Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice

Delilah made this coconut rice and it was addictive!

Coconut Rice
serves 4

1 ½ cups uncooked white rice
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, well shaken and stirred
1 ¼ cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Place rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, salt, coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, undisturbed, for 11 minutes. Taste, it should be just about done. Turn off heat and let sit covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Garlic flatbreads

 These are so simple and so delicious.  You could definitely make them without the garlic if you don't have or you could add other spices, like cumin and coriander.

Garlic Flatbreads
mostly from King Arthur
makes a dozen small (serves 4 easily with veggies and hummus)

3 cups (360g) All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3 tablespoons (35g) olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup (227g) water
2 to 3 tablespoons (25g to 35g) vegetable oil, additional for frying
3 garlic leaves, finely diced (scissors work great)

Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil and ice water, and mix to make a soft, cohesive dough. Adjust with flour or water as needed. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until the oil starts to shimmer in the pan.
Divide the dough into 10 to 12 equal pieces. Each piece be about the size of a large egg. Using oiled hands, shape the pieces by flattening between your palms as flat as you can get them.
In batches, fry the flatbreads in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and fry on the second side for another 2 minutes. Transfer from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving. Add more oil as needed.
Serve with hummus and veggies for an easy summer meal.

Veggie Chili with lentils

This was surprisingly really good.  I was looking for a way to use up our freezer surplus of green peppers and stumbled on a few recipes that were close enough, so I went for it.  Below is what I made with notes for next time.

2 cups diced bell pepper, diced, try it with 3 next time

1 cup onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

3 cloves garlic

olive oil

broth, veggie or chicken (bouillon and water is fine here)

4 cups of tomatoes (I used one bag of our frozen roasted toms)

salt and pepper

oregano

garlic powder

1 cup dry red lentils

In a a soup pot, medium heat, heat up a drizzle of oil and add onion and carrots, saute till softening and browning, adding garlic towards the end.  Add more oil as needed to prevent sticking.

Add spices and let saute a bit till fragrant.

Add remaining ingredients.  Use enough broth to cover everything by an inch.  Bring to boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 20 mins, checking randomly to be sure there is enough liquid.

Check to see if lentils are soft, to add more liquid, and/or more salt/pepper.

Serve over rice with chili style toppings (cheddar, sour cream, scallions) and good bread.

Chicken/turkey Pot Pie

Our favorite thing to make with leftover chicken or turkey is pot pie.  I have learned how to make it dairy free, for those that are avoiding dairy or those are keeping kosher.  Either way, it's delicious!  We have also made it vegan, using tofu and veggie broth, and it was just ok, but we really prefer our tofu in a stir fry.

Chicken/turkey Pot Pie
Serves 6-8

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil for dairy free/kosher)
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cups potatoes, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups Chicken Stock (you might need a little more for dairy free/kosher)
1 cup milk (We use goat milk.  Skip the milk for dairy free/kosher)
1 cup sweet young peas (optional, sometimes we use green beans, cut into 1 inch segments)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey

Basic Piecrust
We like Smitten's all butter crust as it comes together in just 5-10 minutes but store bought would be fine too.  If you are making a kosher/dairy free pot pie, then use filo dough.  I like to either scrunch it up and cover the top with the little messy piles of filo OR I like to just crumble it and scatter it.  Drizzle it with coconut oil.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the butter/oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 12-20 minutes until the veggies are almost cooked. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock a little at a time, letting it thicken a little before adding more. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick (if it's not already). Stir in the milk and continue to cook for another 4 minutes. Stir in peas or beans (any already cooked veggie), and chicken/turkey, and mix well.

Roll out one of a pie crusts and line it in your deep dish pie plate or a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan (for dairy free/kosher you will skip the bottom crust, see the note above about techniques for the filo dough).  Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Roll a second crust and either place it on top of the filling and cut vents OR make a lattice top.  Tuck the edges into the pan, forming a thick edge and crimp the edges. Put the pie on top of a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and crusty, 35-45 minutes (mine always takes longer). Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

Notes from/for Becky:

My great friend Becky likes to treat it like a soup and adds in a little "better than bouillon", quite a bit of fresh garlic, some dried thyme, basil, and herbes de Provence.

Kale pesto

Now that the frost has killed all the basil, it's time for kale pesto.  It's quite addictive and I dont think I will miss basil pesto one bit.  This recipe will double and triple easily.

Kale Pesto
makes enough for one small ball jar

1 small bunch of kale, about 1/2 pound, center ribs removed
1/8 cup nuts (we use cashews but pine nuts or walnuts would be fine too)
2 garlic cloves
zest of one lemon
juice from half that lemon
salt, to taste
evoo, optional

Bring water to boil and add kale for 45 seconds to blanch.  Strain and spread on a towel to cool and dry a bit.

In your food processor, pulse together all the ingredients.  It is a bit crumbly.  You can add oil if you prefer.

Broccoli Soup

This soup is dairy free, grain free, gluten free, meat free... and delicious!  It's simple and amazing, plus it's quick!

Pureed Broccoli Soup
serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
8 cups chopped broccoli (stems and florets)
6 cups liquid (veggie broth or chicken broth, if you're not vegetarian)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6-10 minutes, adding garlic and thyme (or parsley) about halfway through.

Add in broccoli and liquid.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, covered. Reduce heat to maintain a light simmer and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches until smooth, taste for salt and pepper.

Serve with a big salad.  You might want to have hot sauce and a little bowl of cheese on the table but it really needs nothing.

