Food Friday! pt. 6 Squash, Zucchini and Eggplant Pasta

This week's Food Friday is Squash, Zucchini and Eggplant Pasta.

Ingredients

1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 box spaghetti noodles
1 onion
dash of salt, red pepper, cayenne pepper, and Italian seasoning
extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Start to boil the water for the spaghetti noodles. Prepare them using the given directions. When that is done, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

Add the olive oil to a wok or large skillet on medium heat. Add all the seasoning. Chop the zucchini into 1/2 inch slices. Do the same with the squash. Some of the rounds will have to be cut in half as well (depending on size of squash). Chop the eggplant. Add them all to the heated oil. Toss and allow to stay until they are fully coated and fully cooked. Add the chopped onion halfway through cooking.

Toss the vegetable, and oil mixture in with the spaghetti noodles.

Hope that you enjoy!

Food Friday! pt. 7 Falafels

Falafels
This week's Food Friday recipe if for falafels (not really from scratch). They are a really good alternative to Gyros for vegetarians that like Greek food. They are also really easy to make. You can get falafel mix and just about any store. Many recipes will come with different ways to make them (including frying). I tend to like to broil them as a healthier alternative. Once you mix them up, roll them into balls. Brush them with just a little bit of vegetable oil. Once I put them on a baking sheet, I like to flatten them out just a little. This makes it easier to flip them in the middle of cooking and also makes it easier to eat them in pitas.

I usually broil them for 3-5 minutes on each side (it depends how you like them).

While they are broiling, I cut about half of a cucumber and half of an onion into chunks. I mix them together along with a little salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. I let is sit for a few minutes, to give the flavors a chance to blend.

Sometimes I turn the cucumber and onion chunks into a sauce. I prepare them the same way as before, but them I add a little sour cream, lemon juice, and dill. It just depends on whether the campus market has sour cream when I go.

Next, I slice some pita bread and fill them with two falafels and the cucumber mixture.

Food Friday! pt. 6 Egg Drop Soup

The recipe that I used is vegetarian, but instead of vegetable stock, a meat stock can be used.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Pinch finely ground white pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add green onions (you can keep a few to add later as garnish). Add white pepper and soy sauce. Return to a bare simmer and cook for three minutes.

Stirring with a fork, gradually add the eggs in a slow, steady stream. Cook until the eggs are set, stirring to create shreds or ribbons of the eggs (1 minute).

Remove from heat. Ladle into bowls. Serve immediately.

Food Friday! pt. 5 Vegetable Soup

Sorry, this recipe is kind of random. I made the soup randomly, so I am not sure of the exact measurements.
Ingredients
1 bag of frozen corn
1 bag of frozen peas
1 bag of baby carrots (chopped)
6 large yellow potatoes (peeled and cubed)
vegetable stock
16 oz bag of egg noodles
dash of salt
dash of pepper
1 can of tomatoes

I use Better than Bullion to make vegetable stock. So, first I boiled water, then Better than Bullion and a dash of salt and pepper to the water. Next I added the potatoes to the stock. I allowed the potatoes to cook in the stock on Medium-High for about ten minutes.

Next, add the noodles and carrots. Allow to cook for another ten minutes. Test the potatoes and noodles. Once they are about done, add the peas and corn.

Cover and simmer for about twenty minutes. I hope that you enjoy.

Food Friday! pt. 4 Vegetable Lo Mein

Lo Mein is another one of those foods that I really enjoy making, because it is just as easy to make a little as it is to make a lot. I enjoy making a lot so that I have leftovers all through the week. It is a little bit expensive to get some of the things that you need for it, but once you have some of those special ingredients, you can make it over and over again.

Ingredients
8 ounces dried Chinese egg noodles (in a pinch, I've used spaghetti before)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced gigner
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup sliced rep pepper

*You can add as many other things as you want to this recipe. I have added brocilli, bean sprouts, soy beans, peanuts, etc. before. You can also add meat and substitute the vegetable stock for chicken stock if you wish.


Directions

Drop the noodles into boiling water and cook 3 1/2 to 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

In a bowl, combine vegetable stock, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat wok over high heat. When hot, add vegetable oil, swirling to coat the sides. Ass garlic ginger, green onions, and yellow onions. Cook until fragrant. Add the red pepper (I used preserved red pepper, if you use fresh, you should add it in along with the onions).

Add the sauce and noodles. Gently toss until heated through, and the sauce has thickened. Serve.

Food Friday! pt. 3 Kung Pao Broccoli

Kung Pao Broccoli

As most of you know, I don't eat meat. I try really hard to find interesting substitutes for the foods that I like. Kung Pao Broccoli is one of those foods and is especially easy to make. You can add whatever ingredients that you want to it (peanuts, vegetables, chicken, etc.) This time I wanted something quick and easy, so I just added broccoli.

First, I use really easy minute rice. I use about two cups of rice (what is wonderful about this recipe and many of the others that I do, is that is is just as easy to make several servings as it is to make one. this way, I have leftovers to get me through the school week without worrying about cooking).

Next I steam the broccoli. I don't have a steamer, so I just fill a sauce pan halfway with water, bring it to a boil, add the broccoli, cover it and leave it for five minutes.

Next I mix together the rice, the broccoli, and the kung pao sauce. I use Annie Chung's sauce, but you can use whatever you like.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it goes.

Food Friday! pt. 2 SANGRIA

This technically is not a "food," but it is a drink. I recently turned 21, and my parents gave me this gorgeous pitcher and glasses along with a recipe for sangria. This is a variation of that recipe.

Sangria

One bottle of wine (spanish is good, perhaps a merlot...I used Yellow Tail)

One bottle of sparkling cider (club soda or even sprite or ginger ale is also good)

2 cups juice (any juice is fine, but i used a raspberry acai berry juice)

3 shots of triple sec (most recipes only call for one)

2 tablespoons sugar (you don't need this if you use sprite)

sliced fruit (i used a red and a green apple, two oranges, a lemon and a lime) I also like to make sure that i cut them in different ways (thick orange slices, thin lime slices, different size apple and lemon wedges).


Mix all ingredients together. Add ice. I hope that you enjoy it.

Food Friday! (technically saturday) CHEDDAR BISCUITS

I was really excited for this recipe. They did not taste exactly like the biscuits from the restaurant, but my roommates and I all agreed that they turned out pretty well.

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combines, but don't over mix.

3. Drop approximately 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet with an ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bown in your microwave. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Make one dozen biscuits.


I hope that you enjoy this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it goes.