Category: Vegetarian

Recipe Review- Corn Souffle

Appetizers and snacks, Dips, Dressings, and Spreads, Recipe Review, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Evening guys! So today I have pretty much spent the entire day in the kitchen (and grocery store). I meal planned, I shopped, and I cooked my heart out. It is my Daddy’s birthday tomorrow, so I cooked him one of his favorite meals; Pork Ragu. I also made this corn souffle recipe I got from this cookbook…
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It has so many amazing recipes that I want to try, but this one caught my eye right away. I have always wanted to take on the souffle, but I have always been afraid to try. This was in the section called “The Scary Stuff,” but the directions were super clear and easy to follow. I followed this recipe to a tee. I encourage you to BUY this book up. It is perfect for the home cook who wants to gain skill and tips from a master chef!

Corn Souffle- from The Chef Next Door by Amanda Freitag

Ingredients- makes four 8-Ounce Ramekins
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, plus more for the ramekins
1 cup corn kernels ( fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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Here is how it progressed…

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I think it was a hit! Becca loved it, but she said next time I should add some cheese. Done!

Cauliflower Couscous

Dips, Dressings, and Spreads, One pot meal, Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

So I made this yummy veggie one pot wonder yesterday. Eat a plate of it for dinner, or pair it with a piece of grilled fish or chicken. Delicious! So cauliflower and couscous are not the most photogenic foods, but I tried my best with the picture. The recipe was so easy!

All you have to do is chop up some cauliflower in small pieces. You could put it in in the food processor to mimic couscous, but I like a few bigger pieces to bite in to. Then put a couple of tablespoons of both butter and olive oil in a med-large dutch oven. Add in your cauliflower and cook down until tender, about 8 minutes. Add in your liquid and bring to a boil. I had some leftover chicken stock, but use veggie or water if you like to make this vegetarian. Just follow the proper ratios on the couscous box. I used plain, so no flavor packet was used. Add in the couscous and stir. Take off the heat and cover for 5 minutes. At the end (OPTIONAL) add in a couple turns of heavy cream and stir OR if you don’t have cream, you could add in a bit more butter or olive oil.

***To make vegan, leave out the butter and just use olive oil. Leave out the heavy cream.

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Pesto Pasta with Greens, Artichokes, and Tomatoes

Pasta, Vegetarian

Hello again! Cooking like a maniac tonight! I wanted to make some lunches for the week, so I decided to make this pasta with some veggies I had and some leftover pesto from last week. This is a great vegetarian meal, but you could always add your favorite protein if you wish! This meal took less than 15 minutes! So easy and delicious!

Pesto Pasta with Greens, Artichokes, and Tomatoes

Ingredients

1/2 container of angel hair pasta
3/4 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 container artichokes packed in olive oil
1 container of mixed greens
1/2 container pesto
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
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Cheesy Mushroom Farro and Oven Roasted Acorn Squash

grains, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Evening folks! As promised, here is the recipe for my dinner tonight. The Farro is nutty and creamy and the earthy mushrooms have a great meatiness for a healthy meatless dinner. The oven roasted acorn squash is sweet and tender and is perfect for the start of fall! Have a great rest of the night!

Cheesy Mushroom Farro
Ingredients

10 ounces mixed mushrooms (or whatever you have on hand)
1/2 onion, chopped (or 2 shallots or 2 leeks)
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 cup farro, rinsed
1 cup of any dry white wine
3 cups broth (veggie broth to make vegetarian)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat a medium sized pan (I used my medium sized dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 30 seconds.

Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook down about 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the onions. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the onions until soft about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Season with a bit of salt.

Add the farro to the pan and stir to coat the grains in the oil and toast slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and stir. Cook the farro, stirring occasionally, until the wine cooks down almost completely, about 8 minutes.

Add the broth about 1 cup at a time, cooking until the liquid almost completely evaporates before adding the next increment; this will take about 45 minutes to complete. Remember to stir often to create a creamy texture.

When the farro is tender and absorbs almost all of the liquid, stir in the mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and butter. Continue to stir until the butter is melted in and the mixture is creamy.
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Oven Roasted Acorn Squash

Ingredients
1 acorn squash, washed
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Halve the squash, scrape out the insides, and slice into 1/2″ half moons.
In a large bowl, toss together the squash, oil, salt, and pepper. Lay the squash out on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until super tender.
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Pasta Primavera

Pasta, Vegetarian

Evening folks! Just had a delicious dinner with some close friends. I made a few pans of enchiladas; 2 beef and one bean. They were a hit. Just a few leftover for lunches or another dinner this week. https://funfoodiefamily.com/2015/03/10/enchiladas-two-ways-carnivores-and-vegetarians-unite/

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I also made this veggie pasta for lunches this week. It turned out pretty good 😉 There are lots of ways to make pasta primavera. Here is how I made it with the ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry.

Ingredients

3 carrots, chopped
4 yellow squash, slices
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-1 pound cooked pasta – I had about 1/2 pound leftover linguine from my clam and pasta dinner the other night.
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups if your favorite tomato sauce (jarred or homemade)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cook your pasta according to package.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion;  saute about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, squash, and green beans. Cook another 5 minutes. Add your tomato sauce. Stir. Add 1/4 cup cheese, wine, salt, and pepper. Add pasta. Toss well. Top with remaining cheese.

 

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