Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry

I was wanting some MEAT and in my case that means tofu or cheese. Cheese is meat-like to me. Maybe it's the consistency, (hah!) obviously it's been a long time since I've gnawed on a carcass. Martha Stewart's recipe actually for once came through. Man, I really have issues with that woman. I didn't even really need a recipe, but I enjoyed her sauce. I will make this again soon. Thanks Rat Bastard!

Recipe to follow...

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves 4

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted

Directions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve topped with cashews.

from : http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tofu-and-broccoli-stir-fry

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Spent some time in a coffee shop where they offered Tomato Basil Soup. I didn't want to spend 5 bucks for a cup but it did inspire me to make my own! I looked for a recipe online and found a good one from Ina Garten. 140+ positive comments- so I went for it. The only thing I couldn't do was puree. I wish I had an immersion blender or a Cuisinart that actually holds liquids (it seeps!) so I used a masher instead to break it up. It turned into a hearty meal. I also added a little cream at the end and reduced the amt. of salt, Ina is a sodium freak! I cut a fresh mozzarella ball in slices and garnished the soup with it.

URL to follow...

URL

Citrus Queso Salad

This recipe was in a Cacique cheese ad within my newest Cooking Light. I loved the unexpectedness. The chipotle in adobo made the salad quite fiery. I enjoyed it, but my fellow dinner eaters had some issues with it. One thought his tongue was going to burn out of his mouth. Oops! Well we need more culture in our cuisine anyways. :)

Jello Banana Cream Pie

My step-dad's fav. dessert is Banana Cream Pie. I was snooping around looking for a gourmet recipe but then it occurred to me, have I ever been disappointed by the recipe on the Jello pudding box? Not really- ever! So this was my Father's Day contribution. The only thing I did differently was to actually make the pudding (on the stove top). Not a picturesque dessert, but it was just great. I used my organic graham crackers for the crust then proceeded to make the pie.

:)

Recipe to follow...

BANANA CREAM PIE

1-2 bananas 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked & cooled 2 (4 serving size) pkgs. Jello vanilla or banana cream flavor instant pudding 2 1/2 c. cold milk 2 c. Cool Whip Slice banana into pie shell. Prepare pie filling mix as directed on package for pie, using 2 1/2 cups milk. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping and pour over banana(s) in shell. Chill at least 3 hours. Top with remaining whipped topping; garnish with banana slices if desired.

Halibut Sandwiches with Lemon Parsley Broccoli Slaw

Yes, lengthy name. I'm working on it. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light for Arctic Char Sandwiches with a Lemon-Tarragon Slaw. I decided to substitute Mr. Arctic Char (never had or heard of before) for the lovely Mr. Halibut I had in the freezer. And I substituted the tarragon for Mr. Parsley I had in the garden. Okay, enough with the title of honors for the ingredients. Moving on... There would be some changes made for the next time I were to make this. First of all, I would look for a less bread-y Kaiser roll (if that exists). There was too much bread and too little stuffin'! Next, I would either brush the bread with some mayo or make sure the slaw had more moisture in it. The bread took over, causing it to be a little dry. I could've chosen a better side dish (besides peas dressed with lemon olive-oil) but I was not in the mood to search.

I used broccoli slaw instead of the cabbage/carrot which the recipe called for. After I dressed up my "sammie" a little more with some mayo I was happier. Live and learn right? I would make this again- just changing somethings on my part.

Original recipe URL to follow...

Cooking Light's site

Strawberry Cream Tarts

I fell in love with the picture of this finished recipe in my latest Cooking Light mag. It was so wonderful! Creamy berry goodness. I changed it up by making individual tarts instead of a 10in. like they called for. The only real change I would make would be to use FRESH strawberries not frozen. I was trying to go the cheaper route since the recipe calls for 6 cups of them little suckers...oh well, next time (when it's summer-ier). With only 7 grams of fat per serving, hell yes!

Yummy URL to follow...

URL