We always had Christmas dinner on Christmas eve. Years later I met a woman from Germany who described her family traditions, common in her region. The tree wasn't brought in until just before Christmas eve and the adults would decorate it in secret. Because it was fresh and still damp outside and had retained moisture internally, they would put candles on it, real candles, and it wouldn't burn down the tree or the house. Then the children were ushered in and it was like a scene from a magic fairy land with the candles and the beautiful branches and presents.

It made me realize that it was probably the influence of the Elschlager side of our family that caused us to always celebrate on Christmas Eve. We didn't have a cool, live tree like that. We had the silver tree with the color wheel, though I remember being fascinated by the colors moving over the tree. At home we had the same kind of thing except Mom had pink bulbs instead of the red ones at Grandma's. I guess with allergies a natural tree wouldn't have worked well for us.

Our meal invariably had Grandma's home-made egg noodles in turkey broth, turkey, stuffing, a baked sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and gravy. I think some one broke out cranberry from a can but I never liked it. I think other vegetables made an appearance. We didn't have the green bean casserole everyone talks about but Grandma knew I liked green beans, and carrots, so some of these would make their way into these dinners some years. Sometimes Aunt Gin would bring a salad when she was dieting. Oh and there would be cookies and fudge and pies. Grandma could produce enormous amounts of food over a couple of days for this. It used to be my cousins (the ones who aren't speaking to me) and their mom and dad (Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Wayne) would be there, along with Great Grandma (Pearl Paris Elschlager) after Great Grandpa died. (His death put quite a damper on Christmas because he died Christmas day, 1965.) Once in awhile if they were in the area Uncle George and Aunt Pauline would come with their son David. They lived in California most of the time I was growing up.

After dinner we would all be groaning and unbuttoning our top button on our pants or loosening our belts, LOL.

Tapati's Lentil Loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanuts
2 TB olive oil
One onion, diced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 TB ketchup
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 TB soy sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).

Grind the peanuts into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Sauté any vegetables you've chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more binder/carbohydrate as needed if the loaf seems too wet.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and vegetarian gravy, if desired.

Cold leftover slices of Tapati's Lentil Loaf make a great sandwich filling.

This recipe was created by:

http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html

Make your own ingredient choices for a unique recipe!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients

* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
* 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions

Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

In my mom's pot, vegetarian chili with two beans, Morningstar version of veggie "hamburger" (crumbles), butternut squash, corn, tomatoes, onions, and chili spices plus liquid smoke--a couple of drops.

Photo behind the cut.

( Read more... )

Vegan Lunchbox post about Depression Cooking.

Accompanying video:

I saw this in the paper yesterday and it is also online. Spicy Fettucine Alfredo with Tequila Lime Sauce.

There are links to the right for some other good recipes.

Mango Jalapeno Jelly

3 cups ripe mango, small dice
6 jalapenos, small dice
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
6 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 ounce bottle of liquid pectin

Boil 5 clean jelly jars in at least one inch of water while making the jelly.

Combine all ingredients except pectin in a large saucepan and boil for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for ten minutes. Stir in pectin and boil for ten minutes or until jelled. To test, dip a metal spoon in at right angles to the surface of the jelly and lift it about 12 inches above the surface. While still at right angles, allow the drops to "sheet" off. If they do not come together and sheet off, continue boiling and test again.

Remove the jelly from heat, skim, and allow it to cool. Carefully ladle into sterilized jars. Clean the outside of each jar around the top with a hot cloth dipped in boiling water. When cool, seal with melted paraffin.

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Cauliflower with Ginger and Mustard

3 tbsp vegetable oil (I use peanut)
2 tsp black mustard seeds (available at Indian grocers or online)
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 large head of cauliflower cut into small 1 inch florets
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)

In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking. Cook the mustard seeds, covered, stirring occasionally until the popping subsides. (It is like miniature popcorn!) Add the ginger and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower, stirring to coat it with oil and spices. Add 1/2 cup of water and steam the mixture, covered, adding water a few tablespoons at a time if it evaporates before the cauliflower is tender. It will take 6-10 minutes to cook. Season the cauliflower with the lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. (You may omit the cilantro if your guests do not care for it.)

