Recipe: Steak & Mushrooms for Perfect Pairing with Merry Edwards Pinot Noir

To celebrate our six month anniversary, we opened our last bottle of Merry Edwards 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that we picked up on our first vacation together. This wine screamed to be paired with a rich steak and mushrooms, so that's what we had for Shabbot two weeks ago. (We try to cook one fancy dinner for Shabbot a month.)

NOTE: If you're Ashkenazi and avoiding soy during Passover, substitute sauteed mushrooms for the Pinot Noir Mushroom Sauce.

Pepper Steak (2 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 4 teaspoons Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 4 teaspoons Himalaya Salt, freshly ground
• 2 Garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 teaspoons Paprika
• 2  8 ounce Filet Mignon or NY Strip Steak, no more than an inch thick

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except the steaks in a 1-gallon Ziplock bag. Zip the bag shut and shake to combine marinade.
2. When ingredients are well integrated, add steaks. Zip the bag shut and shake until steaks are well coated.
3. Place Ziplock bag with steaks into the refrigerator. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Position oven rack so that steaks will be two inches from broiler element. Preheat Broiler on high.
5. Remove steaks from the refrigerator and place on broiler pan. Brush top of steaks with excess marinade.
6. Put steaks in preheated oven on top rack.
7. Broil steaks for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare. When done, remove from the oven and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Slice and serve over potatoes. Top with Pinor Noir Mushroom Sauce (recipe below).

Pinot Noir Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 small Shallot, minced
• 1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme
• 1/4 cup Pinor Noir
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Earth Balance

Instructions

1. Sauté shallot until limp, approximately 1 minute.
2. Add mushroom and thyme and sauté until mushrooms just begin to get soft, approximately 2 minutes.
3. Add wine and broth and simmer on high heat until liquid reduces by half, at least 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for Recipes for the Good Life.

Pantry Challenge: Chicken Chili Soup

As February wound down, I figured it was time for a pantry challenge, which I'll explain in a future post. It was also cold and wet so I wanted either a bowl of soup or chili with fresh bread.

With a pantry challenge you never know if you have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Last year we were able to make fresh cornbread with chili for a pantry challenge.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 cans (16 oz) Trader Joe's Low Fat Vegetarian Refried Pinto Beans Salsa Style
• 2 cans (15 oz) Kidney Beans
• 1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles
• 1 can (12.5 oz) Trader Joe's Premium Chunk White Chicken in Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Onions
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Just Veggies Freeze-dried Tomatoes and Chilies 

Instructions

1. In medium sauce pan, combine the contents of all cans. 
2. Add spices and Freeze-dried Tomatoes and Chilies.
3. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, and cook for at least an hour.

Blast from the Past: Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

Yesterday we brunched at Andy and Mella's. Continuing our Pantry Challenge, I whipped up Cinnamon Rolls from my Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, First Edition, Fifth Printing c.1950 (adapted by substituting Earth Balance for butter and Maple Sugar for Brown Sugar).

The original recipe didn't include a glaze, but after cubes and I sampled one of the rolls, we both decided that something was missing.

Ingredients (20 - 1 3/4" biscuits)

• 2 cups sifted All Purpose Flour
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 6 Tablespoons Crisco
• 2/3 cup Soy Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Earth Balance, melted
• 1/4 cup Maple Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

For glaze:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance
• 1/4 cup Maple Sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Coconut Milk
• 2 teaspoons Corn Starch 

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt.
3. Cut in Crisco finely.
4. Stir in Soy Milk.
5. Round up on lightly floured board.
6. Knead lightly.
7. Roll dough 1/4" thick into 7"x16" rectangle.
   
   
   
   
8. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup Maple Sugar and 1 teaspoon Cinnamon.
9. Add 2 Tablespoons melted Earth Balance to Maple Sugar and Cinnamon mixture. Blend thoroughly.
10. Spread rolled dough with melted Earth Balance, Maple Sugar, and Cinnamon mixture.
11. Roll up tightly beginning at the wide side.
    
