Spicy Chicken Soup

As a kid, dinner was usually a little haphazard at our house. We usually ate a big breakfast together every morning, but come suppertime, everyone sort of fended for themselves. Except on Friday. Every Friday evening, Mom made a special meal for us to eat together as we welcomed the Sabbath in. She’d light candles (which sounds Jewish now that I think of it), and put out the nice dishes. These meals weren’t big, but they were always delicious. She’d make some sort of fantastic soup, like homemade chicken noodle (yes, she made the noodles), white bean chili, vegetarian beef stew, creamy potato… you get the idea. Then we’d have cheese and crackers and maybe donuts for desert if we were lucky. I loved those meals.

But somehow, I never caught onto how my mom made these perfect soups. She often followed recipes, but frequently just threw stuff together. I can do that in a frying pan pretty well, but for whatever reason I’ve been intimidated by free-styling soup since I started cooking. UNTIL NOW! The cold weather up here in the mountains begs for hot bowls of soup for supper. I was sick a couple months back, and I realized I was the only person that would make myself the soup I craved. I made a really good vegetable soup (if I do say so myself) and finally, the ice was broken.

Since then, I’ve been doing at least one or two soups a week, and they are not very difficult at all! I don’t even know why I’ve psyching myself out for so long. Some of the soups have been better than others, but earlier this week, we definitely had a winner. I was craving my mom’s aforementioned white bean chili, but was lacking several of the ingredients; namely the white beans. However, I did have some veggie chicken, pinto beans, and some tasty green vegetables. A jalapeno added the perfect amount of heat. White bean chili? No. Yummy soup? Yes.

Spicy Chicken Soup
Serves 6-8

3 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
½ a red onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
2 quarts hot water
2 lbs can Worthington FriChik
1 zucchini chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbls McKay’s Chicken Seasoning
1 individual package of Sazón Goya
salt


Heat olive oil over medium low heat in pot. Add onions and peppers and sauté for three to four minutes.


Add water, FriChik and zucchini and heat to a low boil.

Stir in oregano, chicken seasoning, Sazón Goya, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tips: If you’re not into spicy food, you can omit the jalapeno or use only a portion of it. McKay’s is the chicken seasoning I always use (it’s vegetarian), but a different brand would work fine, or you can simply use some chicken broth instead of water.

Perfect Pasta Bowl

This week we finally experienced Wawona’s first snow of the season! It happened on Monday. Well, I suppose it started Sunday night, but at that point, it was an uncertain snow, just a dusting. But when we woke up, a blanket! It kept snowing too, until we had almost a foot. This is the most snow I’ve had since I left Michigan after my freshman year of college. We all reveled in it. As soon as we finished our necessary tasks for the day, we went sledding… obviously. A day of hiking through the snow along with the general excitement left all of us feeling pretty tired and hungry. Pasta sounded perfect and some recent dieting intentions ensured that the fridge was packed full of vegetables. My plan? To fit as much of this as I could into a giant bowl.

If you plan on mixing your vegetables with something other than just sauce, pasta strands (spaghetti, fettuccini, etc.) don’t always work the best. When I add veggies or meats, I usually go for Penne, but all we had was some huge bags of macaroni. Macaroni is often overlooked when not being used with its classic sidekick cheese. However, macaroni is great if you’re feeding a crowd. You’ll get more bang for your buck with macaroni than with most larger pasta noodles (rigatoni, ziti, penne, etc.), since these just have bigger empty spaces.

This pasta hit the spot for sure. It was really filling, but also easy and fast. If you don’t have all the ingredients I used, don’t sweat it; just use whatever you have in the fridge. This is definitely a good dish to improvise with.

Perfect Pasta Bowl
Serves 8

2 lbs macaroni noodles
3 Tbs olive oil
3 large garlic cloves finely chopped or pressed
½ red onion finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
1 zucchini quartered and sliced
1 bunch green onions finely chopped
1 large tomato chopped
4-6 c baby spinach leaves
4 Morningstar Farms Chik Patties, thawed in microwave
1 c feta cheese crumbled
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

In large pot, boil macaroni according to instructions on package.

