Tag: Vegetarian

Categories
Breakfast Featured Recipes Sauces

Veggie Cream Cheese

Veggie Cream Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

Veggie Cream Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

Background Spread Your Veggies

There’s an excellent bagel shop in Douglasville, GA called The Bagel Meister that I used to go to all the time. Unfortunately I’ve moved about an hour away (and no longer commute) so no more delicious Bagel Meister on the way to work for me.

The first time I went in, I was a bagel novice so I ordered a sesame bagel with plain cream cheese. Mrs. Meister was working the intake line that day and she said, “no.”

“Oh yeah,” I responded. “Well then what should I have?”
Her reply changed my bagel order forever. “I’m going to make you an everything bagel, double toasted with veggie cream cheese. You have to taste it before you go because if you don’t like it, I’ll make the sesame bagel for you.”

It was delicious and that’s the only bagel for me now.

Making bagels at home is fun and rather easy but it’s time consuming. Making your own cream cheese flavors, on the other hand, is both quick and easy. I couldn’t find another veggie cream cheese that I liked as much as the Meister’s cream cheese so I decided to make my own.

The RecipeRecipe
Veggie Cream Cheese
 
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Ingredients
  • ¼ Vidalia Onion, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ Red Bell Pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 Clove Garlic, peeled
  • 1 Hand Full Fresh Parsley, about ⅓ cup
  • 1 Tbs Milk
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
Instructions
  1. Pulse all of the veggies in a small food process about 10 times until they’re finely chopped.
  2. Transfer the veggies to a cheese cloth or 4 paper towels stacked on top of one another, gather up the corners like one of those camper’s-handkerchiefs-on-a-stick things, and squeeze the moisture out of the veggies.
  3. Add them back into the processor with the cream cheese and milk and process until it’s all mixed together.
  4. Store for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

If you want to save on calories, use Neufchâtel cheese instead of cream cheese. It’s the stuff that is marketed as low fat or 1/3 less fat cream cheese and is right next to the real stuff in the grocery store.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

You can certainly freeze this spread but it’ll lose some texture when you thaw it out. To loosen, beat in a little more milk after thawing.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Apparently making your own cream cheese is super easy. Who knew? I’ll add it to the list of things to try!

Categories
Back to Basics Featured Recipes Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Oven Roasted Asparagus from www.jasonscooking.com
Temperature400°Time10 – 12 mins

Oven Roasted Asparagus from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundAsparagus? Asparagus.

The first recipe back in the saddle is roasted asparagus. Why roasted asparagus, you ask? I will answer your question with a multiple choice:

A. Because it’s spring and asparagus is in season.
B. Because we need some more vegetable side dishes on this site.
C. Because asparagus is delicious.
D. Because I already had the picture and recipe ready to go in my Google Drive.
E. All of the above.

If you chose E, dear reader, you are correct. At this time of year, asparagus is tasty, vegetabley, and already photographed-ey! My favorite way to cook asparagus – or really any vegetable for that matter – is to roast it in a hot oven just until it picks up a bit of color. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper allows the flavor of the asparagus to shine through.

Warning: This recipe is no doubt a tasty way to cook asparagus but it’s still asparagus. Kids seem to have a natural hatred of these little trees and roasting them isn’t likely to change that. If this describes your kids (or husband or wife) hopefully they/he/she will grow out of it and learn to love these spring vegetables.

The RecipeRecipe
Oven Roasted Asparagus
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil (you can also use vegetable oil)
  • 1 Bundle Asparagus, rinsed
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°
  2. Using a big knife, cut off the bottom half to one inch of the asparagus.
  3. Toss the trimmed asparagus, oil, 2 big pinches of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
  4. Spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan and cook for 10 – 12 minutes until your asparagus is tender-crisp and oxymoronically delicious!
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Here’s a tip to use when rummaging around the produce aisle for asparagus. Thinner stalks are more tender and a bit sweeter, while thicker stalks have a more asparagussy flavor.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Freezing asparagus, like most other vegetables, requires a quick blanching in salted boiling water (maybe 60 seconds) and then an immediate dip in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, transfer to a zip-top bag and store for about 6 months.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Michael hates asparagus so I don’t make it for us that often. If you ever invite us over to your house and are wondering what sort of vegetable to cook, I’d enjoy some asparagus!