    
    
    
12. Cut into 1/2" slices, placing cut-side down on baking sheet.
13. Bake at 425 degrees about 15 minutes. When done cool for 5 minutes on wire rack.
14. For glaze, on medium low heat, melt Earth Balance. Add Maple Sugar and Coconut Milk. Dissolve Corn Starch in Maple Syrup and add. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
15. Stack rolls in a pie plate. Drizzle glaze over the top.

Recipe: Dairy-Free Molten Lava Cake

My husband woke up on Valentine's Day not feeling well. The day before I'd had plans of baking a cake; something he was really looking forward to. So, last night while we waited for Chinese food to arrive at our doorstep, I baked him his Valentine's Day gift.

Because you need to harden the ganache, this recipe takes about 40 minutes from beginning of prep time to plating. I made the recipe in stages. Completing steps 1 and 2 before our dinner arrived and finishing up step 3 as cubes plated our dinner. I didn't preheat the oven or mix the batter until after we finished our dinner.

I wanted to present cubes with heart-shaped cakes. (The Chocolate Ganache Heart Cakes recipe from Williams-Sonoma I started from had a photo of heart-shaped cakes.) While I used to own a heart-shaped baking pan (never used it), I don't now. My plan was to use a cookie cutter (wedding favor from Cat and Becks' wedding) to shape the cakes. When the cakes came out of the oven and stuck to the nonstick popover pan I used, I realized they couldn't be cut neatly. Most of the cakes landed in tact on the wire rack. The tops of two of the cakes fell through the wire rack onto the counter.

Did your Valentine's day go as planned? Or, like me, did you punt?

Recipe: Vanilla Maple Pecan Chip Vegan Ice Cream

On Saturday I finally got around to attempting the next batch of vegan ice cream.

Vanilla Maple Pecan Chip Vegan Ice Cream

I started with a Vanilla Vegan Ice Cream recipe from Elana's Pantry and adapted widely.

I really wanted ice cream so I didn't let the fact that we did not have cashews in the house deter me. I substituted pecans. With the exception of cashews, I had all the ingredients the original recipe called for. However, I prefer the taste of maple syrup to agave nectar and wanted a creamier ice cream (hence the substitution of coconut milk for water.) 

Overall, I was happy with the taste. The texture though was another story. We avoided the dreaded ice crystals but the ice cream isn't really cohesive.

Do you have any tips for getting a creamy vegan ice cream without ice crystals?

I'm going to try this recipe again with three changes:

1. Churning the ice cream for 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes.
2. Grinding the nuts finer.
3. Using water as called for by the original recipe.

If you try this recipe, or have suggestions for improving it, please share.

Recipe: Apple Apricot Persimmon Cake with Ice Cream

When you're cooking, plans seem to change - especially if you're using local ingredients or relying on a special ingredient only available from a restaurant at a certain time. Tonight's dessert will be more fall comfort food than decadence. Remember the Honey Crisp apples and Fuyu persimmons I found a couple of Fridays ago at Bi-Rite Market?

Well, it turns out they're a popular a fall combination they were. Here are a few of the recipes I found:

• Perfect Entertaining's Persimmon Apple Cobbler (Refined-Sugar Free even!)
• Sunset's Autumn Fruit in a Tart by Christine Weber Hale
• Davis Farmers Market's Persimmon Apple Crumble by David Cannata of Yolo Catering

In the store I'd picked up Fuyu persimmons, Honey Crisp apples, and dried apricots. And I wanted to use all three ingredients. After searching through cookbooks and online recipe sites I didn't find a recipe that included all three. Also I only ever use from scratch pie crust (in my mind there was going to be a double crust using my mom's perfect pie crust recipe) but I didn't have time to make the crust. So another change of plans was in order. Tonight we'll be having (or attempting) a bread pudding.