Heat oil in large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until they just start to become soft. Add jalapeno and red pepper and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add zucchini, green onions and tomato.

In separate pan, fry Chik Patties in a little olive oil until crispy. Cut into small pieces and add to vegetables along with the spinach. Cook until spinach begins to wilt, then remove from heat.

Stir vegetable mixture, feta cheese and dried herbs together with pasta in large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tips: If you’re not into spicy food, you can skip the jalapeno pepper. This dish is also good with cheeses other than feta. Parmesan, asiago, romano or goat cheese would be really good. You could skip the cheese altogether for a tasty vegan option as well. I actually served it with some medium cheddar on the side for the cheese lovers to add at will.

Seal the Deal Banana Pudding

My one-year anniversary of dating my now husband was a big deal. Neither of us had ever dated anyone for that long so we felt we needed to honor this event properly. We each did what we knew best. He wrote me a song, I promised to make whatever food he wanted. I was expecting a request for something like fettuccini alfredo, maybe my famous cheese ball he liked so much, but he instead asked for banana pudding. I had never made banana pudding and I actually had no idea he liked it, but apparently this was one of his favorite desserts that both his mom and grandma made. I had a lot to live up to.

My favorite resource, aka my mother, was not an option this time. I couldn’t recall Mom ever making a banana pudding, so I turned to the greatest kitchen accessory known to modern man; the Internet. Nothing fancy, just a quick search in Google. The first link on the page was a banana pudding recipe on Recipelink.com. This pudding originally came from the cookbook More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey, collection of recipes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in NYC (remember in the SNL skit, Lazy Sunday, when they buy cupcakes before the movie? Yup, that’s Magnolia’s). Once we were able to sample it, it was easy to see why this recipe popped up first in my search. Donnie raved, along with the guys in the dorm he shared with, and I fell in love with banana pudding for the first time. Donnie and I often joke that this is what “sealed the deal.”

Banana puddings range in ingredients from the very simple (instant banana pudding, Nilla Wafers, sliced bananas), to more complex versions, where you literally make your pudding from scratch. This version is the best of both worlds. It uses instant vanilla pudding mix along with sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream to form the base. It’s rich and really fattening, but always a crowd pleaser and a good alternative to the regular holiday desserts. It’s easy too. Small disclaimer: As I’ve already explained, I did not create this recipe, but it’s so good, I have to share it. I’ve tweaked the ingredients just a tad, but if you want to see the original, here it is:

http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_5.html

Seal the Deal Banana Pudding
Serves 10-12

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix *
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (12-ounce) boxes Nabisco Nilla Wafers
1 large bunch of ripe bananas, sliced

In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass). Arrange wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then layer bananas on top of cookies and follow with a layer of pudding mixture. Repeat the layering at least twice more (depending on depth of bowl), garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding, if you desire. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tips: Like I said, it’s easy, but you do have to plan ahead. I usually start the day before I need it so I don’t have to pull it out early (not a good idea). The pudding mixture can turn into a speckle-y, sticky mess all over the counter when you’re beating it, so I recommend covering the bowl with a dishtowel during this process. The original recipe calls for only 1 box of Nilla wafers, but I’ve always found that’s it’s just never quite enough. I was usually about 10 or 12 cookies short. Go ahead and buy an extra box. It’s easy to get a husband, friend, stranger, etc. to finish of the rest of the box anyhow.

And while we’re talking about the wafers, don’t buy the generic brand even though it’s cheaper! We did this once and they were nowhere near as good. However, buy whatever brand of pudding you want, you won’t be able to tell a difference. Oh, and this recipe is great to serve at breakfast too!

