Sweet n’ Savory Asian Meatballs

Posted: August 18, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Asian Dishes, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

(Becky, the Mama.)

“Now, that’s a good meatball,” my husband said as he took a bite of these amazingly moist Asian meatballs.

Quick. Name the scene and the movie that came to my mind in that moment.

If you guessed the scene with Rosie and the meatballs from The Wedding Singer, well, you get this free recipe for meatballs in your inbox today!

And if you didn’t guess correctly, you not only get the recipe free, but here’s the dialogue from the movie that left me smiling.

Adam Sandler is teaching a darling little old lady singing lessons, so she can sing to her husband on their 50th wedding anniversary. As he turns to leave after the lessons Rosie says, “But your payment!” And Adam Sandler’s character Robbie says, “My payment. Can I get it to go?”

Rosie calls from the kitchen, emerging with a sauce pan. “You’re such a sweet boy…letting an old woman pay you with meatballs.”

Robbie dismisses her protest. “They taste so good, it’s like I’m ripping you off.”

“I don’t have any clean Tupperware.”

“All right, definitely next time.”

“Don’t be silly. Now hold out your hands.”

He obeys and she plops a giant messy meatball in each of his hands and encourages him to taste one on the spot. He sweetly obliges, in spite of the awkwardness and takes a bite, then looks up at her and smiles. “That’s a good meatball.”

Let me tell you, the recipe for these meatballs are so good you’ll have people begging to eat them out of their hands!

They are made from ground turkey, so it is a surprise how moist and savory they taste. The sauce is just to die for: thick and rich, sticky with hoison sauce balanced by the tang of lime and vinegar and chopped green onions. Serve over rice with assorted chopped veggies and you’ve got a one bowl wonder.

Unless, that is you prefer to skip the fork and bowls, and eat them with your hands, Wedding Singer style.

Sweet n’ Savory Asian Meatballs

Serves 4
Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

1 lb to 1.25 lb ground turkey

3 peeled cloves garlic

1/4 red onion

1/2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. olive oil

1 egg

1 1/2 pieces soft fresh bread, torn into small pieces

1 inch square, fresh peeled ginger

Directions for Meatballs:
Put all ingredients into food processor and process the above into a thick meatloaf like mixture. Add more oil or a little water if needed to keep the processor moving. Roll and pat this mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Mixture will be a little sticky so you may want to grease your hands with a little olive oil, to help the process.  (They don’t have to be perfectly round either… ) Don’t worry, the meatballs firm up beautifully, but also stay moist, when cooked. )

Bake uncovered 400 degrees in an oblong Pyrex pan that has been sprinkled with olive oil, turning periodically, and baking until the meatballs are golden on the outside and cooked on the inside about 20 minutes. If they are cooked through but not browned, run them under the broiler to get the outsides nice and brown and crispy!

Ingredients for Sauce:

2/3 c. bottled hoison sauce

1/4 white or rice vinegar

1 grated garlic clove

1 t. grated fresh ginger

1 T. soy sauce

Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

1 T. sesame seeds

2 T. chopped green onion

Directions for Sauce and Putting it All Together:
Put first 5 ingredients into a big sauce pan, and simmer for about a minute, until good and hot.  Add juice from lime and then, gently put cooked meatballs in sauce and cover them all with sauce, heating until the meatballs are nice and hot.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. .Serve over rice (jasmine is our favorite) with any steamed or sautéed vegetables that you like.  (May also garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro and additional lime or hot sauce, if you like.)

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Sweet n Savory Asian Meatballs
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-D3
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Powerhouse Chocolate Pudding Pie

Posted: August 15, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Breakfast Foods, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

This treat is sweet and creamy and crunchy and chocolately and HEALTHY. Not just healthy for a dessert or healthy-ish. Every ingredient is nutritious. You could eat it for breakfast or feed it to your kids for breakfast. They’ll think you are the coolest mom, and you will be (for reasons they’ll understand when they are 30).

(Rachel, the daughter)

There’s this cake my mom used to make. You’ve probably had a version of it. It has a shortbread crust, a layer of chocolate pudding and whipped cream topping, and maybe a sweetened cream cheese layer too. In some circles it’s known as “Better Than Sex in a Pan.” I’ve never had sex in a pan, so I can’t attest to that, but I do remember sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen island eating it strait out of the pan and being very satisfied.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had it (the dessert, that is), but I’ve been craving that shortbread crust and chocolate pudding combination for the last few weeks and trying to think of a healthy vegan version. Yesterday, I saw a recipe for chocolate chia pudding on the Engine 2 Diet’s Facebook page. They had frozen it into “fudgsicles.” Clever. Immediately, I was reminded of my favorite crust that I use in my frozen No Bake Apricot Bars. Made out of cashews and oats, it is rich and buttery like a shortbread cookie. It would be perfect for a cold puddin’ pie.

Chia seeds are like a nutritional powerhouse and they have virtually no taste. I put a tablespoon in my oatmeal and my smoothies. They basically offer all the nutrition of flax seeds, except they don’t have to be ground for our body to absorb the nutrients and they don’t have a strong taste like I find flax often does. The seeds absorb liquid and become gel-like, which is how they turn almond milk into “pudding.”

Chia Seeds

Jackson devoured the pudding and the frozen bar I gave him. I used dates to sweeten it, so I had absolutely no reason to feel guilty for giving my one-year old this dessert. In fact, it’s good for him. He needs the healthy fats from the cashews, coconut oil, and coconut milk; the fiber and protein from the oats; the omegas from the chia seeds; and the heart and skin protection from the flavonoids in cocoa powder (a super food for toddlers).

