Meatless Monday - Pierogis with Tomatoes

When it's summer, my meals lean towards quick and easy.  This meal took leftovers and added something new for a delicious dinner that came together in minutes!


I started off with some Mrs. T's Potato, Spinach, and Feta Pierogies.  This was my something new!

I gave them a quick saute in some extra virgin olive oil until they were lightly browned.  


Then I added my leftovers - cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and herbs soaked on oil.  I halved the tomatoes and threw them in the pan with the pierogies after they were browned.  I then sliced one round of mozzarella and laid it over the top - I didn't want too much since there was already feta in there!

What a light, delicious dinner!  

What are some of your easy summer meals?  

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MMMM
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Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
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Tasty Tuesday - FTLOB

Mexican Pasta Salad

It's summertime!  So if you're like me, you're eating a lot of food that travels well these days.  We often eat at the park, beach, or a friend's house during the summer.  Even when it's at a friend's house, food may be sitting out for a while, so you want to make sure it's not something that will go bad!  This is a fast and easy pasta salad that you can take with you and it can stand the heat!

Mexican Pasta Salad

Salad:

• 1 box (13 oz) garden pasta 
• 1 C California Black olives, chopped
• ½ Vidalia onion, chopped
• ½ cucumber, chopped
• 1 (16 oz) can black beans
• 1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes with chilis (can also use fresh tomatoes and a jalapeno)
• Handful of cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T salsa
• 2 T Jake’s California Chipolte Magic Dry Rub (or other dry rub of your choice)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp lime juice

Bake pasta according to package directions.  Run under cold water to stop the cooking. 

Add the remaining ingredients. 

Add dressing, toss well. 

Top with feta or cheddar cheese, if desired.


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Meatless Monday - Veggie Ravioli with peppers and onions

This weekend my In-Laws were kind enough to keep Little Miss for the weekend.  It was nice to have some adult time.  I got to go to a bar-b-q on the beach, see an old friend from high school, and even go to a wine festival in a nearby town!  It's been a long time since I've really done something for myself.

I was amazed by all of the wines at the festival.  It was impossible to even try most of them!  However, we had a great time and I learned about some wines I had never even heard of before.  I also got to try some wines that have been on my "need to try list" for a long time.  


When I got home, it was late and I was ready for a quick, easy meal.

1. Cook ravioli according to package directions
2. In the meantime, saute onions, adding the peppers towards the end.  
3. When ravioli is done, drizzle with olive oil (I used my Garlic Gold) and top with veggies.
4. I sprinkled some nutritional yeast on top as well!

MMMM
Veggie Converter
Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday - FTLOB
Full Plate Thursday

Mexicali Black-Eyed Pea Patties

These patties are some of the best things I've made in a while - I thought they were great!  I served them on a tortilla with a spicy sour cream, spinach, and sprouts.  They were very easy to put together as well!  If you're looking for something with some spice and fresh flavors, give them a try.  

     Mexicali Black-Eyed Pea Patties

• 1 ½ C Black-Eyed Peas
• ¼ C diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• ¾ C bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow one)
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
• ¼ C pancake batter
• ¼ C bread crumbs
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt

1. Mash black eyed peas, leaving some of the peas intact.
2. In the meantime, sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper in a little EVOO. 
3. Add the sautéed veggies to the black-eyed peas mixture and mix. 
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Chill mixture for one hour, and then form patties.
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Patties can also be frozen to heat later.  

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MMMM
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Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday - FTLOB

Polenta Two Ways

Recently I decided I wanted to make something with polenta.  I had a ton of grits, and I’m not a big grits person, so I thought polenta would be a great way to use them up.  I found this recipe and decided to use it, adding some Italian seasoning and sun dried tomatoes.  It turned out pretty good, even better with this wonderful Italian topping.

Recipe One:  Italian Sauce

• One 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• One onion, chopped
• One red pepper
• One can artichoke hearts, drained
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1-2  veggie sausage, sliced
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Sauté onions and garlic in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes. 
2. Add mushrooms and red pepper flakes, sauté five more minutes. 
3. Add tomatoes, artichokes, and sausage.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. 
4. Serve on top of the polenta. 
5. This makes a great pizza topping as well!

