Mini Veggie Pizza Toppings

There is a pizza crust to go under the toppings but the fun is in the topping.  I keep, mini pizza crusts, in my freezer, for the times, we want pizza for dinner.  The two of us eat two each with a heaping bowl of salad.  What I started doing, was making two pizzas with one type of topping and a the other two with something different.  It makes the meal more interesting and enjoyable.

Tonight, we had a more traditional pizza with tomato sauce,broccoli, onions, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.   The other pizza had carrots, radish, spinach with ricotta, Parmesan and Cheddar.  This is a nice change from pizza as we knew it, a few years ago.

For two mini pizzas……

Pizza 1

1/4 cup Marinara sauce for each of the two pizzas

1 teaspoon chopped onion for each

sprinkle of Parmesan for each

1/4 cup chopped broccoli for each

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Lay out the mini crusts.  Pour marinara sauce on two of the crusts.  Cover with vegetables and cheese.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake completed pizza for 10 – 12 minutes or until cheese is browned.

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Pizza 2

1/3 cup Ricotta cheese for each of the two

1/4 cup thin sliced carrots for each

1/4 cup spinach

1/8 cup yellow tomato

few thin sliced pieces of radish

1 teaspoon of Parmesan

1/4 cup of cheddar cheese

Cover crust with Ricotta leaving a small space at the edge that is plain crust.

Spoon spinach on Ricotta.  Top with carrots, tomato and radish.

Sprinkle Parmesan and grated cheddar cheese.  I grate right onto the pizza.

Bake in the same manner as above.

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This is linked to

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Noodles and Cabbage

I hope, I have not already posted a noodles and cabbage recipe.  I love it and make it often.  I made it for the holiday.  I think, this is based on a Hungarian recipe.  I remember it, from my childhood.  My mother made this and it was one of her more festive dishes.  She was a plain cook, meat and potatoes and always a green vegetable.  When I was a child, we ate our green vegetables plain and Mom did not try to disguise them.  For some reason, we understood, we eat the food, put in front of us.  This was a special dish for us and I have fond memories of it.

Despite my love for this, I did add some broccoli slaw and added a new dimension to the dish.

Noodles and Cabbage

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup broccoli slaw (carrots included)

1 16 ounce bag shredded white or green cabbage

1 1/2 cups gluten-free brown rice spaghetti

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Heat olive oil in pan over med high heat.

Saute onions till golden brown, 5-10 minutes.

Add cabbage and cook till soft, 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Add broccoli slaw and cook for another 5 minutes.

Mix in noodles .

Season with black pepper and if you use salt, add to taste.

Cook 2 minutes or until heated through.

This is linked to Friday Food

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

I have done little baking here and I must add some recipes.  I made these wonderful muffins, using my food processor to do the chopping, making this an easy recipe to achieve.  I debated making mini muffins because they are so cute  but there is so much goodness in these, I decided on the full size.  

Pears and carrots may sound odd together but they are not.  They went together like peanut butter and jelly and were much more delicious.

Making muffins always presents a problem for me.  There are so many muffins, I want to make, with a multitude of combinations of ingredients.  When, I decide to make one, I can’t make a decision.  I really wanted to make a cheesy muffin and owe myself that opportunity.

Fruit and Veggie Muffins  (adapted from Recipe for Living)

Ingredients

• 2 cups. shredded cored, peeled pears
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup chopped cranberries  (the food processor did not do a great job chopping these but it makes no difference)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2-1/2 cups gluten-free flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Canola oil

Method:

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix pears, cranberries, carrots, and nuts  Stir gently to combine.

Sift dry ingredients.  Add to sugar mixture and stir well.

Stir in eggs and oil and mix gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire rack.

 Makes 12 large muffins.

This is linked to Hearth and Soul with Alea    Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays with Amy

Tons of Chicken Soup

Each year, when Passover arrives, I pull out my two biggest pots and make chicken soup, lots and lots of chicken soup.  I don’t use a recipe.  Rather, I look around and grab almost every vegetable in site.  I did that, this year, and once again, we had superb soup.  It always amazes me, how the same soup tastes better on Passover than the rest of the year.

I end up freezing containers of soup except for the soup, we use, in the immediate following two days.  I take these containers out of the freezer, as I need them and I always add fresh vegetable to the ready-made soup.  That gives the soup a wallop of flavor.  
Usually, I use nothing but fresh vegetables and chicken.  I experimented with each batch, this year and one of those I made a little bit Thai.  I added some soy sauce and cut up ginger and it took on a subtle flavor.  No rice on Passover, for us, so I made Pesach noodles out of egg, potato starch and water and we had mock noodles in our soup.

As you can see, I made this soup, plain, no vegetables, no chicken but yes kneidlach.

Chicken Soup with lots of Vegetables

I am going to give you the ingredients for only one pot.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken for each pot (In this case, I bought packages of bottoms and used from 4-6 in each huge pot.
• water 3/4 up the pots
• 3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
• 2 onions, cut into quarters (I used large onions)
• 1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 1 turnip, cut into chunks
• 3 parsnips, each cut into 3 pieces
• 5 carrots, cut into 3 pieces, each
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 turnips, cut into chunks

Directions

Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water.  Heat water and then lower to a simmer.  Cook 2 hours.

