Food and Recipe Blog — Recipes, Reviews, and Kitchen Gadgets

CRISCO APPLE PIE RECIPE

Crisco Pastry for 2-Crust Pie (or 2 store bought crusts)
6 large cooking apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBS flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS butter

Line a 9 inch pie dish with pastry Pare, core, and slice apples. Place the apples in the pastry-lined pie dish.

Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon – sprinkle over the apples. Dot with butter (very, very important!). Place top crust over apples and gently cut slits in the top crust for the steam to escape. Seal the edges carefully, trying to keep a neat pattern of uniform “pinches.”

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

APPLE PIE RECIPE VARIATIONS:
Dutch Apple Pie
Add 1/2 tsp nutmeg to sugar mixture in the apple pie recipe above. Combine with apples and 1/2 cup whipping cream. Proceed as directed above, but rather than just topping the apple mixture with the other crust – cut the crust into strips and create a lattice top for the pie. When using a lattice top crust, be very careful not to overcook the pie. A dark brown lattice crust is nothing short of a pie-tastrophe.

Cheese Apple Pie
Substitute 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese for the cinnamon. Proceed as you would for the basic pie recipe.

TIPS:

Use a Pie Crust Shield to keep the edges of your crust from becoming darker than the rest of your crust. Personally, I don’t like the crumbled aluminum foil technique – too cumbersome – but if it works for you, go for it. Just protect those edges!
Whatever you do, if at all possible, serve your apple pie with great vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
For the absolute best pie crust – as in the kind that refuses to fail, you’ll need to know only one recipe: Classic Crisco Pie Crust

If you bake a lot of pies, you’ll love the Magic Dough 18×24.5-in. Pastry Mat, pictured above. This dough mat has lots of features! It’s thin, flexible, lightweight and has an exclusive anti-slip backing so it stays in place on your countertop. It has a nonstick surface, so it easily releases dough (no flour needed) and anti-bacterial construction. Measurement equivalents are printed right on the mat. When your work is done, simply roll it up, slip it back into its storage tube (included) and put it away.

Now tell me that’s not too cool for school.

The recipes used in this post are a few of my favorite “golden oldies.” They’re from a wonderful little cookbook in my cookbook collection from 1973: “Crisco’s Favorite Family Foods Cookbook.” It’s been in our family forever. My grandmother gave it to my mom, then she passed it along to me. I absolutely cherish the heirloom cookbooks and recipes in my collection. If you have any floating around your family, take it from me – you’ll want to hang onto and protect them.

They’ll mean more to you as the years go by. As a bonus, a lot of classic recipes simply can’t be beat!

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Flavored Butter For Ninjas of the Grill

by Joi on July 27, 2010

By adding flavored butter to meats, seafood, vegetables, or just about anything you prepare on the grill, you can turn an ordinary meal into an extraordinary meal. Flavored butters are simple to prepare, and they make tasty and elegant accompaniments to your grilled dishes.

Use flavored butters to add a finishing touch to grilled steaks and salmon, to jazz up grilled asparagus or corn-on-the-cob, and to add some pizzazz to your favorite side dishes. When they melt on whatever you’re grilling, their delicious flavors come through, making your meal a masterpiece. They just might call you a grilling ninja!

Since they’re so simple to prepare, you can easily keep a variety of flavored butters at you fingertips. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks by rolling them into logs and wrapping them in plastic food wrap, parchment or waxed paper. You can also slice the butter into pats and freeze them in resealable plastic food bags for longer storage.

Land O’Lakes would like to share the following outstanding butter recipes, just in time for grilling season: Italian Flavored Butter, Chili Lime Butter, Caramelized Onion Butter and Herb Seasoned Butter.

Italian Flavored Butter

Use Italian Flavored Butter when grilling meats and vegetables, or toss with rice, potatoes or corn-on-the-cob

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup LAND O LAKES Butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in small mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Brush on meats, poultry, fish and vegetables when grilling or toss with hot cooked rice or vegetables.

