Recipe Repository

Also known as Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies, these wonderful cookies are great any time of the year. I like to include them in my holiday assortment for a little variety. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
16 oz. confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 & 1/4 cups white flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pecans chopped or broken into small pieces

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and nuts. Work in flour mixture untill dough holds together. Using your hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on un-greased baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or untill set but not brown.

After removing them from the oven, allow the cookies to cool for about 15 minutes. While they are still warm (but not too hot!) roll the cookies in confectioner’s sugar. The sugar should stick and coat the cookies but not melt. If the sugar melts, let the cookies cool longer and try again. After the first coat of sugar is applied, wait unti the cookies are completely cool and roll them in confectioner’s sugar a second time. To package these for gifts I like to put 6 of them in a small plastic sandwich bag and add an extra teaspoon of powdered sugar to the bag.

This recipe is adapted from one found in the Willams-Sonoma catalog. The quality of the soup depends a great deal on the quality of the faux sausage used. Of course, carnivores are welcome to use andouille sausage if they prefer. This soup is a great winter warmer, and can be served with the remaining wine from the recipe or a crisp hoppy IPA. Fresh garlic bread makes a nice accompanying side. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb veggie sausage (Tofurky brand Kielbasa sausage)
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 leek, diced (white portion only)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme (dried can be substituted, but only if add at the end)
6 cups vegetable broth (warmed)
1 cup water (warmed)
2 cups white beans (drained)
4 ounces Swiss chard, leaves cup into 1/2″ strips
Salt and fresh-ground pepper (to taste)
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Preparation
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, boil the white wine until reduced to 1/2 cup (7-10 minutes).

In a soup pot, over medium heat, warm the olive oil, and brown the sausage for about 3 minutes on each side (more if using real meat). Let the sausage cool; cut diagonally into 1/2″ slices and set aside.

In the same pot, over medium-low heat,cook the onion, celery, carrot and leek until soft (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and thyme (only if using the fresh stuff!) and cook for 2 minutes. Add the reduced wine, vegetable broth and water and simmer on medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes. Add the sausage, beans and Swiss chard and cook until the chard wilts (5-8 minutes). Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

I love savory pancakes, and these are a great Korean version. They are tasty served hot or at room temperature. Serves 6. [Inspired by: Flavors of Korea by Deborah Coultrip-Davis and Young Sook Ramsay.]
Spicy Dipping Sauce
3 Tbsp Gochujang*
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup water
Whisk ingredients together.

Mild Dipping Sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp white or rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
Whisk ingredients together.

Pancake Ingredients
12 oz. fresh mung or soy bean sprouts
1 bunch (approximately 7) scallions
2 Tbsp Gochujang
1 egg
3/4 cup rice flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-2 cups water
vegetable oil for cooking

*Gochujang (pronounced: go-chew-jang) is a seasoning paste commonly used in Korean cuisine. It is made from fermented rice and Korean hot pepper powder, and has an earthy and mildly spicy flavor. You can purchase it in any Korean market, and many other Asian markets (ask for it by name if the products for sale do not have English writing on them). If you can not find Gochujang, you can substitute brown miso paste mixed with a little bit of Cayenne pepper powder, but I recommend searching for a Korean market. If you live near a large city it should be easy to find one and it’s a fun adventure to see all the different items that you can’t get at a regular supermarket. Plus, the produce is usually high quality and very inexpensive.

Preparation
Heat a pot of water to boiling. Rinse the sprouts and add them to the boiling water and cover immediately (use a light-weight lid so steam can escape, and turn down the heat to prevent spill-over). Boil the sprouts for 2 minutes, then drain and shock in a bowl of cold water, and drain again.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg and add one cup of the water and the two flours. Mix well. This mixture should be thin like pancake batter. Add more water if necessary. Rinse the scallions and trim off the top 2 inches of the green parts and the roots, then slice finely. Add the scallions and Gochujang to the batter and mix well. Finally, add the cooked sprouts and mix until coated with the batter.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large skillet for several minutes until the pan is hot. Use a 1/3 cup measuring scoop to ladle out the pancake mix. As soon as you place a scoop of batter in the pan, use the back of a wooden spoon to spread the mix out and flatten. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the edges are brown and begin to crisp, then flip the pancake and cook for about 2 minutes more. If your pan is large enough you can cook two or even three pancakes at once. When all pancakes are cooked, stack them in piles of 2 or 3 on a cutting board and chop them into pieces approximately 1-inch square. This makes them easier to handle with chopsticks. Serve with the dipping sauces.

