3.30.2011

40 days of vegetarianism: black bean enchiladas

I don't have a picture or a recipe to cut and paste... so I am going to write it out quickly.

Ingredients
chopped onion
chopped bell pepper
garlic
mushrooms?
frozen corn
black beans
green chilis (canned)
taco seasoning
whole wheat tortillas
enchilada sauce
cheese

Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms(optional) until soft. (5-10 min.).
Add
frozen corn
black beans (rinsed, drained)
green chilis

fill tortilla with veggie mix
roll and place in baking dish
cover with sauce and cheese

bake 350 for about 30 min.

Serve with:
green salad
guacamole
mexican rice



add taco seasoning

clayton

Clayton's curren favorite toy is my grandfather's beautiful antique rocker.
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cinnamon rolls

In Burundi we had fresh cinnamon rolls on Sunday morning... delicious! While in the waiting room last week at DMC Children's hospital (for Bentley's cardiology appt.) I found a recipe for cinnamon rolls and decided to try it out. I made one pan with nuts and one without. So good!
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Notes: I used skim milk and I wouldn't do the icing on one pan. I am not a fan of icing. :)
Recipe:

Makes: 14 buns
Prep: 20 minutes
Rise: 2 hours 15 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes

Classic Cinnamon Buns
Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 14 buns

Ingredients

* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
* 1/4 cup warm water (100°F to 110°F)
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Filling:
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cinnamon
* 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
* 1 cup raisins
* Glaze:
* 2 cups confectioners sugar
* 1 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, eggs and butter. Beat in cooled milk.

3. Gradually add the flour and salt, scraping down side of bowl, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead the remaining flour into the dough, adding more flour if too sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft.

4. Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.

5. Coat two 9-inch round baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms with waxed paper; coat paper with spray. Prepare Filling: Mix butter, both kinds of sugar and cinnamon together in a medium-size bowl.

6. Punch down dough. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread the butter-sugar mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with nuts and raisins. Starting on one long side roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch seam to close.

7. Cut crosswise into 14 generous 1-inch pieces. Arrange 7 pieces, cut-side down, in each prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until buns double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the following morning.

8. Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pans and bake buns until they are golden-brown and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.

9. Glaze: Mix confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk as necessary, to make a smooth glaze. Invert buns to a serving platter. Drizzle glaze on top of buns (about 1/3 cup per pan). Serve warm.

clayton!

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40 days of vegetarianism: pasta puttanesca

Jkdei
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Notes: I do not like olives, but it was good in this sauce.
I didn't use anchovy because I didn't have any.
recipe:
Penne with Puttanesca Sauce
Seductively spicy and piquant, puttanesca sauce is said to have invigorative powers.

Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 30 to 40 minutes

1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
5½ to 6 cups chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ½ tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
10 large kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

a few fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine the onions, garlic, and oil in a saucepan, cover, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. While the onions cook, chop the tomatoes-you can chop or crush canned tomatoes right in the can. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, olives, and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes, or a little longer.

When the sauce has cooked for 10 to 15 minutes, bring a large covered pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and cook for about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain and serve immediately with the sauce. If you wish, top with parsley sprigs and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

40 days of vegetarianism: caramelized onion and veggie pizza

Jnkmsz
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3.21.2011

40 days of vegetarianism: pastas

So I made two pastas this weekend and they were delicious! The first I made because Chris' brother, Nate, brought 6 friends from around the state to come experience life in Detroit and join us in some outreaches, as well as, come to church. It was GREAT having them here this weekend! So Nate brought 2 lasagnas he made, but they had meat. So we invited a few more friends over and I added a vegetarian option. I bought the spinach raviolis from Costco (so delicious!) and didn't want to use sauce from a jar so I cooked one quickly and it was sooo good! Then Sunday night I had already planned on making a Pasta Puttanesca from the Moosewood cookbook.
So for the first:
Menu:
Parmesan and Spinach Ravioli
Salad
Bread