My little puddin’ pie. Why do boys always get the long eyelashes?

Oh, and I assure you, I don’t post a recipe I don’t love…so you know I loved it just as much as Mr. Long Lashes up there did.

Served frozen (as shown here) or refrigerated (as shown at the top of the post).

Powerhouse Chocolate Pudding Pie

Inspired by FatFree Vegan and Oh She Glows (two of my favorite vegan bloggers)

(NOTE: Plan ahead for this recipe. The pudding must sit for at least an hour and up to overnight.)

Pudding

  • 1 c. nondairy unsweetened milk
  • 3 T. full fat coconut milk (from a can)*
  • 3 dates, pitted and chopped (soak in a little warm water if they are tough or your blender isn’t very strong)
  • 2  t. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 t. vanilla extract
  • 3 T. chia seeds

Crust:

  • 3/4 c. whole cashews (raw, toasted, roasted – whatever you have)
  • 3/4 c. regular oats (for Gluten-free, use GF oats)
  • 1/4 t. kosher salt (omit if cashews are salted)
  • 3  medgool dates, roughly chopped
  • 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted

Optional Toppings

Kitchen Gadgets

  • Blender
  • Food processor

Pudding Ingredients

Directions

Pudding

In a blender, combine the first five pudding ingredients. Pour into a tupperware bowl with a lid and add chia seeds. Use a whisk or fork to stir in chia seeds. Stir every five minutes or so until all the chia seeds have started to swell a little and turn light grey. Cover and store in the refrigerator for a minimum of an hour, overnight is best. Stir it every so often if you can. You are looking for the seeds to lose all of their crunch and absorb the liquid until it looks like pudding.

The chia seeds immediately start to thicken the almond milk mixture. This is after stirring a couple of times.

Crust

Spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a food processor, process cashews, salt, and oats until a fine crumble forms. Add dates and process until crumbly again. Add coconut oil and process until sticky. Press into pan to form a crust. Freeze for five minutes to harden or until the pudding is ready.

My favorite crust for no-bake desserts.

Pour the pudding over the crust and either refrigerate or freeze. Either way is delicious. The refrigerated version is a little crumblier and I’m assuming only keeps for a day or two. I loved it with a few sliced bananas on top. The frozen version comes out in nice bars and if kept covered tightly should keep for a few weeks.

(Update: After two batches and several taste tests, I decided I prefer it refrigerated rather than frozen. Both are good, but the refrigerated version reminds me of chocolate cream pie…mmmm.)

*Freeze leftover coconut milk in an ice cube tray. You can add it to smoothies, oatmeal, or make coconut covered cherries with it later.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Powerhouse Chocolate Pudding Pie
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-CK
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Chili Lime Southern-Style Catfish

Posted: August 13, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Fish, Gluten Free, Seafood/Shrimp, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chili Lime Southern Style Catfish

(Becky, the Mama)

As the story in our family goes, one day my father took my little brother David and my little sister Rachel out to the bank of a lake to cast a line and do a little fishing.  If you’ve ever taken children out fishing, you know you do very little ACTUAL fishing.  It’s mostly about putting on lost bait and untangling lines.   David was probably about eight at the time, and Rachel about age five.  To this day, my sister is an “observer” and “information gatherer.”  If you saw Friday’s post you know my sister also grew up to write humor, but where I tell stories (often about the messes I seem to get in with uncanny regularity),  Rachel is more Seinfield-like, finding humor in everyday quirky observations.

Anyway, she keenly observed my brother cast line after line with a ball of catfish bait attached to the hook.  We called this horrid, sticky black concoction, “stink bait,” and to this day I don’t think I’ve smelled anything worse in my life,  including my teenage sons’ gym socks.   Apparently, however,  catfish adore it.   My father and brother would each cast their  lines, and when they reeled them in, it would come back empty — the bait gone, but no fish — over and over and over again.   Rachel took all this in, and about the fifth time the bait disappeared she shook her head slowly back and forth, and dryly concluded,  “I know a catfish who’s gonna be sick.”   To this day we chuckle knowing she assumed one fish and one fish only consuming all that bait. From then on when anyone in our family declared they were eating too much and feeling “stuffed,”  someone would pipe up with, “I know a catfish who’s gonna be sick.”

If, however, you are lucky enough to be better at catching catfish than feeding them,  then…boy,  do I have a recipe for you!  And if you don’t have access to a pond or lake, no worries.  It is easy to find good fresh farm-fed catfish in larger supermarkets and most of it has never been frozen.  This easy recipe turns out a fish that is crunchy, slightly spicy with a great lime tang on the outside,  moist and flakey on the inside.  This is a slight twist on a southern favorite that is wonderful with a side of coleslaw and some oven-broiled sliced potatoes. (Recipe for these potatoes coming up this week!)

NOTE: Rachel and I are staring at the final months before a book deadline, and in order to have time to write it, we’re going to begin posting this food blog three days a week instead of five.  Typically this will be Monday, Wed, and Saturday.

CONGRATULATIONS to Erin MacPherson AND Megan DiMaria!  Both of you will be receiving a free copy of my sister’s new book, The Well-Lived Laugh.  Thanks so much for participating on Friday.

