Reason #76

This place looks a lot like this place. But, food porn is food porn, right?

*image via Tasteologie*

What's Cooking Wednesday

I was invited to participate in the What's Cooking Wednesday over at The King's Court IV. I linked up the Smoky Split Pea recipe that I posted the other day. Head on over to their site, they have a few recipes that look tasty! I think I'm going to try to link up there weekly, and it's another resource to find recipes!

Frosting!

This frosting is one that you cook!! I was a little worried about it, but I had to try it. Also, you get to use a hand mixer, which I happen to LOVE to use. It's very zen for me. AND I think it's yummy.

Frosting
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk

2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together the flour and milk in a small saucepan, over medium heat. Keep whisking until it thickens. Allow this to cool to room temperature. It has to cool first! If you need to, put the pan over ice in the sink to speed things along. While waiting for the mixture to cool, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the vanilla. Then add in the COOLED milk/flour mixture. Using a mixer beat until the consistency of whipped cream.

Everyone loves this frosting. I wonder if it's all the butter?

Meal Plan

Last week’s menu worked out quite well! The tilapia was a hit and was requested again this week. The menu is vegetarian friendly, meaning, if there is meat, there is another option. I will post the recipe for the quesadillas tomorrow. I'm linking this up to Menu Plan Monday over at Orgjunkie.com.

Monday- Tilapia, Pasta, Salad
Tuesday- Lentil Sloppy Joes on Thin Buns
Wednesday- Chicken or Black Bean Quesadillas, Broccoli
Thursday- Smoky Split Pea Soup with Crusty Bread
Friday- Leftovers
Saturday- Eat Out
Sunday- Bean and Cheese Burritos, Salad


And here is the grocery list for this week.
 Grocery List October 3, 2010

Smoky Split Pea Soup

I love this recipe! We have made it several times. I came across it in a Vegetarian Times magazine. It freezes quite well too, so we usually make a double batch. I like to take it to work for an easy, filling, lunch. The recipe below is from Vegetarian Times.

Smoky Split Pea Soup

1 cup green split peas
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (3 cups)
2 medium onions, diced (3 cups)
3 ribs celery, diced (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes

1. Soak split peas in large bowl of cold water overnight.
2. Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and chipotle, and stir. Add sweet potato, onions, and celery, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes.
3. Drain split peas, and add to pot with 6 cups water. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour. Add tomatoes, and cook 30 minutes more, or until split peas are tender. 

*image via vegetariantimes*

Lentil Sloppy Joes

After several failed attempts to make a vegetarian version of Sloppy Joes, we tried the recipe that follows. I have come to the decision that there isn't a version that can replace the traditional hamburger sloppy joes. We did, however, find a yummy recipe that we all love. The recipe is good for you and is made in a crock pot. It's super easy too! Use whatever type of lentil you like, we used red since that's what we had on hand.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2cups cooked lentils

Heat the oil, add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, cook 1 minute.
Stir in ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard.
Transfer to slow cooker and add lentils. Stir well.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Happy Friday!