Stuffed Green Peppers...yum!

The veggies have been planted, farmer's markets are up and running, and the warm weather is rockin the south.  My own veggie patch is struggling along, but my herb garden is thriving, so I thought I would share an herb-friendly recipe I enjoy this time of year...although I'm still buying my bell peppers at the market, I get to use my herbs freely and the clean-up for this one is easy.  Grab a cute apron and a big spoon and try my version of Spanish Rice Stuffed Green Peppers!

4 large green bell peppers

2 cups white rice

1 medium onion - chopped

1 or 2 cloves garlic - minced

2 cans fire roasted tomatoes or salsa

3 cups veggie stock

2 packages veggie sausage

1 tbsp. pork seasoning

fresh chopped oregano, basil, thyme from the garden

or about a teaspoon each dried herbs

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder or spiced rub seasoning

olive oil

salt

Heat oil in a large sauce pan.  Add rice and cook on medium heat until brown.  Add the onion and minced garlic.  Heat together for about 5 minutes until the onions are really soft.  Add the veggie stock, canned tomatoes or salsa, about a teaspoon or so of salt, and any other herbs your desire.  Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.  Cover and let cook about 25 minutes...depending on the rice (check the package for additional cooking information).

While the rice is cooking, brown the veggie sausage in olive oil.  Add the pork seasoning (no worries, it's just herbs, no meat products), herbs from the garden (or dried), garlic powder, chili powder, and a pinch or two of salt.  Cook together on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low.

Prepare bell peppers by cutting away the core and hollowing out the inside of each pepper.  Add the sausage mixture to the Spanish rice.  Stuff each pepper with the rice/sausage stuffing and place on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over each pepper and sprinkle with salt.  Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the top of the stuffing is firm and slightly crusty (your kitchen will smell amazing).  Remove the cooked peppers from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes...pour a glass of wine and enjoy!

A Brownie Ritual...

It is roughly 12 degrees outside and there is snow on the ground and ice on the roads. I've spent most of my morning snuggled under a quilt, quietly sipping coffee and thankful to be warm and cozy in my little farmhouse.



It's exactly this type of day...a frozen Saturday in January...that my mind turns to domestic matters: household chores, knitting, coupons, and, of course, cooking. From a very early age, I came to associate cooking with cold weather. My mother (who at one time managed a full-time job, two part-time jobs, and a family) was rarely home with any significant free time, but icy roads and snowy windows in East Tennessee meant we weren't getting out of our back-country house and gravel driveway unless there was a dire emergency. So, left with unexpected free time, she made brownies and hot chocolate much to my delight.


Later, my sister and I continued this tradition - baking homemade brownies every time school was closed due to snow. With the first mention of wintery weather in the forecast, my mother would stock up on supplies: bread, milk, and eggs, of course, but always enough cocoa, flour, sugar, and vanilla to weather the storm.


Just yesterday, as my own daughter was preparing hot chocolate, I phoned my mother and found her, predictably, baking brownies. Although I've spent a great deal of time in the kitchen the past couple of days baking casseroles, cooking beans, and making chili, I had not yet craved a warm pan of brownies...until now.


I think I woke up with the smell of brownies in my nose - I must have been dreaming about them. Brownie desire is a hard thing to shake, so I uncurled myself from the sofa and rummaged through my cupboards searching for the necessary ingredients. Somewhere in the process, I realized that this really isn't about wanting to eat a brownie...this is about honoring a ritual and paying homage to a tradition that has become somewhat sacred...passed from mother to daughter, from one generation to the next. Regardless of the recipe, brownie baking on a cold winter day is an experience - the measuring of the cocoa, the lobbying for who gets to lick the spoon, the smell of warm brownies in the oven...


Since baking brownies should be a shared experience, following is a simple recipe for you to enjoy. As with most of my recipes, this one isn't really that original, but simply an evolution of other recipes I've tried. You will notice there is no mention of butter or eggs, so a couple of adjustments should make this one an nice version for my vegan friends...happy baking!



A Simple Brownie Recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but remember to dust them with flour so they don't sink!)


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients - you might want to sift them together to prevent lumps. Then add the wet ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Stir in the chips and pour into the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes - this works for my oven, but yours might take longer. Cool and cut...then snuggle up and enjoy!!


(In case you were wondering, my kids ate most of the brownies while I was typing up this blog...no final picture, but they sure tasted good!)

It's My Favorite Time of the Year!!

