My New Blog!!!

Hi everyone!  I know it's been a while since I've posted here.  I would love to invite all of you to visit my new food blog The Cosmic Cabbage!  It is a vegan food blog that will have vegan recipes along with animal interests, news etc.  I know many of you probably think no way do I want to check out vegan recipes but trust me on this.....I've had some great meals.  It's really no big deal eating this way. In fact I have a vegan banana bread baking in the oven right now!!!!!  If you are an animal lover and are considering a vegan diet, then please join me on my journey.  This is all new to me so I will be learning all new ways to cook along the way.....

My new blog is still a "work in progress" so please forgive me since I don't have everything up yet!!!  Please leave me a comment on my new blog and tell me what you think!!!!  I've missed all of you and would love to hear from you!

Sauteed Kale with Butternut Squash and Rice

This dish is one that I have truly enjoyed more than anything else I have eaten lately.  I didn't think that meatless would ever taste so good and flavorful but it does.  You see I have given up eating meat.  I've tried it before and it only lasted a few weeks....However, this time I plan on it lasting for good.  The main reason  is really just my love for animals and I simply don't want to eat them anymore.  I could go into a whole long post about this but my views are my views and if anyone is interested they can email me.  Hence to say, there won't be any more meat recipes.  I've also cut waaaaay back on sugar. However, I have no plans on giving up cake. Oh no, there will still be cake recipes but not as frequent.  It had gotten to the point that every afternoon at work I would have a cup of coffee with half & half and a big cookie. Really.....just too much. NOT a good habit. I'm lucky because I have a great metabolism. Even at 55!  But I'm human and over the years I have gained a few pounds. Not really many, but losing maybe 5 would help the pants feel better!

Seriously though, I found that I really had gotten addicted to sugar. Every afternoon I would have a slump.  Just tired and dragging.  Instead of having coffee and cookies, I now have mango tea (with caffeine of course)  and an orange. So much better.  And as far the meat goes, I don't even miss it. Not one.single.bit.  I was never a big meat eater anyhow.  I've even discovered tofu and will try and experiment with that.

So here is the dish that was inspired by Lynda.

Butternut squash (I bought 3 pounds, already cut up)
1 bunch of kale
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place butternut squash on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt.  Roast for about 30 minutes or until tender.
Wash kale, drain and chop.  Remove any large stems.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and add chopped onion and cook for a few minutes.  Add minced garlic and kale.  You may want to only cook this for a few minutes until it softens or you can also cook for several minutes and then add a little vegetable broth and cover and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes until it softens to your taste.  I like my kale with a little bite to it.
Add some seasoning salt and stir.
Serve over rice and add butternut squash on top.  You will have quite a bit of squash left so you can save some for another night.
Enjoy!

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Well this is one simple recipe.  But let me tell you these small tomatoes are packed with sweetness.  They are just so good. Please give this a try.......They are delicious hot but you can also eat them cold. I made a bunch and found myself eating them at dinner and lunch the next day.  I paired them with flounder in the picture, but the star of this dish are the tomatoes. Believe me!  If any of you have an Aldi's nearby you can find grape tomatoes there. I paid $1.39 for a small box of these.  The same ones were double the price at other local grocery stores.  It ALWAYS pays to buy your produce at Aldi's. And I'm NOT being paid to write this...I just want to spread the word for those who like have more money in their pockets and spending less at the grocery stores!

1 small carton of grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Toss tomatoes, garlic and olive oil in bowl.  Coat well with the olive oil. Place tomatoes in a 9 x 13 inch glass baking pan.  Let roast in oven for 25 - 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

IHOP Pancake Recipe

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and since I had some buttermilk on hand I knew it would be a good time to try it.  Delicious!!!!  Who can resist a good pancake?  I just have to say that while IHOP's pancakes are terrific, the coffee lately has been downright awful.  Has anyone else been there lately and ordered coffee?  The first time it happened I chalked it up to just a bad pot but then on my next visit it was just as bad and I even asked the waitress for a fresh pot and it was the same. Awful. My friend who I was with felt the same way so I knew it wasn't just me.  We asked the waitress what was up with the coffee and she said they started ordering a new coffee that was cheaper. Honest waitress. Awful coffee. I won't be heading back there because why would someone go to a breakfast place where the coffee is awful?  Being fair, I sent them an email regarding my experience and never heard back. Oh well. I wonder if I went there if I could perhaps bring McDonald's coffee and order their pancakes?  I'll let you know if I try that !!!  In the meantime I'll be making these pancakes at home!

1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 tbs melted butter
1/4 c. sugar

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the egg with the buttermilk and add to the flour  mixture, stirring only until smooth.  Add the melted butter and sugar.  Fry on a greased griddle.  Serves 4.

Chocolate Cream Pie (with sweetened condensed milk)

This has become my favorite "go to" chocolate pie.  As soon as I saw that this used sweetened condensed milk I knew that I had to give it a try.  I expected it to be very sweet but it's not.  It's just the perfect amount of chocolate and sweetness.   What I love about this recipe is that it's just so easy and fairly inexpensive to make.  You just use cocoa....no expensive chocolate, no chopping chocolate etc.  You can use a store bought pie shell and just bake it according to the directions or use your own recipe.  I think next time I make this I will make a graham cracker crust. Think it would be great with this pie.

This has been a tough winter for me so far.  This past month I have caught bug after bug and now to top it all off it looks like I may have torn a tendon in my left shoulder.  At least it's the left and not the right.  Going in for an MRI tomorrow and I am one claustrophobic person.  I work in a hospital so I know the techs that will be doing this so I am hoping that keeps my anxiety in check....we'll see.  I just plan on bringing a cd and listening to it and closing my eyes BEFORE I get in the machine and keeping them buggers shut until it's over....Wish me luck!

Recipe found on Pinterest

1 2/3 cups water
3 tablespoons cornstarch (I used 4)
5 tablespoons cocoa (I used 5 very rounded)
1 (14 ounce) can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (9 inch) baked pastry shell

Mix water and cornstarch and cocoa until smooth.
Sir in Eagle Brand milk and egg yolks.
Cook until thick in saucepan stirring constantly.
Stir in 2 tablespoons butter.
Add vanilla.  (Mixture might be very lumpy - keep stirring and this will eventually become smooth)
Pour into baked pie shell.   Place plastic wrap evenly over entire surface of pie and let cool.  Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  
Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Butternut Squash with Olive Oil, Parmesan Cheese and Thyme

I wanted to prepare something really quick the other night for dinner and found a large bag of butternut squash ravioli in the freezer. Well that's all well and good I thought to myself but what kind of sauce would I use on this?  Tomato....no. That didn't appeal to me. Luckily on the back of the bag was a great little sauce that you literally prepare in 5 seconds. No kidding!!!  Needless to say, I'm picking up another bag of this and making the sauce again and again.  It turned out so good that I just ate this for dinner. A whole plate of it. Not diet food but really who cares.  When it's this good (and it must be healthy with squash and olive oil) you just have to enjoy it. And eat a whole plate of it. My son did not like it so that was good - more for me.  My husband is not a big pasta lover (don't even go there) so it was ALL MINE!

One large bag (25 ounces) butternut squash ravioli
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
sprinkle with fresh thyme or dried (I had only dried on hand and it worked fine)

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain well.  Put into large pasta bowl and add all ingredients and mix well.  Enjoy!

Giveaway Winner!!

The winner of my giveaway was number 7 - Teresa!!!!! Please email me your address so I can mail this to you.  Congratulations and I hope you enjoy the book!!!  A recipe will be posted later today!