Onions also go well in this dish--add them before the cauliflower and saute a few minutes before adding the rest. If you like things hot, you could also add a jalapeno chili to the mix.

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Roasted Eggplant and Yogurt Salad preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

3-4 small firm eggplant (1 1/2 lbs) sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch rounds
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I prefer peanut)
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 small fresh chilies, seeded and minced
1/4 tsp cumin seed toasted and crushed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp finely shredded basil or cilantro
1 roasted red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, cut into thin 1 inch long slivers
1 ripe tomato seeded and diced
salt to taste

Brush eggplant rounds very lightly with oil on both sides and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in a 425 degree oven 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Loosen the rounds with a spatula and set aside to cool. When cool, cut the rounds crosswise to make triangles.

Combine all of the remaining ingredients except the tomato and salt in a large bowl. Fold the eggplant and tomato into the yogurt mixture and season to taste with salt. Serve immediately.

No one likes to think about it, but there is something you need to know when it strikes you. A severe case can be life-threatening in some people. Your heart depends on keeping a good electrolyte balance for it's functioning. This was brought to mind by a sick friend today, who needed this formula.

To replace electrolytes lost in vomiting or diarrhea:

1 qt water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt substitute (lite salt) if available

Only for those over 12, under 12 you can use pediolyte, available at pharmacies without a prescription and I've even seen it at grocery stores.

It is vitally important to keep a proper balance of salts when you are rapidly losing them due to vomiting, extreme perspiration on a hot day, or other causes. And of course most people know but it bears repeating, that you shouldn't overdo water, even on a hot day, especially if you are not replacing mineral salts such as potassium, magnesium and sodium. In a few instances, people have died from drinking too much water as a result of a hazing incident or a radio contest. These tragedies were perfectly avoidable.

http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/sec3/ch18/ch18d.html

1 cup yellow or green split peas
5 cups water
1 tsp peeled, minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp minced jalapeno (optional) or you can use red pepper flakes in the final stage, to taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 1/2 tbsp veg oil or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp (pinch) of hing (asafetida powder)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt (reduce to 3/4 if low sodium diet)

Wash the split peas thoroughly in a pot, changing the water frequently until it is clear. Drain and place split peas, water, bay leaf, ginger, turmeric and jalapeno chili in a 2 qt saucepan with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the split peas are mushy and soft and start to break up. Add water if necessary during this process.

Remove the bay leaf and use a whisk to blend the split peas into a smoother texture. Add the salt and stir.

In a small saucepan heat the oil or ghee over a medium flame. Stir in the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds (and red pepper flakes if using) and fry until the cumin seeds are brown and mustard seeds pop, then add remaining ground spices, swirling the pan to coat with oil. When these spices just start to smoke--the barest hint--remove from flame and pour carefully into the cooked split peas. Cover for a few minutes, stir once more, and serve. If you like cilantro (coriander leaves) you can serve with a little chopped cilantro on top. Dahl is often served over basmati rice.

Variation: add 2 tbsp lemon juice before cooking split peas and balance this with 2 tsp sugar or honey at the end.

Vegetables may be added if desired--tomatoes are a common addition and root vegetables can be added at the beginning. I would add tomatoes and chopped spinach late in the cooking process, just before adding the final spices.

I used this with seitan:

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

handful of cilantro leaves, loosely chopped

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp. cumin powder

2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped, use more if you are a daredevil with hot spices

spritz of oil (I used peanut, olive another good choice)by spritz I mean briefly pour a bit in, more if you want to be decadent or don't care about fat intake :)

salt/pepper to taste

toying with the idea of adding a bit of tequila next time...same amt as oil

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour over seitan, tofu or meat in a bag. Marinade for 20 minutes. Meanwhile chop up peppers and onion in strips--I added zucchini to mine and sometimes include carrots cut crosswise on a slight diagonal. If using carrots, add those first since they take longer to cook.

