Vegan Week - Day 4

Squash soup with ciabatta toasts.

Well, it wasn't the most exciting start to the day's menu, but breakfast was a simple 'n' sweet pb&j (the "j" was raspberry jam) with a side of applesauce. Some protein, some fruit, something substantial to last the morning.

I had a lunch meeting today with my friend Carolyn, whom I've known practically since I arrived in town two years ago, and my new friend Whitney; we were discussing the upcoming Mobile Meals Chili Cook-Off, so I can write a preview story about the event. We'd originally picked a different place, but then I blundered into this little vegan adventure. So we switched to Grumpy's precisely so I could order a very specific menu item: the Homemade Sweet Potato Vegan Burger.

Homemade Sweet Potato Vegan Burger at Grumpy's in Toledo.

The burger was huge, and the avocado made it slippery, but it tasted good! And avocado, of course, contains the so-called "good" fats. This was fun food, rather than the sterile stereotype of vegan fare.

Personally, I'd have served regular ol' potato chips instead of the kale chips, since they'd be vegan if they only had potatoes, oil, and salt. (Or, even better, salt and freshly ground black pepper ... ooh!) Please note that this is not a criticism of Grumpy's, which I love; rather, it is an indictment of kale. I can eat it, though when it's made into chips it reminds me of little wisps of burnt paper floating away from a bonfire. Kale chips ... potato chips. Which would you choose???

Having had such a generous lunch (of course, I ate the garlicky dill pickle, too!), I only needed a light dinner. So I made a squash soup with a splash of hard apple cider, and I served it with a couple of lightly-toasted ciabatta toasts.

Dessert was one I'd anticipated all week, but had to wait for. Craig eats bananas when they've still got some green on them, when they're not even ripe. I eat them when they're just starting to speckle. I cook with them when they've got a few more spots, and I bake with them when they're close to mush.

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Bananas with Toasted Coconut.

So, to get a better caramelization, I couldn't make this dish until the bananas had reached the perfect point of ripeness ... and today was the day! (This dessert was going to be my reward, last night, for filing Tuesday's feature story for the Food page; but it was better to wait 'til today, to make dinner seem less sparse.)

A pat of butter substitute, a splash of bourbon, a sprinkle of brown sugar, and some crispy toasted coconut - such simple ingredients, but such fabulous flavors to pair with the fruit! And don't forget the chocolate syrup which, believe it or not, is vegan. Not a speck of milk or whey or any other dairy product to be found!

So, the lesson for today is this: you don't need to eat anything elaborate, sophisticated, or complicated to enjoy good food. And you can still eat hearty food and sweet treats while eating as a vegan.


Squash Soup with Ciabatta Toasts

1 12-ounce package frozen squash
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup hard apple cider
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 slices ciabatta bread
Earth Balance butter substitute

Place the squash, stock, cider, applesauce, salt, and pepper into a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until squash is defrosted and soup is thoroughly heated.

Toast the bread, then spread with butter substitute.

Yield: 2 servings
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Bourbon and Brown Sugar Bananas with Toasted Coconut

2 tablespoons shredded coconut
1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance butter substitute
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large banana
Chocolate syrup

Toast the coconut over low heat in a small skillet until just golden; set aside.

In the same skillet, melt the butter substitute, bourbon, and brown sugar together over medium-low heat. Slice the banana in half cross-wise, then slice each piece in half vertically. Place the banana pieces into the skillet and cook briefly on each side, just until golden.

Place the banana onto a serving plate, being sure to pour the caramelized syrup from the skillet over the fruit. Drizzle with syrup, then top with coconut.

Yield: 1 serving
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Vegan Week - Day 3

 

Fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, prunes, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts drizzled with pomegranate molasses.

I made some progress with the morning adventure: trying to drink tolerable coffee. I combined the vanilla soy creamer with a splash of the insipid caramel almond creamer, and it was not bad. It wasn't my usual rich vanilla bourbon pound cake-flavored Coffee-Mate-infused coffee. But we had definite improvement today!

Being a vegan doesn't necessarily mean you're eating health food - remember, the Fritos and mint faux-reos are vegan. Just as vegetarians can still be eating mac 'n' cheese and fried ice cream, while omnivores might be carefully eating lean proteins and salads, it's all about the choices you make.

And I've been choosing to eat Fritos and faux-reos a) because I like them, and b) likely as a bit of compensation for all the foods I'm currently depriving myself of, like cheese. I miss cheese. I haven't eaten pasta yet, despite it being on my "to do" list, because the thought of not even sprinkling a bit of parmesan on top of it is just kinda heart-breaking.