Chili Lime Butter

Chili Lime Butter turns grilled steak, chicken or vegetables into a southwestern delight

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup LAND O LAKES Butter, softened
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon chili lime seasoning
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Brush on meats, poultry, fish and vegetables while grilling or toss with hot cooked rice, pasta or vegetables.

Caramelized Onion Butter

Serve this savory butter with your favorite grilled steak or veggie, or as a spread on artisan bread

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Yield: 1½ cups

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES Butter
2 large (2 cups) onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup LAND O LAKES Butter, softened

Preparation:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until sizzling; add onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown and caramelized (20 to 25 minutes). Place onions into medium bowl; cool 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup butter to onions; mix well. Toss with hot cooked rice or vegetables, or serve on grilled meat.

Herb Seasoned Butter

Use Herb Seasoned Butter to add fabulous taste to the simplest grilled foods

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 cup LAND O LAKES Butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots or green onions
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Store refrigerated in container with tight-fitting lid up to 2 weeks. Serve with warm artisan breads, tossed with hot cooked pasta or brush on meats, poultry or fish when grilling.

Additional recipes for flavored butters and much more and can be easily found on the Land O’Lakes website. Also, join the LAND O LAKES Simple Rewards Club to enjoy benefits such as free downloadable gift tags, an online Recipe Box for storing favorite recipes, easy access to LAND O LAKES Recipe Buzz™ Blog, and printable, money-saving coupons for LAND O LAKES products.

About Land O’Lakes

Land O’Lakes, Inc., a Minnesota-based food and agriculture company, is a leading supplier of quality dairy products. In 1921, Land O’Lakes began making butter from sweet—not sour—cream. Ever since that breakthrough, the company has been a leading producer of butter and other pure, wholesome dairy products that deliver simple goodness to consumers. Visit www.landolakes.com for great recipes and meal ideas.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Peanut Butter Cake Recipe: You’ll Flip for This One

by Joi on July 26, 2010

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW GLAZE:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil; stir in peanut butter and oil until well blended. Add to dry ingredients; mix well.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla; add to peanut butter mixture. Mix well.

Pour into a greased 15″ x 10 ” x 2″ baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the peanut butter, marshmallows, and vanilla until marshmallows are melted. Spoon over warm cake and carefully spread over the top.

Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 20-24 servings.

First of all, don’t make this dessert this weekend, next month, or even tomorrow. Make it tonight. Trust me, this is one dessert you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. You’ll return to the recipe again and again and again.

I found this Peanut Butter Cake recipe in my “clipped” recipe collection – a beast of a collection that I’ve snipped from years of magazines, newspapers, and so on. This particular recipe came from an issue of a favorite magazine: Taste of Home. Taste of Home’s magazine – as well as their cookbooks – are the IDEAL thing to get for new cooks and not-so-new cooks, alike.

When I made this cake a few days ago, I didn’t (somehow!) have the right pan size. I had to use a more traditional size cake pan. It meant adding a little time to the overall cooking time, but the cake was thicker and equally delicious. Just be sure to use a toothpick to check for done-ness.

Another tip: Use real butter! I know, I know, I’m a broken record – but I simply don’t use anything but real butter in my baking. It makes such a difference.

This peanut butter cake is unlike any cake you’ve had in a while – It’s rich and outrageously delicious. The glaze tastes like peanut butter fudge – now tell me that’s not diviness waiting to happen?! When I tested the glaze to make sure it had enough peanut butter (I doubled the glaze recipe because daughter #2, Brittany, is a swiper) – it occurred to me, this glaze would be a delicious topping for ice cream or brownies. It’s out of this world fantastic.

I’d really like to take this recipe for a test drive as cupcakes but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m just not sure how they’d behave. Why take chances when the cake is so ridiculously perfect, right?! Give this one a try – you’ll be smiling for days.

Photo Credit: Peter Pan!

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Amco Tomato Mozzarella Slicer: One Sharp Kitchen Gadget

by Joi on July 19, 2010

I was recently sent a new kitchen gadget to review – which means I’ve been walking a little straighter, smiling a little more, and continually humming, “What a Wonderful World.”