I love this time of the year...there is a chill in the air, even here in Tennessee, and the mist over the mountains is so intense. I love the night sky and the way the moon and stars seem a little clearer and a little closer as the nights grow longer. Maybe it's the changing color of the leaves or maybe it's because I am a November child...maybe it's simply that this is the time of year filled with holiday anticipation...but whatever the reason, I feel more confident, peaceful, and grounded as the calendar begins to wind down.

Recently, we gathered up the brush and dead leaves, invited family and friends, built a fire pit, and hosted a small bonfire party. The evening was perfect...clear and just almost cold with stars dancing all around. The food was pretty good too...veggie dogs and chili, and, of course, plenty of marshmallows to roast. Oh, and really good beer to warm the blood. It was wonderful!

I talk frequently about the virtues of a simple life, but sometimes it seems beyond our reach. These are the moments made for bonfires and friends...when everyone is comfortable and the conversation is easy...when you can hear the wood popping in the fire and feel warm food in your belly...when you can see your breath in the air and be overwhelmed at the beauty of the stars. That's when life kind of boils down to it's roots and we can see who we really are.

I love this time of year...!

Smores and such...

We've all enjoyed smores by the camp fire and it's hard to beat the basics of graham cracker, chocolate bar and roasted marshmallows. Still, it's fun to play around with new combinations, so here are a few options you might want to try at your next cookout or camping trip. Enjoy!!

• Make the basic smore recipe but sprinkle cinnamon on the marshmallow after it's been roasted.



• Substitute chocolate chips for a chocolate bar (mash them into your roasted marshmallow.) Experiment with other chips including peanut butter and butterscotch or even use chocolate candies like M&Ms. Combos are great...how do you think they came up with the Reese Cup?!



• Substitute a chocolate chip cookie for the graham cracker. Any other cookie will do...peanut butter (yummy!) sugar cookies, or even oatmeal cookies work great!



• Drizzle carmel sauce over your smores or skip the smore entirely and simply drizzle chocolate or carmel sauce over your roasted marshmallows!

Have fun making memories!

I have the recipe, now I need a Cookie Jar!

OK, I LOVE cookies...most any kind will do, but my most favorite cookies involve chocolate chips. I love making them, I love smelling them, and I really love eating them! Cake is fine and I eat my fair share of ice cream, but cookies are definitely at the top of my list!

Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a Winnie-the-Pooh cookie jar. Our son was only about a year old, and it was probably more for his amusement than mine, but I've always been fond of Pooh Bear and enjoyed having a deep jar for my yummy baked cookies. The jar managed to survive a couple of moves, but several years later, it met it's match with my daughters cat who took great pride in her ability to break and enter. That's exactly what she did to the jar...she broke it, then climbed inside. Poor Pooh Bear!

Now that I am back in an old farm house, storage space is once again more concept than reality and I don't have room to keep a plate of fresh baked cookies on the counter. (Not to mention, we now have a dog that could medal if Counter Surfing were a competitive sport). So, I find I am in need, once again, of a jar for my cookies.

I spent the weekend trolling through the shops of my friends at http://www.etsy.com/. Oh, the lovely things I've found! Etsy.com is the place for all things handmade. Etsy sellers are a talented and friendly bunch from all over the world, although you'll probably find someone right in your own community, and the types of items available on etsy.com are as varied as the artists. Now, I can't make up my mind what to buy!

Take a peek at my weekend etsy finds on your right, or visit my etsy shop at http://www.yoganoodles.etsy.com/ and click on "Favorites". Let me know which one you think would be the perfect cookie jar for me, or do a little shopping of your own and let me know what you find!

Now, for a recipe...since we are talking about cookies, here is a simple Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to add to your cookbook:

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup honey (try to buy local!)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (soy chips work for my vegan friends!)

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture then stir in the chips and nuts. Mix well. Drop cookie dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet (use parchment paper or oil the sheet slightly, as the honey will tend to stick). Flatten the dough with the back of a spoon. Bake for about 12 minutes or until brown. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies

Don't like to bake? No problem! For a limited time, I am offering my Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies in my etsy shop! To order, visit me at http://www.yoganoodles.etsy.com/. Enjoy!

Contact Paper and Jell-O Molds

What can I say about moving...it's stressful, exciting, challenging, and filled with the unexpected. Using this very basic moving recipe, I find that moving into a really old house is heavy on the unexpected! Case in point, my kitchen...

I knew going in that the kitchen was in serious need of TLC and an updated look. The walls appear to be papered in some sort of Holly Hobby print. Worse yet, the colors are mustard yellow and brown and all of it is dirty beyond belief. The former owners purchased the property in 1976...a grand time for Holly Hobby, Jello molds, and bell bottom pants. Equally, 1976 must have been a revolutionary time in home decor given the popularity of such time savings products like contact paper - you know, the printed paper that isn't quite poster board but certainly not wallpaper.