Chili Lime Southern-Style Catfish (with Oven Baked Potato Rounds)

Chili Lime Southern-Style Catfish

Ingredients:

4 medium sized catfish fillets

1 c. cornmeal

1 t. grill seasoning (or 1/2 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper and 1/4 t. garlic powder)

1 t. Tajins chili-lime spice (If you don’t have this, substitute 1/2 t. ground red pepper and zest of one lime)

Tajin chili lime spice — usually near Mexican food aisle of grocery. You can also order it from Amazon. Delicious, too, on fresh mangos and pineapples.

1 fresh lime, cut in half

sea salt

1/2 cup healthy oil — I like a combination of coconut and olive oil (to equal about 1/4 inch in your pan of choice)

Directions:

Heat oil in iron skillet until it is sizzling hot, on medium high.  Gently rinse fish fillets with fresh water and pat dry.  Squeeze a little fresh lime juice over all the fillets, both sides. Then sprinkle both sides of fillets with some good sea salt.   Pour cornmeal on a plate or shallow wide bowl and mix in the grill seasoning and chili lime spice.  Place fillets, one at a time, in cornmeal mixture pressing the fish into it until it is lightly coated all over.

Using tongs, lay each fillet into the sizzling oil.  Let cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp,  then turn over and cook the other side.  Don’t crowd the pan too much, cook in batches.

When done,  remove to a paper towel and let any of the extra oil drain off.   Test a bite to see if it needs more seasoning and if so sprinkle with additional Tejon or sea salt while it is still hot.   Serve with tarter sauce or fresh lemon or lime, or cocktail sauce.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Chili Lime Southern-Style Catfish
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-Ck
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

“Carrot Cake” Chutney (Topping for Cream Cheese & Crackers)

Posted: August 10, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Desserts, Giveaways, Jams, Sauces and Dressings, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Carrot Cake Chutney served on atop crackers and whipped cream cheese

(Becky, The Mama)

I named my wonderful daughter “Rachel,”  after my wonderful sister Rachel St. John-Gilbert. 

My sister Rachel, with my grandson Georgie, on our Girlfriend Getaway to Seattle

Little did I know when my baby girl was born,  that one day she and my sister and I would all write books. My sister’s newest book has just been released: The Well-Lived Laugh: Designing a Life that Keeps You Smiling.  I think it is her best book to date. You’ll laugh, you’ll be inspired, you’ll let go of unnecessary pressures. Just trust me. Buy it or download it (click on picture of book, below,  to go to Amazon), beg or borrow it.  Or enter to win a copy right here. (Details to follow.)

KINDLE EDITION JUST $2.99 TODAY ONLY

My sister describes herself as an “offbeat observer who uses her wit to weave together comic takes on the ordinary.” I can testify that she is a connoisseur of life’s small joys, squeezing every drop of happiness from any tiny, remotely fun or interesting experience.  Here is a picture that my grandson George took of my sister on a recent trip to Seattle. This was our first stop, a quiet Asian tea house down the street from Pike’s Market.  I swear, she’d only had one sip of a mild jasmine tea. But leave it to my sister to find it a euphoric experience.

My sister in joyous rapture after a sip of green tea. (Julie, my daughter-in-law laughs and looks on. My grandson George, age 5, snapped the picture!)

I love receiving presents from my sister Rachel, because she thinks of the most unusual, wonderful, slighty quirky gifts.  For my birthday this year she gave me a little battery-powered milk foamer and a tiny Vietnamese coffee maker. (Which she promises to show me how to operate someday.)  She may send adorable comical napkins for me to use at my next party,  or a unique and tasty gourmet treat. One year on my birthday, she mailed me pretty jar of something called Carrot Cake Jam. Or was it Carrot Cake Chutney? Anyway, whatever it was called, it was AMAZING. Rach told me to put some cream cheese on a cracker, top it with the carrot mixture, and wait for my mouth to get very happy. So I did as I was told and about twenty minutes later, there was nothing left in the jar. Years later, I would sometimes think about that “perfect bite” of sweet-piquant cinnamon and slighty crunchy carroty-raisin goodness, mixed with the smooth salty flavor of cream cheese and crackers….   and feel sad that I’d probably never come across a jar of that yummy Carrot Cake Watchamacallit ever again.

Then last night I decided to create, to the best of my ability, a similar version.  Eureka!  I did it!  This stuff is amazing on crackers, but also a fun carrot cake “mix-in” for yogurt or ice cream or atop almond buttered toast.  An easy and unique treat to serve at your next party or bring to a hostess. . 

Now, before I forget: For a chance to win my sister’s new book, simply leave a comment below letting us know that you re-tweeted or pinned or facebooked this post (or any other you like from our blog), or liked my sister’s fan page. We’ll put your name in “the bowl” and pick the lucky winner to be announced next week.

Carrot Cake Chutney

Carrot Cake Chutney

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

5 medium sized carrots (preferably organic) peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup well drained crushed pineapple

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 T. brown sugar

Pinch salt

½ t. vanilla

2 t. cinnamon

3 T. raisins

2 T. white vinegar

Directions:

Process carrots in a food processor or blender until they are about the size of oatmeal flakes, small and just a little bit chunky.

 

Processed carrots to a tiny dice

Mix the carrots with all the ingredients above and simmer in a skillet on medium low for about 5-8 minutes or until the carrots are tender-crisp and the syrup is thick and reduced by at least half, most of it absorbed into the carrots and raisins. (With only a tablespoon or two of syrup remaining in pan.) If you’d like your chutney to have a bit more kick to it, add another teaspoon of vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon, once you’ve removed the pan from the burner. Cool and put in a tightly covered container in the fridge to let the flavors mingle and intensify. Serve cold with a small spoon, along side a plate of crackers and a small bowl of whipped cream cheese. 

