asian foods

This past weekend I went to HK Market. Their customer service sucks but they have the most amazing foods and really inexpensive. Tofu was so cheap I was tempted to buy a box. I did, though, purchase ingredients for potstickers. My kids love it and have no idea the tofu and veggie goodness inside.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound firm tofu
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped bok choy
1/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup finely chopped bamboo shoots
1/4 cup finely chopped garlic chives
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package potsticker or gyoza wrappers
2 tablespoons oil for frying the dumplings
Preparation:

Drain the tofu, cut into cubes and mash. Wash and prepare the vegetables. Combine the tofu with the remainder of the ingredients and seasonings.

Lay out one of the gyoza wrappers in front of you. Dip your finger in the water and moisten the edges of the wrapper.

Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the gyoza wrapper over the filling and pinch the edges to seal it shut. (You may want to use a cornstarch/water mixture to make this easier).

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok.When oil is ready, carefully add the dumplings and cook on high heat until golden brown (about 1 minute). Without turning the dumplings over, add 1/2 cup of water and cover. Cook for about 1 minute to cook the raw filling and then uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Serve the potstickers with the burnt side on top, with potsticker dipping sauce or soy sauce mixed with minced ginger for dipping.

Also I came across this cookbook and have it on my book list. It is called Eat Cheap but Eat Well. I came across it at the library and liked it. There are some meat dishes and yummy veggie dishes. Eat Cheap but Eat Well

Stay warm and dry my Los Angeles friends.

watch me trickem

spaghetti and meatballs

1/2 lb TVP or whatever ground meat of your choosing
1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat is best)
1/2 cup butternut squash puree
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp black pepper
nonstick cooking spray
2 tsps olive oil
1 (26 oz) can whole peeled tomatores w/their juices, pureed in a blender
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup carrot puree (optional) but doesn't hurt to use it
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper (this you can omit esp. if you have picky eaters)
1 bay leaf
1lb whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta

in a large bowl, mix the meat, breadcrumbs, butternut squash puree, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until well combined. shape the mixture into 1 inch meatballs and place on a sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil.
coat a large nonstick skillet w/ cooking spray and set it over high heat. when the skillet is hot, add the olive oil and then the meatballs and brown for 4-5 minutes turning occasionally.
add the pureed tomatoes, water, carrot puree, garlic powder, cayenne, bay leaf and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the beatballs are no longer pink in the center. remove the bay leaf.
meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

They did not have a clue.
Thank you Deceptively Delicious.

so easy mozzarella sticks

Another stormy day here in LA. It is very cold here. Outside it is 49 degrees and for those who have lived here knows this is almost the point of freezing weather. My central heating seems to be not functioning so I really need to call the landlady's lady friend who is managing this place.

Mozzarella Sticks

1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 tbsp flax seed meal
1 cup shredded mozzarella (if you are dare try to find the ones that melt in the vegan 'dairy' section.
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1 tbsp cornstarch
nonstick cooking spray (I used olive oil cooking spray)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

in a bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the flax seed meal.
in a second large bowl, stir together the mozzarella, cauliflower puree, and cornstarch until well combined. shape into logs (the recipe say 8 logs but some how I ended with 6). Gently roll each log in the breadcrumbs, then wrap in aluminum foil or waxed paper and freeze for 20 minutes.
coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. when the pan is hot, add the oil. arrange the mozzarella sticks in the pan in a single layer, being careful not to crowd them. cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until the crumb coating begins to brown. sprinkle with salt and serve with ketchup.

I had not enough ketchup so............

1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup carrot puree
1/4 cup water
2 tbsps apple-cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp chili powder to taste (I did not add this)

stir all the ingredients together in a big saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by about half, 15 - 20 minutes. let cool before serving (stick in the freezer together with the uncooked mozzarella sticks.
whatever you do not use refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze in zipper-lock snack bags for up to 3 months.

Rain Rain Go Away

We are on our third day of pouring rain, heavy winds, and flood warnings. We even had a tornado watch! To be honest, I am so tired of all of this yuckiness coming down.

This week I have been cooking using recipes from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. I received this a Christmas gift a few years ago. It is has some pretty simple recipes and nutritious and satisfying even for adults.

Last night I made some mashed potatoes and vegan steaks with mushroom gravy. I was a happy little girl.

1lb baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
2 tbsps butter
1/2 cup buttermilk

put the potatoes and salt in a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes (or steam them for about 30 minutes) Drain well in a colander. Mash with a potato masher (I can't seem to find mine so I put in 2 potatoes at a time in a food processor). Add the cauliflower puree, margarine and buttermilk, and beat with a large spoon until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
If you don't have alot of time peeling and cubing potatoes, I don't see anything wrong with use the tub of mashed potatoes that rehydrate w/ water. As long as you look through the ingredients and the only thing in there is mashed potatoes.

moving is a horrible time

I hope not to move for a long time.
Stay tuned next week as I continue to open boxes and try to find my sneakers.

hey mambo mambo italiano

My daughter loves that song. She was introduced to it when hubby popped in the soundtrack to Mad Men into the car. She loves that and pretty much all types of music. She is in love with Frank Sinatra's music and tries to imitate his style of singing.
Last night I made something easy and quick.

Fettuccini Alfredo

3 quarts water
about 4 3/4 tsps fine sea salt
8 ozs whole wheat or brown rice fettuccini
1/4 cup refined coconut oil
1/2 cup vegan creamer
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups fresh peas, cooked, or frozen peas, thawed (optional) but please throw them in anyway. I used sweet peas to make the natives happy.

in a 4-6 quart stockpot over high heat, combine the water with about 1 1/2 tbsp salt. bring the water to a boil, add the fettuccini, about 7 minutes.
meanwhile, in a 1-2 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. When it's almost melted, whisk in the creamer, increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer. whisk in the Parmesan, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 tsp of salt. cover and set aside.
when the pasta is done, drain it. return the pasta to the pot and stir in the sauce (re-whisk if it separated) and peas. if it seems too dry, add 1/4 to 1/2 of water.
enjoy!
My kids liked it very much.

getting very busy..........

I try not to sweat the small stuff but sometimes there is nothing else but to do that. Moving is such a lengthy and difficult process. Trashing stuff you don't want to take w/ you. Finding stuff you forgot you had. Two days in a row I was just too tired to cook much. Monday I had a bag of whole wheat ravioli stuffed with soy cheese and spinach. I did make the red sauce from scratch.

2 tbsps refined coconut oil
1 onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
8 - 10 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup fruity red wine (optional) I didn't use this.
2 tbsps finely chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp salt
1/8 tsp hot sauce like tabasco (optional) I didn't use this either.
1 tbsp agave nectar (optional) I DID use this.

heat the coconut oil in a 4 - 6 quart stockpot over medium-low heat. add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 - 8 minutes (adjust the heat, if necessary, to avoid browning). add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. remove from the heat and stir in the wine, if using, along with the basil oregano, salt, and hot sauce (if using). taste, and if the sauce is too acidic, stir in the agave. use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.

The sauce was very good. I only used a bit for our dinner and bagged and froze the rest. I did divide the sauce and put in separate bags since it is alot. Very good on those days when you have no time but to boil water. You can defrost on the stove top while cooking your pasta. Great when you have only 15 minutes of patience left for the day. You can also add any veggies you like to make it more wholesome and stretch the sauce.

Last night was even more tiring.
I made quesadillas with spinach. It was good and perfect since I had no more patience and was super tired.
Yes.
Once again I was so tired that when I got out of the shower and snuggled into my robe I forgot to turn off the shower. Thank God one of the kids just walked in to say good night to turn off the water and the lights.