Classic Macaroni Salad

Back in my single days when I was a gal about town, I used to frequent a local pub that served this fabulous macaroni salad.  It was one of the few non-greasy, vegetarian dishes offered and I could not get enough of it.  I also loved the fact that I could order a pasta salad at a restaurant that did not have onions in it.

Oh, did I mention I hate onions.  Unless of course they are thinly sliced, breaded, fried and barely distinguishable as an onion.

Also I love pasta…

And I love to reminisce about the past.  Especially when good food and friends were involved!

The pub’s macaroni salad evokes fond memories of time well (and sometimes not so well) spent with my girl friends..talking about heartaches and hopefulness, weekend plans and life lessons learned…always over a beer or a cheap glass of wine.  Sigh…

I eventually found love, started a family and moved away from that town with the great little bar.  I’ve gone back and the macaroni salad is now off the menu.  What a pity, no more memory lane macaroni salad, I thought.

But I was wrong!!!  Thank goodness I was wrong!

I was staring recently at the 50 some odd boxes of pasta sitting in my pantry, realizing I needed to start using this stuff up.  So I did a search for some pasta recipes that included ingredients I had on hand.  What I was most drawn to was the Classic Macaroni Salad.  I found many variations of this recipe and morphed them into something I actually could eat.

The result…a stroll down memory lane.  The macaroni salad tasted surprisingly similar to that old favorite of mine. Apparently, that old favorite wasn’t as proprietary as I had believed it to be.

Cucumber Macaroni Salad
1.5 cups macaroni noodles
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/8 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup cucumber, diced
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup carrots, shredded
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Rinse thoroughly and allow to chill in refrigerator before mixing remaining ingredients (to reduce the amount of dressing absorbing into the pasta).
2.  In a large container, mix remaining ingredients.
3.  Gently fold in chilled noodles.
4.  Refrigerate until serving.

I will be submitting this recipe to following fabulous food events…
Presto Pasta Night #224 hosted by Anu from Truth Personified
A Little Bird Told Me
Tasty Tuesdays
Cast Party Wednesdays
These Chicks Cooked
Whats on Your Plate

Vegetarian Cocktail Meatballs – Lightened Up

Last football season, I made this fabulous vegetarian cocktail meatball dish.  My family LOVED it! Even my 4 year old son!

But there was some aftermath. . . it really spiked my diabetic husband’s blood sugar.  For those who are not familiar with diabetes, this is not a desired affect of eating and its usually caused by high sugar foods.

I thought the one cup of jelly was the problem.  But I also learned the chili sauce had quite a few grams of sugar, as well.

I thought that was the end of my husband’s cocktail meatball eating days until I discovered low sugar jelly several months later.

The low sugar jelly, which has 1/2 the carbs and sugar as regular, got me thinking of how I could lighten up this dish so that we all could enjoy it healthily.

I attempted the recipe again with 1 cup of low sugar jelly and I reduced the chili sauce from 12 oz to 6 oz.  And for no particular reason other than to give the recipe a slightly different flavor, I substituted the mustard for lemon juice.

This version still turned out very tasty!  The sauce was considerably more runny than the original recipe, but low-sugar jelly is not nearly as, well, jelly-like as jelly.  And of course, lemon juice is runnier than mustard.

With 1/2 the calories and sugar as the original, this is a much safer alternative.  And although I will continue to use the diabetic friendly substitutions on all vegetarian cocktail meatball recipes, I now have 2 versions.  The one with mustard for fall/winter and spring/summer for the lemon juice.

Vegetarian Cocktail Meatballs (Summer Version/Lightened Up Version/Reduced Sugar Version)
1 cup low-sugar grape jelly
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 packages frozen vegetarian meatballs

Directions
1. Thaw vegetarian meatballs.
2. In a sauce pan combine jelly, chili sauce and lemon juice.
3. Heat over medium heat until the sauce reaches a low boil.
4. Add the thawed vegetarian meatballs.
5. Cover and continue heating for at least 10 minutes.

I will be submitting this recipe to follow fabulous food events…
My Meatless Mondays
On the Menu Monday
Sundae Scoop

Unstuffed Pepper Casserole

My mother made the best stuffed peppers. They were simple, but delicious. However, once I became a vegetarian, this item was off the menu for me. I’ve tried several times to recreate her recipe using vegetarian products, but have yet to successfully capture that taste I remember so well.

What is missing is the infusion of the pepper flavor into the rice and meat mixture. Vegetarian ground beef does not absorb flavor as the real deal does.

Tofu is great for absorbing flavor. I’ve used a tofu/vegetarian ground beef mixture as the stuffing. I’ve sauteed tofu and green pepper together hoping for some infusion. Although tastey, these methods fell short of the goal.

So on my fifth (or so) attempt, I have unstuffed the peppers. The hope was that sitting in an oven for 35 minutes would allow the pepper’s juices enough to time to release and get acquainted with the other ingredients.