Cheryl's Soup

My friend Cheryl calls this "Crisper Soup."  We just call it "Cheryl's Soup."  It's the perfect soup to make with whatever you have on hand and it works especially well with our frozen, roasted tomatoes.  I plan to freeze extra tomatoes JUST for this soup.  We've been enjoying it once a week since it's perfect for this rainy weather pattern that Vermont seems to get stuck in every Spring.  I am so thankful to Cheryl for sharing her recipe with us!

Cheryl's Soup
(it's hard to say how many it serves, but hopefully, you'll get at least 4 servings)

Sautee:
Onion
2-4 cloves garlic
Couple carrots
Couple celery stalks (if you have)
Diced red pepper (if you have, but it's so much better with a pepper)

Add:
Diced / chunked sweet potatoes if I have one (yum!)
28 oz diced tomatoes (if using frozen, roasted tomatoes, puree them first)
3c water or veggie stock (or more… I like my soups thick and chunky)
Generous grinds of fresh pepper
Salt to taste if I’m not using stock
Chickpeas
Tofu cubes
Herbs (Parsley and basil OR rosemary - we love it with rosemary)

Simmer for 30 mins or so

Other things I like to add:
Sliced spinach
Diced potatoes
Pasta
Peas
Cauliflower

Serve with a dollop of pesto or with parm.

Pizza with bean puree and roasted squash

We have made this twice and the first time it was unspeakably amazing.  The second time, it was just ok.  I am telling you about it because of the bean puree.  It is amazing!  And I think all our pizzas would be amazing with it... if we make it right.  And we are going to make it right!  It's great as a dip or a spread on wraps (like hummus but better).

Pizza with bean puree and roasted squash
serves just the right amount.  I dont know.  Maybe 4 with a salad

The Puree:
1 can cannellini, rinsed and drained (or make your own, of course!)
¼ cup olive oil, the best you have
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh if you can
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Puree it all together in the food processor or blender.  It's best done in advance.  Add the water to get a nice spreadable consistency, like hummus.  Dont skimp on the thyme and garlic.  Taste for the flavor.

For the pizza:
1-2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup spinach or arugula
Pizza dough

Caramelize the onion while you roast the squash.  Assemble the pizza, starting with the bean puree, then the greens, then the onions and squash.  Salt and pepper as you like.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This is a family favorite.  We look forward to it all year long, waiting for the sprouts to grow, hoping the deer dont eat them before we pick them.  It's simple, but the prep work is a little time consuming if you're using sprouts on the stalk.  The original recipe is from the NYT and Mark Bittman, here.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
serves 4, but everyone always wants more

1 stalk of sprouts (somewhere between a pint and a quart)
olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced or minced
salt and pepper, optional
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 400 (higher is fine if you need it higher for another dish).

Remove any rough outer leaves from the sprouts, cut the bottoms, then slice in half.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a cast iron pan, medium high heat (oil will shimmer).  Put sprouts in and let cook undisturbed until they begin to brown on the bottom, shake/stir, then cook one more time.  Add garlic.

Transfer pan to the oven to roast.  Shake/stir pan every 5 minutes until they are quite brown and tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, if using, and serve hot or warm.

Best pizza crust

Update May 2019, I found an even better pizza crust.  Look for a new post soon!

This recipe ends our search for the perfect pizza crust.  It's from King Arthur and is just right!  We had a vegan pizza with potatoes, onions, and fresh herbs (it was great, but needed more herbs) and a red pizza with eggplant (yum!).  Next time, we might try a little whole wheat flour.  The recipe is nearly identical to the KAF recipe, but if you prefer the original, check it out here.  This makes enough to have plenty of leftovers OR you can freeze the dough in portions.  We wrap it in plastic wrap and then put it in a ziplok bag for safe freezing.

Pizza Dough
makes 3 large pizzas or 4 mediums

2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast or instant yeast; or 1 packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 1/2 to 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour


Dissolve the sugar, yeast, and salt in the lukewarm water and olive oil.

Add the flour, starting with 5 1/2 cups flour and adding more as necessary to make a soft, smooth dough.

Knead the dough (with your hands, a mixer, or your bread machine set on the dough cycle) until it's smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container, cover it, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 3 or 4 pieces. Roll each piece, on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin.

Place the dough on pizza pans; on baking sheets; or, if you have a pizza stone in your oven, on parchment.

Preheat your oven to 450°F and create your pizza with toppings.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Mushroom ­Spinach Soup

This is such a simple soup, but it has great complex flavors and depth.  It smells amazing as it cooks!  It has all our favorite spices, so I knew it would be an easy soup for everyone to enjoy.  I also think it's a nice base to build on.  We plan to try it with beans next time... and maybe lentils the time after that.  My version is below but the original version is here (with shallots).

Mushroom ­Spinach Soup
serves 4-6

3-6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1-2 pounds  mushrooms, chopped or finely diced
1 onion
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup
1 teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
water or veggie broth or chicken broth or whey
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound or more of baby greens (chopped, optional)
protein (we plan to try white beans or garbanzo next time)
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
Hot sauce

Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium­ high heat. Add the mushrooms, cook till the liquid releases and evaporates.  Add in onions, cook till lightly browned.

Add in tomato paste/ketchup and spices; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in 5 cups liquid, the salt and the black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 20 minutes. You could purée smooth at this point or wait and coarsely purée after adding the greens.  Stir in greens and let cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

If you like, coarsely purée soup now Mix in beans, if using, let heat another few minutes.  Serve with lime juice, yogurt, and hot sauce, if you like.