Contact paper - still available today - comes in a variety of prints and designs, widths and lengths. It has been used to update closet shelves and kitchen drawers and my mother used it regularly in our cabinets and dresser drawers. She never, however, was bold enough to use it on the wall, so imagine my surprise when I decided to see how difficult it would be to remove the paper on my kitchen walls and discovered it was simply contact paper! Every wall, the shelves, drawers, and even the back panel of the built in spice cupboard are all papered with contact paper!

And speaking of the drawers, the former owners left something else unexpected behind...a handful of old product cookbooks including the Peter Pan Peanut Butter Cook Book and other booklets dating from 1962 to 1978. My favorite is Joys of Jell-O, an undated, spiral bound volume of recipes for everything from a Cherry Cola Mold to Ring-Around-the-Tuna.

I wonder what life in my kitchen was like for the homemaker of 1976. I imagine her with newly papered walls (admittedly a vast improvement from the interesting shades of green paint that graced the walls when she moved in) and a brand new book of recipes by her side tackling Christmas dinner or making dessert on for a 4th of July party. I imagine her pride and sense of peacefully domesticity. I imagine her embracing life on the farm, in an old house, filled with the unexpected.

I am enjoying my old kitchen, although I have already made plans for its renovation. I'm sure that, in the process, I'll have many more unexpected moments. For now, I'm peacefully settling in and trying to appreciate simple things like contact paper (I've already re-papered my cupboards and shelves) and jello molds, although I've not attempted any of my new found recipes yet. Stay tuned...

Farmer's Market Veggie Dinner:

We just moved, so I won't have a garden of my own this summer. That doesn't mean I'm without fresh veggies! I'm a true believer in supporting local farmers and lucky to live in an area with farmer's markets, veggie stands, and neighbors with gardens close at hand! Here is a quick and easy veggie dinner...oh, with a little something unexpected!

(Serves about 6 or my family of 4)


portobello mushrooms - any variety; roughly chopped
2 large green peppers
large onion
3 chopped carrots
lettuce and/or other greens
1 cup sugar snap peas
6 lices soy bacon, chopped
chopped or dried thyme
dried sage (1/2 tablespoon)
1/4 cup apple barbeque sauce
basil infused olive oil
worcestershire sauce



Saute chopped onion and green pepper in the olive oil until tender. Add bacon, thyme, sage, and about a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and more oil, if necessary. Cook for 4 minutes. Add another tablespoon of worcestershire sauce and barbeque sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.



Toss lettuce with chopped carrots and peas. Place a bed of lettuce on a plate and top with cooked veggies, including a little of the oil/sauce mixture from the pan. Serve with a yeasty roll and a good glass of wine. Yum!

A Little Yoga in My Kitchen...

I am always inspired by the domestic work of women in the early years of our history. Without the conveniences we have come to take for granted, every day efforts to cook and clean took time and careful attention. Deeply connected to their work, I believe there had to be a flow, not unlike the flow of energy we study in yoga.


Yesterday, I decided to make homemade pizza for dinner. The plan was worked out early in the day and the afternoon was spent gathering ingredients. Finally, apron on, I began to work. The process really isn't that complicated in this century, as we have modern, energy efficient ovens and fast acting yeast. Still, preparing the veggies and putting it all together takes time...and here I found a little yoga in my kitchen.

First, chopping vegetables is, perhaps, the most meditative thing I do in the kitchen - aside from washing dishes, and since I own a dishwasher that is much loved, my dish washing experience is fairly limited. Vegetable chopping, however, takes time and is filled with a rhythm all of its own. Onions take a little more effort than, say, mushrooms. And peppers crunch when the skin hits the knife. Oh, and the smells! In these moments, I'm not thinking, I am truly being...completely in the present, connected in all of my senses. I feel calm and at ease.

Then comes the dough and with it comes Gentry, my daughter. Dough making is specific and vigorous. Almost like asana (yoga poses), it takes effort and focus. I stir, she pours...she kneads, I knead...she rolls, I wrap...you get the idea. We don't talk much...connected to the task at hand, anticipating how one ends and the next begins.

Finally, we put it all together. Now, I get to step back and watch Gentry. I don't tell her what to do or how to do it, I simply give guidance without judgement..."More cheese?" "Did you oil the pan?" "Don't forget the mushrooms." She has listened, observed, practiced, and now is creating her own experience. For me, this is pure joy.