Apple Apricot Persimmon Pudding

Loosely adapted from Mandy Sinclair's Date and Apple Pudding and Perfect Entertaining's Persimmon Apple Cobbler recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (160g) apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup (75g) Maple Syrup Crystals
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Honey Crisp Apple, peeled, quartered, thinly sliced
• 1 Fuyu Persimmon, peeled, quartered, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup (140g) Honey Crisp Apple and Fuyu Persimmon puree
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour, sifted
  NOTE: We didn't have self-raising flour so we made our own from Mamta's Kitchen recipe: 1 cup Flour + 1 tsp Baking Powder + 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Iodized salt

Instructions

1. Place Apricots, Maple Syrup Crystals, Vanilla, and Water in a small saucepan.
2. Stir on medium heat until mixture boils.
3. Remove from heat and stir in baking powder. Set aside to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 320 degrees.
5. Grease and line an 8 inch square cake pan.
6. Arrange half of sliced apples and persimmons in bottom of pan.
7. Combine apple and persimmon puree, cinnamon, allspice, and eggs with cooled date mixture.
8. Stir in flour.
9. Pour into pan, taking care not to disturb apples.
10. Smooth top with a spatula and arrange remaining sliced apples and persimmons on top.
11. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
12. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate, baked apples and persimmons side up.

With the extra apples and persimmons, I decided to whip up some Apple and Persimmon Ice Cream for topping the slices of pie.

Apple and Persimmon Ice Cream

Loosely adapted from Tastebook's and Just Fruit Recipe's Persimmon Ice Cream recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Persimmon and Apple, peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp Cointreau
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup Crystals
• 13.5 oz Coconut Milk

Instructions

1. In blender, puree persimmon and apple.
2. Blend puree with Cointreau, Vanilla, Allspice, Maple Syrup Crystals, and coconut milk.
3. Remove frozen freezer bowl from the freezer. Place freezer bowl on the center of the base.
4. Place mixing arm in freezer bowl.
5. Place lid on base.
6. Turn the ice cream maker on.
7. Pour blended mixture into the freezer bowl.
8. Mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container.
10. Place in freezer for 6 to 8 hours. Remove 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce

This past weekend at MooflyFoof and EdRabbit's wedding we had a Dairy-Free Chicken Piccata. And if you remember, cubes and I had Dairy-Free Roasted Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce. For our first homecooked meal since we said "I Do" it seemed only appropriate to try our hand at a dairy-free chicken with lemon caper sauce (aka Chicken Piccata).

Our first attempt at the Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce was a little too lemony and a tad too thick. We also discovered that the halved chicken breasts from Bi-Rite Market were approximately 8 ounces each rather than the 5 to 6 called for in the recipe. Thankfully we had a meat thermometer so that we were able to accurately gauge when the chicken was safe to eat.

Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce

This recipe was adapted from Sparow64's, Taste of Home's, and Fitness Magazine's Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce recipes, as well as TLC's Chicken Scallopini with Lemon-Caper Sauce recipe.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• Pinch of Salt (1/4 tsp) and Pepper (1/16 tsp)
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 4 (5 to 6 ounces each) Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast halves
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Del Papa, Cold Pressed EVOO
• 1/4 cup Benziger Signaterra Savignon Blanc, Casey's Block 2009, or Dry White Wine
• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 3/8 cup Fresh Lemon Juice (1 1/2 medium size lemons)
• 2 Tbsp Earth Balance
• 2 Tbsp Agostino Recca Capers in Salt, rinsed and drained
• 4 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
• Lemon slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to warm or 200 degrees.
2. In 1-gallon ziplock bag, add salt, pepper, and flour. Shake until well mixed.
3. Place chicken breasts, one at a time, between sheets of wax paper. Pound to 1/4-inch thickness.
4. Add chicken to salt, pepper, and flour mixture, and shake bag until chicken is well coated.
5. In a saute pan (we used our 12" Everyday Pan as we don't own any saute pans) heat EVOO over medium-high heat.
   NOTE: Do not use a nonstick pan.
6. Cook garlic over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
   NOTE: Do not let the garlic brown.
7. Shake excess flour from chicken and with tongs place chicken into pan.
8. Brown chicken in hot EVOO until both sides are golden-brown, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
9. When chicken is done, inside is white and firm, remove from pan to baker. Cover with foil and place in oven to keep warm.
10. Juice two small or one and a half medium-sized lemons, approximately 3/8 cup lemon juice.
11. Whisk the cornstarch and the lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
12. Pour white wine into the pan and allow to boil.
    
