Two casseroles from the Moosewood Cookbook

It's easy to be a vegetarian home cook with this cookbook!

Mushroom Moussaka: eggplant, mushroom-tomato sauce, and a bechamel sauce

Broccoli Mushroom Noodle Casserole: like a mac & cheese

Thai berry pudding

Okay, I've taken liberties with the name of this recipe.  I found the recipe, named strawberry pudding, in Natural Health magazine.  The recipe is vegan; it uses coconut milk (hence "Thai").  I substituted frozen blueberries for fresh strawberries frozen overnight and I used vanilla extract instead of a fresh vanilla bean.  Also, I soaked raw almonds for six hours, not overnight.  If I make this pudding again, I'll soak the nuts overnight for a smoother consistency.  Otherwise, an easy and delicious dessert!

1/2 C coconut milk (I used lite milk), 3/4 C raw almonds, 1 pint (8 oz) frozen blueberries

Blend almonds and milk, then add vanilla (2-3 t) and blueberries

Potato mushroom frittata

Two boiling potatoes sauteed with garlic instead of boiled and a pack of white mushrooms also sauteed submerged with four beaten eggs (to which paprika and cumin were added) then set on the stove for a few minutes and topped with aged cheddar then baked for several minutes (to melt the cheese) at 375-degrees F.

Jarring applesauce

Who knew jarring was easy?  If I had known earlier, I would have jarred peaches and nectarines and plums and berries.  But I learned that jarring was easy after doing it myself.  My family and I went apple picking last month and I made applesauce and jarred three pints, two of which I gave away.  Thanks to two websites: wholesomebabyfood.com (the recipe) and homefedbaby.com (jarring instructions).

Here is applesauce jarring in pictures:

Apples -- peel, core, slice

Pot for cooking apples; pot for sterilizing jars and cooking jars filled with sauce

Cooked apples -- cinnamon and vanilla extract were added to taste

No-knead bread

I could not sing enough praise for this wonderful, versatile bread recipe. It truly changed the way I make bread. Bread making becomes so easy and accessible. This recipe is from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, a wonderful book by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. You can find the recipes online too. The recipes is so easy. Mix. Proof. Shape. Rise. Bake. Notice I did not say anything about kneading. This is the world's most amazing no-knead bread recipe. I adapted the Master Boule recipe by using my favorite grains and nuts for this wholesome bread.

Mix

Rise

Shape and Proof

Bake

Slice

Enjoy!

Eid Mubarak

What a coincidence, speaking of cupcakes (in reference to Georgia's post), in celebration for Eidil Fitri (end of the fasting month of Ramadan) this year (which was yesterday), I made two types of cupcakes--both recipes from Ina Garten: Chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting and Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They were both excellent --the carrot cupcakes, in particular, was very popular with our guests ('tis the frosting!). I also made madeleines (recipe from Joy of Baking) and two types of cookies. The cookie recipes--lemon poppy seed and peanut butter, chocolate and cinnamon cookies-- were from a Martha Stewart cookbook. It was fun baking and having family and friends enjoy the goodies.
(sorry, I forgot to take pictures...but you can imagine them luscious and delicious!)
Eid Mubarak (Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri)!

Chocolate stuffed vanilla cupcake

I baked four cupcakes yesterday, one of which was not stuffed.  The plain cupcake was for Robert; his pediatrician said he can now eat anything except nuts and honey.  I used this vanilla pound cake recipe halving everything except the sugar (Hawaiian sugar in the raw) which I quartered and doubling the amount of vanilla extract.  I used white whole wheat flour and organic milk and eggs.  Robert enjoyed his first cupcake!