Don't get me wrong, we aren't particularly serious about our pizza making. It's great fun and filled with a lot of flour on the floor and usually interrupted several times by one of us scolding Sister, the dog, who frequently visits the garbage can! We giggle and are generally pleased with our progress (oh, pride!).

Think about your yoga practice...class begins in meditation, it moves through breath and challenge, ideally you feel free to explore your edge in each pose in your own way, and I hope that it brings you joy. Unfortunately, many people believe that these experiences are limited to class or time spent on the mat. But we don't have to look far to find these moments in our day to day. They've been around for hundreds of years.

I believe the more simple your life, the more of these moments you will find. I'm quite sure that Appalachian women cooking in their country kitchens in 1890 had never even heard of yoga, but the rhythm of their lives created what I like to call "the zen of living." Baking, cleaning, sewing, gardening...the day to day wasn't easy, but it was full of meditative moments, physical and mental focus, and that unique brand of humor and joy that comes from a life simply lived.

The pizza was wonderful, by the way...fresh and rich and yummy. My husband declared it was the best he had ever had and everyone helped clean up without complaint. Peaceful domesticity!

Yummy Veggie Pasta

I love this recipe! It is so simple...and you know I am all about simple! The kids were out of school yesterday, so we spent the day outside enjoying Earth Day 2009. It was great fun, but it left me pretty tired by dinner time. Simple Veggie Pasta to the rescue!

Beans and Pasta:

1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni pasta

1/4 cup veggie broth

1 zucchini, cut and sliced

1/2 chopped onion

1 can (15 1/2 ounces) butter beans - rinsed and drained

1/2 can chopped Italian tomato - or fresh tomato chopped and seeded

2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning

Garlic flavored Olive Oil

Grated Parm. cheese

salt

Prepare the pasta according to the package and rinse and drain the beans. Heat the broth in a skillet (medium heat) then add the zucchini and onion. Cut for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomato and seasoning. Drizzle a small amount of the oil in and let it cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and add the veggie mixture. Drizzle with more of the oil, add the cheese and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

(Variation from original recipe printed in the Vegetarian Times)

The Cornish Hen Egg

I am the only person I know that has on display a hard-boiled Cornish hen egg. It sits sweetly in a crystal shot glass next to other semi-fancy glassware in my china cabinet. I think it is beautiful.

I'm not sure what drew me to this egg. Maybe it was the color, a light blue/green...one of those true "shades of nature" that aren't easily duplicated. Maybe it was its small size. Maybe it was simply the fact that it was from a Cornish hen and I have never had a Cornish hen egg before. Truly, it was probably all of the above...and a little more. My fascination with this egg began the moment I saw it.

I am a vegetarian, which basically means that I don't eat meat (and, yes, that means I don't eat any meat - including fish). I do, however, eat dairy products (I would exclude these as well if I were vegan), but I am really picky about the quality of the dairy products I use. Especially eggs.

Before we moved to the Chattanooga area, we lived a couple of hours north of here on 6 acres of land in Knox County. It was my parent's property before my husband and I took over the place following the death of my father. My dad dabbled in farming - he raised cows and pigs; had a huge, struggling garden; boarded a couple of horses for a time; raised collies; and my sister even owned a goat. We never had chickens, mainly because my mother refused, so I never had the experience of snatching eggs or feeding the hens. When my husband and I moved to the property in 2002, my yoga business and young children kept me busy and I didn't feel the need for gardening or farm animals. What an opportunity missed!

Now, we live in a small neighborhood - each house with about an acre or so on cul-de-sac streets; newer, more energy efficient homes. I don't think my contemporary neighbors would appreciate cackling hens roaming in my back yard! So, my husband met a local farmer and we now get our eggs from him - fresh, covered in dirt and chicken poop, and wrapped up with love.

This is how I met my blue/green egg. It was covered in poop and nestled among 11 larger, brown eggs. It stood out, but in the most serene way imaginable. It reminded me that nature is unexpected. It wasn't what I pre-planned for that day, but just what I needed. It reminded me that there is more to life than our routines and predictable natures allow us to grasp. It made me smile for no particular reason on an otherwise very ordinary day.

My egg won't last forever, and that is ok too. But its presence has given me a forever feeling. Each week, when my husband brings home a fresh supply of eggs, I get excited. I tingle all over in anticipation of what might be. I can't wait to look into the box and I am constantly amazed at what I find. Eggs large and small; spotted and pale; picture perfect and, well, less so. And if I am lucky enough, maybe another one from a Cornish hen.