 

 

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: “Carrot Cake” Chutney
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-BY
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Fiesta Tortilla “Flower” Pie

Posted: August 8, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Beef, Mexican Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Becky’s Fiesta Flower Pie

(Becky, the Mama.)

Yesterday I heard a loud thump followed by a yell outside my kitchen window. I rushed out to see my husband Greg lying on the patio, telling me he twisted his ankle. “Don’t move!” I said, “I’m coming down there to help you.”

I really did mean to scoot down and cradle his head in my lap. I really did not mean to kick him hard in the temple with my knee in the process. Thankfully, Greg wasn’t so wounded that he lost his sense of humor: he pretended I knocked him unconscious. He was able to walk on the ankle in just a few minutes, but I still wonder if it was just a heroic attempt to save himself from my further attempts to help him.

My record for doing good, and no harm, in a medical emergency is a little bit uneven.  When my son Zeke was about thirteen, he cut his leg badly while we were in a shopping center parking lot.  I started throwing everything I could find in the car on his leg to stop the bleeding and then drove him to the emergency room.  As the nurse took off layer after layer: a towel, napkins from fast food restaurants, a clean diaper, and some grass clippings… she looked up at me quizzically and asked, “Becky, were you trying to smother the wound?”

On the other hand, I once expertly performed the Heimlich maneuver on a woman who was choking in the women’s restroom. Just as calm as you please, I walked into her stall where she had been coughing and banging on the door, and was now turning blue.I told her not to worry, that I was going to do the Heimlich (that I’d heretofore only seen done on TV). Somehow I did, and out popped a piece of pineapple from her mouth. As soon as she could breathe normally again,she announced to everyone around that I had saved her life.

Maybe I’m better in life-threatening situations than I am in more minor emergencies. A nurturing person at heart, I wonder sometimes if I could have made a good nurse. My husband says, “You would have been a wonderful nurse, Becky.  Your patients would have loved you and you would have kept them laughing and smiling…. right before you accidentally killed them.”  It is true. I can’t keep up with my own cell phone or purse on a daily basis, so keeping track of med dosing schedules for patients would have certainly been a crap shoot.

I’ve probably made better and safer use of my nurturing nature by caring for ailing folks through gifts of home cooking.  I woke up from a nap the other day with the idea for this dish dancing in my head.  It was even better than I imagined it would be.  It uses simple ingredients that most of us have on hand, but arranges them in a way that looks like big, colorful Mexican flower in a pie pan. It would be a wonderful dish to take to a friend who has twisted their ankle, cut their leg or been kneed in the head by a clumsy do-gooder.

Fiesta Tortilla Flower Pie

Fiesta Tortilla Flower Pie

Serves 6

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

Shell:
1 t. olive oil
4 medium sized flour tortillas, cut 3 of them in half, leaving one whole

Beef-Bean Filling:

1 lb lean ground beef or buffalo meat
3 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz. can pinto beans drained (I had leftover home-cooked one) but not rinsed
½ cup thick salsa (I used “On the Border” brand)
¼ cup thick bbq sauce (I used “Sweet Baby Ray’s”)
1 t. grill or steak seasoning (or ½ t. salt and ½ t pepper)
½ t.Cajun seasoning (I like Tony’s brand.  Or use red pepper flakes or chili powder instead.)
3 quick dashes Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 t. brown sugar

Additional Layers (Before Cooking)
¾ c. Greek yogurt (I prefer 2%)  or sour cream (light is fine)
¾ c. bottled salsa
¾ c. grated cheese, any kind you like
½ c crushed corn chips (we like Fritos) or tortilla chips
Jalapeno slices – as many as you like for garnish

Fresh Salsa Topping for After Cooking
1/2 c. chopped tomato
½   c. diced avocado
½   c. drained corn or corn cut off a cob
Squeeze of fresh lime, dash salt, dash sugar

Directions:

Lightly oil a skillet or griddle and brown a whole one round tortilla and five halved tortillas in batches, until they are light golden brown in spots on both sides.   Line a deep dish pie pan with as shown in the photo below, slightly overlapping the “petals” of the tortilla flower.

In a large skillet brown the beef with the garlic.  Then  add the next seven ingredients, stir and heat through until simmered and thickened.Pour meat and bean mixture into “tortilla flower.”

Gently spread the sour cream or Greek Yogurt over the beef mixture.  Next spread on the salsa.

Then sprinkle the grated cheese over all, followed by an even sprinkling of crushed corn chips.  Finally decorate with a few jalapeno slices.Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes while you make a quick fresh salsa topping.  In a bowl, combine tomato, avocado and corn. Give this mixture a quick squeeze of fresh lime, a dash of salt and a pinch of sugar.  Toss.   Pile in the middle of the tortilla pie.

Use a very sharp serrated knife to cut pie shaped wedges.  It may be a little messy if the pie is still hot, so feel free to serve in a bowls if you prefer.

Vegetarian Version: Replace beef with 1 cup lentils or other beans (in addition to the ones in the recipe), 1/2 cup grain such as quinoa or rice, 1/4 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts, and 1 cup chopped mushrooms.

Vegan Version: Follow Vegetarian Version above for meat replacement. Skip sour cream and cheese layers and cover the pie with fresh guacamole once comes out of the oven and has cooled for 5 minutes. Use just the tomatoes and corn for salsa topping.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Fiesta Tortilla Pie
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-Bv
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Tri-Colored Pasta Salad

Posted: August 7, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Pasta, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tri-colored pasta, a classic party dish because it is so easy to make ahead of time, stores and transports well, and can sit at room temperature for hours.

