Season's Eatings!

Merry Christmas to my bloggernaughts. If you are reading this today, step away from your computer and enjoy your family, friends, furry friends and come back later. If that isn't your thing, go cook something :) I'm working a 12 hour shift today, so I have an excuse to be sitting at the computer. LOL.

I wasn't overly optimistic about getting any cooking done today, but we had a little mini-harvest last night and I felt compelled to use it in something today. Here is the take from the garden late last Eve. Arugula and more radishes. It frosted the night before last before we could cover the garden. I'm hoping most stuff will make it. The tomatoes and beans are toast.


I got up a bit early this morning and prepped my goodies so I could throw a nice lunch together for me and my co-worker today. I bring you Christmas Pasta (to be re-named later when I'm feeling a bit more creative).



Makes 2 large portions

1/4 lb dried spaghetti/fettuccini/angel hair
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cippollini onions
2 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dry white wine and drink the rest of the bottle.
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I use Penzey's)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
8 sun dried tomatoes (not in oil) rehydrated, julienned
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups loosely packed arugula
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (for garnish)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (measured after chopping, for garnish)
red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Cook pasta according to package direction (al dente). Run under cold water to cool. Toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Pasta can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in a tightly covered bowl in the fridge.

Heat oil in very large saute pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onions and saute until just starting to soften. Add vinegar and wine and reduce slightly. Add dried seasonings and saute for about 1 more minute. Add sun dried tomatoes and red peppers. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until peppers just start to soften. Add arugula and saute for another minute until it just starts to wilt. Add cooled pasta and cook until just heated through. Make sure to toss so that all of the ingredients are well combined. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Dish out onto two plates. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes if desired.

I hope that all of you have a love filled Christmas. Keep the kitchen fires burning!

Food Network Friday - Beef and Horseradish Sauce Sandwich

For this week's Food Network Friday Challenge I converted this Ina Garten Recipe. With the holidays approaching, it was nice to have a fairly easy conversion this week. Once the seitan is made, this is a snap to throw together. I used Tami Noyes' Beefy Seitan Recipe that will be in her upcoming American Vegan Kitchen cookbook as the base. The rest was pretty straight forward.

"Beef" and Horseradish Sauce Sandwiches.

Makes 2 hearty sized sandwiches.

4 oz Beefy Seitan

1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper

Sauce ingredients

1/2 cup vegannaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoons stoneground mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon Toffutti non-hydrogenated sour cream

Sandwich ingredients

4 slices whole grain sandwich bread

1 cup arugula

1 tomato sliced thin

1/2 tablespoon softened Earth Balance

Preheat oven to 500.Mix 1/2 tablespoon EB with 1 teaspoon dijon. Coat seitan roast with mixture. Coat with pepper and salt lightly. Bake seitan for 15-20 minutes until outside gets a nice crust on it. Remove from oven.

While seitan is cooking mix together sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Can keep in refrigerator for several days.

To assemble sammies thinly slice hot seitan. On one slice of bread spread the horsey sauce. Top with thinly sliced hot seitan, 1/2 cup arugula and a few slices of tomato. Butter top slice of bread and put on top (butter side down). Slice in half and serve.