After Dinner Brownies (aka Mint Brownies)

I LOVE Thanksgiving. There are few things better than hanging out with family, playing games and having only one item on the agenda: eating. I love most Thanksgiving staples (mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, dinner rolls, whatever replaces turkey), but unfortunately for me, my least favorite pie of all time is a Thanksgiving must. Pumpkin pie is ok, but I can usually go with just a sliver or nothing at all. To ensure that this would not be my only sweet option this weekend, I whipped up my favorite brownie variation.

You may have noticed that I’m not much for sweets in general, hence the lack of dessert options on this blog thus far, but my good friend Aimee said I definitely needed some. When I do make desserts, there are a few criteria that I always require. First, the recipe has to be easy. Second, it has to be something a little unique. Third, it can’t be all chocolate. I’m not a huge chocolate fan for better or worse. That said these brownies are so good. They’ll be a hit every time, promise!

After Dinner Brownies (or Mint Brownies)

1 batch of your favorite brownie mix or a homemade recipe
1 10 oz. package of Andes Crème De Menthe Baking Chips

Follow instructions for combining ingredients for mix or recipe.

Add half of the baking chips and stir into mix.

Bake according to instructions.

As soon as brownies are fully cooked and out of the oven, sprinkle the rest of the baking chips on top and allow to melt.

Tips: These are so easy it’s almost impossible to mess up. However, if you don’t make brownies very often, pay careful attention to how many stirs the recipe can handle, then add the chips when you’re half way done stirring. Also, I recommend not spreading the chips around as they melt. This turns the green and brown swirls to plain old brown. Last but not least, I’ve experimented with other candy bits. They all taste good, but none of them melt on top as well. Try your favorite candy crumbles in the batter, but don’t bother trying to melt them on top at the end.

Side by Side Stir-Fry

The Beijin Palace was my very first Chinese restaurant. Unlike my first kiss, I was probably three or four years old the first time I had it and my love for America’s version of Chinese food has been there ever since. The Beijin was your classic hole-in-the-wall, like most great ethnic restaurants are. It was the only Chinese joint in Berrien Springs, but that was just fine since the egg rolls were always fried to perfection and the sauce on the Governor’s Chicken was spicy and sweet and rich (this was back when I still ate meat).

After we moved from Berrien, I was worried that I’d never find another Chinese restaurant I loved quite as much as the Beijin Palace, but China Kitchen laid my fears to rest. Just a mile or so from my Alma Mater, Southern Adventist University, China Kitchen provided those perfect Asian flavors I’d missed, with tofu and veggie chicken options for every dish! Broccoli and bean curd dinner combo with brown rice; remember those words the next time you’re in Collegedale, Tennessee.

I’ve often wished I could recreate the Chinese foods I love at home. No, this is not a recipe showcasing how I finally figured it out. I still can’t. The salty, thick sauces you find on your veggies at these restaurants are full of ingredients I don’t normally keep in my kitchen, not to mention the fact they aren’t very healthy. However, the principles of one of the most famous of all Chinese dishes, stir-fry, are simple and quick to execute. Stir-fry is a standby meal plan that I save for when I don’t have any daring ideas for dinner. That said, you can get really creative with the ingredients and flavors you use.

I decided to make a big batch of stir-fry with some brown rice the other day, but didn’t have quite enough of any of the ingredients I wanted to use, so I made two; one with Asian flavors, one tasting more Mexican. This actually worked quite well for everyone since several people preferred one or the other. I went ahead and served some spicy Thai and soy sauce for the Asian blend and some salsa for the other. You could get creative with some toppers like that as well.

Side by Side Stir-Fry
Serves 8

Asian Stir-Fry
3 Tbs. sesame oil
1 1/2 c. chopped cabbage
½ c. chopped onion
1 c. shredded carrot
1 42 oz. can of Worthington FriChik, sliced
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 tsp. granulated garlic
salt and pepper

Mexican Stir-Fry
3 Tbs. light olive oil
2 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. chopped onion
1 serrano pepper
1 42 oz. can of Worthington FriChik, sliced
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cumin
salt and pepper


In two large pans, heat the oils over medium heat.

Add vegetables, veggie chicken, seasonings and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is heated through, but be careful not to overcook.

