Month: March 2024

Springtime Pasta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

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Here in Chicago, we have had a pretty easy winter, especially compared to the rest of the country. And so far the month of March has been like late spring, then back to winter and back to spring etc. I’m not complaining mind you. Of all of the myriad things to complain about in the world right now, Chicago’s weather is not one of them.

So on one of the spring-like days, I decided to come up with a recipe that was appropriate for the weather. While the version I actually made was vegan, you could easily substitute dairy where I will indicate, if making vegan recipes is not your thing.

Any ridged or textured pasta will work here, but I chose to use a red lentil rotini pasta to give us a good hit of protein that otherwise would be lacking. I also used a vegan bouillon cube where you could use chicken. And vegan cream, where either dairy half & half or cream could be used.

Just before serving, I topped ours with vegan parmesan-style cheese. I will say that while there have been huge strides in vegan products, the vegan cheeses that I have tried so far are just “okay.” But then I tend to like strong cheeses and these have generally been fairly mild. Texture-wise, the cheeses are very good and several melt beautifully. The only other issue that I have with vegan cheese is the color. Since there are many vegetable food colorings out there, I’m not sure why so many of the cheeses present as a not overly enticing greige color. I’m sure that in time, this will be sorted out as well.

But I digress. Springtime Pasta comes together quite quickly and there are no special skills required in making it. Because it does come together quickly, though, prep everything ahead of starting to cook.

My husband and I loved this lovely fresh sauce and the lemon zest and mint added just the right amount of brightness to the recipe. So when you are in need of a bit of weeknight inspiration, give this recipe a try.

Recipe

Yield: About 4 generous servings

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons EVOO or avocado oil

8 to 10 ounces of your favorite pasta

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 vegan bouillon cube

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup of plant-based heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Zest of a small lemon or to taste

1 large shallot or small onion, thinly sliced

1 pound of fresh asparagus

8 ounces of mushroom, sliced into 3 thickish pieces (I like baby Bellas but white mushroom work as well.)

1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed

1/3 cup of sliced sundried tomatoes in olive oil

One cup of pasta water

A handful of coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley with about 2 Tablespoons of chopped mint

Directions

Cut off the woody end of the asparagus and then cut the remaining asparagus into 3 pieces.

While you are starting to cook, prep your pasta water and get it boiling. Cook your pasta to the shortest recommended cooking time since it will continue to cook in the sauce for another minute or two. When the pasta is just about finished cooking, remove one cup+ of the pasta water and set it aside. One cup is fine if you are eating all of the pasta in one sitting. If you plan on refrigerating a portion, I would add another half cup to keep the pasta and sauce loose for reheating.

In a deep skillet or small Dutch oven, sauté the shallot, mushrooms, and asparagus pieces in the oil for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften but not brown. You can partially cover the pan to speed things along.

Add in the sundried tomatoes, lemon zest, salt, pepper, crumbled bouillon cube and frozen peas. When everything is hot, add in the wine. Toss everything through well and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

Add in the cream, pasta and pasta water and stir through. It may seem like too much liquid at first, but the pasta will absorb it. Just before you are ready to serve, toss in your parsley and mint, reserving about 2 Tablespoonsful to sprinkle on top for presentation. Top with your cheese of choice or eat it as is.

Purim!

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Support Humanitarian Efforts in Israel and Ukraine

It’s almost Purim (March 23)! After October 7, 2023 and the massacre of innocent Jews in Israel by the terrorist group Hamas, the Purim holiday has rarely been so appropriate for modern times. Purim is a joyous holiday that falls on the 14th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. It celebrates the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre in ancient Persia. Once again Jews are facing an annihilation from Iran (Persia) and its proxies of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. And like the Jews of Ancient Persia, we will vanquish our enemies and live to thrive and enrich the world with our many positive contributions.

Below are some of my favorite recipes for Purim. Enjoy and Chag Purim Sameach!

What would be Purim without Hamantaschen.

Poppy Seed Window Cookies

Queen Esther Cookies

Ma’Amoul – Moroccan Stuffed Tartlets

Iraqi Almond Cardamom Cookies

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Mulligatawny Soup

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Support Humanitarian Efforts in Israel and Ukraine

Mulligatawny Soup is a comforting and familiar chicken and rice soup, but with a twist. Created during the Raj to suit the tastes of the English overlords, Mulligatawny took ingredients that every Englishman would recognize but kicked it up a notch Indian seasonings. So while not an authentic Indian soup, it has become forever linked with Indian cuisine.

As people who follow my blog know, my husband and I are living in temporary digs while our apartment is being renovated. So, of course, every time I go to cook or bake something I realize that some ingredient is back at our old place. But as this should be the worst problem that I ever have to face, I make do. In this case, I had all of the ingredients for the soup, but I didn’t have any ajwain on hand for our naan.

I have never been a meat and potatoes person and my favorite meal is invariably a delicious soup with good bread. After 39 years of marriage, my husband has come around to my way of thinking. and while there are a few soups that I make on repeat, I thought it would be nice to have something a little different. For some reason, Mulligatawny Soup came to mind – a soup I actually had never made.

As is my habit, I started looking at recipes on the internet since all of my cookbooks are packed away. I generally look at anywhere from 3 to 5 different versions of something before I decide to try and make it. Then I pick and choose what I like best from each. In this case, my base recipe came from a blog called Craving Tasty. I wasn’t familiar with it but the comments were very positive. Of course, I then proceeded to make some tweaks.

