Mini-Pot Pies are the new Cupcakes!

Ok, maybe not, but I think they're darn cute. This little creation will count as recipe #3 from Appetite for Reduction even though I modified it quite a bit. The recipe itself is just for the pot pie filling as its meant to be eaten more like a stew rather than a traditional pot pie with crust.

Chicken pot pie was one of my favorite comfort foods as a kid. When I went veg it sadly disappeared from the menu. Sure I splurged on an Amy's frozen one every once and while but, I made no attempt to make one myself. When I saw the recipe it reminded me of pure childhood foodie goodness. I knew I had to make it. This is a great winter meal -warm and its very filling. I made a few adjustments to the recipe to suit my tastes and pantry so, that's what I'm going to share with you. Get the recipe after the jump.

Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

Recipe #2 from Appetite for Reduction

This was the first time I've ever made "drop" style biscuits (that weren't dog biscuits!). I'm loving the beautiful color from the sweet potatoes. The recipe cautioned against over mixing the ingredients so, I'm not sure if these came out "right."

They are tasty, especially paired with the apple-pear butter I made on Christmas Eve. Even better, they make a great base for the pot-pie stew from the book. On their own, they're good but, a little moist where I'd want them to be drier and crumbly like a fluffy biscuit. Mr. K enjoyed them, so I'll try them again. 

Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mmmm, this tasty vegan side dish from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's newest cookbook, Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-fat Vegan Recipes. This is the first recipe I've made from the cookbook and I'm really pleased. I love that each recipe is accomapnied by the nutritional information!

As one of my resolutions for the new year I've

decided to pick one of my cookbooks and make as many of the recipes as possible in 1 month. I picked this one for Dec/Jan.
This is something I see myself making a lot. It's tasty and doesn't require me to run to the store whenever I want to make it. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time because it reheats well and it takes a little more time than your average side dish.

Chunky Peanut Butter-Caramel Apples

I enjoyed the results of this recipe. It almost feels like a healthier more "adult" take on the fall state fair favorite. The brown rice syrup significantly lowers the sugar content and you avoid the processed sugars in store made caramels.

If you want to make some the way I did you'll need:
6 apples or so
1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup of brown rice syrup (check your local hippie store if you can't find it at the supermarket)
Parchment paper
Bamboo skewers or Popsicle sticks

To make:
(clear out a shelf in your fridge so, you'll have room to chill your apples)
Spread the parchment paper over a cutting board.

Combine the peanut butter and brown rice syrup. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly until the mix drips off in ribbons. If it's too stiff you can add a little more rice syrup.

Cover your apples in the caramel mixture and place it on the parchment paper.

Let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

* base recipe source: Bust magazine and thanks to Gary for the inspiration!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Once October begins I am all about pumpkin and squash. Pumpkin beer, pumpkin bread, cupcakes, the list goes on. When I saw these whoopie pies I had to make them right away.

They were a big hit and extremely addicting. I followed the recipe pretty closely but somehow I ended up with 18 whoopie pies (instead of 12) and loads of left over icing. I'm not complaining though. By the way, this recipe comes from King Arthur Flour.

Hope you had a lovely October.

Tasty No-Bake Summer Lasagna

luckily I can type with my mouth full b/c I couldn't wait to share this recipe. Basically I am a lasagna fanatic and would eat it everyday if I could. This no-bake lasagna is pretty much a recipe for an explosion of awesomeness in your mouth. Double bonus: I used produce from my deck garden. Mmm. It's too bad you can't have some of this, although it might be hard to get me to share anyway. ;)


*An Update* Sadly, this recipe does not reheat well. I would suggest halving it if you're making it for 1-2 people and saving the rest of the ingredients for another day or dish.

you need:

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tbs + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 lasagna noodles
• 1 small garlic clove, minced + fresh torn basil
  
• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 2 zucchini (about 1 lb)

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and 2 tsp oil; season with salt and pepper.

Break your lasagna noodles in half & place in a large pot of boiling water. Cook according to the package's directions.

Halve your grape tomatoes (I threw in some quartered Romas b/c I didn't have enough ripe grape tomatoes.) Thinly slice your zucchini.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbs oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly broken down, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 tbs oil and zucchini to the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes.

Assemble your tasty dinner. Layer the tomatoes and zucchini on noodles. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture and throw in some freshly torn basil. Repeat.

*Recipe from Everyday Food.

martha vs. food network

Easter Sunday + MIL's birthday = two batches of cupcakes. I made the first batch using a martha stewart recipe and a fun decorating kit I got from work. This was also my first experience using frosting bags and tips. I'm completely addicted. It's simple but, makes gorgeous cupcakes!


MS's recipe fell a little flat (literally) -easily covered with frosting but, a little disappointing nonetheless. Probably an error on my end. Luckily it didn't affect the taste!

In the second batch, I had to make some adjustments to the recipe. Pastry flour seems to be difficult to find around here. The cupcakes were more like bread than cakes. This combined with the walnuts probably explains why I was told the cupcakes tasted "healthy." Hm. I haven't decided whether that's a good thing or not. Picky Mr. K approved so, I would use either of these recipes again. Enjoy the photos/cupcake porn!

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne --mmm

another recipe from good old martha stewart Vegetarian, but not vegan. This is a labor intensive recipe -it calls for roasting butternut squash, making your own tomato sauce, and cooking your spinach. It is worth it though.
In the magazine, the recipe actually calls for more than what you need for the dish. The extras are meant to be used "for tomorrow's lunch" on a salad. Nice, but as filling as this lasagna is I've been eating it for a week.
This recipe is a little heavy on the calories, supposedly six servings with each at 561 calories. However at 30.4 g of protein this makes for a filling lunch and good for vegetarians looking for a protein source.

Mr. K agrees that this is tasty but, I think the cooked spinach is a little too green for his meat & potatoes loving tummy. That's ok. More for me.

apple -butternut squash soup review

I have a great love for the butternut squash. So, in the winter I try to put it in as many dishess possible. I was pretty excited to try this recipe that I found in last year's Martha Stewart Holiday issue. The front cover informs me that it is special and also collectible. Ooo!

The good thing about soup is that even though this one has a fairly long prep time -about an hour- you can always make it ahead of time.

if you want to try it you'll need:
1 tablespoon butter - 1 med. diced onion - - 2 teaspoons coarse salt -
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, & chopped
4 red apples peeled, cored, & chopped - optional garnish: finely dice a 5th apple & toss with lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin - - 1/2 tsp. ground coriander -
1/2 tsp. ground ginger - - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper -
- 1/4 ground black pepper -
2 c. veg stock - - 2 1/2 c. water -
jalapeno chile & sour cream for garnish

melt the buttern in a large sauce pan and cook your onion over medium heat about four minutes. Add the squash and cook about 10 minutes.

Add the apples, salt and all the rest of your spices to the pan. Add the stock and water ( I used "not chicken" broth cubes ). Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Puree the mixture and return to the pan. Heat over low. The recipe says you can thin with water but, I left it nice and thick. Add your garnish if you like.

I liked this soup, it's perfect for warm nights or to take to work for a filling lunch. If I make it again I will add less cayenne pepper. For me, it overpowered the flavor of the apples. In fact, I may omit it altogether.

Mr. K weighs in : good, a little too spicy, would like it to be "a hair" thicker but, otherwise tasty