13. Stir continuously until the drippings from the chicken are incorporated.
14. Add the Earth Balance and stir until melted.
15. Add the cornstarch and lemon juice mixture to the white wine sauce.
16. Allow to return to a boil.
17. Cook and stirl for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
18. Stir in capers and parsley.
19. Return the chicken to the pan, turning to coat.
20. To serve, plate the chicken, pour lemon-caper sauce over each breast, and garnish with lemon slice.

Family Style: Jalapeno Meatloaf

Many meatloaf recipes can end up dry and not very appetizing. Also there are many meatloaf recipes that call for milk or use fresh breadcrumbs from white or wheat bread - both of which are made with milk. Always on the lookout for dairy-free entrees with a zing, I experimented one night by converting Rotel’s Jalapeno Meatballs into meatloaf. The original recipe used cracker crumbs for which I substitute breadcrumbs made from day old Italian Batard or Sourdough.

Ingredients (makes 2-4 x 8 loaves)

• 2 lbs Ground Chuck
• 1 can (10 oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
• 2 cups fresh Italian Batard or Sourdough Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Westbrae Fruit-Sweetened Catsup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients but the catsup.
3. Divide into 2 balls.
4. Place in 9x13 baker and shape into 2 loaves.
5. Brush loaves with catsup.
6. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
7. Rotate loaves and bake another 15 minutes.
8. Cover loaves and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until done. Test with meat thermometer to ensure meat has reached an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees.

Family Style: Eden’s Pink Palace Meatloaf

After I graduated from Santa Clara, I came to share a house in Cupertino with 6 others. We dubbed our place “The Pink Palace” as it was shockingly pink. It had a very small kitchen and with 4 of us who liked to cook a system had to be devised to avoid chaos. The system basically came down to once a week a member of the house would cook or grill dinner for all the residents. My night was Wednesday so I tried to keep my meals easy to prepare and typically made Spaghetti. The house rapidly tired of spaghetti and revolted, leaving me one night with ground sirloin and hungry mouths to feed. This tangy moist meatloaf was the result.

Ingredients (makes 2-4 x 8 loaves)

• 2 lbs Ground Sirloin
• 4 Celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups fresh Italian Batard or Sourdough Breadcrumbs
• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup Stubb’s Smokey Mesquite Bar-B-Q Sauce (original recipe used Whole Foods Tangy Barbeque Sauce)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
3. Divide into 2 balls.
4. Place in 9x13 baker and shape into 2 loaves.
5. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
6. Rotate loaves and bake another 15 minutes.
7. Cover loaves and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until done. Test with meat thermometer to ensure meat has reached an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees.

Recipe: Chocolate Coconut Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

After experimenting with coconut milk as a soymilk substitute in breakfast pancakes this past weekend, we had left over coconut cream as well as pumpkin. This recipe (photo) was the delicious result – rich and moist.

Equipment Needed

• Wooden spoon
• Medium and large mixing bowls
• 9x13 baker

Ingredients (makes 24 servings)

• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground Allspice
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened
• 2/3 cup Fructose
• 1/2 cup Maple Sugar Crystals
• 4 large Eggs
• 3/4 cup Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin (approximately 1/2 a can)
• 1 cup Coconut Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Chocolate Chips, divided
• 1/4 cup Maple Sugar Crystals (optional)
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance, melted (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees if using glass baker or 350 degrees if using metal baking pan.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
3. In large bowl, cream together Earth Balance, fructose, and maple sugar crystals until well-blended.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Combine pumpkin, coconut cream, and vanilla; beat into creamed mixture.
6. Slowly blend cocoa mixture into pumpkin mixture. Do not overmix.
7. Add chocolate chips until well mixed.
8. Spoon into well-oiled 9x13 baker.
9. Bake coffee cake at 325 degrees if using glass baker or 350 degrees if using metal baking pan for 20 to 30 minutes. Turn halfway through if necessary.
10. Top bars with remaining chocolate chips and maple sugar crystals.
11. Drizzle with melted Earth Balance.
12. Bake coffee cake for additional 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
13. Cool coffee cake in baker or baking pan for 1 minute.
14. Cut coffee cake into squares to serve.