Did it work? Almost! Its not quite there, but it made for an extremely easy and delicious…and almost well-infused recipe. If my low-carb dieting husband is willing to cheat for a recipe, I know its a good one!

Unstuffed Pepper Casserole
1-2 green peppers, chopped
1 package vegetarian ground beef
25 oz (approximate) jar or can of pasta sauce
1 cup white or brown rice, uncooked
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare rice according to package directions.
3. In a 9×9 or 7×11 casserole dish, mix together all ingredients except reserve 1/2 cup shredded cheese for topping. The rice should be completely moistened by the sauce.
4. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes to ensure some pepper juice infusion!

I will be submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events…
Lady Behind the Curtain’s Cast Party Wednesdays
This Chick Cooks’ These Chicks Cooked

Balsamic Pasta Salad

Ok, somehow the past two weeks got away from me. I’ve been entertaining my son, redesigning my blog and doing web designs for clients, not realizing that I haven’t been posting for some time.

What is more distressing is that I haven’t been checking up on what’s cooking with all my friends in the food blog world! I feel so empty and (gasp) uninspired! Time to get back on track!

Anyway on to the recipe…

I’m an admitted carboholic. I love carbs. Bread, rice, pasta. I could survive solely on carbs and be content.

Well, my taste buds would be happy but thighs would not be. Carbs tend to burrow themselves into my legs and stay there for a long time.

One day recently when my concern over my jean size was overpowered by a craving for something carb-y, I made a box of macaroni noodles. Currently, I’m the only one in my house eating pasta. My husband is on a low carb diet and my son really only likes pasta covered in red sauce, of which I had none.

So a giant pot of macaroni noodles were all mine. And rather than use all the noodles to make a giant pot of one thing, I decided to divide them up for multiple recipes.

Its summer and I’m avoiding my oven (hence the lack of casseroles lately), so a baked pasta dish was out. But a crisp, cool pasta salad…that was the way to go.

Using whatever ingredients I had on hand, I threw together a fabulously refreshing summer dish. I call it Balsamic Pasta Salad.

The key to this whole operation is the balsamic. More specifically, the balsamic dressing. I used Ken’s Steakhouse Creamy Balsamic. It is over the top, amazingly good. I want to use it on everything! Vegetables, pasta, salads, crust breads and I think these would be good on french fries (like a twist on chips and vinegar). The best part…only 7 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons!

Pick a bottle up and give it a try. It will not disappoint!

Oh and I am in no way endorsed by Ken’s or any company for that matter. My opinions are my own and unsolicited! Promise!

Without further ado here is the recipe. The quantities of veggies, noodles and dressing are completely subjective. So I’ll just list the ingredients I used, with a special note to adjust per preference.

Balsamic Pasta Salad
Macaroni Noodles
Avocado, diced
Tomatoes, diced
Crumbled feta cheese
Cucumber, diced
Dried dill weed
Balsamic dressing

Directions
1. Prepare pasta noodles according to package directions for cold pasta. Drain and rinse thoroughly. If time allows, place pasta in the fridge to chill completely (to avoid the dressing drying out).
2. Once chilled, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Add more dressing, if not moist enough.

I will be submitting this super summery recipe to the following fabulous foodie events….
Presto Pasta Nights #222 hosted this week by Lavender and Lime
My Sweet & Savory’s My Meatless Mondays (hey that’s everyday for me!)
Stone Gable’s On the Menu Monday
The Tablescraper’s Seasonal Sunday #57

Cucumber Salad

I love a cucumbers! But whenever I buy them they seem under-ripe and taste more like watermelon rind than cucumber. But lately, Wal-Mart’s produce has been on fire. Nearly everything I’ve purchased has been at the peak of freshness and ready-to-eat. Its been fabulous!

The cucumbers too have been outstanding!

It reminded me of this cucumber salad, my girl friend Amber once made for one of our summer cookouts. So I searched and searched for a recipe which seemed close to her’s. I combined a couple of different recipes and the result was close to what I remembered.

I’m going to have to make a large batch and bring it to my brother-in-law’s Fourth of July picnic!

Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, sliced (peeling is optional)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon dill weed
Salt, to taste

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, dill and salt until sugar is well dissolved.
2. Add in the cucumbers.
3. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

I’m submitting this cool and creamy recipe to…
Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
This Chick Cook’s Link Party
Rook No. 17′s A Little Bird Told Me

Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs

Veggie Patch makes a vegetarian meatball that is to die for!  When I discovered these little beauties, I decided I must find more uses for them.

Originally I had tried them when I made Vegetarian Cocktail Meatballs (also known as Sweet & Sour Meatballs).  These went over BIG with both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.   So far the only other meatball based dish I could come up with is…Swedish Meatballs.

These also went over well!

The gravy for the Swedish Meatballs can either be a brown or a white…meaning traditionally either beef broth or chicken broth based.  Well, that just won’t work in my vegetarian kitchen so I opt for a brown gravy which is mushroom based.  Ok, well not really.  How about cream of mushroom soup based?

