Vegetarian Tacos

Well, I do try to eat healthy and after several days of turkey leftovers and corned beef and cabbage yesterday, I wanted something lighter.

We had gotten some celery root at the farmers market last week and I had made something similar before so this is what I came up with.  I grow sunchokes in the garden, mainly because I have to.  Once you have them established they are impossible to get rid of and they come back every year.  They aren't necessary but I think they help with the texture.

Also this recipe is completely vegan friendly, however you can easily substitute ground beef, chicken or turkey for the celery root, walnuts and sunchokes for a traditional taco Tuesday.  The seasonings used are my standard Taco mix however feel free to use Ortega or your favorite seasoning mix.

Finally you can use store bought corn tortillas.  We just got a microwave Air fryer combo and I wanted to try it out.  And I had the ingredients so... you know why not?

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!

Vegan Tacos with Tequila Lime Slaw

      1/2 c Walnuts

      2 c Celery Root, coarsley chopped

      1/2 c Sunchokes, coarsley chopped(optional)

      1 T Chili Powder

      1/2 T Cumin

      1 t Corander

      1 t Granulated Garlic

      1 t Granulated Onion

      1 t Salt

      1/2 t Pepper

      1 c Water

   To Serve

      Corn Tortillas (Store bought or recipe below)

      Lettuce, shredded

      Tomatoes, diced

      Black Olives, sliced

      Scallions, minced

      Jalapeno Peppers, sliced

      Tequila Lime Slaw (recipe below)

1. Heat a skillet on the stove and toast the walnuts over medium heat for about 5 minutes, tossing gently so they don't burn.  Remove from heat and let cool..
2. In a food processor, chop celery root in batches until it is roughly the texture of ground beef.  Put in a bowl.
3. Process walnuts the same way and add to the celery root.
4. Process the sunchokes if you have them the same way (You can substitute jicama, radishes, or water chestnuts if you want)
5. In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil
6. Add celery root mixture and saute about 15 minutes over medium heat until heated through but not brown yet.
7. Add seasonings and mix well
8. Add water and bring to a boil
9. Reduce heat to a simmer and let it reduce until almost dry.   You want the consistency of Taco Meat.
10. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Tequila Lime Slaw

      1 c Tequila

      1/2 c Lime Juice

      1/2 c Vegetable Oil

      1 T Whole Grain Mustard

      1 T Honey

      1 T Sugar

      1 t Cumin

      1/2 t Granulated Garlic

      1 t Salt

      1/2 t Pepper

      6 c Cabbage, shredded

      2 c Carrots, shredded

1. Heat tequila in a small pan and reduce to about 1 tablespoon.  Becareful of flareups as the alcohol boils away.  Especially if you have a gas stove.
2. Add lime juice, oil, honey, sugar, cumin, granulated garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Pour dressing over cabbage and carrots and mix well.   I like to do this with my hands so I can really make sure it is mixed well.

(I used one orange carrot and one purple carrot that I got at the market.   You could also use red cabbage for color if you wanted.   Sometimes I like to add a little zestiness with some red bell pepper and scallions.)

Homemade Corn Tortillas

      2 c Corn Meal or Masa Haring

      1 c Warm Water

      1 t Salt

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.  If should form a very soft dough.
2. Cover and let the dough set for at least an hour, or overnight.  This will help the cornmeal hydrate and make it easier to work with.
3. Sprinkle more cornmeal on the counter and break off a one inch blob of dough and roll it out to about 1/8th of an inch thick.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat, spray with cooking spray and grill tortillas about 3 minutes per side.
5. If you have an air fryer, I put some parchment paper in the basket, spray with cooking spray and place tortillas on it then spray them.  
6. Cook 5 minutes, then flip them and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, watching do they don't burn.

 

Mushroom Time...

Most Saturdays, my wife and I get up early and go to the Oakland County Farmers Market in Pontiac.   The produce and everything is from Michigan, great meats, apples, micro greens, all sorts of good stuff.   But my favorite by far is the mushroom guy.

I have bought chantrells, maitake, nebrodino, nomeko, lions mane, oyster, king, chestnut and piopinni.... they are all fantastic!

This week I got some lions mane to make crabless crab cakes.   I actually made this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving but I felt that the recipe needed a little tweeking.

Here is what I came up with...

Lions Mane "Crab" Cakes

     4 c Lions Mane Mushrooms

     2 Cloves Garlic, minced

     4 T Butter

     Juice of 1 Lemon

     1 t Beaumonde Seasoning

     1/2 t Paprika

     1/2 t Thyme

     1/2 t Oregano

     1 t Worcestershire Sauce

     2 Eggs

     3/4 c Fine Breadcrumbs 

     1/2 c Panko Breadcrumbs

     Salt and Pepper To Taste

     Olive oil for frying

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Toss shredded mushrooms with the garlic and butter and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake mushrooms for 15 minutes, tossing them every five minutes
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Combine with all of the other ingredients and mix well
6. Form into patties, and fry in a sautee pan in olive oil.
7. Cook about 4 minutes per side.   I served them with a mustard dill sauce and a black garlic sauce... both recipes are below..

Black Garlic Sauce

     8 Cloves Black Garlic

     2 t Soy Sauce

     2 T Beef or Chicken Stock

     4 T Butter

     1/4 c water

     Black Pepper to taste

1. Combine all on a food processor except water.
2. Puree until smooth
3. Add water to desired consistency
4. Season to taste with black pepper.  

This is great with seafood, steaks, and vegetables.     

