Tiffany Tastes

Mmm...gimme the green stuff

One of my favorite summer vegetables is asparagus.  I prefer the green over the white, and not just because it's usually cheaper.  Asparagus is one of those vegetables that you really don't have to do much to in order for it to taste great.

Many people like to boil or steam there asparagus, but the next time you pick some up at the farmer's market or your local grocery store, try this:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and thoroughly dry your asparagus.  Remove the hard ends with a knife or a vegetable peeler.  Drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil per bunch of asparagus.  Season to taste with Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add one teaspoon of lemon zest per bunch and combine until all the asparagus is evenly coated with the oil and seasoning. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tips start to brown. (I promise, the crispy bits are the best part).  Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle asparagus with 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice and a little more salt to taste.

This method of preparation gives the asparagus more flavor than traditional boiling or steaming, and it's extremely simple.  The next time you need  a quick and easy side dish, give this one a try.

Been a Loooooooong Time

Sorry for the super delay in updating folks. I have been really busy at work lately.  Hopefully, it will slow down soon so I can do some quality updating. 

Recently, the hubby and I have been on a beef jerky kick.  It all started when we were watching an old rerun of Good Eats where Alton Brown made beef jerky using a box fan and furnace filters instead of a traditional food dehydrator.  There was something rather MacGyver-esque about this method, so we tried it.

Wow, it was really, really good.  I'm not really a big beef jerky fan, but this stuff is amazing.  We've made it 3 times in the last three weeks.  After tweaking the recipe slightly, I've come up with a sweet and spicy flavor combination that is out of this world.

My take on Alton Brown's Beef Jerky
(This recipe is adapted to suit my tastes from Alton Brown's version.  The method is fully his idea.  You can find the original recipe here.)

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
• 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper or cayenne pepper
• Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cord

Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months, but it won't last nearly that long.

This is honestly the best beef jerky I have ever tasted; you should definitely give it try.

Talk to you soon!   

With a Little Help from My Friends

Hi folks! It's good to be back.  I've missed blogging, but don't worry; I have notes from some of the restaurants that I visited in Charlotte, and I will tell you all about the cuisine that I had while I was there.  However, for this post, I'm highlighting the recipes you all submitted to me in my vegetarian post a few weeks ago.

Seven Layers of Hell Guacamole
-Kris H.

2 whole, ripe avocados
2½ tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper powder
2 small, whole Scotch Bonnet peppers
2 small, whole jalapeñoa
1 tablepoon sugar

Bisect the avocados and remove the seeds.

Bisect each half, and cut each segment in half again lengthwise. This will make removing the meat from the skin easier.

Remove the skin from all the pieces.

Cut each of the skinned slices into approximately 1 cubic inch chunks.

Place these chunks, the Cayenne pepper, sugar, and vinaigrette into a food processor for blending/mixing.

De-stem the Scotch Bonnet and jalapeño peppers and add them whole to the contents of the food processor.

Blend until the contents are an even paste. Pour into a serving bowl.

Sprinkle with more Cayenne over it. Serve with an appropriate snack food.

Vegan "Mac N' Cheese"
-Paige

1-2 servings of orzo
1/2-3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
healthy shakes of onion powder and garlic powder.
normal shake of turmeric
pinch of dried basil
healthy squirt of bragg's liquid amino acids
olive oil

Cook the orzo. Drain and put back into pot. Pour in olive oil to coat the pasta. Add in the onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, and basil. Stir to cover evenly. Add the Bragg's liquid amino acids. Add the nutritional yeast flakes a little at a time stirring to coat the pasta. If it's a little dry, add more olive oil.

Then enjoy!

Also works with rotini or spirally pasta. Also delicious if you add steamed green peas

Savory Cheese and Onion Pie
-Kelty's Mom

Recipe By : The Vegetarian Epicure - page 210
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :1:00
Categories : Main Dishes

1 10-inch Pie Crust
280 Grams Cheese (1/2 Swiss, 1/2 Gruyere) -- (10 ounces)
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Large Onions
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Basil, Chopped
2 Large Tomatoes (firm ones), Sliced
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Cream

1) Prepare the pastry for the pie, line a 10-inch pie dish and chill it.

2) Grate all the cheese and toss it with the flour.

3) Melt the butter in a large skillet, slice the onions and saute
them very gently in the butter until they begin to turn golden (about
1/2 hour).

4) Spread about 1/3 of the cheese over the bottom of the pie dish,
then spread the onions (without the butter) over it.

5) In the butter that is left in the pan, heat the tomato slices with
the chopped basil for a minute or two. Arrange the tomato slices over
the onions, then cover with the remaining cheese.

6) Beat the eggs with the cream and pour it over the cheese.
Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top, if you like.

7) Bake in a preheated oven, 180° C (350° F) oven for 35 to 40
minutes, or until the top browns nicely.

8) Serve hot, in wedges.

Mmm....veggies

I've always said that I could be a vegetarian if it weren't for chicken and bacon, because I generally don't eat a lot of red meat.  I usually get a craving for a hamburger 3 times a year and a steak even less than that.  That being said, I'm pretty picky about my vegetables, and I think it can often be difficult to make really tasty, meat-free dishes. I would like to offer up a couple of my favorite meatless wonders.

NOTE: These are NOT vegan recipes; as much as I try to change, I am a lover of almost all things dairy

Fresh Corn Frittata with Smoked Mozzarella
(This recipe is adapted for my personal tastes.  You can find the original recipe in All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook Oxmoor House 2006, pg 307)

Cooking spray
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1/2 cup (2 ounce) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat broiler
2. Heat a medium (8 inch works well) ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add onion and corn, and sauté 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Combine corn, 3 tablespoons of cheese, basil and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Heat pan over medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray; add corn mixture.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until almost set.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Broil 5 minutes or until set and browned. Cut into wedges.  Yield: 4 servings.

This is really tasty hot or at room temperature.  It makes a good brunch item, or you can turn it into a light dinner by adding a salad or a cup of soup.  You can substitute an equal amount of thawed frozen corn to replace the fresh, but it won't be quite the same. However, I find that canned corn makes the final product a bit too salty even after omitting all of the salt that the recipe calls for.

The next recipe is one of Tom's recent favorites.

Broccoli Cornbread
(This recipe has been adapted for my personal tastes.  You can find the original recipe in Jenny Craig's Simple Pleasures: Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul Oxmoor House 1998, pg 70)

Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 (8 1/2) ounce corn muffin mix (Get the Jiffy; it's not the same with the store brand)
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp low fat cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground  black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Coat a small skillet with cooking spray.  Add onion and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened
3. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.  Add butter and place in oven for 3 minutes or until butter melts.
4. Press broccoli between paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Combine broccoli, muffin mix, onion, and remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake for 23-25 minutes or until set and golden.  Yield 16 servings.

Now loyal readers (all 2 of you :P) I ask that you submit your favorite vegetarian recipes to be featured in an upcoming post.  If it's not an original recipe, please include your source material, and if you would like your name to appear a certain way, please let me know.  And yes, I'm fishing for comments, so leave some ;)