.:Dinner Date – Moo Shu Vegetables:.

This is a meal that will be a hit at any gathering!  It is delicious with subtle flavors (suit to taste of course!) and definitely filling.  I hope you enjoy!

 

Moo Shu Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredient List:

• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Dry Sherry or Shaoxing Rice Wine (you do not have to use this if you do not have it.)
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste!)
• 2 large Eggs
• 3/4 c Bamboo Shoots (drain water from can)
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp Gingerroot (fresh, chopped)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)
• 8 oz Mushrooms (equals 1 1/12 c –  sliced)
• 1 c Carrots (shredded)
• 4 oz Firm Tofu (drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 c Napa Cabbage (shredded)
• 3 tbsp Green Onions (chopped)
• 2 tsp Asian Sesame Oil

What to do:

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, sugar and salt into a small bowl.  Stir well until it is a smooth sauce. Set aside.  In another bowl,lightly beat eggs. Set aside.
2. Stack bamboo shoots two or three high and then cut them lengthwise into strips. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan.  Add ginger and garlic to the oil and toss well, until fragrant (about 15 seconds should do the trick.)
4. Add mushrooms and toss well.  Spread out the mushrooms until they are a single layer and cook, undisturbed for about 30 seconds.  Add in the carrots, tofu and bamboo shoots and toss.  Cook until carrots and mushrooms are softened while tossing occasionally, generally about 1 minute. Add the cabbage and toss again. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until tender-crisp (that means it still has that bite, but is softer to the mouth hole.  You can add a tbsp or 2 as need to keep it from burning.)
5. Push vegetables to the side and pour the eggs into the center of the pan.  Swirl the pan around spreading as much of the eggs as possible and then cook for about 30 seconds.  Toss those around a bit to create the scrambled eggs we all love and then mix in the vegetables, but do so gently.
6. Stir the soy sauce mix one more time and then add to the pan.  Toss it well and allow the veggies to soak up the sauce for about 1 minute.  Add the green onions and the sesame oil, toss around and then transfer to a plate/bowl.

 

.:Dinner Date – Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole:.

As a vegetarian, I love to share all the little recipes that I find so you can enjoy them as well!  Tonight (aka this morning since it is almost 4am!) I am giving you one of the tastiest and nahmmy things on the planet.

Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:

• 8oz Uncooked Penne Pasta
• 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 lbs portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1/2 c margarine
• 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2 c milk
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and strained
• 1/4 c soy sauce

What to do:

• Preheat your over to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9/13 backing dish.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta cooks, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and then add mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute then set aside in a bowl.
• Using the same saucepan, melt your margarine. Mix in the flour, garlic and basil. Gradually mix in the milk until thickened. Stir in 1 c of cheese and remove from heat once cheese is melted.
• Add pasta, mushrooms, spinach and soy sauce to the cheese mixture and stir until well mixed and then transfer to the baking dish before topping with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is a light golden brown.

This is truly delicious, and feels meaty while not containing meat.  I do hope that you enjoy!

.:DIY With Me – The Food Addition – The Soup Edition *BOM BOM BOOOOOOM!* :.

The cold days are coming friends and we all know what that means.  Soup.  Soup is the greatest thing on the planet to me.  Y’all need to understand.  I love soup.  I would rather eat soup than anything else.  It is a part of my “ooooh liquid” thing that I have.  Don’t ask.  For the love of all that is Holy DO NOT ASK!  Okay, you may ask.

See, I have an obsession with Liquid Food Stuffs.  My stomach being the doof that it is handles “solid” foods like well….. It doesn’t.  I can eat solids of course (cough cough fries) but in the end I feel like someone punched me in the gut.  *shrugs*  Talked to doctors about it and all.  They have NO CLUE what is going on.  But I am getting off topic.

Today, I thought I would share with you a few of my go to “soup” ideas to get you started on your cold day, soup nomming journey.

Oh and be sure to stick around until the end.  I have something very important to say.

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Loaded Potato Soup

• 4 medium red potatoes
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 c prechopped onion
• 1 1/4 c chicken broth
• 2 tbs all purpose flour
• 2 c milk divided
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3 bacon slices, cooked and chopped
• 1.5 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (that means about 1/3 of a cup y’all)
• 4 tsp green onions, thinly sliced

Note:  You can use the reduced fat/low fat options of the dairy involved to reduce the amount of fatty stuffs in the soup!

1. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and put them in the microwave for about 13 minutes on high.  Let those puppies nuke until they are fork tender.  When done, cut them in half and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add your onions and allow them to saute for about 3 minutes.  Then add your broth.  Take 1/2 cup of your milk and mix it into the flour.  This is the thickener y’all!  Add it into the saucepan and stir thoroughly.  Then add the rest of the milk (1 1/2 c.)  Bring it to a boil while stirring constantly.  When it hits a good bubble, allow it to cook for 1 minute.  Remove it from the heat, then add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper.
3. Remove the skins from the potatoes and coarsely mash those little nuggets of deliciousness into the milk/broth mixture. top with the bacon, the green onions and by all means, add more cheese!

This is a pretty easy and quick way of making potato soup!

ON TO THE NEXT ONE!

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French Onion Soup

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 4 c sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 4 c red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c dry white wine (optional)
• 8 c beef broth
• 1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 8 slices of French Bread, sliced and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 oz Swiss Cheese, Sliced

Note:  No you do not have to use the sugar or the wine.  When they come up in the recipe, just skip it. 🙂  

1. Heat your olive oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions to the pan and saute for 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in the sugar, pepper and salt.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 20 minutes while stirring frequently.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high again, saute for another 5 minutes or until the onion is golden brown and yummy.  Stir in the wine, cook for 1 minute and then add the broth and thyme.  Bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 hours.  (Yes friends, this one takes a bit of time but ERMERGERD it is worth it!)
4. Begin preheating your broiler.  Place the bread cubes upon a baking sheet in a single layer.  Broil those buggers for 2 minutes or until they are toasty.  But make sure that you turn them after the first minute.  You don’t want them to be crunchy on one side and squishy on the other!
5. Place 8 oven proof bowls into a baking pan that has a high enough side that keeps the bowls in without them falling all over the floor.  Trust me on this y’all.  I have broken many a bowl.
6. Ladle in 1 cup of soup into each bowl, then cover with one slice of cheese per bowl.  Broil for 2 or 3 minutes or until the cheese gets that slight brown color that is so delicious.
7. Take them out of the oven and allow to “cool” for 5 minutes before serving.

I do hope that you all enjoy the 2 recipes that I have shared today.  But I want to hear about your favorite soups!  Share  them in the comments below!  I am always looking for a new addition to my soup book!

Now for the important stuff.

I know that I have been a bit MIA lately, and I am truly sorry for that. I am not going to go into details because it is just life in general and is nothing that I can’t take care of!  That and the fact that I (not to sound mean) don’t want anyone’s sympathy.  There is way too much stuff going on in this world that we need to focus on, so I won’t add mine to that list. 🙂

But, I do want to say this.

For all of you that have subscribed to my blog, and for all of you that have stuck by me, Thank You.  Truly.  From the very bottom of my heart.  You all keep me going, and keep me smiling.  It means so much to come on here and see that someone has appreciated what I have said/done.  And considering how many of you are on here now (which blows my mind!) I know that I am helping people.  But I am not the only one.  YOU are helping ME!

There is nothing in this world that can express how much I appreciate each and every one of you.  Thank you just doesn’t even cut it.  Ugh, I am tearing up again.  *takes breath*

Anyway, y’all remember.  All of us can make a difference.  All of us can do something good in this world.  Be that one person that shines a light of love and peace into these dark times.

Love you ALL,

L.

.:Monday Make Something:.

Today is the day we sit down together and make something.  Something cool, something awesome, perhaps even something delicious.  Well friends, my darling lovelies, I am bringing the latter to the front.  I am sharing with you one of my most favorite recipes.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. 🙂

This little diddy is something I found while scanning the interwebs.  It is called (insert dramatic music here yo!):

Crack Slaw

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(The name is basically derived from the fact that it is addictive or something suchness)

Stuffs needed:

• 1 lbs ground beef
• 1 tsp minced garlic (more or less y’all.  I like me some garlic so I add more.  Just sayin.
• 1/2 chopped red onion.  Cut it how ya like it.  No need to be all fancy.
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 1/2 tbs Worcestershire (or worstasheertasheer) sauce
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 3/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more for you spicy types)
• 1 bag of shredded cabbage yumminess  (can use slaw mix)
• 2 tbs crumbled bacon

Here is what you do:

Turn on that stove and put beef into a skillet with the minced garlic and sliced onion.  Allow to heat up.  Mix in the liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce.  Allow the meat to finish browning.  Add in the soy sauce, ginger, curry powder and the red pepper.  Mix that puppy up good.

Once the onions are translucent, and all is mixed up well add the bag of cabbage shreds!  And remember y’all, leave that fat in the pan.  It is going to help. 🙂

Now cook until the cabbage is tender, and then add that bacon!  BACON!!!  Let it cook for another 5 or so minutes and BOOM BABY.  Crack Slaw.

Pile it into bowls, grab your eating utensils and have at it.  This stuff is SOOOOOOO good.

I cannot remember where I got this recipe but the person that created it deserves all the credit!!