Sauce:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Romano cheese

And for the second:
Menu:
Pasta with Sauce Puttanesca
Salad
Bread

Recipe:
1 can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
10-12 garlic cloves thinly sliced
15-20 kalamato olives, no pit, sliced
Optional: 1-2 TB. anchovy paste (didn't have so didn't use, might try next time!)
black pepper
crushed red pepper
1 lb pasta
olive oil for pasta
parmesan

For smoother sauce, puree tomatoes in their liquid in a blender or food processor. (I did this in the food processor after I had minced the garlic to get all my garlic!)
Combine tomatoes, their liquid, tomato paste, garlic, olives, and anchovies in a medium-sized saucepan, and gradually heat to boil. Reduce heat, and season to taste with black and crushed red pepper, and simmer about 10 min. (Cook the pasta during that time).
Drain pasta and toss with a little olive oil. Add the sauce and serve immediately, topped with parmesan.

And I took a picture:

3.19.2011

the end of one "if"

I have been meaning to post for a few days about the recent "match" we had on Thursday. I think it has been difficult to find words.
So for those of you who don't know at the end of medical school they have a day that is set aside for students to find out where they have "matched" for residency. Towards the end of 3rd year students fill out applications and have have their resumes (personal statement, test scores, activities, etc...) sent to their favorite programs. Then those programs invite potential residents to come and interview. Once the interview process has been completed students and programs rank their choices in numerical order. Then on one day the students receive news of the program where they will go. Sometimes students get their first choice and sometimes their last. It depends on the program, how many applied, and if they even like you.
David ranked DMC's internal medicine and pediatric medicine program 1st and the same program in Phoenix 2nd, 3rd was a family residency program in Denver. David matched in Detroit. So there's the background to this post.

Coming to Detroit has been a process. You can read many of the posts I have had about this process by clicking each of "here" tabs. They are in chronological order, starting at the BOTTOM.
here
here
here
here
here
here
here

All of our discussions on future plans up until this point have been full of "ifs"- If we go back to Arizona we will.... If we stay in Detroit we will.... If you match here or there we can do....
We haven't been able to make any future decisions because we just didn't know where we would be. Thursday brought one of our greatest ifs to an end.
Even though I am happy that David got his first choice- and it was something we picked together- I feel sort of overwhelmed. Firstly, I can't believe we chose Detroit first. I can't believe God brought us here and broke our hearts for this city and we are actually staying. For years my desire has been to return to Arizona. And if i wasn't a Christian I am sure we would have looked into other cities... meaning we wouldn't feel the conviction to live among the poor probably. The weight of our decision is starting to set in. I will say that I am soooo thankful our parents are supportive now. It took them awhile, but by the time match day came around we had support from all. Now that we have matched, we can start renovating the house where we will live. I feel overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done- it needs everything. We are hiring a contractor, and David tells me not to worry- but sometimes I do anyway. I am reminded of a popularly used proverb that reminds me to trust in the Lord and not lean on my own understanding as I do life. It's a good thing that God reminds me through His word and with His people that I need not worry- and that God's agenda is so far from what the world values because I frequently forget. I have no idea how He got us here and how He managed to get us to choose to stay- but He did. And even though I am a little overwhelmed today, I am definitely excited to see what He has in store for us tomorrow. It has been a good journey walking with the Lord and I think as we grow closer to Him it will only get better. So join us in CELEBRATING the journey ahead. Get ready to see lots of posts on life in the "D"- from the process of renovating an abandoned house to the first fruits of our community garden- to getting more acquainted with people in the community- it's gonna be a lot of fun!


Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]


7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.[b]

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.

19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the LORD will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.

32 For the LORD detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.

And here's a picture I took right after writing all that. :)

program cover

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Match Day letter

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medical school buddies

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the new "Mack" building

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3.16.2011

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40 days of Vegetarianism : Day 6 Spinach salad with fresh strawberries

Menu:
Spinach Salad
Fresh bread


Recipe:
spinach salad
feta cheese
candied walnuts
sliced strawberries
1 avocado, diced

Mix together.

