Potato Latkes

recipe is from the How to Make Potato Latkes video on allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Russet potatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil (for frying)

Directions:

Use a food processor to finely chop onion, squeeze liquid out and place in a large bowl. Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces. Shred potatoes using a food processor. Squeeze liquid out of potatoes and then add potatoes to onions in bowl.Coat potato mixture with flour. Add egg and mix well. Add salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan. Once pan is hot, add 2-3 T. of potato mixture to pan per pancake. Let cook until golden brown on each side. Place latkes on a plate covered with a few paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Enjoy! Traditionally served with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Groot Soup in a Bread Bowl

Say What?? A delicious bread bowl filled with the goodness that is Groot Soup... COUNT ME IN!! What is Groot Soup, you ask? Well it is a soup made with root vegetables and broccoli. My hubby named it after the Groot character in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. Recipe for bread bowl is beneath recipe for Groot Soup.

Groot Soup

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small and medium Russet potatoes, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 medium carrots, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 Hakurei turnips, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium broccoli bunch, rinsed and chopped
• 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar or mozzarella work fine)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a stock pot melt butter over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium and add in all vegetables. stirring to coat with butter. Let vegetables cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese, salt and pepper). Bring to a boil then let simmer on medium-low heat for 1-2 hours until veggies are fully cooked, stirring every 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper before serving. Use reserve cheese to sprinkle on top.

Quick & Easy Bread Bowls
Makes 3 big bowls
This recipe is adapted from Yammie's Noshery

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. warm water (Between 105ºF and 115ºF, hot enough to keep your finger in comfortably)
• 2 T. instant dry yeast
• 1 T. white sugar
• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour + 1 c. white-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• pastry brush and small dish of water

Directions:
Combine the water and yeast. Let sit for a couple minutes. Add the sugar and flour and knead for 10 minutes by hand or with stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Add the salt.
Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about half and hour.
Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Divide the dough into three lumps. Stretch each one into a tight ball, pinching the bottom with your fingers and sealing it off by twisting it on the counter.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Score the top and sprinkle with some salt. Brush with water using pastry brush and allow to rise 15 more minutes.
Place in the oven. After 2 minutes, open the oven, brush the bread bowls with water and turn the heat down to 425ºF. Continue to bake 18 more minutes or until done.
To cut the bread bowls, use a knife to cut a circle directly downwards, then pull it out.

Corn & Butternut Squash Chowder

My new favorite soup is Corn & Butternut Squash Chowder by Martha Stewart. I made this soup a few days ago with some Butternut Squash we got in our CSA share. It was sooo good! Just finished the last of it tonight for dinner. I didn't put any curry in it because I didn't want it to be too spicy for the kids and it still came out great! This recipe doubles easily if you have a large crowd.

Serves 8
Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil 
• 1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups) 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen corn, thawed 
• 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder 
• Coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 32 oz. vegetable broth 
• 1 c. heavy cream 
• 1 c. whole milk
• 1 c. water
• 2 cans creamed style corn

Directions:
In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add thawed corn and curry powder; cook until curry is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend the soup until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream, milk, water, and creamed corn. Heat through over medium-low (do not boil).

Easy Oven Roasted Corn

We got some corn on the cob as a bonus with our CSA share this week! My girls loved this corn and asked for seconds. Here is an easy way to cook corn on the cob without firing up the grill.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 4 cobs of corn in husks
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 and make sure one rack is near bottom of oven. Rinse outer husks to remove any dirt. Shuck corn by peeling husks back but leave them attached to cob. Remove all of the thin long corn hairs. Once corn hairs are removed, cover corn back up with husks. Arrange corn on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven on bottom rack for one hour. Corn should be cooked and husks should be lightly toasted. Season corn with butter, salt, and pepper if desired.

Fresh Baked Challah Bread

Shabbat Shalom! My first attempt at home-made Challah bread was a success. I can barely believe these beautiful loaves came out of my oven!

This recipe is adapted from Bread Machine Challah II by: Marylyn Pisseri on allrecipes.com

Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients:

• 1 c. warm water
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 1 T. honey
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 4 1/2 c. flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. bread machine yeast

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 T. water

Directions:
1. Place warm water, canola oil, honey, eggs, sugar, flour, salt, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle, press Start.

2. After the machine is done, take the dough out, and place it on a very lightly floured board, punch the dough down, and let it rest for 5 minutes

3. Divide the dough in half. Then divide into 3 equal pieces, roll into ropes about 12 to 14 inches, and braid into a loaf. Do the same with the remaining other half. Gently put the loaves on a greased cookie sheet, mist with water, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a warm, draft free place, until double in size.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water.

5. Brush risen loaves with egg mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. If it begins to brown too soon, cover with foil.

Note: I baked the loaves for 15 minutes then covered them with foil for the last 5 minutes. I found Isa's video on how to braid Challah very helpful, here is the link: http://instagram.com/p/dz-2rjGHMf/

Chickpea-Noodle Soup

The girls were both sick today with a cough and runny nose so I decided to make them a soup to help them feel better. 

serves 6
Ingredients:

• 2 T. canola oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
•  a pinch of salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups dried cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups mashed potatoes or peeled chopped fresh potatoes
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp. rosemary
• 8 cups vegetable broth, divided into 6 cups and 2 cups
• 1 cup dried small elbow pasta
• 1 tsp. agave syrup
• 1 cup frozen peas, rinsed with warm water 

Directions: 1. Preheat a 4 quart soup pot over medium heat and add the oil. Saute the onion and celery in the oil with a pinch of salt until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so.

2. Add the carrots, chickpeas, potatoes, thyme, Old Bay seasoning, and 6 cups of broth.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta and vegetables are soft, about 10 more minutes.

3. Add the agave, 2 cups of broth, and frozen peas and heat through for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat and an additional 10 minutes on low heat.  Remove from heat and serve.

Potato-Kale Soup with Sizzling Chorizo

Potato-Kale Soup with Sizzling Chorizo

from Viva Vegan by Terry Hope Romero

Latin Baked Tofu

Latin Baked TofuRecipe is from Viva Vegan by Terry Hope Romero
Serves 4, two slices each of tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. organic extra-firm tofu
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. soy sauce

Red Marinade:

• 1/2 c. white wine, beer or vegetable broth
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 2 T. olive or peanut oil
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 T. soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 T. ground cumin
• 1 T. dried oregano

Directions: 1. Press tofu: Layer tofu between paper towels and place on top of a folded kitchen towel.  Place a dinner plate on top of the tofu and top with a heavy book or a few heavy cans.  Press for at least 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow glass baking dish combine olive oil and soy sauce.  Slice tofu into eight slices.  Press tofu slices into sauce mixture and flip them over and press to coat.  Bake for 20 minutes. Do Not Turn oven off. 

3. Mix Marinade in a small bowl.  Once tofu is done baking, pour marinade over tofu and bake for another 30 minutes.  Bake longer if an even chewier texture is desired. Serve the tofu hot, topped with any remaining marinade juices from the baking pan. 

Can be served with rice and beans or used as a filling for tacos or arepas.