The soup came together in less than an hour and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think you will too. This recipe makes about 4 servings, but I see no reason why it couldn’t be doubled if you are feeding a crowd. And if you prefer your food more fiery, adjust the proportions of mild vs. hot curry powder – or just use all hot.

All it needed to make a meal was some naan (store-bought) and a few salads and dips that I had leftover from Shabbat. I’ve always though that Middle Eastern and South Asian food went well together. Give it a try the next time you are looking for some comfort but a bit more.

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings as a main course

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, ghee, coconut oil or other neutral oil or a combination

1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, well trimmed and diced

1/3 cup raw but rinsed and drained Basmati rice

1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white and light green parts only) Be sure to really rinse the leeks well!

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium Granny Smith apple with the peel, but cut into small dice

1 large bay leaf

2.5 teaspoons mild curry powder

1.5 teaspoons hot curry powder

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

cracked black pepper to taste

2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

4 cups unsalted chicken broth or stock

2 cups water

one can (approx. 13.5 ounces) of full-fat coconut milk (I only used the thick cream that rose to the top) You could also use either about 1 cup of a plant-based heavy cream or dairy half & half.

Directions

Melt your butter or oil in a 5-quart pot (preferably one with a heavy bottom.) Add the leeks, carrots and celery and sauté for about 8 minutes or until softened.

Once the vegetables have softened add in the curry powder, bay leaf, flour and salt and stir through until the spices bloom and you have cooked off the raw flour. This should only take about 3 minutes.

Next, add in the chicken, rice, apple, chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Then cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice and chicken are cooked through.

Add in the thyme, nutmeg, pepper and coconut milk or cream, stir everything through and simmer for another five minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Vegan Mac & Cheese

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Support Humanitarian Efforts in Israel and Ukraine

My father was in the candy-making business for his entire adult life. And every year he would attend what the family called The Candyman’s Ball. He would return home from this evening laden with goodies from candy makers around the world. Yes, our house was always a favorite stop for Trick or Treating.

As part of his job, my father purchased huge quantities of sugar, cocoa, milk and other ingredients. Over the years, our family became good friends with his contact for dairy products from Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. In fact, even after my father had died, we kept in touch and Toni knitted a beautiful sweater for my son when he was born. I have saved the sweater for my grandchildren, but sadly, we did finally lose track of one another. However, the fond memories of visits to their home remain.

Every year John would send us a 5-pound wheel of a delicious Pippen Cheese – a kind of cheddar. I always loved when the cheese arrived because it meant that my mother would make her wonderful Mac & Cheese. We’re not talking boxed Mac & Cheese, although that does have its place in the world of food, as most parents of young children can attest. Her Mac & Cheese was a thing of beauty, covered with thick slices of tomato, bread crumbs and cheese on top that would get bubbly and toasty brown.

My Vegan Mac and Cheese is more of an homage to my mother’s wonderful recipe rather an attempt at exact duplication. Like her deep-dish apple pie, it is something best left to my memories.

If you follow my blog, you will know that my husband and I try to eat more and more vegan and vegetarian meals. We do it for both health and personal ethical reasons. With the advent of so many new and really excellent vegan products, you no longer only need to eat beans, tofu and veggies – much as I love them.

While I rarely crave much meat (never did), I do desire a creamy, comforting Mac & Cheese now and then. But it’s really just too rich to be eating much of it at our age. I don’t want to merely live a long life, but a healthy one. So I challenged myself to come up with a delicious vegan version of Mac & Cheese. Of course, I did the usual thing of going online first and checking out available vegan recipes. Then I like to pick and choose things I like from several and ultimately include my own touches.

If you are looking to feed a hungry bunch, you can’t miss with this Vegan Mac & Cheese. All it needs is some good bread and a green salad. A nice glass of wine for the adults wouldn’t be bad either! And while this appears very rich, it is all plant-based fat. So when you crave that silky, creamy Mac & Cheese but worry that maybe your cholesterol says “uh uh” try this version instead.

Recipe

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients

16 ounces pasta of choice, cooked according to package instruction (Use the shortest time given since this will also bake in the oven. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water for use in the sauce!)

2 cups plain soy milk

2 cups plant-based cream

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1.5 teaspoons ground mustard powder (You could add 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard if you don’t have mustard powder.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper or to taste

2 rounded teaspoons vegan cream cheese

12 ounces vegan cheese, of choice – shredded (I used a combination of cheeses but you could use all cheddar-style)

5 to 6 Roma tomatoes, thickly sliced

Seasoned dried breadcrumbs (About 1/2 cup, although I didn’t really measure. You’ll scatter as much as you like.)

1/3 cup reserved pasta water

EVOO or melted plant-based butter for drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium-sized pot, on medium high heat, add all of the sauce ingredients and stir to melt. When the mixture is creamy, remove from the heat and pour over the cooked, drained pasta.

Place in a large, rectangular baking dish which is at least 2-inches deep. Cover the top with slices of tomato. Generously sprinkle the bread crumbs over the tomatoes and drizzle EVOO or melted vegan butter over the top.

Put the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and toasted. (I actually had to place mine under the broiler for a couple of minutes since the oven I am working with in my rental is not the greatest.)

Allow the Mac & Cheese to rest for 15 minutes before serving. This will help everything to come together and will make serving easier. Now enjoy!