Family Style: A Winter Dinner

On the Menu

Goat Cheese and Tomato Salsa Bruschetta
(from Capital Celebrations: A Collection of Recipes by the Junior League of Washington, p.19)

Mandarin Spinach Salad with Almonds
(adapted from Capital Celebrations: A Collection of Recipes by the Junior League of Washington, p.55)

Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon

(adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe)

Pecorino-Romano Roasted Asparagus

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style recipe)

Wild Rice with Shitake Mushrooms and Almonds

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

(loosely adapted from Southern Living's Our Best Five-Star Recipes, pp.67, 78 and The Essential Cook Book pp.393-394)

The Recipes

Two of my go-to dishes come out of Capital Celebrations. These are the Goat Cheese (p19) and Tomato Salsa Bruschetta and Mandarin Spinach Salad with Almonds (p55). The cookbook is still available from a variety of sources and at less than $3 used is well worth the investment so I'm not going to republish these recipes here.

The other recipes - especially the Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake - are very loosely tied to the inspiration recipes so are posted here (in the case of the Dairy-Free cheesecake my recipe doesn't use any Cream Cheese).    

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

Loosely adapted from Southern Living's Our Best Five-Star Recipes, pp.67, 78 and The Essential Cook Book, pp.393-394.

Ingredients (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

• 2 – 9 inch graham cracker pie crusts, chilled
• 2/3 cup Fructose
• 1/4 cup maple sugar crystals
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 4 – 8 oz Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese substitute
• 4 Tbsp unsweetened soymilk
• 1 – 12 oz Tofutti Milk Free Better than Sour Cream substitute
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Booker’s
• 2 cans (15 oz) Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin, drained

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. Combine Fructose, maple sugar crystals, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, salt, and flour.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, with a hand mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese, soymilk, and sour cream until smooth (about 2 minutes).
4. Gradually add the spice mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
5. Slowly add the eggs; beat well (about 30 seconds) after each addition.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Beat in the vanilla extract, Booker's, and pumpkin puree. 
8. Pour mixture into prepared chilled graham cracker crusts.
   NOTE: Do not overfill. Fill no more than one half to two-thirds full. If too full, the edges will bake before the center is done.
9. Place springform pans on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
10. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air.
11. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
12. Reduce heat to 325 degrees; bake 35 to 45 additional minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan. 
    NOTE: To prevent overbaking, you should start checking pie doneness at 30 minutes.
    NOTE: The center will seem slightly unset when shaken, but will firm upon standing.
13. Continue baking until a knife inserted into the filling 2 inches from the center comes out clean.
14. Remove pies from oven to a wire cake rack.
15. Let cool completely on a wire cake rack.
16. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Do not freeze.

Graham Cracker Pie Crusts

Ingredients (makes 2 9 inch pie crusts)

• 2 – 8 oz sleeves Mi-Del graham crackers, crushed
• 4 Tbsp Fructose
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup Earth Balance, room temperature

Instructions

1. Put the graham cracker squares in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs.
   NOTE: You don't want to taste the Mi-Del graham crackers. They're dairy and refined-sugar free and before cooking are dry.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, fructose, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; stir well.
3. Add Earth Balance.
4. With a pastry blender, mix the crumbs with the Earth Balance until completely mixed and the consistency of stiff dough.
5. Press mixture firmly on bottom and up sides of 2 – 9-in. springform pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.NOTE: Crust should be lightly colored and dry to the touch.
7. Remove and cool on pie racks.
8. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish

Ingredients (makes 6 to 8 servings)

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• 1 cup Wild Rice and Brown Rice, uncooked
• 8 oz Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Add Earth Balance to broth and boil on stove to melt Earth Balance.
3. Add other ingredients.
4. Bake, covered at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
   NOTE: It is done when all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy.

Pecorino-Romano Roasted Asparagus

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style recipe 
Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus (about 30 large)
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the asparagus in a 9x13 baker and drizzle with EVOO.
3. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Pecorino-Romano.
6. Return to the oven for another minute or two.

Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe 
Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, finely ground
• 1/2 cup Colombo dry breadcrumbs
• 3 Tbsp Pecorino-Romano, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance, melted
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• 6 – 6 oz. salmon fillets

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt Earth Balance.
3. Combine ground porcini mushrooms, breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano, half of the sea salt, half of the freshly ground pepper, shallot, garlic, and thyme in 10-cup measuring cup.
4. Drizzle mushroom mix with melted Earth Balance. Stir to combine.
5. Season salmon fillets with remaining sea salt and ground pepper.
6. Heat EVOO in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add salmon fillets, skin-side up, to the pan and cook until golden (approximately 2 minutes).
8. Carefully turn the fillets over in the pan and top with porcini mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
9. Place the skillet in the oven. Bake until salmon flakes easily (approximately 5 to 6 minutes).

Ingredient Lists

Before you get started, make sure you have all the ingredients you need.

From the Grocery

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 8 oz Shiitake mushrooms
• Asparagus 2 ½ lbs (30 large)
• Spinach
• Green onions
• Fresh basil
• 3 lemons
• 6 – 6 oz. Salmon filets

From the Refrigerator

• 4 eggs
• Earth Balance
• Unsweetened soymilk
• Pecorino Romano
• Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese substitute
• Tofutti Milk Free Better than Sour Cream substitute

From the Pantry

• Fructose
• Maple sugar crystals
• Mi-Del graham crackers 
• Flour
• Vanilla extract
• Allspice
• Cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Sliced almonds
• Slivered almonds
• Iodized salt
• Sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fig balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar with herbs
• EVOO
• Chicken broth
• 2 cans Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin
• Booker’s or Maker’s Mark
• Wild rice and brown rice mixture
• 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 onion, medium

Necessary Equipment

• 1 large Ziploc bag
• Rolling pin
• Wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Spatula
• 2-cup measuring cup
• 10-cup measuring cup
• Medium mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• 2 – 9-in. springform pans or 3 – 9-in. pie plates
• 1 – 9 -in. cake pan
• 9x13 baker
• Medium ovenproof saucepan 
• Large ovenproof skillet
• Baking sheet
• 2 – wire cake racks
• Large salad bowl
• Serving platter

Preparation Notes

Here's roughly what we did to present 3 of our friends with a four-course plated meal.

1. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Crush graham crackers (approximately 10 to 15 minutes).
4. Prepare Graham Cracker Piecrusts (approximately 5 to 10 minutes).
5. Bake piecrusts at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crust is lightly colored and dry to the touch.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. Cover and refrigerate graham cracker crusts while you make the filling.
8. Prepare Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake.
9. Prepare salad dressing; combine vinegar, EVOO, lemon juice, Fructose, and parsley in 2-cup measuring cup and refrigerate.
10. Dice medium onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 yellow bell pepper. Chop fresh basil (approximately 10 minutes).
11. Prepare Tomato Salsa.
12. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
13. Slice baguette into 1/4-inch thick slices.
14. Place baguette slices on baking sheet and toast lightly at 250 degrees until slightly brown.
15. Process dried porcini mushrooms in small food processor or spice grinder until finely ground.
16. Combine ground porcini mushrooms, breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano, half of the sea salt, half of the freshly ground pepper, shallot, garlic, and thyme in 10-cup measuring cup.
17. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
18. Rinse and dry spinach, remove stems and gently tear into a large salad bowl. Add mandarin oranges, green onions, and almonds.
19. Slice Shiitake mushrooms and chop green onions (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
20. Melt Earth Balance in chicken broth (approximately 5 minutes).
21. Add other ingredients for Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish.
22. Bake Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish (approximately 1 1/2 hours).
23. Prepare asparagus. If stalks are thick, peel the bottom half of each.
24. Lay asparagus in a 9x13 baker and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
25. Spread baguette slices with Goat cheese.
26. Top Goat cheese with a spoonful of tomato salsa.
27. Plate baguettes and serve immediately.
28. Add dressing to spinach salad a little bit at a time.
29. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
30. Roast asparagus for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
31. Remove asparagus from oven.
32. Sprinkle asparagus with Pecorino-Romano.
33. Cover asparagus and put aside.
34. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
35. Return Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish back to oven to warm (approximately 10 minutes).
36. Return Pecorino-Romano Asparagus to the oven for another couple of minutes.
37. Remove asparagus from the oven and set aside.
38. Melt Earth Balance.
39. Drizzle mushroom mix with melted Earth Balance. Stir to combine.
40. Season salmon fillets with remaining sea salt and ground pepper.
41. Heat EVOO in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
42. Add salmon fillets, skin-side up, to the pan and cook until golden (approximately 2 minutes).
43. Carefully turn the fillets over in the pan and top with porcini mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
44. Place the skillet in the oven. Bake until salmon flakes easily (approximately 5 to 6 minutes).
45. Plate scoop of wild rice with crossed asparagus spears and top with salmon filet. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Recipe: Going Home with Strawberry Pie

