Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Sometimes, the best things are the least complex.
Oven roasted vegetables are my favorite, and this is one I make more often than any other vegetable!

Preheat oven to 350.
Trim the ends of the sprouts, and cut the bigger ones in half.  I like to leave a few small ones whole.
Put into a shallow baking pan, a cookie sheet works fine, and drizzle with olive oil.  sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender and browned.  depending on how well done you like them, they can roast for a full hour, just be sure to check on them - the little ones may burn to a crisp!
Seriously, that's it.

Coconut Shotbread

Coconut Shortbread

1 cup butter
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/8 tsp. salt

Cream together butter and sugar.
Add remaining ingredients and work into a dough.  You will probably want to use your hands to do this.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes, and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for  10 minutes, or until lightly browned and done.

Peppermint Patties

Peppermint Patties

I was talking about this recipe today, so it's time to post it!  This recipe uses mashed potatoes, however, with the amount of sugar included...don't be fooled, this is still candy, but you will love telling everyone that it's made with mashed potatoes!  (I always wait until after they try it to tell them what they are eating!)  They taste just like York Peppermint Patties.

1 cup mashed potatoes
1 Tbs. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. peppermint extract
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbs. coconut oil

In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, salt, butter, and peppermint extract. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar; mix in enough to make a workable dough, between 6 and 8 cups.  Knead slightly, and roll into cherry-size balls. Flatten balls to form patties. Arrange on sheets of wax paper, and allow to dry overnight.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or using a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in the coconut oil.  Dip patties in melted chocolate, and let cool on wax paper.

Feel the sensation!  

Artichoke Dip

This is REAL artichoke dip.  No spinach, no stringy mozzarella, just the bare minimum, real deal, 100% hot artichoke dip.  In fact, the first time I ever saw artichoke dip on a bar menu I was so excited, and ordered it, not knowing it wouldn't be anything like mine!  I didn't know then, but I know better now.  This is a staple in my house in the winter months, and has always been a family favorite.  I think it's even better the next day, spread on slices of bread and toasted under the broiler.

Artichoke Dip

Drain and chop 1 can of artichoke hearts.  Stir into:
1 cup parmesan cheese (the Kraft kind is fine, it's what I use all the time, my mom uses the shredded kind that comes in the little plastic tub)
1/2 cup mayo, vegan mayo works perfectly!
1/2 cup yogurt
(You can use one whole cup of mayo or vegan mayo, but I have found that the yogurt makes it a little less sinful, and adds a nice flavor.)

Stir it all together until everything is well blended.  Put into a glass pie plate, or similar small baking dish, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.  Can be made ahead of time and reheated the next day.  If you are making this for a party, one recipe is never enough.  This stuff is so yum.

Serve with crackers or good crusty bread slices.
I have never added spinach to this recipe, but those days are numbered.  I will update this recipe when it happens.  I have added a container of fresh crab meat to the recipe before, it was beyond amazing.  It made for a perfect for a Christmas Eve snack with an ice cold beer!

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

I never knew how easy French Onion Soup was to make, and the fact that it can be vegetarian made it even better!  I taught my best friend how to make this soup, and once a year, she thanks me for it!


French Onion Soup

Peel and slice about 5 cups of onions.  I never measure anyway, I just go for it.
Cook onions in about 3 Tbs. vegetable oil until just starting to brown.
Add about 7 cups of water, a pinch of tarragon, 1/2 tsp. salt and about 1/4 cup good quality soy sauce/tamari.
Add 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes if you have them.
Stir everything well,
Bring to a boil, then simmer until ready to serve.

I love onion soup with bread and cheese, but I don't like big globs of melted cheese swimming in my soup broth.  It's hard to chew, and I'm afraid of choking on it as well!  I serve my onion soup with toasted sourdough with a slice of cheese melted on the toast.  It's much better this way for me.  See whatyou think!  You can always go the traditional route, and top witha slice of bread, cheese, and broil it until wickedly good and bubbly!

Bodega's Blue Chips

 before and yum

 

 

There is this little bar by my place called Bodega.  They make some pretty good stuff, and every evening on my balcony I can smell their garlic fries drifting over.  Well, I have mastered the garlic fries, but recently I was there and had the most amazing munchie food ever.  You don't need a recipe, just the ingredients:

Bodega's Blue Chips

spread out on a platter to put under the broiler one bag of unsalted kettle potato chips.
Sprinkle on a package of blue cheese crumbles and bacon, which you can make very quickly and easily in your over, here's how:  Line a cookie sheet with foil,  put bacon on cookie sheet, putin the oven,  turn the oven on 400. set the time r for 20 minutes.  About half way throu, drain the bacon grease from the pan.  Continue to bake at 400.  Perfect and quick.
Put the pan of chips, cheese and bacon under the broiler just long enough to get teh cheese gooey and melty  Take out of the oven and top with sliced green onions.
Indulge, enjoy, repeat.

Homemade Candy Bars

 

If you are a regular consumer of store bought candy bars, then this may take an adjustment, but, try it because it is delicious, amazing, and sort of healthy even!  I plan to make these again experimenting with diffrent types of nut butters.  Next on the list, peanut butter.  I absolutely LOVE peanut butter.

Homemade Candy Bars

In a food processor, mix together well:
4 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 Tbs. cold water
1/4 tsp. salt
Press into a pan lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer.
This is the nougat layer

Next, make the caramel layer:
Combine 3/4 cup raw tahini
3/4 cup maple syrup or agave
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4- 1/2 cups + shredded coconut
mix until well combined.
Press onto the nougat layer and put back in the freezer for one hour.
after the hour, cut into bite size pieces.
Melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan while stirring until completely melted and smooth.  drizzle over the cut and seperated candy pieces on parchment paper (don't use a wire rack, they will stick.  I found that out the hard way.) Put back int he freezer unti lchocolate is set,  Unfortunately, these don't survive long out of the freezer, but that shouldn't be a problem, they are so yummy you will have them gone in no time.