Mushroom Stroganoff

Sorry. No picture. We ate it too fast!!! Here's another vegetarian/vegan dinner which I thought turned out terrific! I got it out of the Forks Over Knives vegan cookbook but tweeked it just a little by adding a few extras like the cream cheese and Worchestershire sauce, among other things. You can view the original recipe here: http://www.forksoverknives.com/chef-dels-mushroom-stroganoff/

1 onion, sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp. Thyme (I used dried)
1 tsp. fresh Rosemary, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbl. Worchestershire sauce (try and find a vegan variety if you want to)
1 pound baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms (they come in a bag)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white wine (I just used cooking wine)
1 cup soy sour cream (or you can use the real stuff)
4 oz. soy cream cheese (or you can use the real stuff)
Parmesan cheese as needed (optional - don't use it for a vegan meal)


First thing, boil the water and add the mushrooms so they can soak for about 20-30 minutes (I just did the water in a 2-cup glass measuring cup in the microwave for 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap after you put the mushrooms in to soak). Start chopping everything else while you're waiting! Saute the onions for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and spices. Cook another minute or so, then add the baby bella mushrooms and keep cooking for 5 more minutes. Add the porcini soaked mushrooms, W-sauce, and the wine. Cook, uncovered, for approximately 20 more minutes (OR you can turn it down to low and let it simmer while you're cooking the pasta and finishing up everything else). Just before serving, add the sour cream and cream cheese. Stir until well combined. Serve over spaghetti, fettucini, or mashed potatoes, or any kind of pasta (I actually used Penne pasta for this one. Serves approximately 4-6 people.

Apple Crisp

2 large apples, peeled, sliced and cored (I used Honeycrisp)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tbl cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbl butter
1 cup Apple Cinnamon Chex
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup (or more) white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix prepared apples in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine sugar and cornstarch and spices. Place in a buttered 5x7 inch pan (or 9x9). In a food processor combine brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and Chex and pour over apples. Bake 45 minutes. Top with white chips and bake 5 more minutes. Serves 4.

Top with vanilla ice cream, or just plain old cream!

This was one of those experiments that actually tasted good! My last one was a peach crisp which was totally horrible.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

Blend in:

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2-3 tsp. vanilla extract

Add the dry ingredients mixing until just blended. Do not over beat!

3-3/4 cups gluten free flour (I use Pamela's)

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

They'll be a little sticky but I was able to still roll them lightly in my hand before placing them in the sugar coating.

Sugar coating:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp allspice

After coating, place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Flatten with the bottom of a glass.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 11 minutes. Cool. 

Brownies a'la Reese's, Peanuts and Krispies!

I got this recipe idea from Taste of Home and tweaked it to suit my gluten free diet. The original recipe used a brownie from the box and Betty Crocker, Pamela's and others have those readily available. I still prefer my brownies from scratch.

Can I just say...oh my!!! This is one that is definitely best served COLD!

Brownie base:
2 cubes of butter (1 cup)
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/4 cup Pamela's Gluten Free Flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
14 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut up
1/2 to 3/4 cup salted peanuts
Cream the butter, cocoa and sugar (I usually soften the butter just a bit in the microwave). Add eggs one at a time, beating slightly after each addition. Add flour. Mix until just moistened. If you over mix the GF flour it doesn't work as well. Pour into a 9x13 (or a little larger if you prefer a thinner brownie) and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. Open the oven door and sprinkle the cut up Reese's and peanuts on top of the brownies and continue baking for 5 or 6 more minutes. Cool completely.

Topping
While this is cooling, melt together:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 T butter

Add: 1-1/2 cups of crisp rice cereal (I used EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal, but you could use the new GF Rice Crispies too) to the chocolate/peanut butter cream. Pour over cooled brownies. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. I found they were better if it was even longer. Cut them up and give them away before you eat too many!!!

Coconut-Pecan Chicken with Red Pepper Mango Salsa

This was such a yummy dinner! I think I need to improve on my presentation and photographs. But, right now I feel lucky to even put this on this blog! Try it maybe with some coconut rice or something. I was going for a pina colada feel with the coconut, pineapple, mango and banana bread!

2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1/2 cup (or more) shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 egg with 1 tsp water, beaten

3 T canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend the coconut, salt, and the pecans together. Place in a shallow bowl. Beat the egg and water together and place in a shallow bowl.  Dip the chicken strips in the egg and coat with the coconut pecan. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Place coated chicken strips in the frying pan, brown on both sides and transfer to a glass baking dish and to the oven for approximately 12 minutes.

 1-1/2 cup chopped mango (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 T chopped cilantro (fresh)
1 T vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 T honey
1 T lime
1/2 tsp salt

Combine and serve over chicken.

I paired this with fresh pineapple and some banana bread that I had in the freezer.  A couple of other notes:  1) the unsweetened coconut was hard to find. There's plenty of sweetened coconut around. You have to look in the specialty isles.  2) If you don't want to make your own salsa, Costco sells a mango salsa that I think I actually liked better than this one.