Categories
Breakfast Featured Recipes Side Dishes

Crispy Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

Crispy Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes from www.jasonscooking.com
Temperature500°Time50 mins

Crispy Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundBackground

There’s something about crispy potatoes that are absolutely irresistible. Don’t believe me? On average, Americans eat about 30 lbs of French Fries per year. I don’t like to make fries at home because I don’t like coming face-to-face with a large pot of fat in which I am going to cook something that will then go into my body. I’m not exactly what you’d call a healthy eater but it’s hard to look a pot of oil in the face and not feel dirty. Michael also likes that I don’t normally fry things at home because he doesn’t have to clean up the splatters!

A lot of oven-fries recipes are disappointing to me and that’s mainly because they’re not cooked hot or long enough. Potatoes will absolutely get crispy in the oven but you have to be patient. These potatoes get their crispiness not only from the long stay in the oven but also because they’re par-cooked and roughed up a bit. This gives them more surface area and helps them get super crispy.

If you planning a brunch, these would be amazing breakfast potatoes! Just par cook the night before (through step 2) and put them in the oven when you start prepping everything else.

The RecipeRecipe
Crispy Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
 
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Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 lbs Russet Potatoes, Cut into 1-inch Cubes
  • 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tbs Kosher Salt
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 500°, line a half sheet pan with parchment paper, and spray that with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover them by about an inch with warm water and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes and then immediately drain. The outside of the potatoes should be a bit soft but the inside will not be done.
  3. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and drizzle the vegetable oil over the top, cover the bowl with a plate and give them a good shake. This will rough up the edges and make them crispy in the oven.
  4. Spread the potatoes on the sheet pan in a single layer (use 2 pans if necessary), season with salt and pepper, and cook for 40 minutes in a 500° oven, turning them after 20 minutes.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Turn these into Cheesy Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes by sprinkling parmesan cheese on them during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Mmmmmm.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

I’m not a fan of frozen potatoes so I say make this dish fresh. If you want to freeze them (or even cook them ahead of time), stop after draining, cool and store in the refrigerator for a couple of days or freeze on a sheet pan in a single layer before transferring them to a zip top bag and storing the freezer for up to 6 months.

Resume cooking as normal when you’re ready for potatoes! You may need to add more cooking time if you’re preparing them from frozen so keep an eye on them.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Why don’t potatoes freeze well? Because when the potato goes below 40° F, the starches turn into sugar and change the taste.

Categories
Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese

Pepperjack Pimento Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

Pepperjack Pimento Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundBackground

There are 460,000 results when you Google “pimento cheese recipe” so I’m revisiting my Bacon Pimento Cheese recipe. This time, I was making this tasty spread for a wedding and a going away party for a vegetarian so the bacon was out. I also wanted to make the spice in this batch a little more subtle, so I swapped the cayenne for some pepper jack cheese, adjusted the ratios and came up with this super tasty version.

Pimento cheese is great on crackers, on little sandwiches and as a vegetable dip. It’s a quick and easy app that you can mix up days before your party so I highly recommend putting it in your party prep rotation. This would be a great appetizer to put out for the big sports game on Thanksgiving day!

The RecipeRecipe
Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • 6 oz Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
  • 2 oz Swiss Cheese, Shredded
  • 2 oz Pepperjack Cheese, Shredded
  • 4 oz Chopped Pimentos, Drained
Instructions
  1. Mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until they're thoroughly combined.
  2. Fold in the cheeses and pimentos and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Use pimento cheese rather than sliced cheese for a super fun Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

If you don’t use up a whole block of cheese, store excess shredded cheese in the freezer so it’s ready for you when you’re ready for it!

Fun FactsFun Facts

I thought pimentos were pickled red bell peppers but they’re not. Pimentos are their own variety of small, sweet chili peppers.

Categories
Appetizers Featured Main Dishes Recipes

Benihana Onion Soup

Benihana Onion Soup from www.jasonscooking.com

Benihana Onion Soup from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundBackground

Until I met Michael, I had never been to a Japanese Steak House. By the time I realized that I’d never been to a Japanese steak house, I was probably 18 or 19 and I decided to never go to one and that would be an interesting thing about me. Many people were incredulous when I told them and they would invariably tell me that I should go and that I would like it. “Nah,” I would reply and that would be that.

