Peanut Butter Blossoms

These were my favorite cookie when I was growing up. My Mom would pretty much only make these for Christmas and I'd spend the rest of the year pining for them. This year I asked her for the recipe and found them surprisingly easy to create vegan versions!

The Stuff

• 1 3/4 cups flour (you can use half whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/2 sugar (evaporated cane juice)
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup shortening (Spectrum Naturals or Earth Balance)
• 2 T soy milk (rice or almond would work fine)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 T golden flaxseed meal (Bob's Red Mill) whisked with 3 T water
• Extra sugar to roll cookies in
• 2 large bars of dark chocolate (70% cacao or more) broken into rough squares or rectangles (I used the Theo Jane Goodall bars)
  

The Making

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Blend all ingredients at low speed in a large bowl until a stiff dough forms. Shape dough into 1" balls and roll each ball in sugar. Place balls 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Immediately top each cookie with a piece of chocolate. Press down firmly and into the hot cookie so they crack around edge. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen.

Organics to You December 28, 2009

The last box of 2009 from Organics to You contains:

• Head of green lettuce
  
• a whole lot of broccoli
• A bunch of lovely carrots
  
• spinach
  
• more lovely, red potatoes
• 3 red beets (no greens)
  
• 4 Pinova apples
• 3 red pears
• 3 oranges
• 3 Satsumas
• 2 Avocados
  

From last week the fridge still contains:

• red potatoes
  
• a yellow onion
• bit of shallot
  
• 1 1/2 heads of garlic
  
• 2 green apples
• 2 Pinova apples
  
• 3 green pears
• 3 red pears
• 2 Bosc pears
  
• 5 oranges
• 4 satsumas
  
• some lettuce
• celery
• a tomato
  

The Compost Pail of Shame (what I didn't use and had to compost):

• Persimmons (*sigh* oh, the guilt)
  
• an apple that was dropped from on high and got all squishy
  

Last week saw an amazing lasagna, however, it didn't really use a whole lot of veggies from the box since the spinach, kale and zucchini in it came from New Seasons. However, since lasagna became something of a tradition on Christmas Eve in my family, I wanted to make it. I made an awesome herbed, pressed tofu for the filling. Next time around, more pasta layers.

Christie made the most amazing scalloped potatoes last week. Using some of the deep red potatoes from a couple of weeks ago, which turned out to be ruby red inside, and a sauce made of soy milk, nutritional yeast, raw cashews and assorted herbs. It was so delicious I wanted to eat up the entire, enormous pan - but I didn't and we are still enjoying the leftovers.

I also tried my hand at making dashi last week which culminated in an amazing dinner last night. It featured all the broccoli stems & remaining carrots in a stir-fry with the leek, ginger, tamari & dashi. Another stir-fry of the remaining green beans, a whole lot of garlic, some chili flakes & the rest of the red onion was a slightly spicy second dish. Finally were pockets of fried tofu stuffed with seasoned, brown jasmine rice & roasted beets. This will get a full post all by itself.

This week - well there's going to be some serious broccoli eating going on! We also have pounds & pounds of potatoes. Perhaps Christie's broccoli & potato soup again? Tonight we're thinking an orange glazed tofu served with a green salad topped with carrots, pears & apples. With the bounty of two avocados I'm wondering if there's a salad dressing I could make with one of them.

Organics to You December 21, 2009

Today's Solstice box from Organics to You contains:

• Head of green lettuce
  
• more broccoli
• A bunch of lovely carrots
  
• celery (good, since I finally did run out)
  
• green beans
  
• a yellow onion
  
• 2 bulbs of shallot
• a red onion
  
• gorgeous red potatoes
• 4 Pinova apples
• 3 Bosc pears
  
• 3 green pears
• 3 red pears
• 3 oranges
• 4 Satsumas
• a small bag of walnuts and chestnuts
  

From last week the fridge still contains:

• red potatoes
  
• some red cabbage
• a couple of carrots
• 1/4 yellow onion
  
• 2 heads of garlic
  
• 1 1/2 green apples
• 2 green pears
• 3 oranges
• 2 persimmons
• some lettuce
• 2 turnips
  
• some broccoli stems & one crown
• a tomato
  

The Compost Pail of Shame (what I didn't use and had to compost):

• Some more persimmons from earlier
• an orange
  

Last week saw a whole mess of roasted veggies: parsnips (which I adore and Christie wasn't entirely wild about), Brussels sprouts (from New Seasons), potatoes, garlic, yams & onion. I made my Tres Hermanas (3 Sisters) casserole, but didn't get a recipe since in the making I discovered that our pressure cooker was broke! Turned out well, regardless. Miso soup with broccoli & leek was made Saturday night with the amazing, and local, Jorinji chickpea miso. I also made a quick, delicious hash of kale, potatoes, tomato & tempeh. We also enjoyed some tempeh, lettuce & tomato sandwiches yesterday for lunch. I did make my miso, squash stew this past week, but many of the ingredients came from either our garden (the squash) and New Seasons (the Napa cabbage).

This week - More miso soup has been requested. I'm thinking a big broccoli stir-fry to pair with the wholly intriguing lemongrass/chili fried tofu from Thanh Son we picked up at Uwajimaya on Saturday. Lasagna for Christmas Eve (strangly enough, this became a family tradition at some point during my childhood). Scalloped potatoes are high on my list for this week and the green beans are going to get a nice saute instead of going into a casserole this time.

