Category Archives: Vegetarian

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Apple Cider Glaze

18 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by in Dessert, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Apple Cider Glaze

I was in the mood for a cookie this weekend and was inspired by the flavors of fall, so this is what I came up with!  The cookies are incredibly soft, almost cake-like, and the apple cider glaze adds a nice hit of sweetness.  I hope you enjoy these as much as my nephews did!

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Apple Cider Glaze
Yield:  3 to 4 dozen cookies
Time:  15 minutes prep, 15 minutes baking per batch

For the pumpkin cookies:
2½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
1½ cups sugar
½ butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup of canned 100% pure pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the apple cider glaze:
1¾ to 2½ cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter
¾ tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
¼ cup apple cider

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
  3. In a larger mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar.  Stir in the egg, vanilla, and puréed pumpkin.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until well blended.  Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto the greased baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown and the tops of the cookies spring back when pressed gently.  Cool at room temperature.
  6. Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.  Start by using only 1¾ cups of the confectioner’s sugar, gradually adding more until you get the desired consistency.  The glaze should be just runny enough that it’ll spill down the sides of the cookies.  Top each cookie with about half of a tablespoon of glaze.  Allow cookies to fully set (30+ minutes at room temperature) before wrapping them up.

PFD to Print Recipe for Soft Pumpkin Cookes With Apple Cider Glaze

Cookie recipe inspired by:  https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32364/old-fashioned-soft-pumpkin-cookies

Cauliflower Bowtie Pasta

19 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by in Dinner, Healthy, Vegetarian

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Cauliflower Bowtie Pasta

Do you know somebody who won’t eat their veggies?  Here’s a great way to sneak extra nutrients into your picky kiddos’ (or husband’s!) dinner.  The cauliflower helps to bulk up this pasta dish, but it isn’t easily discernible.  It’s color helps it blend into the pasta, too!  Cauliflower is chock full of vitamins C, K, B-6, and folate.  It’s also a source of calcium, iron, fiber, choline, magnesium, potassium, and even protein!  But most importantly, this dinner is delicious and full of flavor!

Cauliflower Bowtie Pasta
Yield:  8 servings
Time: About 40 minutes total

2 medium sized heads of cauliflower, chopped into ½-inch pieces
About ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) total
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it!)
1 lb. bowtie pasta
1 large handful fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese

  1. Heat the oven to 425ºF.  Spread the chopped cauliflower onto a large, greased baking sheet.  Drizzle with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil.  Sprinkle with ½ tsp. of the salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.  Roast until tender and the cauliflower begins to brown slightly, about 25 minutes.  (I often broil on high for an additional 5 minutes toward the end because I like a really roasty flavor!)
  2. Meanwhile, begin to boil water for the pasta.  Cook the bowtie pasta according to the package instructions.  Be sure to reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water before draining it!
  3. Combine the breadcrumbs with 2 to 4 tbsp. EVOO in a large skillet.  Heat over medium heat until slightly toasted and golden in color, roughly 5 minutes.  Set aside.
  4. Place the chopped onion, shallot, and garlic in the skillet.  Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, the remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook over medium-low heat until the onions and shallots become translucent and softened, roughly 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.
  5. Stir together the drained pasta, roasted cauliflower, and sautéed onions and shallots.  Mix in the toasted breadcrumbs.  Gently stir in about 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, adding more if needed to bring all of the ingredients together and make pseudo sauce.
  6. Garnish with fresh parsley and shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese.

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No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie

03 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in Dessert, Fruit, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie

This pie is a cinch to throw together, and always comes out delicious.  It’s one of husband’s all-time favorite desserts, and one that he requests frequently.  It’s especially refreshing in the summer, but it hits the spot any time of year!

No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie
Yield: 8-12 servings
Time: 20 minutes active, 2+ hours chilling

For the graham cracker crust:
1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted

For the pie filling:
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup skim milk
3 ounce package of instant vanilla pudding
8 ounces crushed pineapple (juice and all!)
2 tbsp. strawberry preserves (optional)
8 ounces Cool Whip, or other whipped topping

For garnish:
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
whipped cream (optional)

  1. Make the graham cracker crust by mixing together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles damp coarse sand.  Gently press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan.  Set aside.
  2. Using a hand-held mixer, beat together the cream cheese and milk in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
  3. Stir in the dry pudding mix, crushed pineapple (undrained), and strawberry preserves.  Fold in the Cool Whip.  Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.  Pour the filling into the prepared graham cracker crust.  Refrigerate for at least two hours, overnight is fine.  Just prior to serving, top with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

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Rhubarb Compote

19 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Rhubarb Compote

I can’t help myself this time of year.  As soon as rhubarb appears in the grocery store, I buy it in bulk.  I feel like I need to get my fix while it’s available, since the season always seems to end too soon.  After a recent splurge on tons of fresh rhubarb, I needed creative ideas of what to make with it.  Hello compote!  This could honestly be my new favorite food.  I can’t stop eating it!  It’s delicious on waffles and pancakes for breakfast, as a filling in crepes or blintzes, or over vanilla ice cream for dessert.  For a simple and healthy snack, try some drizzled over fresh cut strawberries.  I even stirred some adobo sauce into some reserved compote and ate it with grilled pork.  Any way you eat it, I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Rhubarb Compote
Yield: 2 cups
Time: 15 minutes total

4 cups diced rhubarb (roughly 1¼ lbs)
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

  1. In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add the rhubarb and toss to coat.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (I know, it seems weird that the mixture has no liquid in the beginning, but after a few minutes the rhubarb will start to break down and provide all the moisture you need!)
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the rhubarb time to break down a bit.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled.  I love this compote over waffles or pancakes, over vanilla ice cream with fresh cut strawberries, or straight off the spoon!

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Homemade Caramel Corn

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Dessert, Holiday, Vegetarian

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Caramel Corn

WARNING:  You will not be able to stop eating this caramel corn!  I made it for Christmas one year, and my parents, husband and I quickly became addicted to it.  Honestly, we couldn’t put it down.  I made a big batch for a friend’s movie-themed birthday party this past weekend, and I’m bring the rest into my office today to get it out of my house!  Cannot.  Stop.  Eating.  Caramel.  Corn.  Send help!

Homemade Caramel Corn
Yield: 8 cups (6-8 servings?  Really like one serving the way I devour it!)
Time: 10 minutes prep, 60 minutes baking, 30+ minutes cooling.

1 cup butter, cut into cubes
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
8 cups popped popcorn

  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºF.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet.  Set aside.
  2. The most tedious and time consuming part of this recipe is this first step, but don’t skip it!  I’ve made the mistake in the past and regretted it.  There’s nothing pleasant about biting into a rock-hard popcorn kernel and praying you didn’t chip a tooth.  Separate the popped popcorn from the unpopped kernels.  Discard the kernels.  Spread the popcorn out on the prepared large baking sheet.  (Or use two baking sheets–you want as thin a layer as possible of popcorn to maximize the coverage with caramel!)
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, and corn syrup until melted, stirring frequently.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.  Pour over the popped popcorn (with kernels removed!) and stir gently to coat evenly.
  5. Bake at 200ºF for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes to redistribute the caramel.
  6. Allow to cool to room temperature (at least 30 minutes) before breaking the clumps into smaller pieces.  Enjoy!

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