Healthy Poutine?

Poutine

4 servings, about 3/4 cup potatoes & 1/3 cup gravy each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds new or baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
* 5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
* 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium veggie beef broth or mushroom broth, divided
* 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
* 1 cup coarsely chopped cremini or white mushrooms
* 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 2 Tbs finely chopped chives
* 1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese



1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
2. Combine potatoes, 2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Whisk 1/2 cup broth and flour in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 3 tsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup broth; bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the reserved flour and broth mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in chives and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; keep warm on low heat.
6. When the potatoes are done, push them together in the center of the pan and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven; bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Serve the potatoes topped with the gravy.

Cabbage Stew

Cabbage and Bread Stew

Serves: 6

* 3 to 4 cups cubed (about 1 inch) Italian or sourdough bread
* 2 TBS olive oil
* 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
* 3 to 4 cloves garlic
* 5 cups water
* 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, diced
* 4 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage
* 1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
* 1 16oz can salt-free diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained
* 1/4 cup dry red wine -- I'm using heavy veggie beef stock
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 3 TBS lemon juice-- I'm skipping this bc DH doesn't care for sweet n sour
* 3 TBS natural granulated sugar-- skipping this too - no sweet n sour for DH
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes.

Add the water, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, wine/broth, paprika, and cumin. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. There should be a subtle sweet-sour balance. If you’d like it to be more pronounced, add more lemon juice and/or sugar to your liking.

Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes longer. If time allows, let the stew stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through before serving.

When ready to serve, divide the bread cubes among the serving bowls and ladle the stew over them. The bread will absorb much of the liquid and add a tasty, textural element to the stew. Remember, if you don't use a good crusty loaf, you're gonna get nothing but a flavorful soggy stoup :)

Baked Everything

Credit to 101 for this one. Nice comfort food on a cold winter night :)
Baked Farro Pasta Recipe

You can use pretty much any green cabbage here - savoy, napa, or even shredded brussels sprouts if you have some to use up. On the pasta front I call for farro tagliatelle, but you can substitute a wide range of pasta shapes and types. For example, fettuccine, penne, broken lasagne, etc. And you can experiment beyond farro - whole wheat pastas, buckwheat, spelt, they'll all work nicely here. Lastly, I don't hammer this point to death down below, but do your best to salt/season each of the casserole components as you go. Each should taste great on its own.

1 pound small waxy potatoes, for example Yukon gold, fingerling, Yellow Finn
fine grain sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
2 medium leeks, trimmed, thinly sliced, well washed
3 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 medium head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 fresh sage leaves

12 ounces dried farro tagliatelle, broken into 3-inch segments

4 ounces soft-rind, creamy cheese, cut into tiny cubes (for example, I used this Ardrahan farmhouse cheese, but Stracchino, fontina, or tallegio could all work too)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the pasta.

In the meantime, in a separate pan, cover the potatoes with water and a few big pinches of salt. Simmer until just tender, somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain well, then slice into 1/4-inch rounds, toss gently with a bit of salt. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until soft, a few minutes. Stir in the garlic. Stir in the cabbage, and then the broth. Season with salt and cook, covered, for a few minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard, then 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the slivered sage leaves. Taste, adjust the seasoning if needed, and set aside. It should taste good on its own, with an assertive mustard flavor at this point.

Cook the pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Generously butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, or equivalent. Arrange 1/2 of the noodles evenly in the bottom of the dish. Layer half the cabbage mixture, half of the potatoes, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and half of the cubed cheese on top of the noodles. Arrange the remaining noodles over the cheese and cover with the remaining cabbage, potatoes, and cubed cheese. Finish with the remaining Parmesan and slivered sage.

At this point you can cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to a couple days, or bake in a 400F degree oven for 45 - 60 minutes - until the top is nicely golden, and it is hot throughout. Serve hot.

Serves 6 - 8.

Prep time: 60 min - Cook time: 60 min

Company Mashed Potatoes

Company Mashed Potatoes

Makes 12 servings
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.



