Recipes!
I love to cook! In the kitchen, as well as the studio, I'm always thinking of new
ideas to use for my ingredients.
So, instead of just a website for selling, why not have some fun on it, too, right?
Well, here's the place where I'll be posting some of my recent food endeavors and
what I guess we will call; recipes.  Perhaps we could also call it my sort of blog.  
Please enjoy these, and pass them on, if you'd like. I only ask that you mention
where you found it, so others may enjoy the fruits of my artistic abilities!
Feb 9, 2006

Vegetable Pasta:

Boil up the pasta of your choice.  

Saute up sliced mushrooms, chopped Kalamata olives, chopped artichokes in some olive oil with
chopped garlic.  Add 1/2 can Fire-roasted tomatoes, salt, pepper, and warm briefly.  Add cooking
water from pasta, and continue to cook, adding the cooked pasta.  Combine with a few tablespoons
freshly grated parmasan and serve.
January 21, 2006:

Kristen, Dusty, and Justice came over last night, and we had enchiladas.  This was sort of an
impromptu affair, so I just used what I had on hand.  Thank the Goddesses for flour tortillas!

Here's how I did it:

1. In some olive oil, I sauteed these for about 5 minutes:
  • 2 stalks minced (well, it was about 1/2 inch dice--is that considered minced?) celery
  • handful of baby carrots, also diced (read above)

2. I then added
  • about 1/2 cup Trader Joe's frozen fire roasted corn
  • about 1/2 cup Trader Joe's frozen artichoke hearts, chopped roughly
  • 1/2 package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced, with the stems removed
  • 1/4 package Gimme Lean, beef flavor, crumbled and browned in a pan separately
  • 3 cloves garlic (I also used Trader Joe's garlic, which is pre-peeled, and just so freakin' cheap,
    cuz, well, Trader Joe's Rules!!

3. Let these guys go until everything gets all cooked up. Then add:
  • almost a whole can of Trader Joe's Organic Black Beans
  • Good 10 second shaking of Cumin Powder, or about 1 teaspoon, if you're counting

4. Bring this up to a boil, then turn the heat down and let this simmer until the black bean juices are
almost all absorbed. Season w/ salt and pepper and remove the filling from heat.

5. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1/4 white onion, and several garlic
cloves to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until darker in color. Remove
from heat, allow to cool slightly and liquefy using an immersion or standing blender.

6. Spray a baking dish with olive oil spray, and place one bag Trader Joe's pre-cooked Brown Rice in
the bottom of the pan, spreading out evenly. Set near preparation area for next step.

7. Place fajita size flour tortilla on clean surface and load the filling.  Add shredded Cheddar and
Mozzarella cheese on top, and roll up. Place seam side down, on top of brown rice.

8. Continue filling enchiladas, then pour sauce over top. Add more cheese, and bake at 375 degrees
for about 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly on top.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
January 21, 2006:
Vegetable Empanadas
  • About 1 cup filling, leftover from Vegetable Enchiladas (see above recipe)
  • 1 tube crescent roll dough (you know, the kind near the OJ)
  • 1/3 cup (more or less?) finely shredded Cheddar cheese
  • flour
  • egg (optional)

  1. Unroll dough from can, separate the large rectangles, but careful to not separate the triangles.
    Place on clean work surface and pinch seams back together.  Now you should have 8 large
    rectangles.
  2. Dust work surface and rolling pin with flour. Place each rectangle on surface, and flatten until
    just slightly larger. Repeat for entire batch, and cut each in half. Now you have 16 pieces. :o)
  3. Place about 1 teaspoon filling on each rectangle, only on one side of it. Top with a pinch of
    cheese.  Dip your finger in water, and wet the outside area of that side of the filled rectangle.
  4. Close the empanada, by folding the dough over, and pinch the 3 edges with a fork.
  5. Whip up the egg with a dash of water, and brush over the top surface of each empanada. Or,
    you may also use milk, soy milk, or nothing.
  6. Bake at the required temperature as per the instructions on the crescent roll dough, for about
    15 minutes, give or take, or until the top surface becomes GBD: Golden brown and delicious!

