Breakfast Tacos for Soheila and Erica

With only 4 ingredients, these tacos can't get much easier. They are delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 small red potatoes diced in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
• 1/3 package chorizo (I use soy, and you can't tell the difference)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• tortillas

Instructions:

1. saute the onions in olive oil over medium low heat
2. put the chopped potatoes in a microwave safe bowl. Lightly coat potatoes with olive oil so they don't stick. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. 
3. add potatoes to onions. Continue to saute until onions are soft.
4. Add chorizo and heat. Break it apart with your spatula. Make sure all the onions and potatoes are mixed in with the chorizo. 
5. Crack the eggs and continue to stir the contents of the pan. 

Serve with hot tortillas. Makes 4 servings. Half the recipe if you're only feeding one or two.

Potato Leek Soup

 This soup is ridiculously good. And simple.

INGREDIENTS:

 8 small white potatoes (or any equivalent color), washed but not peeled, and diced

2 large leeks, both white and green parts

4-6  carrots

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 tsp thyme (fresh would be better)

1/2 tsp rosemary (fresh would be better)

2 cubes bouillon

5 cups water

1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

fresh black pepper to taste

1 cup plain almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Rinse the leeks and slice them thinly. 
• Dice the potatoes. 
• Heat the oil in your large stockpot, saute the leeks for a few minutes. 
• Saute the potatoes (take care they don’t stick) and onion.
• Add the bouillon, water, salt and herbs. 
• Simmer until the potatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes. 
• Add the pepper.
• In a blender, blend all or part of the soup depending on how smooth you want it.
• Stir in the milk.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• 2 cubes bouillon 
• 5-6 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• fresh black pepper to taste
• 1 cup plain almond milk (or any other kind of milk- eg. soy, cow, rice)

Macaroni and Kidney Bean Salad

 This is the first salad I've ever made on my own. I never know how to make salads, so this recipe was a really nice way to boost my salad construction career.
It was HUGE- filled up my biggest salad bowl. It lasted me for at least 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans kidney beans
• 2 cups macaroni
• 5 sticks celery, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 6 green onions (scallions), chopped
• 2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup raisins or cranberries
• sea salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp cider or wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
• crisp lettuce leaves

Directions:

• cook macaroni and drain beans, then combine in bowl
• add vegetables, nuts, and fruit to the macaroni and beans
• in a small container, combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper
• add to salad, mix well
• line serving bowl with lettuce leaves
• turn salad into this bowl. 
• serve!

Garbanzo and Green Bean Tagine

I made this for the Naw Ruz celebration last week. It was gone by the end of the night.
It's a Moroccan stew that's sweet but full of spice.
Note, this isn't a quick recipe by any means, but it's quite worth the time.
Another note, I ate it while it was very hot and burnt my tongue. :(

Someone else made it and it looked like this.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups mixed dried fruit. (I used 1/2 cup each of cranberries, prunes, and raisins)
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 8 oz or 1/2 lb green beans (trim ends and cut into 1'' pieces)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1.5 cups vegetable stock
• 1tsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 15 oz can garbanzos (chickpeas)
• 1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
• 2tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:

1.  add fruit to boiling water and soak for 20 min. 
2. heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
3. add onion, cover, cook for 5 min or until soft
4. stir in garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, and allspice for 30 seconds
5. add green beans, tomatoes (including juice), stock, brown sugar, salt and pepper
6. reduce heat to low
7. simmer for 20 min or until green beans are tender
8. coarsely chop fruit and add after green beans are tender
9. add chickpeas and cook for 5-10 min 
10. stir in almonds, parsley and lemon zest
11. taste and adjust seasonings.
12. Serve hot, but not hot enough to burn everyone's poor tongue.
13. Try serving it over rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Kidney bean "burgers"

My cookbook says you can serve these burgers in a bun like a usual burger or served with gravy and vegetables.

This is a terrible picture of the final product.
Imagine it with some gravy and carrots.
That's better.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans cooked, drained kidney beans
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

• drain beans and mash in bowl (use a potato masher if you have one)

• add oats and soy sauce

• knead well with hands
• form into 4 large burgers

• saute in oil- start with high heat to brown on both sides

• lower heat and cook until hot throughout

Mushroom Stroganoff

Made this Saturday night with Mona. It was unbelievably creamy and good.