This Korean side-dish is cool and crisp, a great accompaniment to any spicy meal. The recipe may seem complicated, but the steps are quite easy and this dish can be prepared with little effort while you are making the main part of the meal. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients
5-6 small pickling cucumbers, OR 3 large
1/3 cup kosher or sea salt (NOT iodized table salt)
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
a pinch of dried chili flakes for garnish (preferably the mild Korean pepper found in Asian markets)

Preparation
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly to remove any wax on the skin. If using the large cukes, slice them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumbers into paper-thin wafers. (A slicing mandolin makes the work faster, but always remember to use the guard as the blades on these are very sharp and dangerous.)
Fill a large bowl with filtered water and add the salt. Stir to dissolve, then add the cucumbers. Let sit for 2 hours, or until the cucumbers are wilted and flexible.

To remove the excess salt from the cucumbers, rinse them in a collander and then rinse out the bowl. Refill the bowl with fresh water and add the cukes to the unsalted water. Let stand for about 15 minutes. The excess salt will migrate into the water and leave the cukes unsalted. Taste one to make sure the salty flavor is gone. When the cukes are ready, pour them in a collander and rinse one more time, then rinse out your bowl again.

Next, grab a handfull of the wilted cuke slices and squeeze out the extra water. Don’t be affraid to squeeze hard! Remove as much water as you can and put the cukeball into the bowl. Continue in this way until you have wrung out all of your cukes. Add the vinegar, sugar and chili flakes to the bowl, then stir well to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust the ratio of tart to sweet to your liking. Transfer to a serving dish; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. This dish may be made ahead of time as it keeps well in the fridge for several days.

Normally I am not a box-of-this, can-of-that type of cook, but sometimes you hit upon a shortcut that is truly tasty and healthy. I hope you enjoy this as much and Rick and I have. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients
1 box Fantastic Foods “Instant Black Bean” mix
[This is essentially refried beans that have been dehydrated. It comes with some spices already mixed in, so you can use it for dip, as a veggie filling for tostadas, etc. I found it in my local health-food oriented grocery store but some major chains are starting to carry the Fantastic Foods line now.]

1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
4-5 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced (white parts and about 5 inches of green parts)
1 14oz. can diced tomatos (fire-roasted preferred)
1 Tbsp. chile powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
4-6 cups hot water

Optional Toppings
sour cream
salsa (smoked jalapeno is a nice match)
chopped cilantro
sliced scallions
your favorite hot sauce

Preparation
In a soup pot, saute the onions, garlic and carrot in the oil until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, scallions, chile powder and ground cumin, and cook for another minute. Next, pour in 4 cups of hot water, toss in the bay leaves, and sprinkle in the box of bean mix. Stir thoroughly so that the beans get completely rehydrated in the water (no clumps).

It will take about 8 minutes for the beans to soak up the water and start to thicken the soup. If it starts getting too thick, add a little more water. Taste the soup and add some salt if you wish. Continue cooking for at least 15 minutes over low heat, to give the flavors a chance to combine. Wait until just before serving before you add the cilantro; you don’t want to overcook the fresh herbs. Serve with any of the optional toppings and fresh cornbread.

Most vegetarian enchiladas are simply cheese and onion. These enchiladas are stick-to-your-ribs hearty because of the faux meat. This is a dish that can easily be made early and popped into the oven for a quick meal. Great with a lager or ale. Serves 6.

Ingredients:
6 6″ flour tortillas (Whole wheat, regular flour or some other if available. We prefer Mission brand.)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper (any color)
1-2 green onions chopped
1 whole package Gimme Lean! faux beef (or other crumble-style)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of fresh black pepper
1 Tbsp chili powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red chili flakes.
15 oz can black beans
2 cups enchilada sauce*
1/4 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese (preferably from Vermont, of course)

Preparation
In a skillet or saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil, add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion softens. Add the salt and pepper, and faux meat. Break up the meat and continue to stir the mixture for about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes and black beans to the mixture and continue to cook. Add about 3/4 of the enchilada sauce, and allow to simmer and reduce a bit. Add the diced bell pepper just before you are ready to start filling the tortillas.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degree Farenheit.

Spoon some of the mixture into the center each of the tortillas, and add a little grated cheese, and fold. Folding methods varies, but the key is to not overfill the tortilla. Pour a little of the sauce into the bottom of a 9″x13″ glass casserole dish and then place each enchillada into the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchilladas, making sure that all of the tortilla is covered but not saturated. Sprinkle the tops with enchilladas with the remaining cheese and some chopped green onions.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven carefully, remove the foil and continue to bake for additional 10 minutes or until the tops begin to brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with dollops of sour cream or guacamole (optional).

* If you can’t find enchilada sauce, look for a can of adobo sauce and wisk in vegetable broth. Or make your own some other way.