However, after the first evening it wasn’t quite as tasty.  I sliced the polenta and warmed it up on a skillet, but it still wasn’t the same as the first time, since the polenta lost that crunchy/creamy texture.  I decided I needed to do something entirely different with the rest of the polenta, and came up with this second great recipe!

Mexican Polenta

• One onion
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• One can refried beans (I used low fat with jalapeno’s) – be sure to check the label and make sure there is no lard!
• One can green enchilada sauce
• Leftover polenta, or a tube of store-bought. 
• Mexican Cheese (about ½ cup)

1. Sauté onions and garlic in a little EVOO.  After 5-10 minutes, add the can of refried beans and ½ of the enchilada sauce.  Heat until sauce is bubbling.
2. Slice the polenta into ½ inch thick slices and lay down in a 8x8 glass pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. 
3. Top with the bean mixture.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top, and cover with cheese. 
4. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

There really is polenta under this creamy topping - you just can't see it!

This was SOOO delicious!  I thought the Mexican flavors went perfectly with the polenta, plus the creaminess of the topping was a great contrast to the heftiness of the polenta.  And it was so quick and easy to put together!  I’m sure you could make the beans and sauce yourself and make it much healthier, I was just short on time.  

Be sure to check out the post below this one for a chance to get extra entries into an upcoming contest I'll have - I'm giving away an Instant Pot - rice cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, and more!

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MMMM
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Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
Hearth and Soul
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Spring Rolls - Meatless Monday

Spring rolls are one of my favorite foods, but for some reason I thought that they must be incredibly difficult to make.  Then one day I saw a post on Mi Chiamo Candace talking about how easy they were to make, and I knew I had to try making them myself!  She was right, they are very simple!

First I cooked my rice noodles.  I then tossed them with a touch of sesame oil and some random fresh herbs I bought at the Asian grocery store.

I then assembled the other ingredients I was using.  I used avocado, broccoli slaw, and the rice noodle mixture in mine, but the possibilities are endless!  I think some red peppers would be lovely, or some thinly sliced strawberries!

After assembling your ingredients, get your rice paper ready and a shallow bowl of warm water.  My bowl was a little smaller than the rice paper, which made things a little difficult.  Next time I'm getting the smaller size of rice paper because I think it will be a lot easier!

Now you're ready to roll - quickly swipe the rice paper through the water, then lay it down and put your ingredients in.  I put mine down on rice paper, and since this was my first time I didn't worry too much about making things pretty.

Then you just roll it up like a burrito! As soon as the rice paper touches itself it will stick.  Roll as tightly as you can - I'm still getting this part down!

Your spring rolls are ready for dipping!  I just used some Hoison, Bragg's, and  Sriracha for my dipping sauce.  You could also make a peanut sauce or sweet chili sauce.

I stored all the leftover fillings in small bowls, and made new spring rolls every day until I ran out of filling. This worked better than making the rolls all at once, because as they dry out the rice paper can get tough.  When only making one or two rolls, I just ran the rice paper under the faucet quickly.

Little Miss joined in on the fun with her own bowl of water and rice paper!

I hope this inspires you to try making your own spring rolls!

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MMMM
Veggie Converter
Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
Hearth and Soul

Philadelphia Cooking Creme Vegetarian Recipes

Last weekend we were able to host a House Party for Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  It worked out really well, because the quick and easy recipes were perfect for getting dinner ready quickly for a large crowd after the Mardi Gras parades.  I converted to of the recipes to make them vegetarian, so I'm sharing them below!

Mushroom Florentine Casserole

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Leftover Makeover

Since I'm often only cooking for me, I end up with a lot of leftovers.  Fortunately for me I love eating leftovers, but sometimes it's good to do something new with what you have.  I had a little rice and a few black beans left over from various things.

