Dumplings

My mom used to make stew with dumplings like this when I was a kid. Basically, these are just like mini biscuits, but cooking them on top of the stew makes them tender and moist. My mom also used to serve them with pumpkin soup. Use them as you see fit.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup plain soy yogurt

- 1/3 cup plain soy milk

- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

METHOD

1. Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredient in a separate bowl, then add to dry ingredients, gently mixing until just moistened.

2. Drop spoonfuls of batter on the top of a simmering stew or soup. Cover, and let simmer for about 10-12 mins, until dumplings are cooked through.

Braised Tofu and Vegetables

I love watching cooking shows. Well, more like cooking competition shows. Top Chef is a favourite, and I love anything with Gordon Ramsay, even though he pretty much mocks everything I stand for. Anyway, it seems like someone on these shows is always braising some piece of meat, so I thought I would apply the method to some tofu. Braising is usually reserved for tough pieces of meat that need to be tenderized, so I guess you really don't need to braise tofu. Still, the end result was quite tasty, and I love the taste of oven roasted veggies.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, thickly sliced

- 1 sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced

- 2 celery stalks, chopped

- 1 large carrot, sliced

- pinch of tumeric

- 1 tsp thyme

- 1/2 tsp paprika

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 1/2 cup white wine

METHOD

Preheat to 350 degrees

1. Heat oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Fry tofu slices for a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove tofu from pan and set aside.

2. Add vegetables to the pan and fry for 8-10 mins, until softened and onion is beginning to brown. Add spices and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add wine to the pan. Let bubble for a few mins to let the wine reduce a bit. Place tofu on top of the veggies, baste with sauce, and place pan in the oven.

4. Bake for 30 mins, uncovered, basting tofu every 10 mins, until veggies are cooked, sauce is reduced, and tofu is golden brown. Serve tofu with veggies in the side, and topped with extra sauce.

Orzo Risotto

I was really in the mood for a risotto but didn't have a single grain of arborio rice in the house. I did, however, have a bag of orzo pasta. Since it looks an awful lot like rice, I thought it would make a good substitute.

INGREDIENTS

- 5 cups salted water

- 1 1/2 cup orzo pasta

- 2 tbsp margarine

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 1/2 cup hot vegetable broth (or more)

- 1 cup frozen peas

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Get the salted water boiling in a pot. Add pasta and cook for 4-5 mins, until pasta is softened but still has plenty of bite. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt margarine in a pan over medium heat. Add pasta and mix well, coating each piece of pasta. Add half of the wine, stirring constantly until absorbed. Repeat with remaining wine.

3. Add enough hot broth, a bit at a time, stirring regularly, until pasta is al dente. Add peas, yeast, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, and cook until peas are done. Serve.

Some Tips on Making Great Bread

I know I promised the orzo risotto recipe tonight, but the picture is being held captive on my memory card while the camera battery recharges. So, I thought would share some sagely advice on baking bread from my, uh, weeks of experience as proprietor of a home bakery. It seems that so many people are afraid of making anything leavened, no doubt because the first loaf they ever tried to bake turned out as as dense as a brick and just as tasty. Bread really isn't that hard to make, but it does take some practice to make a really good loaf. The more bread you bake, the better it will be. Here are some tips to help you on your way.

Your bread is only as good as your ingredients. Chuck out that yeast that's been kicking around the fridge for the past year and buy a fresh container. Get some organic flour.

Get a few tools. A baking stone is essential for making artisan breads. An instant read thermometer will tell you when your bread is done. Speaking of tools, a stand mixer helps bring dough together quickly, especially if you are making a lot of bread. But don't let the mixer do all the work. Kneading the dough with your hands will give you a feel for the dough and will let you know if it is too wet or too dry. Find a good place for your bread to rise. Bread will rise even in the fridge, but it goes a whole lot faster in warmer temperatures. I have found the top of the radiator works well in the winter. You can also see that I cover the bowls of dough with plates--no need to use plastic wrap. You will also notice the cookbooks. Get a good cookbook. I really like Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.Above all, keep on baking. You will undoubtedly crank out a few losers, but you will soon develop a feel for the perfect dough, know when a loaf is baked, and be able to make more complicated breads.

Seitan Scaloppine Marsala

I was in the mood for Italian tonight, but really wanted to do something without tomatoes for once. When I saw Susan's post today on Fat Free Vegan Kitchen for scaloppine with a lemon-olive sauce, I knew what to do. I'm not a big fan of olives (they honestly make me gag) so I used her cutlets to make a faux veal scallopine based on a recipe from The Sporanos Family Cookbook. I was very pleased with the results, and I think this is a meal both vegans and non-vegans will enjoy since it seems that most non-vegan will agree that veal is particularly cruel. In the background of the pic you can see what I am calling an orzo risotto. I will post it tomorrow.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 recipe seitan scaloppine with the following changes:

- add 1 tsp sage

- add 8 dried shitake mushrooms, finely ground (about 1/4 cup)

- use water or veggie broth instead of "chicken" broth

- 1/4 cup all purpose flour

- 2 tbsp margarine

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 6oz thickly sliced cremini mushrooms

- salt and pepper

- 3/4 cup marsala

METHOD

1. Prepare seitan as per the recipe above.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of the margarine and 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for about 10 mins, until nicely browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from pan.

3. Add remaining margarine and oil to the pan. Dredge seitan in the flour, then fry in the pan for about 1 min per side, until lightly browned. Remove from pan.

4. Add marsala and let bubble, stirring constantly to thicken. Add mushrooms back to the pan and stir. Right before serving, and seitan to the pan, turning to coat with the liquid. Add a splash of water, if needed. Serve immediately.