Day 330 Herb Buttery Sauce

Herb Buttery Sauce

1/2 Cup Butterless Butter (Day 328)
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Green Onion, minced
1 Sprig Sage, chopped
Several Sprigs Thyme, leaves removed
1 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Use to seasoning anything that is being roasted in the oven.

Soundtrack Charlie Daniels Band - Off the Grid, Doing it Dylan

Day 299 Herb Crackers

Herb Crackers

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Water

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine the dry ingredients and mix well.  Drizzle in the olive oil and mix with a wooden spoon. Some lumps will form and the flour will look like cornmeal. Add the water and mix well to combine.The dough will not be smooth.

2. Gather the dough into a ball and divide it in half.  Place each half between sheets of parchment paper.  Roll the dough out as thin as you can.

3.  Place the dough and the lower piece of parchment paper on baking sheets.  Bake 30 minutes until the crackers are crisp and golden brown.

4.  Let cool for 10 minutes.  Break into crackers.

Goes well with Cheesy Spread (Day 298)

Soundtrack Hollywood Undead - The Day of the Dead

Day 272 Herb Garlic Baguettes

Herb Garlic Baguettes

2 1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Warm Water
3 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Teaspoons Fresh Oregano, chopped
2 Teaspoons Thyme Leaves
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Cold Water
Coconut Milk

bubbly yeast

1.  Dissolve Yeast and sugar in warm water.

Herbs and garlic

2.  Place 3 1/4 flour, basil, oregano, thyme, garlic and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using a dough hood, mix on speed 2 for 30 seconds,

Mixed dough

3.  Continuing on speed 2, slowly add yeast mixture and water.  Mix until dough comes together in a ball.  If dough is too sticky, add additional flour.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours. The dough should double in size.

4.  On lightly floured surface, punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces,  Shape each half into a 12 inch long loaf. Place dough on a greased cooking sheet on a baguette pan.  With a sharp knife make 3 shallow diagonal slice in tip of dough.  Brush milk over the loaves.  Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Shaped and ready to rise

5.  Bake at 450 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.

Goes well the 2001Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel

Soundtrack Green Day - UNO

Day 236 Herb Bechamel Sauce

Herb Bechamel Sauce

2 1/2 Cups Soy Milk
1 Tablespoon Onion, chopped
1 Bay Leaf
6 Peppercorns
4 Branches Thyme
1 Branch Sage
2 Tablespoons Parsley, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
Salt to taste
3 Tablespoons Parsley, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Basil, chopped
1 Teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped

1.  Combine the milk, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme branches, and sage in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the milk set for a few minutes.  Strain the herbs out.

Roux

2.  Melt the Earth Balance, stir in the flour and cook the roux over medium heat for 1 minute while stirring.  Whisk in the milk all at once.  Season with salt.  Cook for 25 minutes stirring frequently.

Finished sauce

3.  Remove from heat.  Add the remaining herbs and garlic.

Goes well with asparagus.

Soundtrack Handel - Water Music

Day 174 Rice Noodles with Tofu, Water Chestnuts and Herbs

Rice Noodles with Tofu, Water Chestnuts and Herbs

Marinade
Juice of 2 Limes
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper, ground

Noodle Dish
4 Ounces Rice Noodles
8 Ounces Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
1 1/2 Cups Purple Cabbage, thinly sliced
8 Ounces Diced Water Chestnuts
1 Cup Cucumber, diced
1/2 Cup White Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Sprig Oregano
3/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
1 Sprig Basil, chopped
1/2 Cup Roasted Peanuts

Ingredients

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.  Pour into skillet and add tofu.  Let the tofu marinade while prepping the other ingredients.

Marinating tofu

2.  Place the noodles in a medium bowl.  Cover with boiling water and let stand until ready to use.  It will take 5 minutes for the noodles to become soft.

Soaking rice noodles

3.  Heat the tofu in the skillet.  Add the cabbage, peanuts and mushrooms.  Cook until the cabbage is soft. Drain the noodles and add to the skillet.  Heat for a few minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the cucumber and herbs.

Sauteing cabbage and tofu

4 Servings

Soundtrack The Dirty Nil - Higher Power

Day 12 Leek, Aspargus and Herb Soup

Leek, Asparagus and Herb Soup

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Leeks, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Pound New Potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 Pound Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 Cup Sugar Snap Peas, stemmed and cut into 1/2 pieces
3 Tablespoons fresh Chives, chopped
2 Tablespoons and 2 Teaspoons fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh Dill, chopped
2 Cups Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 Lemon, juiced
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1/3 Cup Plain Coconut Yogurt, for garnish

Soup indgredients

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add leeks, stirring often, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Sauted leeks

2. Add potatoes and broth.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Boiled vegetables

3.  Stir in the asparagus and peas, simmer, covered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in chives, 2 Tablespoons parsley and dill.  Using an immersion blender, blend till smooth.  If you do not have an immersion blender, then a regular blender will work.  You may need to blend in several batches,

Blending soup

4.  Return soup to the pan and add milk.  Simmer while stirring over medium heat.  Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Ladle into soup bowls.  Garnish with yogurt and remaining parsley.

6 servings

Goes well with quinoa and black beans.

Soundtrack  Leon Bridges - Coming Home