The key to “browning” the gravy and to add a little punch of flavor is instant coffee grounds!!!  Sounds weird, but trust me, it provides a good flavor.  If you haven’t picked up a little container of instant coffee grounds, do so!  You can add it while baking to give foods a coffee flavor (I did this when I made Mocha Muffins…yum!)

Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs
2 packages Vegetarian Meatballs
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon instant coffee grounds
Salt and pepper to taste

1. If the meatballs are frozen, thaw them almost completely. I like to take the bag, vent it and microwave in 1 minute increments until thawed.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, mix together the soup, milk, coffee grounds and salt and pepper. Set the temperature at medium.
3. Add the vegetarian meatballs to the pot and mix so that the meatballs are nearly covered with the gravy.
4. Place a lid over the pot and allow them to cook for about 15 -20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meatballs should be very tender before serving.

Note: If you notice the gravy getting too thick, you can mix in more milk one tablespoon at a time.

This recipe is soooo quick and easy, I am submitting it to the Anyone Can Cook event hosted by Taste of Pearl City.  This event encourages new cooks by providing recipes that fall under at least one of three categories – for beginners, with less ingredients, with minimal amount of time.  This is the event for me since that is what my site is all about!!!  Quick and easy cooking!

Vegetable Sushi

I’m questioning whether to add this post. Sushi is typically not considered an easy dish to make and the purpose of my site is to provide easy solutions to vegetarian meal times.

But on the other hand, I feel I’ve found a way to make quick and easy sushi. Plus, its summertime, and sushi is a wonderful cool treat on a hot day.

So here goes…Vegetable Sushi the easy way.

Most people automatically equate sushi with raw fish. But it doesn’t have to be like that!!! That sounds disgusting and as a vegetarian, I don’t eat fish. So I eat vegetable sushi.

When dining in restaurants I have had many wonderful sushi dishes with fillings such as…
Cucumber
Avocado
Sliced carrots
Fried sweet potato

At home I’ve used the following fillings in various combinations…
Cucumber
Avocado
Cream Cheese
Tofu
Scrambled egg
Sliced and pan-fried portobello mushrooms

All fabulous!

Vegetable Sushi
So here’s what you will need:
Sushi Rolling Mat
Vegetables and fillers of your choice
Nori (seaweed wraps)
Sushi rice or short grain rice (found with the rice or in the Asian section)
Rice wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar

Optional items:
Toasted sesame seeds (found in the baking aisle with the spices or in the Asian section)
Sliced ginger (sold in a jar in the Asian section)
Wasabi paste (Asian section)
Rice cooker (I bought mine for less than $20 at Wal-Mart and I highly recommend one)

Directions – with quick tips in italics:
1. Measure out the rice you’ll need. One cup of uncooked rice will fill about 3 nori. Dump rice into the pan or bowl you will be cooking it and and rinse it and then pour as much water out as possible.
2. Prepare rice according to package directions. But sushi rice should be sticky and that is achieved typically with equal parts rice and water plus a couple tablespoons of water.
3. Once the rice cooker switches to warm, I check the rice by taking a couple of grains from the middle of the pot. If all the water has been absorbed but the rice seems undercooked. I add a bit more water – just enough to moisten – and I let it continue to warm and check it a few minutes later to see if its tender.
4. When your rice is tender, put the rice in large plastic container. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar and mix in with the rice.
5. Place container in the refrigerator to cool down for an hour. I find that working with cooled sticky rice is a lot less messy.
6. In the meantime you can prepare your vegetables and fillers.
7. Place the sushi mat on the counter with the bamboo sticks horizontally oriented. Lay one sheet of nori on it – smooth side down. Moisten your fingertips and palms slightly with water. Gently rub your hands over nori.
8. Immediately begin to spread the rice in a thin, single and even layer over the nori. Leave about half an inch without sushi on the end farthest from you. Its also a good idea to grab and spread the rice with slightly wet hands to avoid messy fingers.
9. Place your fillers and veggies horizontally down the middle of the nori.
10. Using the rolling mat, begin to roll the entire thing up. Imagine the black nori will be making a spiral shape once completed (professionals prepare it without making the spiral effect, but I am not a professional and this is the best I can do!)
11. Slice up 5 to 6 rolls using a wet, sharp knife.
12. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with ginger slices, wasabi paste or soy sauce, if desired.

Some more tips:
* You will often read directions about cleaning the rice before cooking it. The long process of rinsing the rice until it the poured water runs clear is a step I skip. I just rinse once! I’m not a professional and I don’t have the patience!
* I sometimes mash up the avocado before spreading it. Its easier to cut and eat when the avocados aren’t sliding out.
* I bought my sushi mat kit at TJ Maxx in the housewares section at a deep discount!
* Practice makes perfect. I’ve been making sushi for about 5 years and it takes me little time and no trouble to whip up a couple rolls now! But my first batch was TERRIBLE. So if your’s doesn’t turn out the first time, use it as a learning experience to refine your next preparation.

I do hope you’ll give it a try! Good luck…