Vegetarian Yakisoba

I will admit it. Lately, I just haven't been cooking. I only have so much time in a day so I have to pick clean or cook. Now, my kitchen tends to be clean which makes it easy to cook but there are other things I have to do like organize closets, file papers, and help with Science projects. So, I have to pick which activity to do. If you ask my husband, he will always pick for me to cook. Well, Science projects can't wait. I have to become more organize. In addition, I have been working out more which takes away more time from the kitchen. Then when I've been in the kitchen I have been making a lot of dishes I have already made. I really am trying to enter the new year with a more organized home. To help, I will probably only blog once a week. So, I just didn't want you to wonder where I went. To save some time, I have been trying easier recipes. I think it still is one of his favorite recipes since I've already made it twice recently. The first time I made this recipe I didn't add broccoli but the second time I did. My husband had requested no meat in the dish since it is how he would eat it in Japan. This really is a great recipe.

Yakisoba
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
12 oz. pasta (Soba noodles, Udon noodles, Stir fry/ramen, etc.)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. broccoli, chopped
1 lb. Napa cabbage, sliced thin
2 large carrots, sliced matchbox thin
2 tsp ginger paste
3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar. Set aside. 
2. Cook noodles according to the package. 
3. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside. 
4. In a large wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. 
5. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.
6. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes.
7. Add the cabbage and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the ginger paste.
9. Add the noodles and the soy sauce mixture.
10. Gently toss to incorporate.
11. Cook for 5 minutes.
12. Serve immediately garnished with the scallions.

Recipe adapted from Food.com.

One year ago.............................I made Honey Peanut Butter Cookies.
Two years ago...........................I made Roasted Green beans with Walnuts and Cranberries.
Three years ago.........................I made Lasagna Soup.
Four years ago...........................I made Roasted Chicken. 

Did you already know................
-Yakisoba is a fried noodle dish with vegetables and meat.
-Yakisoba is a popular dish sold by street vendors. 
      (In Japan, my husband would order this dish from a man with a cart.) 
-Some other garnishes for Yakisoba is seaweed powder, pickled ginger, or fish flakes.

Sauerkraut

Sometimes I have crazy thoughts like I should try making some sauerkraut. Why did I ever think to make sauerkraut? I have no idea. The kids thought it was strange. My husband just humored me and avoided the bag. To have a large plastic bag of cabbage sitting on your counter does seem a little strange. I guess it is perfect to make in time for Halloween. We did compare my sauerkraut with a can of store bought. My sauerkraut was a little sweeter. Plus my sauerkraut was chopped and not shredded. Will I make sauerkraut again? Who knows?

Sauerkraut aka shark teeth
5 lbs, green cabbage, shredded
3 Tbsp pickling salt
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp caraway seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, salt, bay leaves, and caraway seeds.
2. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Pack the cabbage mixture into a large plastic storage bag. 
4. Place a lid on top of the cabbage mixture. 
5. Place a clean, heavy sealed container on top of the lid to weigh down the cabbage.
6. Allow to rest overnight.
7. The cabbage should have released some water to emerge the cabbage. 
8. Continue to allow the cabbage to rest at room temperature for a couple of weeks but check on it every day. If any scum appears, then skim the scum away. (I never saw any scum on mine.)
9. Continue to allow the cabbage to rest at room temperature for a month before transferring to the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

One year ago...........................I made Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits.
Two years ago.........................I made Asparagus Soup.
Three years ago.......................I made Sauerbraten Roast.
Four years ago.........................I made Hamburger.

Did you already know..............
-In German, sauerkraut means sour cabbage.
-Sauerkraut is salted cabbage that is allowed to ferment.
-German immigrants would bring barrels of sauerkraut on their ships to America.

Summer Minestrone

     After my daughter woke up, she came into my room. I said, "Welcome back."
She asked, "Huh?"
So, I said, "Welcome back from dreamland." She nods.
I ask, "How was your trip?"
She relies, "I'm tired."
I asked,"What did you do on your trip that you are so tired?"
Smiling, she replied, "I don't remember since I slept the whole time."
She is pretty clever even when she first wakes up.
     Since I had so many vegetables from my CSA share, I figured I should make some minestrone. I normally do not make soup in the summer but it was a nice change. My husband decided to make something else since all the vegetables scared him. He even asked why I put beans in it? I replied because I knew you weren't having any. The kids and I liked the soup a lot. I added the kolrobi since I have an abundance of it but you could omit it. I served it with french bread.

Minestrone
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup kolrobi, chopped
2 bay leaf
1 Tbsp thyme
4 cups chicken broth
28 oz. can plum tomatoes
1 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups potatoes, diced
2 cups zucchini, diced
2 cups shredded cabbage, shredded
1 cup pasta
1 can cannellini beans 
 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, celery, and kolrobi. Saute for 5 minutes. 
4. Add the bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. 
5. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and the water. Allow to simmer for 1 hour. 
6. Add the potatoes, zucchini, and shredded cabbage. Cook for 20 minutes.
7. Stir in the pasta and beans. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the Parmesan cheese before serving.