Mustard Dill Sauce 

     1 1/2 c Wine

     1 T Fresh Dill

     1 T Whole Grain Mustard

     8 T Butter

     Salt and Pepper To Taste

1. Heat wine in a small skillet with dill and mustard
2. Reduce until it is almost dry
3. Cut butter into pieces and add one or two at a time, swirling the pan as it melts.
4. Once all of the butter is incorporated remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

Now, Get in the kitchen and cook something!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Well, here we are again despite all that 2020 has thrown at us this year we still have the Holiday Season.  Whether you are meeting family in person or virtually I hope you have a great time.  

I got a Turkey from Butcher Box a couple weeks ago as part of a promotion so I made a practice Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings and thought I would share the recipes with you all!

Thanksgiving 2020

Sides

Fresh Bread with Butter

Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Bacon and

Roasted Carrots

Winter Squash with Honey Poached Cranberries and Goat Cheese

Mashed Potatoes

Classic Stuffing

Roasted Grape and Cranberry Sauce

Entrée

Sage Roasted Turkey

Dessert

Assorted Pies with Whipped Cream

Whole Wheat Bread

3 c Bread Flour

1 c Whole Wheat Flour

2 c Water

1 T Yeast

1 T Brown Sugar

1 T Diastatic Malt Powder

2 T Olive Oil

1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and mix 5 minutes’

2. Turn onto counter and form into a ball

3. Let rest 1 hour

4. Form into 2 loaves and let raise

5. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes

Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Bacon and Carrots

1 lb. Brussel Sprouts, halved, outer leaves removed and kept separate

        8 Carrots, peeld

2 T Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper TT

6 oz Bacon, diced

1. Preheat oven to 425º

2. Toss brussels sprouts halves, carrots and two tablespoons olive oil and spread on a baking sheet

3. Season with salt and pepper and roast 30 minutes

4. Stir, then add bacon and roast another 15 minutes

5. Add the brussels sprouts leaves and roast another 15 minutes until crispy

Roasted Squash and Goat Cheese and Honey Poached Cranberries

1 Winter Squash 

8 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled

½ c Pecans, toasted

    Honey Poached cranberries – recipe below

1. Preheat oven to 450°

2. Roast Squash until tender, about 40 minutes

3. Break open the squash and remove seed

4. Place arugula in the squash with goat cheese, pecans and poached cranberries

5. Drizzle with Balsamic glaze

Honey Poached Cranberries

¾ c Honey, divided

6 T White Wine Vinegar, divided

16oz. Cranberries

1. Working in batches, into a medium pan, add 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  

2. Simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  Add just enough cranberries to cover the bottom of the pan in one layer only.  

3. Return pan to stove and heat over medium low flame, stirring carefully from time to time.  The cranberries should be plumped, but not burst.  

4. With a spoon, remove any burst berries from pan.  After about 8 minutes, the cranberries should be soft and plump.  Test the largest berry in the pan to make sure it is tender.

5. Transfer soft cranberries to a container.  Repeat process until all ingredients are used, cleaning pan between batches.

Classic Stuffing

16 c Stale Bread Diced

½ c Butter

2 c Onions, diced

2 c Celery, diced

2 t Sage

1 t Thyme

1 t Rosemary

¼ c Parsley

6 c Turkey Broth

Salt and Pepper TT

1. Combine breads in a large bow

2. Melt butter in a large skillet

3. Add onions and celery and sauté until celery is soft

4. Stir in seasonings and mix into bread

5. Add broth to bread mixture

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper

7. Stuff turkey or bake at 350º for 30 minutes in an oven safe pan

Mashed Potatoes 

4 lb. Potatoes, scrubbed and peeled

1 t Salt

2 t White Pepper

½ c Butter

2 c ½ and 1/2

` 1 T Salt

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water and 1 t salt

2. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes

3. Drain potatoes and put in the bowl of a mixer with a whip attachment

4. Add remaining ingredients and whip until fluffy

5. Season to taste

Quick Gravy Prep

¼ c Butter

1 c Onion, chopped

4 Cloves Garlic

6 T Flour

4 c Chicken Broth

1 c White Wine

10 Sage Leaves

2 Bay Leaves

2 t Salt

1 t Pepper

Pan Drippings to finish

1. Melt butter in skillet and sauté onions five minutes

2. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes

3. Add flour and mix well

4. Stir in broth, sage, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil

5. Reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes

6. Cool slightly and strain

7. Store in refrigerator for up to a week or freeze

8. To server strain fat from pan drippings and stir into gravy base

9. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Sage Roasted Turkey (Cook approximately 15 minutes per pound)

Stuff Turkey, rubbing butter and sage leaves under the skin.

Preheat oven to 450º

11:00 – Turkey in Oven turn temp down to 350

11:30 – Baste Turkey

12:00 – Baste Turkey

12:30 – Baste Turkey

1:00 – Baste Turkey

1:30 – Baste Turkey

2:00 – Baste Turkey Check Temp

2:30 – Baste Turkey Check Temp

3:00 – Baste Turkey Check Temp

Cook Turkey to 150º White Meat, 170º Legs and Thighs

Remove from oven

Cover with Foil and let rest 30 minutes

Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!

 

Hello Hello Hello!

I'm back, sorry I haven't been a very good blogger and I know I've said it before (but this time I really mean it!) I will be posting more blogs.

I am really excited, I have just published my first cookbook on amazon. 

Now that people are actually buying it I am a nervous reck... How many typos did I miss? is everything good? What did I do wrong?

Well I guess we wll have to wait and see.  I will be posting some pictures of the recipes in there and If I am really energetic, maybe even some videos.

So, If you have gotten one, please give it a rating and let me know what you liked!

Here is the link to it on amazon : Cooking in Real Life

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!