Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup.

So I got home from work, and decided that I was darned well going to eat the split pea soup for supper. I mean, how bad could it be? I took the crock pot crock out of the fridge, took off the lid, and grabbed my smallest ladle and my cute little soup mug.

And promptly burst out laughing, because cold split pea soup has the same consistency as cold gravy. With just about as much palatability.

So I decided that I'd eat it anyway. I warmed up a ladle full in the microwave, then poured it into my soup mug. And then I grated just a little bit of Lacey Swiss Cheese on top. Took a picture, then sat down, opened my book to read, and...

Next time, I will cut back on the rosemary, but that's my only complaint, really. It was very tasty. The cheese was the perfect finishing touch. In fact, I might actually make it again with cheese in it, which would work just as well as the milk I added at the very end.

I declare this a success. I would make it again.

The Recipe:

--2 cups split peas, rinsed and picked over
--6 cups of water
--1/4 cup barley
--1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped
--1 1/2 tsp. thyme
--1/2 tsp. marjoram
--1/2 tsp. rosemary (or optional, really)
--1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
--1/2 c. milk

Combine all ingredients except the milk in crock pot, stir, cook on low for 4-5 hours or until peas are mushy and barley is cooked. Stir in milk. Serve topped with good cheese.

You shouldn't have to puree this at all.

No-Rise Pizza, Take 1

So, the pizza looked quite nice, but the crust wasn't to my liking. It's edible, and tasty, but the recipe also contained honey and I thought that detracted from the overall taste of the pizza. It also wasn't chewy--at all. It was more like fluffy bread if that makes sense.

Now, I would be interested to see what happens if you make this as a small loaf of bread. I think it would be quite tasty, and if it rose to 1 inch thick for the pizza, I'd think it would rise enough to use as bread (versus flatbread) as well. So I might make this again tomorrow. I might also try it without any sweetener at all; I think it would make a good quick French Bread too.

It makes a serviceable pizza if you don't care about chewiness. Here's the recipe.

I think I will try this one next. However, I'm of the mind that all the toppings should go on at once, so that's what I'm going to do.

Puffed Cereal Granola

1 cup puffed rice or kamut (I used Arrowhead Mills Organic)
1 cup puffed amaranth (same)
2 cups oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup chopped nuts or sunflower seeds, optional
1/4 cup olive oil, or canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or other syrup*


Mix ingredients together in order listed. Spread on cookie sheet. Baked at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until granola is evenly browned. Cool, then store in an airtight container. Makes about 4 cups.



*honey can also be used, however I would add more oil because honey granola tends to be very sticky and hard to remove from the cookie sheet. You could try half honey/half maple syrup, perhaps?

Eggless Spice Cake

I ran out of eggs, but I wanted something for dessert tonight, so I adapted a Depression-Era eggless, milkless, butterless cake and made up my own (since I had milk and butter.)

It's delicious!

Eggless Spice Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 c. sugar
2 T. butter
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. bourbon vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 8 or 9 inch cake pan.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, vanilla, salt, and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and boil for at least 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Be careful that it doesn't burn. Let cool.

Mix the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Add the flour mixture to the cooled spice mixture. Stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Eat!

Fresh from the garden dinner!

five new potatoes
one garlic scape
a sprig of rosemary
a handful of sugar pod peas
a few leaves of swiss chard

and the only things not from the garden: olive oil and a sprinkling of Ohio-made mozzarella cheese.

Put the olive oil in a hot cast iron skillet. Add chopped rosemary and chopped garlic scape. Let them saute for a while as you are cutting up the potatoes (in slices.) Add potatoes, cover, and let cook. Once the potatoes are about halfway done, add the sugar snap peas. Cook for about five more minutes, or until potatoes are done. Add swiss chard at the very end and cook until the leaves are wilted. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve. (Serves 1, but can be expanded easily.)

A twenty minute supper, if you include picking the produce from the garden.

Yum!

(Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. It was pretty, though!

Gingered Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Icing

New, Healthier version!

Gingered Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
3 cups (approximately) finely shredded carrots (see, it's good for you!)
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 tsp. ground ginger

Orange Cream Cheese icing (recipe at end)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While you're at it, take out your cream cheese and your butter for the icing, and set them on top the oven so they'll be nicely soft by the time you're ready to make the icing.

Grease bottom and sides of 13x9x2 inch pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, dry first, then wet. Mix in the carrots last. Pour batter into prepared pan, bake for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for at least 45 minutes.

NOTE: this recipe will also make 24 regular sized cupcakes. Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Orange Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.), softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
About 3-4 cups of powdered sugar, depending on the consistency of your icing.
1/4 cup orange juice (fresh-squeezed is best, of course.)
2 T. grated orange peel. (fresh-grated is best here too.)

Mix everything but the powdered sugar together, until blended. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, blend, and then add the next cup until the icing is the right consistency. (Think chocolate mousse.) Spread icing on cooled cake; refrigerate. Makes 12-15 servings, depending on how big of a piece you really want. (It's very rich.)

Note: DO NOT melt the butter in the microwave. It will make the icing runny. DO NOT try to put the icing on the cake before it cools. It will make the icing runnier.

Variations: Lemon Cream Cheese Icing. Also, you can always add raisins (ugh) or nuts (about 1/2 cup) to the mix. Some people add dried fruit other than raisins as well. Your choice.

Nutrition information: I have no idea, but three cups of carrots is three cups of carrots. How many servings of veggies is that?! :)

Lentil and Spinach Soup

2 cans kidney beans (or the equivalent of 2 cups if you are using dried)
1 cup lentils, dried
8 cups water
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup corn
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary (of course you can use fresh if you have it)
a sprinkle of seasoned salt
a sprinkle of pepper
3 cups spinach, chopped (I used frozen; you can use whatever is available to you)


Add all ingredients, except for the spinach into a 5qt. pot and simmer on low for about an hour or until beans and carrots are soft. Add spinach, cook for about five more minutes. A very simple, easy, and tasty soup.

Note: I didn't add onions because onions don't agree with me. By all means, if you like onions, feel free to add them. You could also add different kinds of beans/more beans to this as well. I think it would also taste good with chicken. If my pantry had contained any mushrooms, I would have added them as well. Mushrooms would be fabulous in this recipe!