Add favorite dressing
I used:


Another favorite is:


To candy walnuts:

melt white sugar in pan, add walnuts, coat
place on wax paper to dry

A nice light dinner.

And I took a picture!! See above post. :)

3.14.2011

40 days of vegetarianism day 5:

So this wasn't my favorite, but David liked it. It depends on if you like all these ingredients- :)

Menu
Bulgarian Pepper Casserole
Greek salad
Pita and Hummus

Serves 6-8 easily
1-1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
2-3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons freshly minced dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill)
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups minced onion
4-5 medium green and or red bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt (more, to taste)
fresh black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons basil
8 medium cloves garlic, half of them minced, half of them sliced (keep minced and sliced garlic separate)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-1/2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese (may be lowfat)
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
1 cup whole Nicoise olives (or sliced, pitted Kalamata olives) possibly more, to taste




Place rice and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down as low as possible, and simmer without interruption for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and stir in lemon juice and dill. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, and saute over medium heat 5-8 minutes, or until the onions become soft. Add peppers, salt, pepper, and herbs, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Stir in the minced garlic (save the sliced garlic for later) and cook for just a minute more. Remove from heat, and stir in the feta cheese.

When you are ready to assemble the casserole, preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Place the cottage or ricotta cheese in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, and whip until smooth.

Combine rice, pepper saute, and whipped cheese in a large bowl, and mix until very well combined. Transfer to the prepared pan, and spread into place. Top with tomato slices, then scatter olives and slices of garlic in a liberated, random fashion over the tomates.

Bake uncovered at 375F until bubbly- about 30 - 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Not my pic, but it looked just like this.

40 days of vegetarianism: day 5 Spinach quiche

Delicious option! We had this after church with Micah, Laurie, and Nick.

Once again, I doubled it.
Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh)
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 (6 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

Took a picture!

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40 days of vegetarianism: day 4 Margherita Pizza

Margherita Pizza (This makes 2 12 inch pizzas)

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 8 Roma tomatoes, sliced
* 2 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crusts (I used the whole wheat- premade not prebaked from Trader Joe's)
* 8-12 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
* 10 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, sliced into strips
* 1/2 cup-1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Directions

1. Stir together olive oil, garlic, and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Brush each pizza crust with some of the tomato marinade. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with Mozzarella cheese. Arrange tomatoes overtop, then sprinkle with shredded basil, and Parmesan.
3. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

I did actually take a picture of this!!



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3.13.2011

and they said it was good!!

So David's mom made the black bean recipe and Jane sent me a pic of their dad I couldnt resist to put on the blog!! Keep the photos coming!!!
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3.12.2011

Day 3: California Grilled Veggie Sandwiches

Menu:

California Grilled Veggie Sandwiches on homemade Focaccia Bread
Mango and Strawberry fruit salad
Spinach salad with caesar dressing


We had a DELICIOUS dinner last night. Kristen and I ate early because we had to run Davida up to Auburon Hills.... so we didn't get to enjoy it together- but all seemed to enjoy this savory sandwich!

I couldn't find focaccia bread to save my life- so I just made it.

Recipe:


Ingredients

* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 pinch ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 cup water
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 cup mozzarella

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
2. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

NOTE: Apparently you need to make sure your yeast is good- you do this by "prepping the yeast" You can look up instructions online.

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich:
(Once again I doubled the recipe)

* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/8 cup olive oil
* 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
* 1 small zucchini, sliced
* 1 red onion, sliced
* 1 small yellow squash, sliced
* 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
* 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

NOTE: Our grill was covered in snow- so I just cooked the veggies in the oven- it still tasted good- but I look forward to grilling next time!!

Rating: 5/5
DELICIOUS!!!