Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping
Makes 6 to 8 (side dish)

* Active time:1 hr
* Start to finish:1 1/2 hr

This colorful, delicious dish continues to be a staple at our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. Using dried bread crumbs will create a crispy topping, while fresh bread crumbs produce a more tender result.

For Vegetables

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
* 1 lb cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
* 1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped (12 cups)
* 1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Topping

* 1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
* 7 oz firm tofu
* 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauté vegetables:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add cabbage, kale, carrots, water, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mushroom Tofu Loaf

Mushroom Tofu Loaf

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 1/2 Tbs chopped walnut or Brazil nuts
3 1/2 Tbs rolled oats
1/2 cup chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
17.5 oz firm tofu, pressed of excess water and crumbled
3 tablespoons arrowroot or cornflour
1/2 cup stale brown bread crumbs

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and golden brown. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside
In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the nuts, oats and mushroom. Saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in a small amount of stock, turn up the heat and loosen stuck on bits. Add the remaining stock and cook for 10 minutes . Add the soy sauce, mustard, tomato paste, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Continue to cook until the mixture is thick. Add to the bowl with the onions and set aside. Season to taste.
Add the tofu and arrowroot or cornflour to a food processor; puree until smooth. Add to the onion mixture and blend in enough breadcrumbs to make a thick paste; mix well/ tip gently into a non-stick or lightly oiled loaf pan measuring 9 by 5 by 3 inches. Press down firmly to pack in the mixture into the pan. Bake for 40 minutes. For optimal result, let the loaf cool for an hour or two before slicing; or make a day ahead and reheat.

Mushroom Seitan Casserole

Mushroom Casserole Recipe -- Thanks to 101

Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer. Use chopped seitan, veggie chicken and greens for add-ins. :)

1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.

Parmesan Chicken Meat Balls

Parmesan Chicken Meat Balls

The original recipe is a crock pot version, but they're just as easy to bake. Do a double batch and freeze them for quickie dinners. Perfect! They can be varied with ginger and teriyaki glaze over pineapple rice, stuffed with buffalo cheese and skewered, breaded and thrown into subs, served as dippers with some garlic alfredo sauce..... YUMM :)

Servings: 4 1/2 dozen
Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 2 hrs
Total time: 2 hrs and 25 mins


Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken -- I'm using ground vegetarian chicken substitute
1 egg
2 cups fresh parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Italian seasoning packet
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 red bellpepper,diced
4 green onions,diced
1 large jar alfredo sauce


Directions:
In a large bowl add all ingredients except for alfredo sauce. Mix until combine. Make 1-inch meatballs. Put the meatballs in a crockpot that is on high, pour the alfredo sauce on top of meatballs. Cook for two hours. One hour for the veggie version.

Peasant Stew

Peasant Stew

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned ---I'm using 6 vegetarian MSF Chicken Grillers added just at the last step of the recipe.
1 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeño peppers and spices, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
Combine cumin, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.

Place chicken in an electric slow cooker; stir in onion, tomatoes, and chiles. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 3 hours. Stir in beans. Cover; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. If you're using my vegetarian version, you'll need only the 1 hour.

Place 1 chicken thigh in each of 6 soup bowls; ladle 1 1/4 cups stew into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 teaspoons cilantro and 2 teaspoons sour cream.

A-mmmm-azing Mini Mushroom Tartlets

Mmmm-azing Mini Mushroom Tartlets

1 cup finely chopped portabella mushrooms
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
3 T. chopped scallions
3 T. fat free cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 t. chopped garlic
1/8 t. salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes nutmeg
15 mini phyllo dough shells (found in the freezer aisle)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium high heat on the stove. Add mushrooms and onion, and cook until soft. Place mushrooms and onion in small bowl. Add scallions, cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix well. Evenly distribute mushroom mixture among the phyllo shells. Arrange shells on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes until edges of tartlets are crisp. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Yum!
Makes 3 servings, 120 calories per serving, points value: 3

Dear Mr IHOP :)

Most of my readers will already have this link, but for those who don't....
Magical Loaf Studio. Enjoy :)

Reeses Cookies with only 2 ingredients!

Found this at the Picky Palate. Couldn't resist posting :)

Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

24 snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, usually comes in a pack of 8
1 large egg
Sea Salt if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap all Reeses cups and place into a food processor. Pulse until smooth and combined. Add an egg and pulse until combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. With the heel of your hand, press each cookie down to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through and edges start to crisp. Let cool for 15 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Makes 12-14 cookies

Spinach Risotto

Spinach Risotto

Ingredients
1 small zucchini,chopped
10 oz baby spinach
1 carrot, diced
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dry white wine -- or chicken stock or ginger ale or white grape juice
1 ½ cup GF chicken stock
1 cup Arborio rice
¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper, and dried dill weed to taste

1. In a large pan, over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, celery, onion, mushrooms, carrot. And rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.Stir in the GF chicken stock and the dry white wine; bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Reduce the heat (medium-low), cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add in spinach, zucchini and Parmesan. Add in salt, pepper, and dill weed to taste.Continue heating until the spinach is wilted (about 2 minutes) and the serve!

BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST

BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST

One recipe prepared banana bread, uncut (recipe follows)
1 cup milk or half-and-half
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 bananas, sliced
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Maple syrup

Prepare banana bread as directed below and let cool completely. When ready to make french toast, slice off the ends of banana bread. Slice the remaining loaf into 8 thick slices, about 3/4-inch thick; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until combined. Pour into a pie tin or flat pan. Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a griddle pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip 4 banana bread slices on both sides of milk mixture and place in hot pan. Cook until golden, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook other side until golden. Repeat with remaining tablespoon of butter and 4 slices of bread. Slice hot bread slices on a diagonal and serve 2 diagonals per person. Garnish each with slices of banana, dust with confectioner’s sugar, and pass the maple syrup.

Banana Bread

2 very ripe bananas
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, eggs, and oil until combined. Stir together flour, soda, and salt. Add flour mixture, buttermilk, and vanilla; stir until just blended. Fold in nuts. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and cool. Proceed with above directions for making banana bread french toast. You can also use your own favorite banana bread recipe, but this one is nice and firm with a good crust for making french toast.