Rachel, the daughter

This weekend we had Jackson’s first birthday party. I made a great big salad bar with every whole-foods, plant-based topping under the sun, plus pasta salad, three bean salad, corn bean salsa, an organic fruit tray, and even pb&j for the picky-eaters. At the snack table, we had homemade salsa, guacamole, regular hummus, white bean hummus, and cowboy caviar. And to top it all off, a two-tiered custom order cake from a vegan baker with both white vanilla cake with vanilla icing and carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

Surely, there would be something for every guest with a spread like this.

As I sat down with my plate, my best friend’s 4-year old daughter asked me very kindly if she could have a spoonful of peanut butter. I’d forgotten she doesn’t eat jelly on her peanut butter sandwiches. Her mom and I laughed. I have fourteen thousand options and the girl wants a spoonful of peanut butter. I, of course, obliged and made a special “peanut butter lollipop” just for her. After she licked the spoon clean, she came up to me where I sat in my chair chatting with her mom, and leaned her elbows onto my knees, looked up so we were almost nose to nose and said “Rachel, you make the best food ever.”

Talk about humbling. In all the frenzy of worrying about what to serve, this sweet girl had it right. I could have served spoonfuls of peanut butter and if it had been served with love and made especially for my friends and family, it would have been received the same way.

It was a great party, but not because of the cute antique toy decorations…

My mom found the old train, blocks, and boxtop at estate sales. The rest I had or got unfinished from Hobby Lobby and painted myself.

not because of the organic salad bar…

Make your own salad with toppings like roasted red peppers in garlic oil, olives, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, marinated artichokes, shredded carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, and roasted chickpeas.

or the fruit and pasta salads…

Pasta, three bean, and fruit salads add variety and substance to a meatless salad bar menu.

or the special order vegan cake…

A little hint, I wanted a stacked cake, but it was $25 more, so I just ordered two cakes. The bigger cake was supposed to say “Happy Birthday Jackson,” but it was blank….after I threw a little pity party, I stacked them myself and ended up with what I wanted in the first place!

not even because of the bounce house (though that was a hit)…

There is nothing like a huge blow up castle to put a smile on a child’s face!

or the presents…

or the color-coordinating family outfits…

It was a great party, because my house was filled with all nine of Jackson’s living great-grandparents, four of his grandparents, almost all of his great aunts and uncles, several cousins and our best friends. Though I got several sweet comments on the food and decor, it wasn’t the focus of the party…the birthday boy was…as it should be! He was fully aware that this was his party, and ate up all the attention. Jared and I are both shy-by-nature, but somehow we have a boy who loves being the center of attention. Forty sets of eyes on him didn’t overwhelm him in the least.

In church this Sunday, the message was on Matthew 18:1-5,

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

One of our other little 3-year old guests, held up every present Jackson opened for all to see and shouted “Look everyone! Look!”

This weekend was full of humbling reminders. Being a new food blogger and author may have put some imaginary pressures on me to throw a fabulous party with lots of delicious food that show a plant-based diet has plenty of options outside of tofu and carrots. But throwing the greatest party or cooking the best food isn’t really what it’s all about. Humbling myself to serve peanut butter on a spoon is what it’s all about. Throwing my hands in the air with the unrestrained joy of a child and shouting for everyone to look at how great a gift we have all been offered…that’s greatness.

I’m not saying I won’t throw big parties again or make cute banners again or make a big spread of yummy food again, I’m just saying I’ll remember that those things don’t make me great and don’t make a party great. People were having great parties far before pinterest came along!

The most complimented recipe I served was a simplified version of a classic recipe we’ve all had at one time or another, a humble tri-colored pasta salad. You’ve seen it so often because it is makes a lot for pretty cheap, is easy to transport, and can be served at room temperature, making it great for parties and potlucks or to pack for lunch on the go. I took some last night to a friend who just adopted a baby and my husband brought some to work for lunch today.

Tri-Colored Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 17 oz package tri-colored bowtie or spiral pasta
1/2 bottle of your favorite italian dressing (I used a combination of a bruschetta italian and a balsamic dressing)
2 T. olive oil
1/2 a red onion, diced
1 cup of sliced black olives
salt and pepper
(optional mix-ins: diced red pepper, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, shredded chicken, Parmesan cheese)

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Don’t overcook. Drain.

In a large bowl, combine salad dressing, onion, black olives, any other mix-ins you like, and pasta. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for two hours or up to a several days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

(Note: If using meat as a mix-in, you’ll want to keep it chilled. I wouldn’t recommend saving leftovers with chicken that has come to room temperature.)

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Tri-Colored Pasta Salad
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-B5
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes

Posted: August 6, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Beef, Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Uncategorized, Vegan Options | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes

One of my friends, Shirley, who knows me well, posted this picture on her facebook page and said it reminded her of one special person, and wondered if that person might recognize herself. I saw it and immediately claimed it.

If you saw our first post on this blog, you know that I’m famous for burning food. I am a good cook, but I just get distracted easily. So the smoke alarm, for many years, was often our dinner bell. One day my eldest son Zach walked into the kitchen as it was billowing with smoke pouring out of the oven. “Mmm mmmm mmm,” he said, “Smells like mom’s home cooking!”

When my second born, Zeke, was about five-years old, I made him a perfectly browned piece of toast. He took it, walked to the trash can and started automatically scraping it with a knife. “Zeke, Honey,” I said, “You don’t have to scrape it today. I didn’t burn it this time!” He looked at me, his eyes wide, and said, “Oh, I thought we always have to whittle our toast.”