Benihana Mike
Michael, his sister, and his brother-in-law celebrating birthdays at Benihana.

Then I met Michael…who LOVES Benihana. Specifically he loves the shrimp, the chicken fried rice, and the ginger dressing. Couple that with the fact that Benihana was the place that his family went when celebrating things and my days of “I’ve never been to Benihana” were over.

My first Benihana experience was before we went to a pottery painting place that I liked called Wired and Fired. It was a Something I Like + Something You Like evening. The food was fine (maybe a bit bland) and the show was entertaining and just like that I lost my status of Guy Who Had Never Been to a Japanese Steak House.

While the whole Thing isn’t my tokkuri of sake, I do like the sushi and the Onion soup is delicious! That brings us to today’s post (finally). Benihana Onion Soup is a pretty straightforward dish and a great example of less is more. You can whip up a batch really quickly and get more without feeling like a weirdo in the restaurant. It’s a light and simple soup that goes with pretty much anything.

The RecipeRecipe
Benihana Onion Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbs Chicken Base (buy it near the bullion)
  • 8 Cups Water
  • 1 White Mushroom, Sliced very thinly
  • 4 Tbs French Fried Onions
  • 2 Green Onions, Sliced
Instructions
  1. Boil the water and chicken base in a medium pot over medium high heat for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide the French fried onions, the green onions, mushrooms and stock evenly between 4 serving bowls and serve immediately.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

For chickenier flavor, substitute chicken stock for up to half of the water.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Use frozen chicken stock to whip up a batch of Benihana Onion Soup whenever you want one.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Gwen will eat chicken stock so this fits into the theme for the week. If you are a vegetarian who doesn’t each chicken stock, never fear. Better than Bullion makes No Chicken base too!

Categories
Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Orange Marmalade

Caprino from www.jasonscooking.com

Caprino from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundBackground

My friend Gwen and I have worked together for almost 10 years and this is her last week. Boo. Gwen is a vegetarian and she often gives me crap for not making more vegetarian stuff. This week will all be stuff she can eat.

The first recipe is Figo Pasta’s Caprino appetizer. This quick and easy app is a great combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet caramelized onions, citrusy orange marmalade and crunchy toasted French bread. It really hits all of the highlights that a good appetizer should hit – minus bacon of course.

Anywho…one of my favorite things to do with Gwen was to go to Ikea and Figo at lunch. Gwen is good at Ikea…I’m pretty sure they can sense her in the area and batten down the hatches when she’s near Atlantic Station. After tearing through the Ikea at an alarming rate, we would swing by the Figo for some delicious pasta. She introduced me to this place, and now it’s one of Michael and my favorite spots.

The RecipeRecipe
Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Orange Marmalade
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ Tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ Cup Sweet Onions, Diced
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Tbs Orange Marmalade
  • 5 oz Goat Cheese
  • 1 Loaf French Bread, Sliced on the bias into 16 pieces (about ½ inch thick)
  • Parsley for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat.
  2. Add the onions, a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize and turn a deep golden brown – about 20 minutes. See Tips and Tricks below.
  3. When the onions have caramelized, add the marmalade and stir.
  4. When the marmalade is completely incorporated, add the goat cheese and fold to incorporate everything. The cheese will melt as you stir. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool.
  5. While the cheese mixture is cooling, heat the oven to 400° and place the slices of bread in a single layer on a pan.
  6. Toast in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time, until they are toasty and slightly colored.
  7. Spread the cheese mixture on the slices of toasted bread and sprinkle with parsley.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

The secret to beautifully caramelized onions is to go low and slow. If the onions start to crisp up or look like they’re frying, you have too much heat. Slow and steady win the race.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

You can store the cheese mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, toast the bread and commence scooping and spreading.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Until literally 2 minutes ago, I thought “Caprino” was a well-known Italian appetizer…apparently it’s not. Caprino is simply an Italian goat cheese – the onions and marmalade came from Figo. Who knew?