15 (5 lbs. total) medium-sized potatoes
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 small onion, diced fine
1 tsp. salt
1/8-¼ tsp. pepper, according to your taste preference
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh, chopped spinach, optional
1 cup grated Colby or cheddar cheese, optional


1. Peel and quarter potatoes. Place in slow cooker. Barely cover with water.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours. Drain water.
3 Mash potatoes. Add remaining ingredients except cheese.
4. Cover heat on Low 4-6 hours.
5. Sprinkle with cheese 5 minutes before serving.

Hot Potato Salad

I didn't measure anything, so all I can do is give you the general idea. Most folks seem to prefer cold, creamy, mayonnaise-y style potato salads. I like them too. But I occasionally get a hankering for a warm potato salad, particularly when served with skillet fried sausages and chops. The concept is extremely simple… start with several boiled potatoes straight out of the hot water. Heat up a large saucepan and add some olive oil, lots of chopped veggie bacon and let that caramelize, add sliced red onions and or shallots/leeks and when these are wilted enough, add the boiled potatoes, cubing them first into bite size pieces and leaving the skin on. Add more olive oil, lots of salt and cracked black pepper, and some vinegar or balsamic if you like and mix this all up. The hot potatoes will absorb a lot of the flavor so copious amounts of seasoning are required. Serve warm. Any extras can be stored in the fridge and microwaved the next day. Perfect with sausages and steaks. I'm serving it with veggie bbq ribs. Super easy to make, always a crowd favorite. Starchy, salty, faintly vinegary… maybe a 1/4 cup or so of soy cheddar throughout the mix, but it certainly doesn't need it!! Enjoy! :)

Potato Bruschetta

Try this simple appetizer next time you’re entertaining guests. The potatoes hold up remarkably well, and won’t absorb the moisture from the topping the way toast rounds would.

3-4 large round (not oval) potatoes, washed and cut into disks about 1/2″ thick
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
fine sea salt, to taste
basil-pine nut pesto, as desired (I used about 3/4 cup)homemade or store bought
2-3 large ripe tomatoes, diced
more extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic, for drizzling
2-3 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Put potatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle with the olive oil and sea salt to taste. Toss with your (clean) hands until potatoes are evenly coated. Place the rounds on the cookie sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown on the edges. It’s nice if you can turn the disks over about halfway through, but not essential.

Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes until they are cool enough to handle, but still warm. Top each disk with 1-2 tsp of pesto, a good mound of tomato, a slice or two of basil, and a thin drizzle of olive oil. Serve while still warm or at room temperature. These are best eaten the day they’re made. Makes 15-18 appetizers.

Crashed Potatoes

5 whole medium potatoes
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Garlic powder to taste
Oregano to taste



Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.



With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and spices (garlic, oregano, paprika-- your choice). Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

These were as delicious as I expected.

Nikki's Sweet Potatoes

If you'd like to prepare part of this recipe in advance you can certainly bake the sweet potatoes a day or two in advance and save the mashed sweet potatoes in the refrigerator until you are ready to move forward with the remaining steps. Also, you can make these vegan by using olive oil and not butter.

2 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup raw, unsweetened grated coconut
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1/3 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees, a rack in the upper third. Butter or oil 6 ramekins or a single medium-sized casserole dish.

Wrap each sweet potato in foil, pierce numerous times with the tines of a fork and place in the oven for somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half, until each is baked through. Times vary greatly depending on the size of your sweet potatoes - in the end you should be able to cut through the center flesh as if it were soft butter. Remove the potatoes from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and cut each sweet potato in half. Scrape the flesh into a medium mixing bowl. You should have about three cups of sweet potatoes. In a large bowl mash the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk. If my sweet potatoes are on the fibrous side, l take a hand blender to them for a minute or so (alternately you could use a food processor). Stir in the ginger, maple syrup and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes, stir again and taste - adjust the seasoning if you need to - this is your chance to get the right amount of salt and ginger in the sweet potatoes before they go in the oven.

Spoon the sweet potato mixture into individual baking dishes (or single larger baking dish), sprinkle with coconut, drizzle with olive oil and bake uncovered until warm and the coconut golden roughly 30 - 40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the toasted macadamia nuts.

Serves about 6.