Once when my youngest son Gabe was about twelve, he was home from school, feeling sick. I decided to make him some breakfast and put a pan of bacon on the burner to cook. Then I promptly forgot about it and went to take a nice long bubble bath. If it were not for Gabe’s quick action with baking soda and a pan lid, my kitchen could have easily gone up in flames.

Having heard these stories, and seen enough of my absent-mindedness up close, my husband Greg now hovers near when I cook, constantly asking if I remembered to turn off the stove and oven, ready to spring into action at the slightest smell of smoke. My children would agree that I needed, “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Especially in the kitchen. With Greg on the job, they all rest easier.

Today’s recipe is one that I created last week, and I am pleased to report that no kitchen cabinets were burned and no innocent food was scorched in the creation of this dish.

This easy vodka pasta sauce turned out creamy and delicious with lots of flavor layers going on, from the thin salty pieces of Italian salami to the nice bite of the tomatoes and artichokes, to the smoothness of the melted cheese. I learned to make a simple pasta sauce from a New York-Italian friend of mine: it was just lots of fresh grated garlic, a few chopped fresh tomatoes, and about ½ cup of creamy cheese, like a brie or soft Buffalo mozzarella or even cream or goat cheese (or a combination).  You simply melt it all together over low heat, and pour over pasta. This sauce springs from that basic idea, but I’ve fancied it up a bit.

Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ c. thin Italian style salami diced (any hard salami can be substituted)

1/2 c chopped artichoke hearts (mine were canned in water)

¼ c chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 c. soft white cheese (brie, fresh mozzerela, cream cheese or goat cheese — or a combination)

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ – 1/2  c. vodka (according to your taste)

1 c. crushed tomatoes or 1 c. fresh tomatoes whirled in blender until as chunky as you’d like in your sauce

1 t. dried oregano or Italian seasoning

1 cup chopped or shredded cooked or roasted chicken

Fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese  for garnish

Pasta of your choice, cooked al dente  (save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce) to serve four people

 Directions:

While the pasta is cooking (according to package directions), chop the salami and render out the fat in a skillet until it has crisped a little.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the chicken,  basil and Parmesan) and stir over medium heat until the cheese melts.

Sauce ingredients tossed in pan ready to be stirred and heated

Add pasta water until it is the sauce is at desired thickness. Finally, add chicken and stir until heated through. Serve over pasta, and garnish with Parmesan cheese and ribbons of fresh basil.

Vegetarian Option: Substitute roasted chick peas for meat and add 1 t. smoked paprika

Vegan Option: Sub roasted chick peas for meat, add 1 t. smoked paprika and sub vegan cream cheese like Tofutti for cheeses

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-AN
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Caramelized Garlic Butter Scallops

Posted: August 2, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Seafood/Shrimp, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Caramelized Garlic Butter Scallops

On Monday,  I got to go up to the mountains to babysit two of my grandsons, Nate (age 6) and Titus (almost 4).  Upon arrival, Nate informed they had a Secret Hide-Out, Only Club Members Allowed.

Nate was not inclined to share the whereabouts of the Hide Out with me,  though Titus,  Mr. Tender-Hearted, was in agony trying to hold back the secret., wanting to blurt it out and take me to it right away.

I knew what had to be done.  I commenced with Nonny Charm: reading books, showing off a bag full of garage-sale-finds toys and crafty items, sharing funny stories about their Daddy and his siblings,  playing with toys in a bucket of water on the porch,  listening to their tales with animated interest, giving them each “critter punch balls” to bounce,  and finally, digging for marbles in The Marble Hole.

Nate getting a little discouraged about the lack of marbles mined from the Marble Hole.

Nate assured me he’d found three marbles in a dirt hole in the yard,  which was about 1 foot deep and 2 feet wide,  and that if I would only do the digging, he’d do the sifting and he was sure we’d find more.  So I picked up the shovel and went to work.  (The things grandmothers do for love.)  Alas, we found a rock, a worm, and one beetle but no marbles.  Later that day,  I placed a text to my son saying, “Well played, Zeke. Well played.  Great way to keep the boys busy, but a heads up: it is time to add a few more marbles to hole.”

At some point, Nate weakened and gave in.  “Okay, Nonny.  Because you are SOOO nice to us, you can be a Club Member and I will now show you our  Secret Hide-Out.”  Whew! I was IN!

The Club House was impressive. You had to climb up a ladder and hold on to a rope to get up inside the second story.  The views of the mountains and deer in the distance were none too shabby.  Super Power Rocks lined the inner sanctum’s walls. Nate offered me a seat a crate beside him, put his hands on knees and began to chat, Club Member to Club Member.  “Nonny, I had a bunch of plastic swords, but Titus chewed on all of them. So my mom is going to get me a new one.

I looked at Titus and said, “Wow, Titus! I didn’t know you were a sword eater!”  Titus responded with a shy head duck. His big blue eyes sparkled as he grinned and gave a little huff of a giggle, then turned his palms up confessing, “Yeah.  I was really hungry.” Like, Whaddaya gonna do? I was hungry. There was a plastic sword. I ate it. End of story. 

I don’t know what it is about babysitting my grandsons but at the end of the day, I always seem to take a long deep nap, and I am so hungry I could eat a bear. Or possibly, a plastic sword.

After I said my goodbyes to the boys, I arrived home and slept for two hours, then woke at 6:00, starving.  Thankfully I had thought to stop by Whole Foods on the way home. Big juicy sea scallops were on sale.   I pulled a dinner together in minutes that looked fit for a King and Queen, or a Club Member belonging to a very special Secret Hide Out.