Serve with your favorite rice.

Tips: If you decide to use some different veggies, you may want to add them to the pan at different times or cook them a bit ahead. For example, if you want to use broccoli, you’ll want to add that before you add any small pieces of onion, carrot, etc. If you don’t, the small things will overcook before the broccoli is done. Also, don’t skimp on the Fri-chik. Even though it’s a bit expensive, it’s the center of the dish. Buy a couple of large cans and use it all.

(Sort of) Spinach Quiche

The summer after my first year of college, I decided to stay home instead of working at summer camp as I had the past couple of summers. Mom had just started the Fat Flush Diet, so her presence in the kitchen mainly consisted of blending all natural cranberry juice smoothies. Eww. Mom was afraid if she cooked for us, she’d eat what she was making and since my dad isn’t much of a chef, meal responsibilities often fell to me.

Although I really enjoyed entertaining the idea of being a good cook, I hadn’t had much practice yet and it showed. Some culinary endeavors failed miserably. I spent most of one day making a few loaves of from-scratch, whole wheat bread, which tasted fine but were heavy enough to use as bricks (shot puts, blunt weapons, etc). I also spent about 4 hours on an authentic curry sauce that smelled like heaven and tasted like dirt (maybe worse).

Fortunately, there were successes as well. Mom pulled out a recipe card one afternoon for a good old-fashioned quiche. Spinach and Swiss cheese were the main components along with a basic egg mixture to hold everything together. I made the crust myself (“easy as pie” is such a stupid thing to say), and the end results were pretty good. But as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big egg fan. I loved the melty cheese with the green hearty spinach, but I wondered if I could get away with fewer than the three eggs the recipe called for.

Quiche sounds complicated, but it’s actually very easy. The crust is the most difficult part, but you can buy one premade or just skip it all together and make a crustless quiche. Plus, you can use almost anything for a filling. Here’s what I whipped together the other day.


(Sort of) Spinach Quiche
4-5 servings

1 package of baby spinach leaves
1 c. sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
½ c. finely chopped red onion
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1 c. crumbled feta
½ c. shredded parmesan
1 egg
1/3 c. milk or cream
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. crushed black pepper
1 package of phillo dough, thawed
1 stick of butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter or margarine. Use basting brush to spread butter on 8 sheets of phillo dough while layering in pie pan. Trim overhanging edges.

Combine spinach, mushrooms, red onion, garlic and cheeses and place inside phillo dough.


Mix together the egg, milk, dill, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over mixture in pan.

Cover the filling with several more layers of buttered phillo and trim edges.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a fork inserted comes out clean.

Tips: If you want a fluffier quiche, you can use up to three eggs, but increase the milk or cream proportionately too. Be sure to thaw out the phillo dough completely since it’s very fragile when frozen, but like I said before, you could put the filling straight into the pan and skip a crust altogether. If you want larger pieces of onions, be sure to sauté them first so they aren’t crunchy. Also, feel free to experiment with different veggies and cheeses. Just about anything works.

Vegetarian Meatlaof

My mom grew up on a meat and potatoes diet. Her dad had some very specific ideas about what a man should eat, none of which included a salad. Although I wasn’t raised as a strict vegetarian, Mom rarely cooked meat at home, so it’s hard for me to imagine a meat entrée three times a day with nary a fruit or vegetable to keep it company. That said Mom’s upbringing ensured that every meal we ate included a healthy portion of protein and often a starchy potato as well.

This probably explains my love affair with veggie meat. Although I’ve been a solid vegetarian for the last eight years or so, I haven’t really bothered to confine myself to vegetarian recipes. There are SO many different kinds of vegetarian meat products out there. Countless brands are making every sort of meat substitute in every size, shape, color, texture and flavor profile. Some of them even taste similar to the real thing. For these reasons, you can replace the meat in most recipes with the substitute of your choice.

