You may have to add a little more oil depending on size of breasts and your pan. (Drain off excess oil, if there is a lot of it, before putting in oven.)
Then put the entire skillet into the oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and ladle each breast with ¼ cup marinara, 2 T. mozzarella and 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken breast is cooked but not overly so. (A meat thermometer is helpful here, but if you don’t have one, just cut through the middle of one of the breasts to check for doneness.)
Before serving ladle each breast with more marinara and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. This dish is excellent served with a side of angel hair pasta that has been tossed in a little pesto.
Variation: Use thinner chicken breasts or pound smaller chicken breasts thin. Put sauce and cheese on immediately after pan frying, and cook in oven only until cheese melts.
Vegetarian or Vegan Variation: Use a vegan chicken patty (such as Gardien brand frozen chick’n scallopini), tofu, tempeh or seitan instead of chicken breasts. Use or make a vegan pesto (omit the parm cheese in most pesto recipes). The cooking time in the oven following pan-frying may not be needed at all, or just cook for a few minutes with tomato sauce and cheese. Vegans can serve without cheese, or use vegan versions of mozzarella and Parm on top.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Pesto Parmesan Chicken
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-Jz
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 