Mix them up with some rotel tomatoes and cumin and you have a great tostada topping!  I also put some broccoli slaw on there to add some greenness to it.  Next time I'll probably add a jalapeno too - it didn't have the spice kick I thought it would!

Another great simple meal this week!

Meatless Monday - Sometimes Simple is Good!

We've had a really busy weekend here.  Dinner party on Saturday, and the Mardi Gras parade on Sunday.
So today I imagine I'll be eating pretty simple foods.  This is an incredibly easy dish to make, and it's also healthy and good!

Simple Asian Stir Fry

Saute some broccoli slaw in a little sesame oil.  Serve over rice (I used red rice), and top with a little of your favorite sauce - I used a miso teriyaki.

Super easy and fast!  Especially if you're already cooking the rice for something else.

Happy Monday!  I hope you'll join our blog hop today!

Meatless Monday - Buffalo Tofu Po-Boys

Here in the Panhandle, everyone is gearing up for the Mardi Gras season, so I thought this week we'd focus on Mardi Gras on the blog!  Before I moved here, I thought Mardi Gras was only celebrated in New Orleans, but there are actually some great family friendly activities all along the Gulf Coast!

One of the great things about Mardi Gras is all of the wonderful food.  This is the only time of year you can buy King Cakes everywhere, and traditional foods such as Po-Boys abound.  This Tofu Po-Boy is super-easy to make, and one of my favorite ways to have tofu.

Buffalo Tofu Po-Boys

1. Press 1/2 of a package of tofu for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cut tofu into strips.  Put into a glass dish and coat tofu blocks with Bragg's.
3. Bake tofu blocks at 350 for about 30 minutes - I sometimes cook longer because I like mine to get rather crispy.  Turn after 15 minutes.
4. Coat tofu with your favorite Buffalo Wing sauce, or make your own sauce with Frank's Red Hot and butter.  
5. Cook tofu another 10-20 minutes.  
6. While the tofu is cooking, saute some mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper.
7. Pile tofu and sauteed vegetables onto some good quality french bread.  Add lettuce if you'd like, and enjoy!  I serve mine with oven-baked fries.  

Meatless Monday - Tofu Chili

Ready to eat!

This recipe is perfect for a cold winter day!  It also comes together pretty quickly.  I got the recipe off of an e-mail from Nasoya, and didn't do much to change it.  I used fire roasted crushed tomatoes and a green pepper instead of a red pepper.  I added a peeled and diced turnip that I needed to use up - if I hadn't done this, I probably would have added some mushrooms.    I also only used half of a 14 oz block of tofu, which I pressed.

These are the sauteed veggies and tofu before I added the tomatoes.  

Meatless Monday - Vegan Sausages

I wanted to try using vital wheat gluten for a long time before I did.  However, I was a little nervous as well.  The original recipes I saw involved lots of steps and boiling things in broth and the reviews always had extremely mixed results.  However, eventually a batch of recipes cropped up that seemed not so difficult, and people were getting good results!  I finally decided to take the plunge, and used this as my base recipe:

Pasta with Peppers and Sausage

I added a roasted red pepper and a ton of basil, since these were things I had on hand that needed using up.   I also changed the spices up a little in an attempt to get spicier results.

To make the sausages, you combine all of the dry ingredients in one container, and all of the wet ingredients in another container.  This is done to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well, since once the liquid hits the vital wheat gluten it gets clumpy and a lot harder to mix.

Once the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, scoop it out and put into tin foil.  Roll into a hotdog shape, and then steam for 40 minutes.  I have to say, these turned out really great!  Next time I'll make them a little spicier, but the texture turned out really good and the flavor was good as well.

You can slice these and saute them, or eat like hot dogs.  

Meatless Monday - Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa

This Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa is a great meal for a busy weeknight!  I used cooked dried beans, because I had the time to make them.  Other than that, the recipe came together in less than 20 minutes with pantry staples, making it both easy and cheap!