Accordian Potatoes

* 8 large (8 ounces each) red potatoes
* 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
* 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Carefully slice each potato thinly without cutting all the way through.
2. Place potatoes on microwave-safe dish and cover with waxed paper. Cook in microwave on High 12 to 15 minutes or until easily pierced with tip of knife.
3. Transfer potatoes to metal baking pan. Carefully drizzle oil between slices. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tea­spoon coarsely ground black pepper. Roast in oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer potatoes to platter; sprinkle with herbs.

Pasta with Green Beans, Potatoes, and Pesto

Pasta with Green Beans, Potatoes, and Pesto

For the pesto -- I went for the store-bought
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 or 3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
salt and ground pepper to taste

8 new potatoes, 9-10 oz total weight
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 14-inch lengths
1 lb. fresh fettuccine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To make the pesto, preheat an oven to 35O°F (18o°C). Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast until they take on color and are fragrant, 5-8 minutes. Let cool. Leave the oven set at 35o°F (18o°C). In a food processor, combine the nuts, basil, and garlic. Pulse until the basil is chopped. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. With the motor running, pour in the 1/2 cup (4 fl 02/125 ml) oil, a few drops at a time, until the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise, adding more oil as needed. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Rub the new potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and roast, shaking the dish from time to time, until tender when pierced, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Scoop out with a skimmer, cool under running water, and drain.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large saute pan over high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the potatoes and saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the beans and stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, return the large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the pasta, stir well, and cook until al dente (tender, but firm to the bite), about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl.

Stir the pesto and the reserved water into the vegetables in the pan (off the heat). Add to the pasta and toss well. Pass the cheese at the table.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING: Calories 894; Protein 24 g; Carbohydrates 82 g; Total Fat 56 g; Saturated Fat 10 g; Cholesterol 92 mg; Sodium 654 mg; Dietary Fiber 7 g

WW points per serving: I don't wanna talk about it.

Zesty Potato Patties

Zesty Potato Patties

Prep Time: 20 min Makes: 4 patties

1 cup mashed potato flakes
1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon chicken flavored instant bouillon
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons margarine or butter



Instructions

1 In medium bowl, combine potato flakes, cheese, flour, bouillon, cilantro
and baking powder; mix well.
2 In small bowl, beat egg with fork. Stir in milk and salsa. Add to potato
mixture; stir just until combined. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is
absorbed.*
3 Melt margarine in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop
potato mixture by 1/2 cupfuls into skillet. Spread each to form 4-inch round..
Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve warm.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
3 med. potatoes - peeled, cubed
2 green onions - trimmed, sliced
1/2 rib celery - minced
1/4 med. carrot - grated
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk mixed with 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2-6 strips cooked veggie bacon - crumbled


Instructions

-Bring first 7 ingredients to boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
-Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Whisk milk/flour mixture into saucepan; stir in cheese and bacon.
-Simmer, uncovered, 5-8 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly.


Add ins:

Make it Reuben soup by adding some vegetarian corned beef and a bit of sauerkraut into your bowl. Swiss cheese, green onion and some red pepper flakes on top complete the meal. DELICIOUS.

Scalloped Potatoes with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

3 lb Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup sun dried tomato pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbs fresh basil
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs parsley


Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water with salt to boil. Slice potatoes 1/8" thick and add to boiling water. Cook about 8 minutes. Drain and toss with pesto to coat evenly. Season with S/P.

Layer half the potatoes in baking dish; sprinkle evenly with half the cheddar and basil. Repeat with remaining potatoes, cheddar, and basil. Pour hot broth evenly over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with parsley. 8 servings.
VARIATION: Instead of sun-dried tomato pesto and sharp cheddar, substitute regular basil pesto and sharp white cheddar instead.

Veggie Bierocks

I've been wanting to make these for a while now-- going to give it a go this weekend. Mine will be using pie dough instead of bread dough, and half of them will be using w shredded potatoes instead of cabbage. Posting the original recipe first, with my notes at the end :)




Bierocks

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs

1 pound MSF burger crumbles
2 small onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chopped cabbage - quick trick: use bagged coleslaw mix!
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce - I'll be using concentrated vegetarian beef stock, less salt, same flavor!