How to make scrambled eggs:

2 fresh eggs
1 tblsp butter milk

Butter (optional)

salt and pepper

Wash and rinse eggs. Crack eggs open into a small bowl and add buttermilk. Whisk until yolks are broken. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add small amount of butter to skillet, if desired (if the butter milks and turns brown, your eggs may look brown as well, but they will have a wonderful nutty flavor).

Add egg mixture to skillet and stir, move mixture around gentle to scramble. When eggs are fluffy (just before they are done), remove eggs from skillet and place them on a warm plate. Add salt and pepper and enjoy!

Veggie Chili and other things

I must confess that I wasn't much of a cook when my husband (Crawdad) and I married. As a matter of fact, the first time I turned on the stove in our small apartment, I blew a circuit breaker! I was trying to boil water. Our landlord, a dear friend, felt the need to leave me written instructions concerning the proper use of my stove, as well as how to boil water, once he had fixed the problem.

I learned to cook much in the same way I learned to sew...by screwing up! But, especially when it comes to vegetarian cooking, I've learned a thing or two: I've learned to think way outside the box, to trust my instincts, and not to fear rejection. I mean, not everything turns out the way I plan and, no matter how well I prepare cabbage, Crawdad still won't eat it.

Thankfully, I've been able to create a handful of recipes that I can count on when I need to please the crowd. One is my vegetarian chili. Much like my yoga practice, this recipe is ever changing. I've included the basics here, but every pot of my chili is truly unique, so feel free to add/subract flavors to reflect your own style.

Veggie Chili:

2 packages of veggie sausage

1 onion - chopped

1 cup of good vegetable stock

1 tblsp. flour

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (or one sprig fresh, chopped rosemary)

1 tblsp. ground cumin

salt

4 small cans (8 oz) tomato sauce

3 cans kidney beans (1 c an drained and rinsed)

2 packages chili seasoning (pick the brand you like)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup orange juice

In a skillet, saute the onions until they are clear and soft. Add the veggie sausage and really work the "meat" with a fork to break it up. Brown the "meat." Add the veggie stock to the heated pan then add the flour. Stir quickly to thicken the stock. Add the next 5 ingredients and let simmer for 10 minutes or so.

In a large stock pot, add the tomato sauce, 2 cans of beans, and 1 can of drained beans. When this mixture begins to simmer, add the "meat" and chili seasoning. Stir until it is all really blended. Finally, add the bread crumbs and orange juice. Stir it well and then crank up the heat until the pot is just about to boil. Turn the heat down and let your chili simmer for at least 20 minutes. You could let it simmer for hours, if you prefer.

Serve it hot!

This recipe should yeild several portions of chili. I am a firm believer in the magical properties of leftovers, so I hope you have some for lunch the next day, veggie hot-dogs, mexican pie...you get the idea! Adjust the quantities up or down for the amount that fits your needs.

Let me know what you think!

New Vegetarian Recipes!!!

Well, I updated my website today including a new recipe for Veggie Pot Pie. To save space, I decided to post my Bean Burger recipe here, as many of you have asked for it. In addition, I am also re-printing my recipe for Pineapple Bread, so I hope you enjoy both!

Bean Burgers:

1 15 oz can great northern beans (or any white bean) - rinsed and drained
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 egg - or egg substitute
1/4 cup buttermilk (or soy milk)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
hamburger buns
sliced cheese - sharp cheddar or pepperjack is best
spray butter or olive oil

Mash beans with fork. Add bread crumbs, onion, egg, milk, garlic, salt, and cumin. Mix well and form into patties. Grill patties for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Arrange buns on a baking dish. Place bean pattie and cheese on one side of bun. Spray butter or brush olive oil on the other side. Place burgers under the broiler until toasted. Serve warm! Makes about 4 burgers.

Pineapple Bread:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs - or egg substitute
15 oz can pineapple - diced
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking dish.

Stir together sugar, oil, eggs, and applesauce. Drain pineapple and save liquid. Add pineapple to sugar mixture.

In a different bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Now, stir the flour mixture into the pineapple mixture and pour it all into the greased pan. Bake for about 1 hour.

Just before the bread is finished baking, dissolve 1/4 cup sugar into the pineapple juice over heat. When the bread is finished baking, take it out of the oven and pour the juice mixture over the bread...you may not have to use all of the mixture. Let the bread stand and the liquid absorb, 15 to 30 minutes.

Serve warm by itself or with some carmel ice cream...yummy!

For more recipes, check out my website at http://www.yoganoodles.com/!