I was out of quinoa, so I used one small bag (the 2 serving size) of minute rice instead.  I omitted the onion because I didn't have any on hand, but I did add onion flakes when I added the tomatoes.  I also added fresh peppers when I added the tomatoes, simply because I had some I needed to use up.  The ginger and curry really shine in this recipe, so don't leave them out, and use a good quality curry powder!

CSA Cooking - Tomato and Ravioli Collard Soup

This soup comes together quickly, and is a delicious way to use up some greens!  Feel free to substitute any type of greens you like into the soup.

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Meatless Monday - Mediterranean Sundried Tomato and Garlic Veggies

Last week when I received a seasoning mix from Lawry’s in the mail, it couldn’t have come at a better time.  It had been one of those weeks when no matter what I could not get inspired to cook anything.  

Instead of using chicken as they suggested, I used three small squash, a head of broccoli, and a package of baby bella mushrooms.  I loved the fact that I didn’t have to cook the pasta ahead of time (just used 1 ¼ cup pasta and the same amount of water).  I also had some black olives and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes in there.  

It turned out delicious!  I sprinkled some feta on mine, but if you wanted to go vegan I imagine it would still be delicious.  I also think instead of using the spice packet you could use some spices, powdered garlic and onion, and some sundried tomatoes.

What is on your menu this week?

What's Cooking Wednesday - Sweet Potato Kale Quesadillas

This recipe was inspired by one of my friends from college, who was talking about a burrito she had a Juan's Flying Burrito in NOLA. Since sweet potatoes and kale are in season right now, I thought it was a great time to post it! 

All measures are approximate; it was one of those throw - together meals but so delicious!

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Spinach Artichoke Dip – So Easy a Three Year Old Can Make It!

My daughter loves cooking, so I’m always excited when we’re making something that she can really get involved with.  My In-Laws have appetizers the evening before Thanksgiving, so I thought spinach artichoke dip would be a great thing to bring that Little Miss could help make. 

Little Miss helping in the kitchen

I was a little nervous about bringing the dip – my husband’s parents can be picky eaters, but they both loved it!  This is a great dip to take to your holiday gatherings.  If you happen to end up with leftovers, the dip also makes a great quesadilla filling!

We used the recipe from the Kraft site – I’ve reprinted it here:

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CSA Cooking - A Thanksgiving Side Dish

Recently, I got to attend the Thanksgiving veggie potluck with Little Miss and her cousin.  With our busy schedule, I rarely get to attend anymore, and it's something I really miss.  This month was our early Thanksgiving meal.  Everything was so delicious!  Since I had a hard squash and some pears that needed using, I made this dish.  I loved the sweet and savory combo!

Cranberry Squash Bake

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CSA Cooking - Red Curry with Turnips

Not being able to pick and choose the vegetables you get each week can lead to interesting combinations.  This is one of the things I have loved about the CSA - trying things in ways that I never would have before!  
I had been craving red curry for a while, but wasn’t sure which vegetables I wanted to put in it.  When I got a single turnip in my CSA box and ended up with a bunch of broccoli from a gathering at my house, I decided that that would make the vegetable base for my curry.  I had no idea how it would turn out, but I really liked it!  

Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

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CSA Cooking - Hot Creamed Pea Dip

Since peas are not one of my favorite foods, using the cream peas I got in my CSA box have been challenging.  However, I joined a CSA with the intention of trying things I normally wouldn’t eat, so I was determined to find a way to fix them that I liked!  I was inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit for Black Eyed Pea Hot Dip.  Here is my version below - I think it turned out great!  I have since served this dip at several parties and have gotten rave reviews each time.  

Hot Creamed Pea Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 cups cream peas (or other peas)
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened (I used veggie cream cheese)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chipolte chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar

1. Pulse the peas and garlic in a food processor until smooth.
2. Add the spices and cream cheese, process to blend.
3. Stir in the salsa (I also added some finely chopped banana peppers at this point).
4. Pour mixture into a 8” square casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

This makes a very tasty dip.  Adjust the chili/cayenne to suit your tastes.  I also used the dip as a quesadilla filling, along with some fresh spinach - it worked great!