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.