In a large mixing bowl, place 1 3/4 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Heat milk, water, and shortening to 120-130 degrees F. Pour over flour mixture; add the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Beat 3 additional minutes on high. Stir in the remaining flour; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, brown beef, onions, and garlic in a skillet. Add the cabbage, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; cook until cabbage is wilted. Punch dough down; roll into twelve 6-inch squares. Top each square with 1/3 cup meat mixture. Fold into triangles. Pinch edges tightly to seal, and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes: If you don't want to make the dough, try two tubes of Pillsbury Crusty French Bread unrolled, flattened, and divided each tube into 8 squares with a pizza cutter. (I like my bierocks in squares rather than rectangles.)

For the cabbage, I'm substituting most of one 14-ounce bag of shredded coleslaw mix. Put 1/4 cup of filling in each bierock before pinching the edges closed. You may have extra filling, which you may promptly devour by itself as the bierocks are baking.

Also, I'll be using pie crust instead of bread dough -- makes them a little lighter. If you're trying the potato version, add a bit of gravy to the filling to keep it moist. And don't forget, they're amazing w brown gravy over the top of the finished product. Enjoy! :)

Italian Potato Dumplings

Italian Potato Dumplings

Servings: Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes
1 egg
1 teas. olive oil
Pinch of salt
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 c. grated cheese
Tomato sauce, pesto sauce, ratatoulle

Directions:
Boil potatoes in their skins until tender. Drain, peel and put through a ricer (or mash until smooth). When cool, combine with the egg, olive oil, grated cheese and salt. Gradually add flour, then knead thoroughly until very smooth. Take pieces of dough and roll into rope-like strips. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Thin each piece by pressing with the thumb in a flipping motion away from you. Drop gnocchi into boiling salted water. After gnocchi rise to the surface, cook for 3 minutes longer. Drain. Transfer to platter and serve with tomato sauce and grated cheese.

Crisp Roasted Potatoes

Crisp Roasted Potatoes

Why this recipe works: The aroma of roasting potatoes draws everyone into the kitchen come meal time. Too often, though, the potatoes turn out brown and leathery with a mealy interior, or worse, soft with no crisp crust at all. We wanted oven-roasted potatoes that had a crisp crust with a silky interior.

Serves 4 to 6

The steps of parcooking the potatoes before roasting and tossing the potatoes with salt and oil until they are coated with starch are the keys to developing a crisp exterior and creamy interior. The potatoes should be just undercooked when they are removed from the boiling water.
Ingredients

* 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes , rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
* Table salt
* 5 Tbs olive oil
* Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in Dutch oven; add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat and gently simmer until exteriors of potatoes have softened but centers offer resistance when pierced with paring knife, about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes well and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; using rubber spatula, toss to combine. Drizzle with another 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; continue to toss until exteriors of potato slices are coated with starchy paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven and drizzle remaining tablespoon oil over surface. Carefully transfer potatoes to baking sheet and spread into even layer (skin-side up if end piece). Bake until bottoms of potatoes are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes.

3. Remove baking sheet from oven and, using metal spatula and tongs, loosen potatoes from pan, carefully flipping each slice. Continue to roast until second side is golden and crisp, 10 to 20 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed to ensure potatoes brown evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Tofu veggie pancakes

Tofu kartoffelkuchen

tofu vegetable pancakes

Servings: makes 8 6" cakes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes per cake
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes,grated
1/2 lb.tofu,blended
1 large onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley,chopped fine
1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp.unbleached white flour

Directions:
for each pancake,brush skillet with oil and heat to medium heat. spoon about 3/4 cup of potato mixture into pan and flatten to about 1/2" thick.Fry about 7 minutes on each side until golden brown.Serve with applesauce on the side.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

2 versions for you to try, one traditional with tofu and veggies, the other with squash and curry. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

3 medium potatoes
1/4 cup milk or nondairy milk
1 Tablespoon butter or earth balance
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of paprika
1 onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon oil
1 lb. tofu, crumbled (you can freeze the night before, for a "meatier" texture)
1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced (or more)
1 green pepper, diced (I use a 1/2 of a red one, I am not a big pepper fan)
2 medium carrots, diced
3/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes
1 stalk celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup frozen or fresh corn

Boil or steam the potatoes. Mash with butter, milk and salt. Set
aside. Meanwhile, Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Saute the onion a few minutes. Add all filling ingredients except the corn. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, till vegetables are tender. Put filling in a large baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 10 or 15 minutes, till potatoes are hot.
Serves 4


Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Veggie lovers, if you like your vegetable pie less spicy, use regular diced tomatoes and leave out the red chile flakes. But if you want a killer combo of heat, tang and sweet, try my version. It's not your mother's shepherd's pie, Darling. Promise.