A friend from the shores of Virginia taught me the easy trick to making incredible scallops, perfectly caramelized, buttery on the outside, and tender on the inside.  This night I served them on some leftover Jasmine rice, with some freshly steamed broccoli and a side of watermelon-feta-mint salad.  The perfect supper to revive a tired Nonny, with minimal effort on my part.  Thankfully,  Greg volunteered to wash the dishes and didn’t even make me dig for marbles to get him to do it.

Caramelized Garlic Butter Sea Scallops

Serves 2 Hungry People …  3 Not Too Hungry, Skinny People:)

These simple ingredients make the most amazing scallops

Ingredients:

8 to 10 Large Sea Scallops about 2 inches in diameter, and an inch thick

1 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

½ fresh lemon

Sea Salt to Taste (If you have any fancy  gourmet sea salts on hand, this is the time to use them!)

Few pinches raw sugar

Directions:

Rinse the scallops then pat dry.  Sprinkle both sides of the scallops, very lightly,  with a bit of your best sea salt.  Sprinkle lightly again with little pinches of sugar – just a few grains on each scallop will do.

In to a “screaming hot skillet” put olive oil, butter and garlic cloves, then immediately turn down the heat to medium high.  Add the scallops in the skillet and let simmer in the butter and oil until they are a gorgeous shade of golden brown caramel.  Turn them and cook them on the other side until they are the same golden shade.  The middle should be perfectly done at this point.

Squeeze half a fresh lemon over all and put on a big plate.  (As you can see, I like to surround them with broccoli and lemon quarters.) Stir and scrape any pan juices and drizzle over the scallops.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Caramelized Garlic Butter Scallops
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-A7
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

90% Fruit Soft Serve “Ice Cream” (In Minutes, No Ice Cream Maker)

Posted: August 1, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

(Becky, the Mama)

I have no idea if you’ve noticed this, as I have, but it is HOT out there.

The thing is, Colorado can very tricky when it comes to heat.  In Texas or Alabama, it is equally as miserable in the shade as it is in the sun. But in Denver, if you walk out under the awning to, say, contemplate taking a little walk, you will be deceived into thinking, “What a nice day it is, with such pleasant temperatures!”  Because of the dry climate,  it is easy to experience this false sense of breeziness when standing in shade, unaware that if you leave covered shelter you could instantly be fried like an ant under a magnifying glass..

So off you may go on a walk, if you are like me and so naive you are still trying to figure out jokes you didn’t get in the 7th grade

But what you will find, as I found today on my walk-about, is that the sun in our great state is actually a giant heating lamp and because we live at high altitude, this means that it hovers about five inches above your head.   By the time I’d walked about twenty minutes, the sun had risen to high noon, and I was still a mile away from my air-conditioned home on a stroll-turned-death march.

Greg and I once dog-sat an pudgy old beagle who, when we took him for a walk, would park himself under every shade tree, lie down and refuse to budge unless we carried him. This was me today, only with no one to carry me, I had to do my own trudging from tree to tree.  By the time I got home I was exhausted, sweaty and crying.

There is a picture of a lean mean woman athlete that is going around on Pinterest. The caption under her says:”Sweat is fat crying.”

May it be known, far and wide, that I do not want my fat to cry.  Ever, ever again.

At age 53, I had to admit to myself and my husband that I will never be the Summer Olympic Champion of anything except cooking and napping. I will continue to walk, for my health, but it will be in an air-conditioned gym or mall.  I will reserve the Great Outdoors as my place to sit and sip a cold drink or eat ice cream under a nice big umbrella, the way God intended girls like me to enjoy nature.

I am open, however, to eating a healthier form of ice cream under the shade. Which is what brings us to today’s recipe: an ice cream you can spin up in your food processor in minutes that is 90% (maybe more!) fruit.  I went a little crazy with this recipe  once I discovered how delicious it is and easy to make, trying a new flavor every night for several evenings in a row, beginning with Sweet Black Cherry:

Sweet Black Cherry “Ice Cream”

Followed by Blueberry:

Which inspired Peach:

Then strawberry with a little chocolate syrup:

The basic recipe can be adjusted and played with dozens of ways.   My daughter Rachel inspired this dish when she made me a bowl of soft serve out of frozen bananas in her food processor.  It was amazing. (See her recipe for vegan  Mint Chocolate Pistachio Blizzard.)  The texture was just like that of soft serve ice cream or yogurt. I wondered if it could be done with other frozen fruits and sure enough, it worked!

I’ve only just begun to have fun with this recipe and want to hear what combinations YOU come up with as well.

90% Fruit Soft Serve “Ice Cream”

Basic Recipe to Serve Two to Three 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups frozen fruit

¼ cup of yogurt or almond milk or juice (really, any liquid you like)

1 t. vanilla or any extract you desire (zest of lemon or lime or orange can also be used)

Pinch salt

2 – 4 T. sugar or agave nectar or any other sweetener of your choice, to taste ( I like half organic sugar and half agave. )

Any “stir-ins” you may like such as chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, peanut butter, etc.

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a good  food processor. Begin to pulse it,  scraping as you go.  Once the fruit is starting to pulverize, let the processor run several seconds as it works to turn the frozen fruit into a creamy texture. You will have to pause, and scrape the sides of the food processor a few times and you may have to add a bit more liquid.  Repeat this until you have a nice soft-serve fruit-based ice cream.