Put all the vegetables in the pot except the parsley.  Cook  for another 40 minutes, again simmering.

Add parsley and seasonings and cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove vegetables from pot.  If you want to serve with vegetables, put in new ones and cook until they are done, about 20  minutes.  Cut them into smaller pieces than the chunks.  You can chop them or make them slightly bigger.

Remove the chicken and break into small pieces and return to soup.

Put into bowls and enjoy this.

This is linked to Sunday Night-Soup Night

Lunch on Passover

I find, one of the biggest challenges of Passover is lunch.  The food in the house is different and what I normally would throw together is not available.  I usually resort to eggs since we have lots of them.  When, I went to take out the eggs, I spotted a small container of shredded carrots and a small bag of potato cubes (cooked) and a piece of raw onion.  No challenge here, I would put them into the egg but that is so mundane.

Instead, I pulled out the mini processor and threw everything in, plus some garlic, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and blended it together.  I cooked it in a skillet and presto, I had breakfast.  The carrots shined through and gave a slightly sweet tinge to the egg mixture.  I liked it a lot and would like to play around with this, using different vegetable and different amounts.

Ingredients: (These are approximate amounts. )

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup potato chunks

1 medium onion chunked

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

cooking spray

Procedure

In a blender or food  processor, put all ingredients, except parsley and blend until you have a smooth mixture.

Grease a medium-sized skillet and pour in mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Cook on one side until it is a light brown.  I cooked on low for about 3 minutes.  Turn and cook other side for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve and enjoy.

This is linked to  Real Food Wednesdays   Pennywise Platter Thursdays

Passover Turkey Meatballs in Carrot Sauce

I copied this recipe from My Sweet and Savory.  I am fascinated by such a thing as carrot sauce and know I want to make it.  I wish, I had seen this before I made sweet and sour meatballs.

Cooking is marathon like, at this time of year.  I find myself, making up to 4 food dishes, at one time.  Brownies in the oven, soup on the stove, Mashed Potatoes being added to chopped beef for a Shepherd’s Pie and boiling eggs for the seder table.  As one dish is done, another starts so the kitchen is continually being utilized  It would make a good video, considering the mistakes I make and the challenges that pop up.

As an example, there was no hot water, when I first turned the faucet.  I have dirty dishes constantly that have to be handwashed and often are used, again.  I didn’t even ask myself, “what am I going to do?”   What about at least one shower before the holiday?”  Nope, I barely thought of that although it did cross my mind.  Instead, I plowed on, using cold water until my husband called.  He offered to come home from work early, considering how much had to be done, before Passover, but I was just fine and didn’t even consider his offer.

Why was I so calm?  It seems that every year , something happens before Passover and every year, we make it through.  My father died the week before and as you may or may not know, Jews sit at home for a week, never leaving the house for a week and people come to pay their condolences.  The week was over and Passover was staring me in the face.  Another year, we were blessed to have my daughter get married before the holiday.  If you have ever made a wedding, you know that it is a full time job and I already had one of those besides having a family to take care of and preparation for Passover.  We made it.

My stove broke a few days before and there is no way to cook festive meals without a stove and oven, at least for me.  I called a store to beg them to get me a stove, “yesterday” and the man, I spoke to, was a doll.  First, he was going to have it delivered, the following week—-no help there.  When I explained, he made some calls and was going to get it to me, in two days which would work with a lot of dedication on my family’s part.

Along came the delivery date and, in the morning, I got a call telling me that the company was out of stock, on the stove.  Panic was the name of the game.  This man came through again and got me a better stove for the same price and delivered it, as scheduled.  There are wonderful people in this world.

It seems that, at this time of the year, something happens and I have grown up some and accept that and go with it. So, this morning, when my hot water disappeared, I quietly continued.  My hot water also came back, not too much later.  We do not know the problem and expect to see another cold water phase but, we will deal with it. 

Turkey Meatballs in Carrot Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound chopped turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 egg
2/4 cup potato starch.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 cups carrot soup found here
3 tablespoons prepared matbucha

Method:

Mix turkey, onion, egg, carrot and potato starch thoroughly. Form into balls about an inch in size.  If you like them bigger, double the size and increase cooking time.

In large, deep, fryin

Carrots (Photo credit: CLC Photography)

g pan, brown the meatballs in one tablespoon of olive oil.  Brown all sides.  When meatballs are browned, add carrot soup and matbucha.  Gently mix.  Cook for 20 minutes, gently mixing, every few minutes.

The liquid decreases as

it cooks so watch carefully.  Add more soup or water, if the pan is getting dry.

This freezes well.

Passover Cabbage Potato Cakes

I decided to audition a few recipes before the holiday.  Since, I printed this up, a few weeks ago, and have kept looking at it, saying, “I must make this,” I decided to do just that.  This is a good recipe to multi-task.  While the potatoes cook, chop and brown your vegetable. Everything can come together, at about the same time, in that way.  These were a success and I am going to make them in smaller tins for my grandchildren.  I think, they will enjoy, their own little potato cabbage cakes.