Ingredients:

• 1lb mushrooms sliced
• 4tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup wholewheat flour
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 12 oz or 1 1/2 cups tofu (I used firm, but you could probably use silken too...)
• sea salt
• black pepper
• mustard powder
• pasta (I used linguine)

Directions:

1. begin heating water for pasta
2. saute mushrooms in oil until tender
3. add garlic and onions, saute for 5 min
4. meanwhile, put tofu in blender add tofu and about 1/2 cup water. Blend thoroughly.
5. add flour, stirring well
6. add vegetable stock slowly, stir to avoid lumps
7. cook for 2 min
8. Add tofu cream to mushroom mix, stir well
9. add spices to taste
10. cook until well heated
11. serve over pasta

Refried Beans with Cinnamon and Cloves

My mama had been begging me for weeks to make these beans.
She made them and loved them. She insisted that once I found and executed this recipe I would never have to buy refried beans out of a can again.
Mama told me, "Just google 'cinnamon refried beans' and it's right there in the results."
I tried it, and couldn't find the right page.
She wanted me to make them so bad that finally she just sent me the link.
She even bought me the ingredients and left them at my apartment when she came to visit so that I would have no excuse but to make them (I love my Mama).
Here's the the original recipe.


These beans would be best if made from scratch, but honestly I struggle with planning; so remembering to soak the dried beans long enough before dinner is hard for me.
These beans are delicious. I ate them for breakfast and dinner for at least 3 days while I was fasting. They're pretty easy to make, so try them!

Ingredients:

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced into 1/4'' pieces
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 fresh chilli pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• two 15-oz cans red kidney beans (or other beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Generously film bottom of 10-inch skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. 
2. Saute the onions with salt and pepper to taste until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. 
3. You want to hear a sizzle as they cook.
4. Add Garlic, jalapeno, cinnamon, and cloves
5. cook the mix until fragrant (about 1 minute)
6. take care not to burn the spices
7. add tomatoes
8. saute for 1 minute.
9. Stir in the beans and water.
10. bring to a fast simmer while crushing the beans with a potato masher (or back of large spoon) as they cook
11. scrape the bottom of the pan as the beans begin to thicken
12. simmer until the beans are thick (about 10 minutes)
13. just before serving blend in the butter or margarine 
14. taste and adjust seasonings

*The beans hold in the refrigerator for 5 days; add liquid as needed when reheating.

Sorry I don't have any pictures... I ate them all!

Omygoshsogood Curry

Last night my study circle had a curry cooking adventure. Our friend Bill brought all the ingredients for this masterpiece. Erica and Marzi were the head chefs. I cannot take credit for the deliciousness that ensued for all I did was chop a few potatoes. The original recipe can be found here- but honestly I have no idea how closely it was followed by my dear collaborators.

I didn't happen to snap a picture of the curry, but if I had, this is what it would look like...

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon hot curry powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 cups frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 (8 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 cup water (or more as needed)

Directions:

1.  In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. 
2. When hot, add the hot curry powder and stir it around for 30 seconds. 
3. Add the onions to the pan and saute until they are tender and a bit golden. 
4. add the carrots, potatoes, and minced garlic. 
5. add about a half cup each of water and coconut milk
6. stir in the turmeric, salt, and coriander. 
7. reduce the heat to low and cover 
8. intermittently stir the pot and check the moisture level. 
9. when the milk is almost all absorbed add more coconut milk and water (in equal parts)
10. continue to cook, stir, and add liquid until the vegetables are very tender and the curry is thick
11. check spice levels, adjust to taste 
12. stir in the peas and the rest of the coconut milk (and water if necessary)
13. cook until done

Thanks to Sepideh and Alec and Emily who did a lot of chopping and peeling. Love y'all.

VEGGIE SOUP

This soup recipe feeds an army. Make it at the beginning of the week and eat it for lunch the rest of the week!

My medium size pot is just a little too
 small for all the soupy goodness.

Make sure you use a big pot so that it can simmer without boiling over the edges.
This soup is easily made vegan by using vegetable bouillon and margarine.
It can easily be made for meat-eaters by adding in chunks of cooked chicken breast. I would guess it would be best if you added the meat right after you added the water.


ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 3 sticks celery chopped
• 2 potatoes chopped
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon 
• 6oz can tomato paste
• 4 cups water 
• handful of spaghetti 
• 1/2 cup french cut green beans (can be frozen or canned or fresh)
• 2 heaping tbsp flour 



This is about how much pasta I used.

directions: 

1. In a medium-large pot, melt butter. 
2. add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. 
3. sautee for 4 min, don't brown the veggies.
4. stir in bouillon cube, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and water.
5. bring to boil and simmer for 10 min.
6. break spaghetti in thirds, add to soup and simmer for 10 min.
7. add beans and simmer for 5 minutes more.
8. Mix flour with a little cold water in a cup. Add this to soup, stirring well. 
9. Cook for 1 more minute before serving.
10. Serve hot soup to your hungry friends. 

NOTE: If the soup starts to thicken when re-heating for left-overs, just add a bit of water to make it thin again. 

Feliz Dia del Amor y Amistad!

I have a confession to make. I hate Valentine's Day. But this year I realized that the name for Valentine's Day in Spanish is "El dia del amor y la amistad". Translated that means, "the day of love and friendship".
I like this idea much better, so to celebrate my newfound sentiment of this holiday, my friend Erica Reyes and I made cookies for all of the friends in our weekly study circle.

Erica had the idea of trying to form the dough into the shape of hearts.

I think they are just precious. Plus they were made with all the love in my heart.
Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup butter (very softened)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. beat sugar into butter
2. add egg and vanilla and mix well
3. in another bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder)
4. slowly mix dry ingredients into buttery egg mixture
5. scoop out dough in 1 tbsp balls
6. (for sugary coating) mix 1/3 cup sugar with 3-4 drops red food coloring
7. press balls into sugar mixture
8. cook for no more than 8 minutes at 375 degrees F

super easy and quick salsa

I have been asked by more than one person for my salsa recipe.
I can post the backbone of the recipe that way y'all can adjust it to how you like.

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped (I used 2 cans whole or chopped tomatoes, drained)
• 1 small green chile (seedless for mild to medium hotness and with seeds for medium to very hot salsa)
• 4 green onions (I like to use more)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled (again, I like to use more)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (or a heaping handful if you're me...)
• salt and pepper to taste

put it all in the blender, and chop it up.
chill in fridge for about an hour before serving. 

Now you have your own homemade salsa! (so easy!!)

BANANA MANIA

 I've been on a banana kick.

I just love bananas!

This morning I made banana pancakes!

They were delicious.

banana pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 bananas sliced
• 2/3 cup milk (use soy or other non-dairy milk to make it vegan)
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. mix dry ingredients in bowl.
2. put milk and 2/3 of banana in blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until just barely incorporated. Should still be a little lumpy.
4. add in rest of sliced bananas.
5. cook on medium in a well oiled skillet.

The angels eat this for every meal.

This is the most heavenly dessert known to man.

It is a banoffee pie, aka heaven in food form.

Mona, Chris and I shared this delight at the Cornish Pasty Co. It is a very yummy restaurant. I highly recommend it. Anywhoo, their description of this delicacy is,

"Crisp graham cracker crust, homemade caramel. Fresh whipped cream and bananas."

God bless the soul who conceived this dish. The guy who made it at the restaurant said his name was Stevo. I like him.

Spinach Quesadillas

Easy to make, didn't take much time, really yummy.

Ingredients:

• tortillas
• shredded cheddar cheese
• spinach
• onions (chopped, sauteed)
• salsa (optional)

Directions:

1. grease pan
2. add tortilla
3. add shredded cheddar cheese
4. spread the rest of the ingredients out on top of the cheese
5. add more cheese
6. top with another tortilla and turn over to cook other side.
7. slice into wedges and serve with salsa over the top

Note: I burned my top tortilla a bit, so keep an eye on the heat while your tortilla is in the pan.

I topped off the tortilla with some of the homemade salsa from Saturday.

Portobello Fajitas con homemade salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into strips
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• homemade or your favorite salsa to taste

STEPS:

First cook the onions and peppers in olive oil until soft (5min on medium heat)

add mushrooms (3min)
then add spices and cook 3-5 additional minutes.

roll vegetables into tortilla

add salsa

enjoy!

