Saturday, November 23, 2024

Vegan mushroom gravy instant



  This was delicious. You mix the dry ingredients and keep them on hand for making gravy.

The only thing I will try next time is I will substitute corn starch for the arrowroot powder. The recipe calls for flour or arrowroot powder if wanting to be GF. The arrowroot powder makes the gravy a little stretchy like mozzarella.  I'm thinking corn starch might work better. But it is tasty.

Ingredients:

4 T flour (or arrowroot powder for GF---I will try corn starch next time)

1 T nutritional yeast
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder 
1 T mushroom powder (the recipe says you can sub poultry seasoning but I haven't tried this.)

You mix the above ingredients and place in a jar. To make a 1/2 cup serving you mix 2 T of the mix you have taken out of the jar, 1/2 cup water and 2 T soy sauce. Wisk it together. Place in small sauce pan over medium heat stirring continually until it reaches the consistency you desire.  

Below is the mushroom powder I used--found on Amazon:


Tofu ham


 I like this. I wanted to give this a try and it is good served with mushroom gravy. It is a tad on the sweet side. I found the recipe here:

https://plantyou.com/vegan-ham-recipe/   Go to the link for all the directions and other vegan recipes. I shall list the ingredients here. 

INGREDIENTS

750 gram extra firm tofu two blocks, pressed for 20 minutes (I just used one block )

12 cloves or more to taste

MARINADE

1/4 cup soy sauce tamari if gf
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T maple syrup
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp paprika
3 cloves garlic minced
1 orange zest only (I just used a tablespoon of OJ

Glaze

1/4 cups maple syrup
4 T water
1 T molasses
2 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp cinnamon 
1 T balsamic glaze (I subbed 2 tsp balsamic vinegar)
1 orange same one you zested, juiced (I used 1/4 cup OJ)

Go to link for directions. https://plantyou.com/vegan-ham-recipe/
You cut each block in 1/2 horizontally and then marinated them. I marinated mine overnight-- cook at 375 for 20 minutes then put the glaze on for last 20  minutes for a total of 40 minutes. The glaze is cooked on stove top while the first 20 minutes of cooking the  tofu is occurring then spread over the tofu for last 20.

Check out the directions at the link--gives full details. Also try serving this with instant vegan gravy found here:  https://highcarbhannah.co/recipes/instant-vegan-gravy/

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Greek yogurt cake

This was a fun experiment. I found the recipe on Pinterest. There are different versions, but I used this one: https://uniquecooks.com/greek-yogurt-cake/#recipe

I cooked mine in a 7 inch round container:


You line it with crinkled parchment paper. They tell you to cook it until browned on top. It shrinks after cooking. I cooked mine 65 minutes— would cook less in an 8” one. But next time I will cook mine less.

Ingredients 

1&1/2 cups full fat Greek yogurt ( plain, unflavored)

4 eggs

5 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla optional 


Directions 

Mix yogurt by itself until smooth. Sift in cornstarch and sugar. Mix. Whip in the 4 eggs until very creamy. Add vanilla if desired.

Note: some add vanilla or lemon or cinnamon— each separately would be fun to try. I would like to try some lemon juice.

Place in parchment lined container 7-8 inches wide. Make sure it has some height like a springform cheesecake pan because it rises. 

Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-65 minutes until it starts browning on top. I actually think mine would be creamier if I had cooked mine for 60 instead of 65, but it would not have been browned on the top.

Remove from oven —Lift out of the pan by holding onto the parchment paper and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate at least 2 hours. They say when serving let it sit at room temp for 15 minutes after taking out of refrigerator.


You can go to link for more details— here is how mine looked after it shrunk from cooling at room temperature:


We served ours with chocolate syrup. Would be really good with strawberries or caramel sauce!!😍😄 would be good served with some fresh plain yogurt that was mixed with vanilla and sugar—spreading over the top just before serving. Some sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Cherry pie filling would be good served on top!
 



Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Turkey breast in crockpot



A very easy way to cook a turkey breast, and tasty ---I accidentally bought a fresh turkey breast today, so I decided to try a new recipe.  This was great! I found it at this link and will store the recipe in my holiday cookbook: https://www.recipetineats.com/juicy-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/

The ingredients are listed below, but go to the link for all of the details. I had a 4.25 pound fresh breast and it took about 4 hours in my pot. I had to turn it on its side partially to fit as it sits on top of the cut onion and garlic and thyme.  Makes a very nice gravy.

What I like is this only takes minutes to prepare!!  I did over cook mine a bit to 180 degrees by mistake. You have to check the temperature ahead of the hours given by inserting a thermometer --it still was good.  One should only cook it on low. I should have listened, but made the mistake midway of cooking it on high for 20 minutes.What is cool is that you add no liquid to the pot!

Ingredients:

2kg/4 pounds of turkey breast, skin on, bone in or boneless. (mine was bone in. If frozen thaw first.

1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally (yes, a whole head ,cut)

1 onion (I peeled mine--they said not to, but mine was just too dirty) cut in half.

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

RUB:

1&1/2 tsp garlic powder
1&1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
5 grinds of black pepper 
1&1/2-2 tablespoons olive oil (I did 2)


GRAVY

chicken stock or broth for topping off liquid needed when making gravy

4 tbsp butter (I omitted)

1/4 cups flour (I subbed 2 tablespoons of cornstarch)

salt and pepper

Go to link for directions.  Basically you make the rub by mixing all the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub it all over the turkey.  You place the onion, garlic, and thyme on the bottom of the pot and the turkey on top and cook on low only for 4-5 hours until the temperature reads 165 when inserted in middle.  You then remove it and let it cool for 20 minutes and if you want the skin to crisp you THEN  place under the broiler--- see link.

You strain the juices in the crockpot and add enough chicken broth to make 2 cups and then make gravy as usual.  See directions at link.

I always let the turkey cool some to retain juices before slicing.