Passover Cabbage Potato Cakes

Ingredients:

1 cup cabbage, shredded and then chopped smaller

3 potatoes, peeled and boiled and mashed

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, diced

1 egg

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup potato starch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray muffin tins with cooking oil.

Chop onions and carrots in a food processor.  I used my mini processor from my immersion blender to get small pieces, not as tiny as in my full sized food processor.  If you do not have this option, I suggest, chopping by hand.

Peel potatoes and cut into quarters.  Place in a boiling pot of water. (carefully)  Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until soft enough to mash.

While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in skillet and saute onions and carrots until onions are softened.

Add cabbage to carrots and onions.

Drain potatoes and mash.  Add other vegetables to potatoes.

Add dry ingredients and mix into potatoes.  Add wet ingredients and mix well.  Add eggs and oil and combine with potato mixture.  Add salt and pepper and mix in.

Using a quarter cup, scoop the potato mixture into the muffin tins.  Top with a little chopped parsley.

Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

I think, you will really enjoy these.

This is linked to Real Food Wednesdays   Cast Party Wednesday – Link Party #34     Pennywise Platter

Ginger Carrot Soup with Apples – Guy Fieri

Tonight was a choice of the Heirloom Tomato Soup or the Ginger Carrot Soup.  I could have gone in either direction but at the moment, I was going to cook, carrots won out.  I made this in a crockpot.  Check the original recipe here.

With apologies to Guy, I did make some changes, basically with the topping which I eliminated.  I also added chopped apples, an hour before the soup was completed with some thin sliced carrots.  The soup was very thick. after blending, and I added 2 cups of Rice Dream to thin it out, a bit.  This was not a gutsy  recipe, as I think of Guy’s recipes but, in no way, did this fail in flavor.  It had a delightful  flavor and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

   Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri Ginger Carrot Soup (adapted from Guy Fieri)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped sweet onion

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into even pieces

• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped

• 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock for vegetarian version

• 1 teaspoon honey

  

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a heavy skillet,  over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the sweet onions. Sprinkle with salt and sweat for 10 minutes, until just starting to caramelize. Add in the ginger and saute for 2 minut

es more, being careful not to burn the mixture.

Add onions and ginger to the crockpot along with  the carrots, potatoes, honey and the vegetable stock.  Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked.  Keep warm.

With a stick blender, puree the carrot mixture

 (In the crockpot, it took about five hours to cook and an extra hour after I put the apple pieces into the soup.  Cook for another hour with the apple.)

Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste, Add apples and leave on medium for another hour.

This is linked to Real Food Wednesdays at Kellythe Kop’s     Tuesdays At The Table  
   Gluten Free Wednesdays      It’s A Keeper Thursdays  Tasty Thursdays   Full Plate Thursdays    Pennywise Platter

Fried Rice – My Way

I usually start making one rice dish and end up with fried rice.  My intentions are honorable.  For example, this was to be a Pecan Rice Rissoto with Apples.  Sounds good, even better than fried rice….? I think, it does.  I usually add some cranberries and have that winning combination of apples, cranberries and nuts.

As you can see, this has none of the above other than nuts and even the nuts are a different kind.  This does have peas, onions, cashews and carrots and most important egg.  This also is filled with flavor from the soy sauce.  I tasted it before dinner and then had a bowl filled with goodness.  I could not wait for dinner time.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 4 cups brown rice, cooked
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 medium onions, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup cashews
• soy sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet, and sauté onion until translucent. Add cashews, carrots and peas. When carrots are almost tender, add cooked rice and seasonings.
2. Pour into serving dish and serve.

Related articles

• Apple Brown Rice (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)
• Fried “Basque” Vegetable Rice (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)

Spaghetti Squash with Vegetable Sauce

Spaghetti Squash is a gift to the world.  We can do much with it besides fooling our husbands into thinking it is pasta.  That is fun, though.

Whenever, I pick up a spaghetti squash, I end up doing something different with it.  It is open to dairy sauces or being mixed with meat – those being my favorites.  This time, I stuck with the vegetables and made a zucchini squash for the stringy stuff.

Spaghetti Squash with Zucchini Sauce  

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 large zucchini or 2 small, sliced  thin (then slice each thin slice into 3′s)

5 scallions, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced thin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons basil pesto (I bought ready-made for this)

1 teaspoon rice vinegar, seasoned with oregano and basil

1 teaspoon brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Bake squash in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes.  (I microwaved mine and I am not sure of the timing.)

Heat oil in medium-large skillet.

Add zucchini, scallions and carrots. (I shredded carrots into the pan.)

Cook until curls up and blends together (about 5 minutes)  Mix, every minute or two.

I added the yellow bell pepper as an afterthought but it did cook up, fine.

Add pesto, rice vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Mix into vegetables.

Remove seeds from squash.  With a fork, pluck thin slivers out and pile up, in a bowl.

Place in a  serving bowl and top with vegetables and mix together.

Serve with meat, fish, cheese, or whatever is to your liking.   We had big bowls and filled up, on that.

  Plain Spaghetti Squash Above

Below is the finished dish.

 

 This is linked to Five Flue Fighting Foods