Summers growing up meant visiting Morro Bay, picking strawberries in my grandmother's garden, and watching her make strawberry pie.

In my first house the landlord let me transform a patch of dirt into an organic garden. Home meant fresh vegetables and fresh fruit, hosting friends on the patio and serving vegetables/fruit from the garden. Summers in the house meant, picking strawberries and making my grandmother's strawberry pie. Ten years later that house still has a vegetable garden and the beds are still edged with strawberry plants.

A couple of nights ago after picking up a flat of organic strawberries from the market, I made my version of my grandmother's strawberry pie. Hesitantly I tasted the pie, unsure it would live up to the expectations set by my memories--it did, and in a few minutes had been devoured. I knew I was "home" when a friend devoured her slice of pie as quickly as I had.

Grandma Nelson's Strawberry Pie
Makes 1 pie, 8 generous slices

• 3/4 cup fructose
• 3 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 1/2 baskets of strawberries, pureed
• 8 oz Tofuti cream cheese substitute
• 2 Tablespoons Silk lowfat soy milk
• 1 Tablespoon fructose
• 1 pie crust
• 3 baskets of strawberries, sliced and sugared

1. Combine first two ingredients in medium bowl and set aside.
2. Cook pureed strawberries until boiling, stirring continuously let boil for 2 minutes.
3. Slowly add boiled strawberries to the cornstarch and fructose mixture.
4. Place mixture in refrigerator to cool.
5. Whip Tofuti and Silk soy milk until fluffy.
6. Add tablespoon of fructose and blend.
7. Spread the mixture evenly along the bottom of the pie shell.
8. Spread cooled strawberry mix evenly on top of the Tofuti and Silk mixture.
9. Place the sliced and sugared strawberries face up on the top of the pie.
10. Refrigerate pie for 3 hours.

Mom's Perfect Pie Crust
Makes 4 9" pie shells

• 4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon fructose
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups Crisco
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 large egg

1. Combine first three ingredients in large bowl and mix well.
2. Add Crisco and mix with fork until ingredients are crumbly. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, beat together water, vinegar and egg.
4. Combine wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mixing with pastry blender (or fork) until all ingredients are moistened.
5. Divide dough into 4 portions.
6. With hands shape each portion into a fat, round patty ready for rolling.
7. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill at least 1/2 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
9. When ready to roll pie crust, lightly flour both sides of the patty.
10. If you don't have a marble pastry board and don't want the pastry to stick and want it to be easily transferrable to the pie plate, lay two sheets of plastic wrap side by side with 1/4 inch of overlap on the counter. Position the patty in the center. Place two sheets of plastic wrap on top of the patty.
11. Keeping the pastry round, roll from center to 1/8" thickness and 2" larger than inverted pie plate.
12. Remove top layer of plastic wrap.
13. Loosely fit pie crust into pie plate. Remove remaining plastic wrap.
14. Press with fingers to remove air pockets. Prick bottom and sides slightly with a fork.
15. Line middle of pie crust with wax paper and fill with pie weights.
16. Place pie crust in oven and turn down to 350 degrees.
17. Bake for about 8 minutes and remove pie weights.
18. Continue baking until golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes longer.
19. Cool and fill.