FUSION: Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n Cheese

Another new favorite from Rachael Ray. We veganized and freed the recipe from gluten by leaving out the bacon, substituting the dairy items, and using a rice/potato pasta. You can too, and it’s still very tasty!

Ingredients

• Salt and black pepper
• 1 pound mezzi rigatoni, penne rigate or cavatappi pasta (use gluten-free, as necessary)
• 4 ears corn, husked
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/4 pound bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 baking potato, peeled and diced into 1/4-1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tablespoon Essence of Emeril
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 red chili pepper, such as Fresno, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• A few sprigs thyme, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups whole milk (we used soy milk)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• About 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• A few grates fresh nutmeg
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (replaced with nutritional yeast)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese (raw sharp cheddar goat cheese)

Serves 6

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

While the pasta is working, position a rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat the broiler.

Place a small bowl upside down in a large bowl. Stand each ear of corn on the small bowl and scrape down the kernels.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the corn, potato and Old Bay to the bacon drippings in the skillet and brown for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery, chili pepper, bell pepper, onion and garlic; season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk; season with the mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce coats a spoon thickly; lower the heat to low. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Add the corn-potato mixture and the white sauce to the pasta in the pot and stir together. Transfer to a casserole or serving dish, top with the cheddar and bacon and broil until brown and bubbly, 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

FUSION: Veggie Fajita Burritos

I found this recipe in October’s Rachael Ray magazine, and it made us very happy. I cooked it a little differently (because I was lazy).

• 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 cup tomato salsa
• Daiya cheddar cheese
• Whole-grain spelt tortillas (corn tortillas will work as well)

1. In a small saucepan, cook the quinoa with 1/4 tsp salt, according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the beans and salsa to the pan, and heat until warm.
4. Eat the bean mixture with quinoa and cheese, all wrapped up in your tortillas.

WORLD: Creamy Pinto Bean Puree

Another recipe from the Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

• 2 16-oz. cans pinto beans
• 1 14.5-oz can Muir Glen fire roasted adobo seasoned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup plain dairy-free yogurt (Amande Cultured Almondmilk is what I used)
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until pureed. For a soup with added texture, reserve ½ cup or so of the pinto beans, then stir into the pureed mixture. Stir in 1 cup water. Heat if desired, but I believe it is best at room temperature or just barely warmed.

Scott Pepper’s Mexican Beans

I borrowed The Vegan Table from my friend Maria, and I enjoyed this recipe very much. This recipe makes 48 servings, so you’ll want to make a smaller batch unless you’re feeding a crowd.

• 4 lbs dried pinto or black beans (or 2 lbs of each)
• 1/2 head garlic (6 to 8 cloves), peeled and finely chopped
• 6 chile peppers, finely chopped
• 2 large-size yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/4 cup ground cumin
• 1 TBSP salt

Rinse beans repeatedly, and soak overnight in a large-size stockpot with plenty of extra water to cover the beans.

The next morning, drain beans and rinse repeatedly. Fill pot with fresh water that reaches 2 inches over top of beans. Place on stove over medium heat.

Add garlic, chile peppers, onions, chili powder, and cumin. Do not add salt yet.

Cover, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower head, and simmer for 2 hours with the lid off. Stir thoroughly every 30 minutes.

Every 15 minutes or so afterward, test for doneness. When the beans are done, add a little salt, stir, and taste. Add more salt, if desired. Serve right away or let cool.

Store beans in containers and freeze until needed. Keep as much liquid in with beans as possible to keep them tender when reheated.

Fusion: Delicata Squash Stuffed with Curried Wild Rice

I found a recipe for delicata squash at Vegetarian Times, and this is how I made it. I stopped in the middle of step 4 (before cooking it the last 25 minutes), wrapped the stuffed squash in foil, and froze them for later enjoyment. We’re making our CSA stash of vegetables last as long into the winter as possible.

• 3 delicata squash, halved and seeded
• 2 Tbs. butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and minced
• 1 cup cooked wild rice

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place squash halves cut side down on baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes, just until squash is not quite cooked through. Remove from oven, and set aside until second baking.
3. Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat, and add onions. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add curry, cayenne, black pepper and cinnamon, and toss well. Add raisins, cashews and apples, and continue cooking until apples are soft.
4. Divide curried vegetables equally between squash halves. Bake squash 25 minutes, or until squash is tender and stuffing is heated through.

ITALIAN: Pesche Sciroppate

There was an article on canning in a recent La Cucina Italiana, and we put up some of their canned peaches in syrup. We’re crazy about these—they’re tasty on oatmeal in the morning. The magazine also suggests serving them with ice cream.

Makes 3 pints.

• 3 pounds firm, ripe peaches, quartered and pitted (no need to remove the skins!)
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 whole vanilla beans

1. In a large saucepan, combine peaches, water, sugar, and vanilla beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until peaches are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat. Remove vanilla beans and cut in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise.
3. Reserving syrup, spoon peaches into hot, sterilized canning jars. Add vanilla bean pieces. Ladle hot syrup over the top, leaving ½ inch of space at top. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a clean, damp kitchen towel, then top with lids and screw on “finger tight” (just screwed on with your fingertips, not cranked tight with your palm).
4. Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil for 20 minutes.
5. With tongs, transfer jars to a towel-lined surface to cool.

EUROPEAN: Applesauce

This is the applesauce that we like to can for the winter. It’s based on the recipe by Dean Ornish. Multiply to make as much as you’d like.

• 8 apples (I like a to use a variety)
• 1 cup apple juice concentrate
• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Put the apples, apple juice concentrate, and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, cover, and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the apples are tender, about 6 minutes. Mash with a potato masher. Mix in cinnamon and enjoy.



EUROPEAN: Oatmeal

I’ve been playing with the recipes from Jessica Seinfeld, attempting to hide more vegetables in my food. The chocolate cake with beet puree was a disaster, but I am enjoying her oatmeal idea.

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (we’ve been experimenting with palm sugar)
• 1/4 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp peanut butter
• dried fruit and nuts
• maple syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, sweet potato, vanilla, and cinnamon. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the head and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter.

2. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, topping with dried fruit, nuts, and maple syrup.

BRITISH: Easy Fruit Crumble

Even though my food allergies aren’t as bad as they once were, I keep going back to this recipe for blueberry crisp from Allergy Cooking with Ease when it’s blueberry season.

• 4 cups fresh blueberries or 1 pound frozen blueberries
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour
• 2 to 6 TBSP water, divided
• 1 cup rolled oats or millet flakes, uncooked
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup oil

1. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the arrowroot or tapioca flour and stir them into the fruit in an 8″ by 8″ baking dish. If you are using fresh fruit, sprinkle 4 TBSP water over the blueberries.
2. In a small bowl, combine the oats or millet with the rest of the sugar and the cinnamon. Stir in the oil until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in 2 TBSP of water. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the fruit.
3. Bake at 325 for around 40 minutes or until the topping is slightly browned and crispy.

WORLD: Chicken Stir-Fry

I tried this recipe for stir-fry, and it has become my favorite. I’m going to make it tonight, in fact, and add a bunch of vegetables that are presently hanging out in my fridge. I eat it with rice.