Fruit will gradually get from chunky to pea-sized bits, and with patience and scrapping down the sides, turn into a smooth soft-serve ice cream.

It takes a little patience.  You can put the whole thing in the freezer for about 5 minutes to firm it up a bit more, or serve as is, right away.  Add any stir-ins you might want, if you want them,  or any toppings.

Enjoy! And if you come up with an especially yummy creative combo,  do drop us a comment and share.

Variations:

Aside from the flavors pictured above, you might want to try:

Bananas and chocolate syrup

Bananas with rum flavoring and a stir-in of plumped raisins

Pineapple with coconut milk

Mango with orange juice

Cherries with almond flavoring and chopped nuts

Frozen apples with cinnamon

Kiwi and watermelon with green tea

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: 90% Fruit Soft Serve “Ice Cream”
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-zQ
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Happy Birthday Jackson Ray! (+ Two Green Smoothie Recipes)

Posted: July 31, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Rachel, the daughter

My little Jackson Ray turned one on Friday. Life has been sweet this year, very very sweet. Knowing deep, heavy, sorrowful years, I don’t ever take a sweet year for granted. Tears rolled down my cheek as I crawled into bed on Thursday night, a reel of sweet moments from the past year flashing through my head.

Feeling my baby’s little (and sometimes not so little) kicks and bumps in my belly.

40 weeks and ready to meet my son!

Holding him in my arms that first day and being so baffled that I actually grew him and that  just hours before he was inside of me. “So that was you kicking around in there this whole time?”

Kissing his perfectly squishy cheeks and pouty lips over and over again. Some things haven’t changed.

Spending hours and hours and hours rocking and feeding and staring and talking to this little wide-eyed wonder. I had no idea how easy those early days were. Ha!

The first warm spring day that we got to go outside and soak in the sun, feeling privileged to get to show the world to this little man, to be there as he he feels grass tickle his toes for the very first time.

The moment I realized my baby was turning into a little boy, as he instinctively made “vroom, vroom” noises while pushing his Tonka truck into the “rough terrain.” Shortly after, to my horror, he ate a rolly polly, driving it home that he was indeed all boy (and possibly not a vegan).

The first time our water-loving boy set eyes on the ocean, at the very same beach where Jared and I got married five years earlier.

Friday morning, Jared and I greeted our one-year old with his very first Happy Birthday duet. Then we moved the party into the kitchen to make a special birthday version of our morning green smoothies. (Jared and I have challenged ourselves to drink one green smoothie a day for a month. Jackson loves them, so he joins us most days too.)

Jackson loves “helping” so much that we got him this little step stool for his birthday designed to let little ones safely be a part of the action. Have you ever met a kid this exited over mixed greens and getting to wash their own dishes on their birthday morning? He is his kale-loving, neat-freak mother’s son! And I am a proud momma!

After Jackson cleaned up :), we went to the Dallas World Aquarium, where once again I was privileged to get to see the world through the awe-filled eyes of a child.

We just finished up week one of drinking a green smoothie every day and it has quickly become a fun morning ritual. I’ve been following my friend and realtor, Terri Camp’s green smoothie experiment for awhile now and finally decided to try it out for our family. Not only is Terri looking and feeling great, but her kids are loving it too. I’ve gone on green smoothie kicks before, but Jared never drank them with me and I never stuck with it on a daily basis. Now that he’s joining me and Jackson is old enough to enjoy them too, I’m having a lot of fun coming up with new concoctions every morning. Peanut Butter Banana, Spicy Tomato & Cucumber, Lemon Blueberry, and Tropical. If you’ve never tried greens in your smoothie, don’t be alarmed by the green color. I promise, you don’t taste the greens at all. I really like to add oats and chia seeds to my smoothies for the extra fiber, omegas, protein, and nutrition. I find they hold me over longer when I include them. You can find chia seeds online, at Whole Foods, or your local health food store. Feel free to omit them though.

Jackson’s Blueberry Birthday Smoothie

Serves 2 (and a baby)

3 T. oats
1 T. chia seeds + 3 T. warm water
1 1/2 c. greens (I used a Power Greens mix of spinach, chard, and baby kale)
1 organic apple, seeded
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
2 bananas, frozen or fresh
1/2 an avocado (makes it creamy)
Juice of one lemon
1 cup non-dairy milk (such as unsweetened coconut or almond milk)
ice

Directions

Soak chia seeds in warm water, stirring occasionally until all the water is absorbed and the chia seeds are soft.

Grind oats in blender into a fine dust. Add (in this order) chia seeds, greens, apple, blueberries, bananas, avocado, lemon juice, milk. Blend until smooth. Add a handful of ice if desired and blend again until smooth.

(Note: I add a little more milk to Jackson’s so it is easily sipped through a sippy cup.)

Tropical Green Smoothie

Serves 2 (and a baby)

3 T. oats
1 T. chia seeds + 3 T. warm water
1 1/2 c. greens (I used a Power Greens mix of spinach, chard, and baby kale)
1 date, pitted
1/2 organic apple, seeded
1 clementine, peeled
1 banana, frozen or fresh
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
1/4 t. almond or vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
ice

Directions

Soak chia seeds in warm water, stirring occasionally until all the water is absorbed and the chia seeds are soft.

Grind oats in blender into a fine dust. Add (in this order) chia seeds, greens, date, apple, clementine, banana, pineapple, almond or vanilla extract, coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Add a handful of ice if desired and blend again until smooth.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Happy Birthday Jackson Ray ( + Two Green Smoothie Recipes)
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-zv
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

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