Whatcha got cookin'?

The cold weather, long evenings and upcoming holidays have had me spending time in the kitchen.  My pictures, however, have not gotten any better.

 Curried Peanut Sauce Bowl from Isa Does It.  Wonderful!  The peanut sauce recipe alone is worth buying the book.  Yep, that good.

 Bike Messenger Brownies from Bake and Destroy.  With a moniker like Bike Messenger Brownies, you know I couldn't resist.  Espresso in the brownies + chai glaze = love.  Will definitely make these again.

Pizza Bowl from Isa Does It.  Can ya tell I'm loving the bowls?  I made Big Stick Pepperoni from Vegan on the Cheap to use in this recipe.  For once I didn't go the lazy route by just buying packaged sausages.  Again, the sauce on this made the recipe.  And, yes, that is white rice.  So sue me, I have several bags in the house for some reason and I just need to use them.  I always feel guilty not using brown rice for some reason.

Tonight's dinner is French Fry Tacos.  Bad pics to follow.

Spicy Peanut Soup

One Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson is one of the new cookbooks in the house that has been providing inspiration lately.  Robin is one of my fave cookbook authors, and I have more of her books than any others (although Isa is a close second).

I could not pass up a cookbook with a title that includes "one dish," since my motivation level is often low and I just want to make something that's relatively quick and easy that doesn't dirty every pot and pan in the house.  I'm not always successful on that front, but knowing Robin's previous work, I was confident that the one dish portion of the title was mostly accurate.

I've made a recipe or two from the book already, but given the previously noted lack of motivation, that often applies to taking pics of the end product.  Either the kitchen is a mess and I don't want that documented, or I'm too hungry and just want to chow down.  I will try to be more diligent.

So, last night I made Spicy Peanut Soup.  Yes, it was a one dish creation, as soups often are, and it was delicious.  Oh but wait, I did use a cast iron pan to brown the tofu.  I stand corrected.  I did try to find the recipe online but was unable to do so.  The book is still new so I will wait to post until the coast is clear(er) and will then revisit.  Until then, pick up a copy at the library or just buy it if you are a cookbook hoarder like me.

I'll definitely make this one again.  Add a little Sriracha for extra heat.  This recipe makes a lot, so prepare yourself for spicy, peanutty goodness for a few days.  I know you won't mind.

Layered tortilla casserole

My ambition for culinary projects seems to dwindle by the day, so if I look at a recipe and deem that it's going to take genuine effort to prepare, I will take a pass on it.  So, when I come across a recipe that's easy and satisfying, it's definitely a keeper.

The spousal equivalent was out of town last week, so I decided to make this tried-and-true recipe.  It makes a good amount, so I had the brilliant idea of halving the original.  Unfortunately, I seem to screw up every time I do that and end up putting in the full amount of one ingredient or another.  But I think this recipe is blunder-proof, given that the ingredients in any proportion will go together and taste good.  This time it was a little "softer" than it would be had I done things correctly, but still delicious.  Served up with a side of steamed kale topped with Bragg's Liquid Aminos.

Recipe from Quick-Fix Vegetarian

Ingredients:

1 24-ounce jar tomato salsa

8 flour tortillas (I use corn tortillas because they're less "gummy")

2 16-ounce cans refried beans

1 cup shredded soy Monterey Jack cheese

1 ripe Hass avocado

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread a thin layer of salsa in a lightly oiled shallow baking dish.

Arrange 4 of the tortillas on top, overlapping as needed.

In a bowl, combine the refried beans with 1 cup of the salsa, stirring to blend well.

Spread the bean and salsa mixture over the tortillas and top with ½ cup of the shredded cheese.

Arrange the remaining 4 tortillas over the cheese and top with a layer of salsa.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Cover and bake until hot, about 30 minutes.

While the casserole is baking, halve and pit the avocado and spoon the flesh into a bowl. Mash the avocado with the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste (I also add garlic powder and onion powder).

Serve with the casserole.