I put this idea to practice last night when I made a good old-fashioned meatloaf, minus the actual meat. While perusing Foodnetwork.com for some new recipes, I came across a pretty easy meatloaf by Alton Brown, host of Good Eats with Alton Brown. Although the recipe called for ground chuck and ground sirloin, I knew I could make some adjustments and end up with something just as tasty.

Vegetarian Meatloaf
Serves 6-8

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 green bell pepper
36 oz of Worthington Vegetarian Burger
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
½ cup mayo

For the glaze:
1/2-cup catsup
1 tsp ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 Tbls honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor* bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and green pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture and vegetarian burger with the breadcrumb mixture. Add the salt, egg and mayo and combine thoroughly.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray.

Combine the ingredients for the glaze. Brush half of the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.


Place back in oven and cook for an additional 35 minutes. Serve Heat up the rest of the glaze in the microwave or on the stove just until hot and serve alongside the meatloaf.

Tips: If you don’t have a food processor, you can combine the breadcrumb ingredients in a plastic baggie and crush together with a cup. You can also just finely chop the vegetable ingredients, although this will definitely take longer. Another option is processing small portions at a time in a blender. Also, the original recipe calls for a red pepper, but I rarely have these on hand and they’re a bit pricier. You can even omit the pepper altogether, but I definitely think they enhance the flavor and color of the loaf. It's also worth noting that since this dish is already dairy-free, an egg replacement could easily make this recipe entirely vegan.

Breakfast Egg Bake

My husband’s family had two ducks when he was a kid. No they didn’t live on a farm, they just had ducks. One might think this is an odd choice for a pet, but they were put to good use. Sandy, my mother-in-law would devil the duck eggs and take them to potluck. If you’ve never seen a duck egg, I’ll just inform you that they’re considerably larger than chicken eggs. Apparently they’re tasty too. People would rant and rave over these ginormous deviled eggs, unaware of their origins. Duck eggs are completely edible, but Donnie, his sister and my father-in-law could never stomach it, and always avoided the deviled egg platter when going threw the potluck line.

If I had been around, I probably would have followed suit. Not necessarily because duck eggs gross me out, but because I’m not a big fan of eggs period. In fact, I think a lot of people like eggs a whole lot less than they realize. Why? Because people always love my eggs and my main goal when preparing them is to make them taste as little like eggs as possible.

With this in mind, I decided to make eggs for Donnie this morning before he woke up. Normally, I would just scramble them, but we just switched out our propane stove for a new electric one and the rewiring that needs to take place, hasn’t. No baking in the oven or cooking on the stovetop. However, we own a toaster oven, which has proven to be a lifesaver over the last few months while our propane stove was giving up the ghost. Since I have some small Pyrex ramekins I decided to attempt something like a frittata. Frittatas (or Italian style omelets) normally start in a frying pan and finish in the oven, but I made do in spite of this. This breakfast isn’t quick, but it’s something new to try on Saturday or Sunday morning when you have the time. And with all the goodies that go inside, all you need is a bowl of fruit to round the meal out.

This recipe is for two ramekins, but you could easily double or triple it and do it in a regular baking dish.

Breakfast Egg Bake
Serves 2

2-3 eggs (depending on size)
½ cup milk
1 tsp chives
½ tsp sage
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp salt and pepper each
6 Morningstar Farms Veggie Sausage Links
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded potato or frozen hash browns
1/3 cup finely diced onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine eggs with milk, chives, sage, one crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper. Beat with whisk until bubbles form on top.

Microwave links till soft enough to cut. Cut or crumble pieces into bottom of ramekins or cooking dish. The bottoms should be completely covered.


Sprinkle half of the cheese over top of the links.

Combine the potatoes, onions and the other crushed garlic clove and cover the layer of cheese with this. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

Pour half of the egg mixture into each ramekin and bake for 25-35 minutes.

When the eggs are almost cooked threw, remove and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and place back in the oven to finish. When a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean, it’s done!