Organics to You December 14, 2009

Today's box from Organics to You contains:

• Lacinato kale (I think my fave type of kale)
  
• Head of green lettuce
  
• more broccoli
• A bunch of lovely carrots, 3 colors
  
• parsnips (yes!)
• turnips
• a yellow onion
  
• 2 bulbs of garlic
• gorgeous red potatoes
• 3 red apples
• 3 green apples
• 2 green pears
• 1 red pear
• 2 oranges
• 2 persimmons (I WILL figure out what to do with those this week)

From last week the fridge still contains:

• yams
• potatoes
  
• some red cabbage
• some shallot
  
• 2 heads of garlic
  
• a leek
• 2 apples
• 1 green pear
• 1 red pear
• 2 oranges
  
• 3 tangerines
• some broccoli stems
  

The Compost Pail of Shame (what I didn't use and had to compost):

• Those green onions

This week will see some simple roasted veggies (yams, parsnips & potatoes) with adzuki beans and I will be remaking the "Tres Hermanas" casserole which features winter squash, pinto beans simmered in adobo & tomatoes, and topped with garlic & cumin polenta. I have been asked to put together the recipe for that dish as well as the Italian version with white beans & fresh basil. I'm also considering a pear/apple cake from a recipe I was sent a few weeks ago. Christie is talking using the gorgeous red potatoes for a dish of mashed up ones (she came up with this cashew creme to add for Thanksgiving - pretty glorious). I've also been hankering for scalloped potatoes soon (maybe next week).

Squash & Cabbage Stew with Red Miso

Hotpot stews, like gomamiso-yosenabe, are a type of winter dish popular in Japan. I'd had one of Napa cabbage, glass noodles and dumplings when I ate at Cha Ya in San Francisco in 2008 and loved it. With the bounty of this year's winter squash harvest (thanks to Christie's insistence on growing it) I wanted to go a different direction with the squash stews I'd been making and thought it would be fun & tasty to use red miso and sesame to make a rich, Japanese inspired hearty dish.

The Stuff

• 2 Tablespoons canola or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 2 large stalks celery, diced
• 3 - 4 cups winter squash cut into 1-2" cubes
• 1 28oz can Muir Glen fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red miso
• 1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds (white is fine, black is more dramatic)
  
• 3 cups cooked Aduki beans
• 1 medium head Savoy-style cabbage chopped into large pieces
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

The Making

Saute onions on medium-high heat in a large metal pot with canola oil until the onions begin to go translucent (about 5 minutes), then add garlic. Continue to saute the garlic and onions until they begin to brown (about 5 more minutes) then add in carrots, celery and winter squash. Saute all veggies together for 5 minutes, then add the Muir Glen diced tomatoes, miso, sesame seeds, and 4 cups of water. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer together until squash is tender (20 - 40 minutes depending upon type of squash used).

Once the winter squash is tender add into the pot the cooked Aduki beans, chopped cabbage, and sesame oil. Cover pot and simmer for 15 additional minutes to allow beans to absorb flavor and for cabbage to cook completely.

Serve stew with a steamed grain (brown rice or barley) or some crusty, whole-grain bread.

**I make this with great success in the pressure cooker. Instead of reducing heat to simmer, put lid on and bring up to pressure, then reduce heat & set timer. Using Delicata squash it takes 7 minutes. Hubbard squash take more like 9 minutes on full pressure. After that step I add the pressure cooked veggies into another pot containing the cabbage, beans and sesame oil. The intense heat of the pressure cooked veggies pretty much cooks the cabbage immediately.

Organics to You December 7, 2009

Today's box from Organics to You contains:

• Curly red kale
• Big head of bok choi
  
• A whole pile of broccoli
• A bunch of lovely carrots, 3 colors
  
• a leek
  
• a red onion
  
• some shallots
  
• a bulb of garlic
• more potatoes
• 4 red apples
• 3 red pears
• 3 green pears
• 4 tangerines

From last week the fridge still contains:

• yams
• potatoes
  
• some red cabbage
• bunches of green onions (just don't find a lot of uses for these - any suggestions?)
  
• 2 yellow onions
  
• 2 heads of garlic
  
• a little flat, Italian parsley
  
• celery
  
• 2 apples
• 1 green pear
• 1 red pear
• 2 oranges
  
• some red lettuce

The Compost Pail of Shame (what I didn't use and had to compost):

• avocado (from 11/22)
  
• more persimmons
  

The highlight from last week were the sauteed chard & red cabbage served with maple braised tempeh for breakfast on Saturday. We also enjoyed a fantastic dish of roasted yams, potatoes, onions, garlic & kale served with black-eyed peas simmered in tomato sauce.

This week -- I'm a little disappointed that the box didn't contain the Savoy cabbage listed since I'd wanted to do a the Japanese home-cooking inspired squash stew. Perhaps we'll still make it but use up the red cabbage we still have left. Christie is planning a broccoli & potato soup -- the extra piles of broccoli this week ought to really help that along.

We're starting to pick up on eating more fruit. Having it delivered and having to compost it has really highlighted to us that we easily overlook consuming fruit, particularly in the winter months, especially fresh.