Yeah, this gal loves kitchen gadgets.

The source of the humming this time around is the Amco Tomato Slicer. Ingenious!

We eat a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of tomatoes – year round, really, but never more so than during the summer. We eat the ones from our own garden and we buy regularly from local farmers’ trucks. Our farmers and their families feed our country and tend our land – the least we can do is buy from them on a regular basis.

We also love cheese in our home – so a Tomato Mozzarella Slicer was a perfect fit for our kitchen.

It’s fantastic! I’ve used it for red tomatoes, green tomatoes, and mozzarella. It keeps my hands clean and gives my knives a day off. Giving knives a vacation day is just a good managerial strategy – keeps them sharp, you know.

My oldest daughter (Emily) has a fierce allergy to touching tomatoes – her hands break out when she comes into contact with the juices. This kitchen gadget would be ideal for anyone with such an allergy. They could slice tomatoes for their family and give hydro-cortisone the day off as well.

The Tomato Mozzarella Slicer creates uniform, attractive tomato slices for sandwiches, burgers, and salads. It also allows you to slice green tomatoes perfectly for fried green tomatoes – a staple in my kitchen.

Here’s a fresh, quick, delicious, and easy recipe to try for a change of pace from traditional salads:

Quick & Easy Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Slice a couple of tomatoes and a ball of mozzarella. Lie them on a platter in an attractive manner – fanning them out mozzarella, tomato, mozzarella, tomato, etc. Then drizzle (or mist) lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Now, sprinkle fresh basil over the mozzarella and tomatoes. Outstanding!

This type of quick salad is as healthy as it is good – it adheres to the basics of the Mediterranean Diet, which is always a great way to eat. It’s perfect served alongside soup, spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, or any Italian recipe you can think of. It also makes a healthy snack for watching television or playing games.

Product Description for this Kitchen Gadget

Slice tomatoes into uniform 1/4-inch thick slices with one easy motion. Create perfect slices every time for hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Simply position tomato in holder, center slicing blades above tomato and press down. Slicer can even cut mozzarella for perfect caprese salad. ABS with stainless steel blades. By Amco. With unique, patented kitchen products Amco’s devotion to innovation has driven new industry standards and redefined categories. They continue to revolutionize the market with ingenious gadgets that simplify and enhance the culinary experience. With a team of in-house designers whose sole purpose is to conceptualize and design new kitchen tools, Amco continues to be at the forefront of innovative, efficient and timeless kitchenware products.

Head over to Amazon for a closer look and to order your’s today: Tomato Mozzarella Slicer

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Kitchen Decorating Collections: Your Jaw Will Drop

by Joi on July 18, 2010

Holy cats! Two things I’m most passionate about in the world are cats and cooking. So I’m flipping completely out over a the Country Cats Kitchen Decor Theme. I actually just came across this website this morning – while looking at blog designs. I saw a picture (on a blog theme page) of a lovely, smiling young woman praising one of the themes. I clicked through to see what she had going on.

The lovely one has plenty going on, thank you very much.

Her main website appears to be the one I’ve linked to above and it is just exceptional. Honestly, when anyone asks what I want for my birthday or Christmas, I’m pointing them to the cats!

Other kitchen collections include:

Coffee House Kitchen Decor Theme (my oldest daughter, Emily, collects coffee-themed decorations – me, I just collect coffee)

Rooster Kitchen Decor Theme (colorful, vibrant, beautiful)

Grape Kitchen Decor Theme (beautiful – perfect if you love French Country)

Sunflower Kitchen Decor Theme (bright, cheerful)

Fat Italian Chef Decor Theme (always extremely popular and fun)

There are many more gorgeous collections covering every decorating style imaginable. Take roosters, for example. In addition to the kitchen rooster collection I linked to above, there are also Country Roosters, Farm House Roosters, Provencal Roosters, and Rooster Floral Decorations.

Having collections in your kitchen is a heck of a lot of fun and allows you to express yourself and your personality. I think the kitchen should sort of set the mood for the whole home. Kitchen collections, such as this one, allow you to do just that.