This easy side dish is a great way to hike up the nutrient content of any meal without adding extra calories. You can also substitute other hearty greens such as collards, spinach, bok choi, or chard. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients
2 large bunches kale (or other greens)
1 large white onion, medium dice
2-3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Wash the kale thoroughly, removing all of the sand. Then tear out the central thick stem from each leaf and discard (this woody stem does not soften when cooked). Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and pile them into a deep 14-16 inch, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Heat over medium-low heat and add a couple tablespoons of water to steam the greens. Sprinkle the onion on the top of the pile of greens to weigh them down. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes.

Check the greens and if they have wilted enough, toss the greens with the onion (you may have to cover the greens again and cook for a few minutes until the pile has shrunk enough to allow you to stir). Continue to gently sauté the greens and onion for several minutes and add a little salt and pepper to taste. Pick out a leaf and taste to see if it is tender enough. When the kale is tender, remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the vinegar over the kale, then toss and taste again, adding more vinegar if you wish. DO NOT put the pan back on the heat as this will cook the vinegar and make it taste bitter.

NOTE
If using collard greens, remove the center stem as noted above. For spinach, bok choi, and chard just chop the stem into one inch pieces and cook with the leaves.

I first had this dish when Josh made it for his pre-Thanksgiving party. It was so easy and delicious I had to make it again a week later. It’s a great twist on traditional mashed spuds - the perfect way to perk them up for the holidays. Serves 4-6, and can be easily doubled for more guests.

Ingredients
2 lbs. red or roasting potatoes, scrubbed
2 heads garlic, peeled (cloves left whole)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk (more or less)
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Quarter the potatoes and add them and the garlic cloves to the boiling water; cook 25-30 minutes, until tender. Drain completely and return to the pot. Slightly mash the potatoes before adding the sour cream and horseradish. Mash a bit more and then add enough milk to get the consistency you like. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve warm.

Keywords
potatoes, garlic, sour cream

This dish is great for when you want savory turkey without having to cook for hours—or deal with a carcass, if you aren’t making stock. It’s also good as a Thanksgiving dish for a small family or group. The bay leaves in the baste, and under the turkey breast, really do permeate the meat. Add a little vegetable broth to the baste to make the meat even juicier. Can be served with, or without, gravy. Goes well with red wine. We had this dish for our 2005 Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients
1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, scrubbed clean
12 fresh sage leaves (5 dried. Approximately 1 tsp. if dried)
Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 1/2 cup)
3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling pan
1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
6 fresh bay leaves (4 dried works too)
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
2 boneless turkey breast halves, skin on (or one larger breast)
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt and pepper

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
• Put the chopped onion into a mini food processor. Using a zester or vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Finely chop the onion and lemon zest. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until it forms a coarse paste.
• Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside. You can also slowly melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl with the bay leaves.
• Put the turkey breast(s) on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from one end, creating a pocket. Being careful not to pull the skin completely off. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a spoon, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• After 20 minutes, baste the breasts with the remaining bay butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

This is a fabulous recipe that works well served over basmati rice and with a nice cold beer. One can eliminate the seafood altogether—or replace with tofu—for a vegetarian version, although I personally have never tried it this way. This is adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe, and you will not believe how easy it is—and delicious!

Ingredients
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
1-2 Tbsp. Red Thai curry paste (gauge on how spicy you like it)
1 1/2 cups fish or vegetable stock (easiest to use the stock cubes boiled in water)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 lemongrass stalks, each cut into three and bruised with the flat of a knife
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 1/4 lbs. butternut squash (peeled and cut into large bite-size chunks)
1 lb. salmon fillet, preferably organic, skinned and cut into large bite-size chunks
1 lb. of peeled raw shrimp
(OR substitute 1 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed, for the seafood)
1 bunch Bok choi
Juice of 1/2 lime (use up to a full lime to taste)
Chopped fresh cilantro (for serving only)

Preparation

1. Skim the creamy (semi-solid) top off the can of coconut milk and put it—over medium heat—into a large saucepan or casserole with the curry paste. Let it sizzle and, using a whisk, beat the coconut milk and paste together until combined. Still beating gently, add the rest of the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, and turmeric.
2. Bring to a boil and then add the butternut squash. Cook on a fast simmer until the squash is tender (about 5-10 minutes). You will want to gauge this yourself.
3. To the simmering curry/squash mixture add the salmon and shrimp. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes or until done.
4. Stir in the bok choy, and push down into the curry with a wooden spoon. You want to just wilt the bok choy.
5. Next, squeeze in the juice of half a lime and stir.
6. Take the pan off the heat and add the cilantro right before serving.

Enjoy!!