Millennium French Toast

This morning my friend Erica and I made Millennium French toast.

This recipe is one that I got from my dad. The story about this recipe goes all the way back to the year 2000. It was the first day of the new millennium and to celebrate my dad found this recipe somewhere and made that first morning. He called it "Millennium French Toast". Basically, you make the French toast and then you put cream cheese and strawberry jam on the bread and make it into a sandwich.

I have since shared the idea with many of my friends, and everyone has loved it so far.

Erica enjoying her breakfast

Today was special because it's the first time I've used my new "The Joy of Cooking" cookbook! I got it as a Christmas gift from my friend Andrew Gaul.

The recipe we used is as follows:


Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp sugar (we used white sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 slices (at least) of French bread
• BUTTER (yum)
• cinnamon 
• nutmeg
• cream cheese
• strawberry jam/jelly/preserves

Really we didn't follow the quantities in the recipe at all... It was more like, "Lets add some of this, and some of that!" We did use the ingredients list as reference. I found that we hadn't added enough cinnamon to the mix, and next time I might add a bit more.

spread while still warm

Steps:

1. mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt in big bowl
2. soak the bread in the mixture on both sides one slice at a time
3. in a well buttered pan over medium low heat, brown the bread.
4. for Millennium French toast, it is best to spread the cream cheese and strawberry jam while the bread is still hot.

Kinda like a sandwich, but much better!

LOTS OF LOVE AND CREATIVITY

Tonight Kathryn and I made double chocolate chip cookies at Nora Reyes' house.

We only had one egg, so as a former vegan, Kathryn suggested we use a banana as an egg replacement.











After the first batch of cookies came out of the oven, I had the idea of adding berries to the mix.

THEN Nora had the brilliant idea to add cocoa to the mix. I thought she said "coco" (the word in Spanish for coconut), so she put some of that in there too.

So as a result we had double chocolate banana berry coconut cookies.

SO GOOD.

yummm.

Also, on Thursday morning we made "eggs in the hole" for breakfast. I made the hole into the shape of a heart. I call it "love in the hole"!

Love in the hole

OH MY WHAT?

My friend Dee posted this on her facebook. I thought I'd share it.
10 cooking points to anyone who finds me the recipe and leaves it in the comments.

UPDATE:
found the recipe, and the nutrition facts here (click for link).

Tonight's Disaster: Quiche

Mama decided we [meaning me and sister] would make quiche for dinner using leftover ham.
Sister doesn't eat ham, so we made a mushroom and onion quiche for her.

What follows are the recipes I used for each quiche. I followed a half hand-written and half typed recipe. Following someone else's recipe is HARD. :-(


I forgot a few things in each recipe, so we'll see how they turn out. Quiches are in the oven as we speak.

Veggie Quiche (sister helped me make this one)

• two Portabella mushrooms sliced small
• 2/3 of a white onion chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• cheddar cheese shredded
• mozzarella cheese shredded
• pre-made pie crust in tin

1. saute onions till almost caramelized
2. sautee mushrooms
3. place in bottom of pie crust
4. add handful of each cheese
5. mix salt, pepper, milk, eggs and mustard in bowl
6. pour over solid ingredients.
7. cook for 40 min @ 375F

NOTE: we had way too much liquid for the quiche, and it spilled everywhere as we were trying to get it into the oven. Also, forgot flour in this quiche.

Ham & Cheese Quiche

• small pieces of leftover ham (enough to cover the bottom of a pie tin)
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tbs flour
• cheddar cheese (shredded)
• mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• pre-made pie crust in tin

I was in a hurry when I made this so I totally forgot a lot of ingredients (oops).

1. put ham and a handful of each cheese in pie tin
2. mix it around
3. put eggs, flour, milk in bowl
4. pour over dry ingredients
5. put in oven at 375F for 40 min

So if I had an ideal ingredient list it would look like this

• whatever you want to fill it with (veggies, ham, ect.)
• about 1.5 cups shredded cheese (any combo of cheddar, mozzarella, colby ect)
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp dried mustard
• 1 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper
• pie crust

I'll let you know how they turn out...


UPDATE:
So I guess tonight's dinner wasn't a disaster at all! Both quiches came out fine, although the veggie one was a tiny bit watery. Not bad enough to affect the deliciousness. Pictures coming soon.