I’m completely blown away by these collections and I promise they’ll have a similar effect on you. If you come away from Theme Kitchen without wanting at least 100 different decorations – you just aren’t doing it right.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Southwestern Shrimp Recipe from Woman’s Day: No Cooking Required!

by Joi on July 15, 2010

Woman’s Day is one smart publication. They know that when the temperatures climb, the last place people want to be is in front of the stove for hours each night. In the newest issue of Woman’s Day,they’re featuring recipes that don’t require cooking.

Ironic, isn’t it that on a blog called Get Cooking, I’m posting about Not Cooking?! Well… one night a week isn’t going to hurt anyone, right? Shhh, we just won’t tell.

The recipes in the issue include the No Cooking Required recipe below, Southwestern Shrimp. Delicious!

No Cooking Recipes: Southwestern Shrimp

1 lb large peeled cooked shrimp
1 cup diced jicama
1⁄2 cup mild salsa (preferably refrigerated fresh)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1⁄3 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄4 tsp ground cumin
1 ripe avocado, sliced

Serve with: warm corn or flour tortillas, lime wedges

Recipe Preparation

1. Put shrimp, jicama, salsa, oil, cilantro and cumin in a medium bowl; toss to mix.

2. Add avocado; gently toss to mix. Roll up in warm tortillas if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

For more recipes from Woman’s Day, grab the newest issue and check out the No Cook Summer Recipes on Woman’s Day.com.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Recipes From the Root Cellar: Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

by Joi on July 15, 2010

I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful cookbook to preview: Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables. I can’t even tell you how much a cookbook fanatic and collector like me loves getting her oven mitts on new cookbooks! Especially when they’re as packed with great recipes as this cookbook is.

Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables is wonderfully written by Andrea Chesman. She is the author of several cookbooks, including, Mom’s Best Desserts and Mom’s Best One-Dish Suppers.

About Recipes From the Root Cellar
Nothing tastes better than the seasonal bounty of local farms. Everyone loves the spring-is-here excitement of peas and asparagus and the summer sweetness of tomatoes and corn. Now it’s time to give the hearty, long-lasting bounty of the autumn garden its due. Whether these vegetables are eaten straight from the garden, out of a well-tended root cellar, or straight from the market, their flavors reward the home cook, and their nutritional benefits pack a powerful punch.

Sweet winter squashes, robust hardy greens, jewel-toned root vegetables, and potatoes of every variety are the staples that make eating locally so delicious and satisfying during the cold months of late autumn and winter.

These cold-weather treasures work wonderfully well in soups (Celery Root Bisque, Creamy Leek and Root Vegetable Soup, Portuguese Kale Soup) and baked entrees (White Lasagna with Winter Squash, Chicken Pot Pie with Root Vegetables, Winter Vegetable Pot Roast), but they also shine in winter salads. Warm Goat Cheese and Beet Salad; Endive, Pear, and Walnut Salad; and Thai Cabbage Salad can be the centerpieces of light winter dinners or delicious preludes to the main event.

With this collection of more than 250 recipes, veteran cookbook author and gardening enthusiast Andrea Chesman deliciously demonstrates how locavores in all parts of North America can eat seasonal produce year-round. Whether they’re eaten in soups or salads, side dishes or entrees, root-cellar vegetables can be a delicious part of every cooks winter kitchen.

Recipes include:

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Garden Cornbread
Deep-Fried Root Vegetable Chips with Garlic Aioli
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
Cashew Carrots
Applesauce
Braised Collards with Bacon
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Deep-Fried Onion Rings
Root Vegetable Bread Pudding
White Lasagna with Winter Squash
Ravioli with Smoky Greens
Baked Winter Squash
Mashed Potatoes with Greens
Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables
….and hundreds more!

One of the most delicious soups in the world is Italian Wedding Soup. Words can’t even describe this soup! Below is a perfect version of Italian Wedding Soup from Recipes From the Root Cellar.