For the mashed potato crust:
3-4 large gold or white potatoes, peeled, cut up
Vegetable broth, non-dairy milk, milk or cream, as needed
Vegan buttery spread or olive oil, to taste
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh chives, to taste
For the filling:
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin or curry spice
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets (about half a smallish head), cut to bite size
3 medium-large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 zucchini squash, sliced and cut into quarter moons
1 yellow summer squash, sliced, cut into quarter moons
1 heaping cup shredded cabbage or slaw mix
1 14-oz. can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, with juice
2 tablespoons chopped roasted Hatch chiles or jalapenos- whatever you like

1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons low sugar apricot jam, to taste- to balance the heat
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
Hot red pepper chile flakes, to taste (or use hot pepper sauce)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 14-oz. can butter beans, drained and set aside

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted cold water; bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about twenty minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet and add the cumin or curry, and garlic. Stir one minute and add the fresh chopped vegetables. Stir and cook about five minutes or so.

Add the canned diced tomatoes with green chile, the chopped Hatch chiles or jalapenos, vegetable broth, vegan Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar, apricot jam, sage, pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce begins to reduce. You want the vegetables to be tender-crisp, not too done, and the sauce to be thickened and not too thin [if, by chance, you need a little more liquid to cook the veggies, add a splash more broth or water]. When this has been achieved, taste test the sauce for seasoning adjustments; then remove from heat, and gently add in the butter beans. Set aside.

Mash the cooked potatoes with a little liquid and Smart Balance or olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add chives if you like. Taste test. Don't add too much liquid or over-mix the potatoes or they'll get gluey. Gluey spuds = not so good.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Assemble your pie:
Spoon the vegetables into a casserole dish. Top with mounds of mashed potato. Sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pie is bubbling and heated through.

Serves 4 as a meal, 6 as a side dish.

Around The World Cookbook

The girls and I are working our way thru their Around The World Cookbook. But rather than posting all the wonderful delights we've seen so far (pavlova, mandu, bourekas...), I thought I'd send you these instead. Enjoy :)



Empanadas
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 medium potatoes, boiled for 5 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound vegetarian sausage crumbles
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chile powder
3/4 teaspoon round cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Pastry:
Frozen puff pastry, thawed (Just easier that way)

Chimichurri Sauce (optional)

Directions:
For filling:
(This can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

Grate the potatoes and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking up as it cooks. Add potatoes, onion, spices and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until ingredients are soft. Cool.

For pastry:
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add enough cold water for the dough to come together and form a ball. Knead until smooth. Let rest 10-15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured board roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 5 to 6 inch cutter, punch out rounds. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling in center of each. Fold pastry in half and seal edges, crimping with a fork. Bake on ungreased sheet for 15-20 minutes. Serve with chimichurri sauce, or eat as is.

Chimichurri Sauce
You can mince the ingredients by hand or use a food processor, which is faster and easier. There are many variations on this condiment, and it is served with everything from empanadas to grilled steak.

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
2 minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced basil, thyme or oregano, or mixture
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and let set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Zesty Potato Patties

Coupling these with a nice greens and black bean salad or maybe some Mexican flavored chops, sounds like a yummy Sunday to me :)



Zesty Potato Patties

Prep Time: 20 min Makes: 4 patties

1 cup mashed potato flakes
1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon chicken flavored instant bouillon
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons margarine or butter



1 In medium bowl, combine potato flakes, cheese, flour, bouillon, cilantro
and baking powder; mix well.
2 In small bowl, beat egg with fork. Stir in milk and salsa. Add to potato
mixture; stir just until combined. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is
absorbed.*
3 Melt margarine in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop
potato mixture by 1/2 cupfuls into skillet. Spread each to form 4-inch round..
Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve warm.