Tips: Some veggies would be great in this dish as well. Try adding some spinach, mushrooms or green/red peppers for some additional color and flavor. Also, I baked this for about 45 minutes in my toaster oven, but it should go a lot quicker in a full sized one. Check every 10-15 minutes to make sure it’s not overcooking.

Herbed Macaroni and Cheese

Donnie and I had a day off of work today. We decided to drive down the mountain to Oakhurst to buy a new oven, browse through some of the thrift shops and pick up some groceries. The drive down was a lovely one. The non-coniferous trees are finally setting themselves apart from the endless pines in shades of yellow and orange. Although the colors are nowhere near as vibrant as my home state of Michigan, they remind me of my younger autumns and of course, my mother’s cooking.

My mom is a vegan now, but she use to whip up some amazingly dairy laden dishes. The one I always requested on my birthday was her baked macaroni and cheese. The edges would come out brown and chewy, something you’ll never get from a box. Which is why when Donnie tried to buy some boxed mac and cheese at the grocery store, I cut him a deal: I’d make the real thing if he’d leave that awful stuff on the shelf.

I would have called Mom for her recipe, but just a few weeks ago, I ran across a tasty-sounding version in Sunset Magazine. Although I didn’t have the brie and fresh herbs it called for (or the bacon for that matter), I figured it would still be delicious with some variations. FYI, this dish is pretty heavy, high in calories and carbs. Pair it with a vegetable or salad for some balance, no need for bread or another side.


Herbed Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4

12 oz. elbow macaroni
3 Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips (or any bacon substitute)
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp each of dried tarragon, basil and rosemary
1 tsp garlic salt
¼ c. green onions, chopped
½ c. cream cheese
¼ c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ c. Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook macaroni, drain and set aside in another bowl.

While pasta is cooking, fry veggie bacon strips ‘til crisp, then chop into small pieces.


In the warm pasta pot, add whipping cream, cream cheese, half of the shredded cheddar, 2 Tbsp. of the butter, herbs, garlic salt, onions and the bacon strips.

Stir until melted and blended well, then mix with the pasta.

Transfer macaroni and cheese into a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

In small bowl, combine the rest of the melted butter with the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle over mac and cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Tips: Any fragrant herbs would be good in this recipe. If you’d like to use fresh ones, use a ¼ cup of each. If you’re willing to shell out the extra bucks for the brie like the original recipe calls for, you can replace a half cup of it for the whipping cream. Also, I used garlic salt to be quick, but fresh garlic and some sea salt would work well.

Roasted Vegetables

The recent arrival of cold weather to Yosemite has put me in the mood for warm food night after night. Eating a bowl of soup by the wood-burning stove does make for a ridiculously cozy (and excessively warm) evening. However, I was starting to feel like I was stuck in a soup rut, so I looked up a roasted vegetable recipe I tried once before. The original recipe, which I found on Eatingwell.com, actually calls for a winter vegetable mix of butternut squash, cauliflower and onions, but I decided to use several different veggies instead.

There are a few things I love about roasting vegetables. First of all, you can use them as a side dish or pair them with a grain and serve them as the main course. Secondly, you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand as long as you remember to keep the vegetable pieces close to the same size so they cook more evenly and are easier to eat. In addition, it’s easy-peasy, healthy, beautiful (the colors can look amazing depending on your selection), and chances are good, it’s different from what you’ve been eating lately. Here's what I did last night, but you should feel free to vary the ingredients to your liking.


Roasted Vegetables

2 medium red potatoes, cubed
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup summer squash, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
2 cups of baby portabellas (halved or left whole depending on size)
olive oil
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. basil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Toss vegetables in a large bowl with enough olive oil to coat everything. Add salt, pepper, garlic and basil and toss again.

Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring once.


The roasted veggies are great on rice, couscous, polenta, etc.

Tip: With some add-ins like corn or peas (peas are yuck in my opinion), you may want to use a frozen version or wait 10-15 minutes before adding them to the rest of the mix so they don’t burn. Also, I used basil to season the blend, but rosemary, oregano, thyme (etc.), would also be delicious and smell super good.