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

12 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
1 pound ground turkey, or 1/2 pound ground pork and 1/2 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup acini de pepe, pastina, or orzo (or other small pasta shapes)
1-1/2 pounds Lacinato kale, cut into ribbons (about 18 cups lightly packed; remove and discard tough stems)

Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.

To make the meatballs, combine the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic,1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor. Process until well mixed. Alternatively, mix by hand in a large bowl. With wet hands (to prevent the meat from sticking), form the meat mixture into 1/2-inch balls (the size of marbles) and add to the simmering soup. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Increase the heat slightly, add the pasta, and boil gently until cooked al dente, about 10 minutes. Add the greens and continue to boil gently until tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning, remove from the heat, and serve.

Kitchen Note: The greens can be altered with the season, using curly kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, chard, spinach, broccoli di rube, chicory, and cabbage, so feel free to substitute. – Page 107, Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables

Whenever I make Italian Wedding Soup, I always use orzo – but the other suggestions the author makes are pastas I’m going to have to try. I’m especially intrigued by the use of kale. I’ve always used spinach and have never even thought of anything else. But Kale, mustard greens, or cabbage – fascinating! I can’t even tell you how much I love curly kale – so I know what I’ll be adding to my next pot of Italian Wedding Soup!

Truth be told, I’m craving a big bowl of soup right about now – in spite of the fact that it’s over 100 degrees outside (at least that’s what one of my outside cats just reported). Soup is always the perfect thing for a meal, isn’t it?

Here are a few of the other soup recipes in Recipes From the Root Cellar:

Cream of Garlic Soup (YUM!)
Cabbage and Tomato Soup
White Bean and Cabbage Soup (my husband will love this one)
Miso Noodle Bowl
Onion-Miso Soup
Chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, turkey broth, mushroom broth (!!!)
… and many more

I LOVE that she included recipes for vegetable broth and mushroom broth. When cooking things like stuffing or dressing, I always need at least one that’s completely vegetarian for my daughter, Brittany. This mushroom broth will be ideal.

The applesauce recipe will also be put to great use as we have a great number of apple trees in our yard. The author also includes recipes for Applesauce Crumb Cake and Maple-Apple Tea Cake.

In addition to the many recipes that I’ll use again and again, I also love the tips and quotes sprinkled throughout the 365 page cookbook. There’s also a great section called “An Introduction to Winter Vegetables” – very informative. There are cooking, buying, and storage ideas for Collard Greens, Kale, mustard greens, cabbage, garlic, leeks, shallots, onions, artichokes, squashes, beets, and many more.

From pages 18 and 19: Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes can be thinly sliced and added to salads, much like water chestnuts. Their flavor is ore developed when cooked, and they are best roasted (see page 159). They can be cooked alone or with potatoes and mashed. They are also quite good pickled – just adapt your favorite dilly bean or bread-and-butter recipe.

If you love cooking and you love food – you’ll love this cookbook. We all know we need to eat more vegetables for our health – it’s cookbooks like this one that help us feed ourselves, and our families, the kind of vegetable dishes we’ll all WANT to eat. Again and again.

Click the following link to read more about Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables and order your own copy from Amazon.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Recipes from the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville

by Joi on July 14, 2010

As Mayberry’s Sheriff, Andy Taylor might say, “Why, who’d have thunk it?“ A vegetarian chef mastering meat-laden meals of the South?

At the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel Nashville, that’s exactly what has gone down – whether Sheriff Taylor saw it coming or not.

Executive Chef Kevin Randolph has been serving up mouth watering southern fare for over a decade, and one would never guess from biting into his Baby Back Ribs that he doesn’t taste them himself. The man’s a vegetarian. Which, I’d guess explains why the second recipe, The Ultimate Veggie Burger is SO outstanding – this, he eats himself!

Having been a chef for 30 years, and a vegetarian for 8, Randolph certainly knows his way around both sides of the kitchen. Below you can find his recipes for Southern Style Baby Back Ribs, as well as for the Ultimate Veggie Burger, courtesy of the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel Nashville.

Southern Style Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

2 1-2 lb. Rib Slabs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp BBQ spice
1 tbsp. mesquite seasoning
1/2 tsp. Cheyenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for ribs in a large mixing bowl. This will serve as the BBQ Rub.