Stuffed Mushrooms
  • 1/2 - 1 lb. combination or selection of white button mushrooms and/or  cremini mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup (or about a 1" slice) Gimme Lean sausage style fake meat (or use 2 frozen patties)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Cream cheese, softened
  • 2 Tbsp. Panko bread crumbs (or regular style)
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed, dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh, minced)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp. finely shredded Parmesan cheese

  1. Consider the amount of people you are serving, and figure about 2-4 mushrooms per person,
    depending on how hearty their appetites, and if this is an appetizer, side-dish, or main dish.  
    Wipe the mushrooms clean and pop out the stems. Place the mushrooms, topside down on a
    greased glass baking dish and set aside.  Trim the ends, if necessary, and chop the stems
    finely.
  2. Heat a skillet to medium high heat and add the olive oil. Start to brown the fake sausage,
    breaking it up with your wooden spoon.  Once it gets going, stir in the mushroom stems and
    garlic. Continue to cook until mushrooms stop giving off their liquid and it evaporates.
  3. Season with salt and pepper, and mix with cream cheese, bread crumbs, and rosemary. Taste,
    and adjust seasoning to your liking.
  4. Fill the mushrooms, pressing the mixture into, and mounding slightly on top with a small spoon.
  5. Top each mushroom with a pinch of cheese, and bake at 375 Degrees for about 15 minutes.
February 10, 2006,

Just a short one here:

Mix together a half pint blackberries, raspberries, and a pint of strawberries, sliced with 1/3 cup
sugar, a bit of orange peel, and some orange liquor, if you'd like. Allow to mascerate for about 1-2
hours. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Warm some Filo dough pre-cooked cups in the oven for about 3-4 minutes.

Fill with the fruit filling, and squeeze some whipped cream on top.
January 27th, 2007

White Portobella Mushroom Pizza

1 recipe Pizza Dough or store-bought kind
2 large Portabella Mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp sugar (or honey)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

3 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk (low-fat, soy, broth, whatever)

1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and pepper in a bowl, and pour over mushrooms.  Allow to marinate at
least 2 hours.
2.  oll out dough according to directions, or to whatever shape you dig.  Set aside
3. Saute butter and chopped garlic together in a pan over medium heat til fragrant.  
4. Add flour, whisking until you no longer see white.
5. Add milk, whisking until smooth.  Allow to cook for a few minutes til it gets thick.  Season with salt
and pepper, and allow to cool slightly.
6. Drain Portabella mushrooms from marinade, and reserve, if desired.
7. Spread sauce over pizza, arrange drained mushrooms in a pin-wheel type pattern.
8. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.


Kettle Corn
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp sugar
popcorn
salt

Heat oil and 1 kernal of popcorn in a large soup pot or spaghetti pot over medium-high heat.  When
the popcorn pops, sprinkle on sugar and enough popcorn to ALMOST cover bottom of pan.  Put lid
on, and shake the pan until  popping slows.  I like to allow the top to vent JUST a little, because it
turns out crispier =)    Sprinkle salt on before serving.  Love It!!!!!!
December 29, 2007

Lasagna Roll-ups

1 head of garlic
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt
Pepper

2 cups milk, half-n-half, cream, soy, etc
salt
pepper
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs flour

8-9 Lasagna noodles

1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg
freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups prepared marinara
1 cup shredded mozzarella
  1. Slice top off garlic head to expose top with knife or
    scissors.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper and wrap
    in foil.  Roast garlic in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes,
    or until soft when pierced with a knife.
  2. Combine roasted garlic, milk, salt and pepper to taste
    in blender and pulse until smooth. Set aside
  3. Melt butter & olive oil over medium heat. Add flour and
    cook for a minute or two, mixing until smooth.  Add milk
    mixture and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.  
    Keep on low heat and stir occasionally.
  4. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain
    and keep in bowl of cool water until ready to use
  5. Meanwhile, mix cheese, spinach, cheese, egg &
    nutmeg.  Add fresh ground pepper to your liking
  6. Take the bechemel sauce off the heat and pour into a
    greased casserole dish.
  7. Drain 3 noodles and pat dry with towels. Place
    lengthwise on a clean surface or cutting board.  Fill the
    noodles with about 2-3 Tbs filling, smoothing out to
    evenly distribute.  Place rolls over bechemel sauce
    and continue to add until filling is used up.  
  8. Pour marinara sauce over lasagna rolls and top with
    cheese.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25
    minutes.  Remove cover and bake 20 minutes longer
    or until bubbly and the edges are just starting to brown.