Saute veggies in skillet adding softer veggies like zucchini last. Then add seitan* or tofu (use a slotted spoon when removing from marinade, some marinade is fine in skillet) and cook until moisture bubbles out of the pan. Put in softened whole wheat tortillas with guacamole, cheese and sour cream. You can also add a little more chopped cilantro for cilantro fans. Omit dairy if you prefer a lower fat meal.

Out of chipotles? Use liquid smoke for that smoky flavor and a raw jalapeno for the heat. A fraction of a capful of liquid smoke is all that's needed--think drops.

Another good variation is to throw a sprig of fresh rosemary in the skillet near the end.. Remove before serving.

If you are using meat, consult a fajita recipe for cooking instructions.

There used to be this cool spice packet called fajita dust. They don't seem to make it any more. It was great--instead of a marinade in advance, you could just add it to the pan as you cooked your veggies.

This can be really quick on a work night if you chop veggies on the weekend. The marinade is pretty quick to throw together and this cooks pretty fast.

My family got into the mayonnaise cake craze when it was going around in the early seventies--it was nice and moist. Here's one version:

A chocolate mayonnaise cake, made with mayonnaise in place of eggs and oil.
Ingredients:

* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 cup cocoa
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Sift together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Cream together the sugar, mayonnaise, water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; stir until well blended. Pour batter into greased and floured layer cake pans (or a 9- x 13-inch pan). Bake at 350°F. for about 25 minutes.

This one is so easy! No baking! Also good for a fruit tart base.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Use pre-cooked crust or graham cracker crust.

Using a mixer, mix cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Pour into crust and chill. Top before serving with canned pie topping or fresh fruit.

I can't even tell you how often I've made this over the years.

One of my LJ friends was talking about the need for quick meals that employ mixes and other short cuts--she has a small child and is finishing up her medical training as a resident. (Can't imagine that with a small child, my hat's off to you!) You can imagine how tired she must be in the evenings. I remember the years I was in school and working at the women's center and was too tired to do anything elaborate when I got home.

I thought I'd share my slightly embellished response because I suspect you all know something about quick and easy meals for a young mom. Maybe you can share some! I realize I was fortunate also to have a family of women who all cooked, both from scratch and from mixes, so I got a head start in seeing the possibilities. That's no longer necessarily the case for the younger generations.

I had a number of easy recipes that used mixes and stuff when I was going to school and raising my kids alone. I'd get home after a full day of classes and work-study (I did twenty hours on top of my full course load) and I certainly wouldn't be cooking anything from scratch.

You can make a really nice cream pie with a store bought crust and Jello instant pudding mix. :) Mmmmmm, pistachio! You just add less milk for a thicker pudding. For banana cream pie, I use vanilla because the banana tastes too fake, but I put bananas on the bottom before I pour the pudding in. Just refrigerate and voila! A cream pie! You can even make it lower in fat by using 1 per cent milk.

I also have an easy no-bake cheesecake recipe involving cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice, which get blended and poured into a baked pie crust. I used a canned pie filling for topping--cherry or blueberry or even a combination. Top with sliced fresh fruit for a fruit tart. I'll dig that one up and post it.

I intend to have a little section of my family cookbook that I will call "cheating." I'll post a copy of that section when I'm done.

The basic staples of the Indian meal, rice and dahl (bean soup) are quick and easy to get on the stove--5-10 minutes or so--and then they simmer for awhile, filling the house with a beautiful scent. Steam or microwave some veggies and you have a whole meal. Make a big pot of soup and you have leftovers for another night. I'm a big believer in using leftovers--why cook twice when you can cook once?