Grill Baby Back Ribs for about 3 minutes on each side. (Best to grill with open flame using hickory charcoal but a gas grill will do as well.)

Place your ribs on a sheet pan and rub them down on both sides with BBQ rub recipe.

Wrap the whole pan with aluminum wrap and bake in the oven @ 225 degrees for 2.5 hours.

Enjoy with or without sauce.

Ultimate Veggie Burger

Makes twelve 4-inch burgers

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2-1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup bulgur wheat
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 large celery rib, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 2 tsp)
1 lb cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 6-1/2 cups)
1 cup raw unsalted cashews
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Ground black pepper
12 buns for serving

Preparation:

Bring 3 cups water, lentils and 1 teaspoon of salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just beginning to fall apart (about 25 mins). Drain in fine mesh strainer. Line baking sheet with triple layer paper towels and spread drained lentils over. Gently Pat lentils dry with additional paper towels. Cool lentils to room temperature.

While preparing the lentils, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir bulgur wheat into boiling water and cover immediately, let stand off heat until water is absorbed (15-20 mins). Drain in fine mesh strainer, use rubber spatula to press out excess moisture. Transfer bulgur to medium bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onions, celery, leek and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown (about 12 mins). Spread mushrooms on baking sheet with vegetable mixture; cool to room temperature (about 20 mins).

Process cashews in food processor until finely chopped (about 15 one-second pulses). Stir into bowl with wheat along with cooled lentils, vegetable-mushroom mixture and mayonnaise. Transfer half of mixture to now empty food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped (about 15-20 one-second pulses). Mixture should be cohesive but roughly textured. Transfer processed mixture to large bowl; repeat with remaining unprocessed mixture and combine with first batch. Stir in Panko, 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Divide mixture into 12 portions, about 1/2 each, shaping each into a tightly packed patty, about 4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Set patties on baking sheet (paper towels will absorb excess moisture). Patties can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days.

Grill burgers over a medium-hot charcoal fire, or preheat a gas grill on high. Grill until well browned (about 5 mins), flip and grill on opposite side until well browned.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Great Coffee Art Print for My Fellow Coffee Addicts

by Joi on July 12, 2010

Le Cafe Martin Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

What can I say, we coffee lovers prefer to surround ourselves with our passion – in our cups, on the table, on our walls…. This art print is especially delicious. I think I’ll lift my coffee cup and toast to its beauty.

Done.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

by Joi on July 12, 2010

2 9″ pie shells
1 lb ground sausage, browned & drained
1/4 cup green pepper
2 Tbs onion, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup light cream
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

After browning and draining the ground sausage, divide the crumbles into the unbaked pie shells. Top with cheese.

Mix the other ingredients together (including a little salt and pepper) and pour over the sausage and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Makes 2 breakfast casseroles.

E-Mail, RT, Print, and Share:

← Previous Entries

Crisco Apple Pie Recipe

Apple Pie Art Print

Buy at AllPosters.com

CRISCO APPLE PIE RECIPE

Flavored Butter For Ninjas of the Grill

Italian Flavored Butter

Chili Lime Butter

Caramelized Onion Butter

Herb Seasoned Butter

Peanut Butter Cake Recipe: You’ll Flip for This One

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake Recipe

Amco Tomato Mozzarella Slicer: One Sharp Kitchen Gadget

Quick & Easy Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Product Description for this Kitchen Gadget

Kitchen Decorating Collections: Your Jaw Will Drop

Southwestern Shrimp Recipe from Woman’s Day: No Cooking Required!

No Cooking Recipes: Southwestern Shrimp

Recipe Preparation

Recipes From the Root Cellar: Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Recipes from the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville

Southern Style Baby Back Ribs

Ultimate Veggie Burger

Great Coffee Art Print for My Fellow Coffee Addicts

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Reader’s Favorite

Get Cooking Pages

Links

Connect

Subscribe by E-Mail

Recent Posts

Whoot Whoot!

Current Obsessions