Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole - 6-9 servings

Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole - Makes 9 serving squares

Adapted from UmamiGirl

This requires a couple hours of refrigeration; I like to get it ready the night before, and then pop it in the oven the next morning.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 5 oz Sliced Shiitake
• 1/2 tsp Salt, divided
• 5 oz Frozen Chopped Broccoli, defrosted
• 5 Large Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Milk (alternative milks, like almond and oat, work just fine)
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg 
• Pinch Ground Cayenne
• Freshly Ground black pepper
• 4 cups Unseasoned dry leftover bread, or use Stuffing Cubes
• 3 oz shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, divided

Equipment:

Large Skillet

Oven

Square baking dish (~8") or braiser

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion, peppers, and shiitakes all at once, along with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring from time to time, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, browned a bit, and decreased in volume by at least half. Remove from heat.
3. While the other vegetables cook, place the defrosted broccoli on a thick layer of paper towels or dish rag, and cover with another thick layer. When the veggies in the skillet have cooked as noted above, press down gently on the paper towels to remove moisture from the broccoli. Then add broccoli to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
4. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat well with a fork. 
5. Stir in milk, nutmeg, cayenne, and a few good grinds black pepper. 
6. Add bread cubes and stir to moisten. 
7. Stir in all the vegetables, half the gruyere and half the parmesan or pecorino. Pour the whole mixture into the baking dish (or back into a braiser if using) and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least a few hours before proceeding. Remove from fridge about an hour before baking if possible.
9. An hour before serving time, preheat oven to 375°F (350°F if using convection mode) with a rack in the center. Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve hot or even at room temperature.

Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese & Dried Cranberries

adopted via: www.plantingsandpairing.com/pumpkin-risotto-with-goat-cheese-dried-cranberries/

Ingredients:

• 4 cups bone broth or vegetable stock
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 shallot minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the stock and pumpkin over medium heat. bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover and keep warm.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the shallot and salt. Cook until softened.
3. Add the thyme and rice and cook for one minute longer.
4. Add the white wine vinegar and a ladle of warm stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Add another ladle of stock, and continue cooking until evaporated again. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, and allowing to evaporate in between each addition. Cook until the rice is done, but has a bite to it, it should be creamy in texture, and will take about 25-30 minutes.
5. Mix in the Parmesan, half of the parsley, and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Top with the remaining parsley, goat cheese, and dried cranberries.
7. Serve immediately.

Panang Curry - Serves 3- 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. chicken pieces, breast, thigh or drumsticks - sliced
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper or sweet red pepper, cut into wedges
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1/2 loose cup fresh Thai basil leaves (roughly chopped)

CURRY SAUCE:

• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small onion, wedges
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal, diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tsp shrimp paste
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 Tsp cumin
• 1-2 red chili (or jalapeno), minced, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper or chili flakes to taste
• 1/2 Tsp turmeric
• 1/2 Tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 Tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 Tsp ground cloves
• 1 - 15oz coconut milk
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Steps:

1. Prepare the curry sauce by placing all sauce ingredients in a food processor. Process well.
2. Pour sauce into a wok/deep pan and heat it up to a slow boil.
3. Add the chicken plus lime leaves. Mix well and cook the meat until about 75% cooked.
4. Add the tomatoes and peppers. Continue to cook for 5 – 10 minutes.
5. Serve Hot! Over jasmine rice and top with a sprinkle of fresh Thai basil leaves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies - Makes 30

Difficulty: 2 (time consuming)

EQUIPMENT

• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 medium bowl
• 2 Air-bake OR 2 regular baking trays
• Parchment Paper (optional)
• Mixer (if you don't want to do it by hand)

INGREDIENTS

WET

• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp or melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 can (or about 1 cup) pumpkin puree or 100% pumpkin - NOT pumpkin pie filling

DRY

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour (if no wheat flour, use all-purpose)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup (half a 12 oz package) Chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Whisk until well-combined. 
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars by mixing them together with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer until rather smooth and creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix again (whipping the eggs provides air).  Add pumpkin puree and mix again.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet while using the electric mixer.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
6. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the lined baking sheets.  These cookies do not spread much.
   
   7A - REGULAR BAKE: Bake for 10 minutes, then check using a toothpick.  If still a little raw in the middle, bake for another 2 to 4 minutes.  If using AIRBAKE sheets, bake for 15 minutes, then check.
   7B - CONVECTION BAKE WITH AIRBAKE SHEETS: Bake for 15 minutes, then check using a toothpick.  May need another 5 minutes.

Optional: Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.

Lychee Muffins - 12 muffins

From: Lycheesonline.com
Difficult: 1 (easy)

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute (or about 1 large egg)
• 3 tbsp Lychee jam or puree
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh or canned Lychees

DIRECTIONS

1. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray them with non-stick spray
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg
3. In small bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg substitute and fruit spread. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in the chopped berries.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake at 350ºF until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.