I'll post a recipe sometime soon. You can use yellow split peas or lentils in dahl if you don't have the more exotic mung or urad dahls from an Indian store. Dahl simmers for about an hour, and rice takes 20 minutes, so you start the dahl first and get it simmering. You can add veggies to the dahl as well as having veggies on the side. Instead of making chapatis or naan, you can use whole wheat tortillas or pita bread with the meal. You can also get frozen naan, parathas, or roti from an Indian grocer.

Living with a man makes it harder to have leftovers, but I've found a strategy that saves my husband from gaining extra pounds. I put some of the meal into storage containers in the fridge before I serve him. I may leave enough for a small second serving. I let him believe that there just isn't any more than that--without lying out right. Basically, guys often eat so fast they don't know they are full yet, and they often just gravitate to a second and third helping they don't really need.

In a pinch, we certainly are spoiled by having a lot of healthy, organic frozen dinners in the health food section of our supermarkets or in health food stores. As a vegetarian I relied on Amy's dinners when I was working overtime. These days they are a luxury, though. I have more time than money so I'm cooking more from scratch. It's the best way to weather a recession, too!

Frozen vegetables have been proven to have more vitamins than most produce at the store which has been picked days earlier and shipped long distances. There are lots of frozen vegetable mixes and even some with good sauces--I saw one recently that has a rosemary sauce that is really good. You steam it right in the microwave. You also don't waste a bunch of vegetables because you are too tired to carry out the good intentions you had when you bought them on the weekend. Less waste equals money saved!

What are some of the easy things you make using short cuts, mixes or prepared foods?

Sweet Stewed Tomatoes

Serves 6-8



* 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, including juice
* 8 slices white bread, well toasted
* 1 tbsp butter
* 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)

Place tomatoes in a large saucepan. Tear toast into about 4 pieces per slice; add to tomatoes. Add butter and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.

--something my mom used to make

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream-style corn
* 1/4 (16 ounce) package saltine crackers, crushed
* 1 egg, beaten



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, combine corn, crackers and egg. Mix and pour into small baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Simple and quintessentially Midwestern. Saltines seemed to be used in a lot of things--including meatloaf.

referred to this online recipe by SKL:

Pumpkin cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups shortening
* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 cups canned pumpkin
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 8 tablespoons milk
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup packed brown sugar


DIRECTIONS

1. Cream shortening, white sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. To Make Frosting: Cook butter, milk, and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool and add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm cookies.

Legumes and indeed, all carbohydrate-based foods these days, often get a bad rap. However, in defense of legumes they do have a lot of good things to offer and have been a vital mainstay of poor people's diets throughout the world and down through the ages. The fiber they provide help prevent some of the diseases of the colon that modern low fiber diets have contributed to. (I had zero polyps when I was examined on '06--the doctor said that's very rare for someone my age in America.) Fiber is also good for a heart-healthy diet since it helps lower cholesterol.

Here's some more information for anyone wanting to make an informed decision about the role of legumes in their diet, perhaps in moderation and with an application of Beano. ( Read more... )Source: http://waltonfeed.com/self/beans.html where you can find much, much more information.

I was referred (thanks Summer!) to a page listing the 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1.00.

Also, if you are at all interested in someday traveling the country with an RV or tent, check out her article on Modern Day Nomads. Here's the story of how it all came about.

Of course nomad living just gives me homeless-with-kids flashbacks, but I've known people who were quite happy to live that way. I think it works much better for those without dependents, though I clearly got a sense at Leo Carrillo that there were still people with kids making use of the campgrounds out of homelessness rather than for fun.

found this recipe and thought I'd pass it on. I would take out the mushrooms, of course. :)


Coconut Curry Tofu

What You'll Need:

* 2 bunches green onions
* 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
* 1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
* 2 teaspoons chili paste
* 1 pound firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
* 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
* 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
* 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 4 cups chopped bok choy
* salt to taste

Step by Step:

Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2" pieces.

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chili paste. Bring to a boil.

Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet.

Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce.

Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp.

Garnish with remaining green onion.

Yield: 6 servings