Recipe adapted from Michele Urvater. 

One year ago.............................I made Cherry Muffins.
Two years ago...........................I made Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Did you already know.....................
-The earliest forms of minestrone was made before the Roman Empire since their diet consisted mostly of vegetables. 
-The Italian word for soup is minestra, zuppa, and brodo.
-Minestrone is usually made seasonal vegetables with pasta and beans.

Chinese Chicken Salad

I don't want to brag or anything but it has been in the high 80s in Maine lately. I know the rest of the country have probably reached these temperatures months ago but it has been hot here. It has been too hot to cook. It has been so hot that some of us have even entered the ocean waters. Since it is hot in the house, I have not been cooking lately. Even the thought of standing in front of a stove makes me hot. However, the refrigerator is another story. The freezer and I are more than acquaintances. Salads are what we have been eating a lot of lately.

Chinese Chicken Salad
1 head of romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1 cup snow peas
1 cup chow mein noodles
1 cup cooked chicken
1/2 cup peanut dressing (following) 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the spinach, cabbage, carrots, and snow peas.
2. Top with the chow mein noodles and chicken.
3. Drizzle a little dressing on top and serve immediately.

Peanut Dressing:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/8 cup water

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce and peanut butter.
2. Add a little water until the desired consistency has been reached.

Recipe inspired by the package of China Boy Chow Mein Noodles.

One year ago...................I made Fresh Strawberry Jam.

Did you already know......
-Chinese Chicken Salads originated in America.
-Chinese Chicken Salads were popular as early as the 1930s.
-Early versions contained gelatine and whipping cream.

Coleslaw

Coleslaw is one of those foods you like a certain way. For me, I have to be in the mood for it. I like mine a little sweeter than tangy. My husband likes coleslaw a lot but he loves mayonnaise. Yes, he will eat raw cabbage but only if there is a lot of mayonnaise. 

I think the best way to have coleslaw is with barbeque or a picnic. I prefer the picnic but there is too much snow outside and I figure we will have to wait. We have held a picnic in the living room but we have a crazy dog and I think it just wouldn't be pretty. I will admit I did not shred the cabbage but I bought the coleslaw package. It is faster.

Coleslaw
1 cup of mayonnaise
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp celery seed plus a little more for garnish.
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, and celery seed in a large bowl.
2. Add the shredded cabbage and carrots. 
3. Toss well.
4. Taste and if needed add a little salt and pepper.
5. Top with additional celery seed for garnish.
6. Chill for at least half an hour and enjoy!

Recipe from Jen of Sweet Morris.
 
Did you already know.....
-Coleslaw word is from the the Dutch word koolsla which is cabbage salad.
-The Ancient Romans prepared a similar dish with cabbage, eggs, vinegar and spices.
-Another name for coleslaw is cold slaw or slaw.

German Red Cabbage

Oktoberfest! I wish I was there. We went last year to Germany and it was a lot of fun. I'm not a big beer drinker so I remember it. I took lots of photos so my husband could remember too! So, I made a meal that could have been served in one of the tents.

Menu:
Bratwurst (aka sausage)
German Potato Salad
Spaetzle (aka pasta)
German Red Cabbage

We went with my Dad so he came over to enjoy the fest. He also told me if I was making the cabbage correctly. One of the ingredients is ground cloves. I asked him if I should omit it but he said no. He also had me add more. I really had doubts about this ingredients but it was good.The recipe does take over 2 hours to make so it is ideal for a Sunday dinner.

German Red Cabbage
2 Tbsp butter
6 cups shredded red cabbage (I just roughly sliced thin)
1 cup sliced Gala apples
 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp water
2 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Directions
1. In a large pot, melt butter.
2. Add cabbage, apples, and sugar.
3. Pour in the vinegar and water.(Yes the water amount is correct).
4. Season with salt, pepper, and the ground cloves (be brave).
5. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
6. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low.
7. Cover and simmer 2 hours.

 Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/grandma-jeanettes-amazing-german-red-cabbage/detail.aspx.

Did you already know...................

Oktoberfest Facts:

-The festivities the festivities were to honor the marriage of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildurghausen.

-It is the largerst fair in the world.
-There are more than 5 million people attend every year. I was one of those people last year and it was neat to hear all the different languages being spoken in one tent. I met people from Japan, Australia, England, Italy, Germany, and of course Bavaria.
-The "tents" are as big as a warehouse.
-What surprised me at the fair was there are amusement park rides.
-Many men wear Lederhosen (leather breeches) which are passed down generations.
-Many women wear Dirndlgewand. When you purchase a dirndl, you need to pick a bodice, blouse, skirt, and an apron plus any accesseries. It can be expensive.
-It is free to enter the ground fairs but with the exchange rate the beers are pricey.