Now, this is my own personal little experiment and I could change the terms of my mission: I could allow the Coffee-Mate, with its bit of cream, or the parmesan. My personal feeling is that cows are producing milk, chickens are laying eggs, and bees are making honey no matter what; there's no reason not to eat these products, though you'd certainly want to be conscientious about the animals' living conditions and happiness. However, this particular lab rat is very goal-oriented and disciplined when she has to be, so I'm stickin' with it. I set the plan in motion - vegan, pure and simple - and will see it through.

And that means no cheese. Whimper ... :(

So, anyway .... Instead of lots of carbs like oatmeal or rice or noodles or muffins - which seem to have dominated my meals these past two days - for breakfast I ate a simple fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, which I love, topped with prunes, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of my beloved pomegranate molasses. This is an integral ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian dishes. It is sweet and tart and a fabulous condiment - go get some! Use it in salad dressings, sauces, as a glaze, or even just dribbled into club soda. Do it. You'll thank me!

Fennel slaw, assorted olives, baguette spread with Earth Balance butter substitute.

After today's photo shoot (three different menu options I couldn't eat!), my kitchen was its usual disaster of dishes and bowls and scraps and mess. By the time I got that cleaned up and threw a load of laundry in, I just made a simple lunch: the last of the olives, some more of the fennel slaw, and a chunk of good bread spread with Earth Balance butter substitute. (It has a kinda grey-ish aura to it, but tastes pretty good.) Nothing glamorous, but nice nonetheless.

Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

For a snack mid-afternoon, as I typed with three stories due tomorrow (and needing a few more details before I can file two of them), I made a milkshake: banana, chocolate almond milk-based ice cream (which is so dark and chocolaty!), and vanilla almond milk. This, I have to say, was really, really good! Not a compromise at all ... :)

Chopped salad with toasted pita chips.

Still trying to finish Tuesday's feature story for the Food page, I just made a simple Israeli-style chopped salad for dinner. Chop lots of vegetables - in this case, carrots, cucumber, celery, broccoli, tomato, and red onion - in small pieces ... that's it. I thought about sprinkling it with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, but decided instead to use Garlic Expressions salad dressing, made in Perrysburg (which is just outside Toledo).

If I get my story filed tonight (please, please, please!), I'll reward myself with a dessert. I'll include that in tomorrow's post ....


Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

1 banana
1 generous scoop chocolate-flavored So Delicious almond milk non-dairy frozen dessert
Generous splash of Silk caramel-flavored almond milk creamer
Vanilla-flavored almond milk

Place the banana and the ice cream into the blender. Pour in a splash of creamer, then pour in enough almond milk to reach half-way up the banana and ice cream. Blend, drink, enjoy.

Yield: 1 serving
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Vegan Week - Day 2

Ramen with carrots, mushrooms, pea pods, broccoli, red and green onions, some chile garlic sauce, and toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.

Well, another day as a vegan!

I still don't like the almond milk coffee creamer, though it was a bit more tolerable this morning. So, while I was at the grocery store to get supplies for tomorrow's photo shoot (for next Tuesday's lead story on the Food page), I looked for coconut milk creamer but couldn't find it; I settled for a soy milk creamer, which I don't have a lot of hope for. But it's not good to start the day with bad coffee ... bleah! This is a work in progress ... or an opportunity for an entrepreneur.

Applesauce muffins and a banana.

For breakfast, I had a banana and an applesauce muffin. Craig had tried one of the muffins yesterday, before leaving, and even said he liked it ... wow! Instead of an egg for protein and structure, I used 1/4 cup silken tofu. The muffins baked up beautifully ... :)

Now, tofu, to my mind, is not food. I've tried marinating it, searing it, chopping it, tasting it in various Asian restaurants, and virtually every other means of dealing with it. And you know what it tastes like? Vomit. Truly. No matter what, unless I simply bury it under chocolate or peanut butter or cinnamon or some other strong flavor. But tofu works perfectly as an egg replacement in baked goods - let's celebrate that, and not employ it for any of its lesser uses. (Your amusement du jour: Craig actually likes tofu! What is it with his taste buds?!?!?)

Fennel Slaw and French fries.

Like yesterday, lunch included a salad: Fennel Slaw, which is one of my very favorites. Lots of crispness and crunchiness, with just a hint of that famous (infamous?) licorice/anise flavor. Because I had prep work to do for tomorrow's photos, I didn't feel like chopping or stirring or sautéing or anything that required much involvement on my part. So I just made a very simple accompaniment for the slaw: a handful of extra-crispy french fries, sprinkled with a touch of salt and an equal touch of Old Bay seasoning.

(Aside: I want some credit for doing a non-vegan photo shoot tomorrow! I could've given y'all tofu, wheatgrass, and other such fare, rather than the omnivore fest that will be of greater interest. As Spock says, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." Even if the one is the one who has to prepare the food.)

Then, after eating the fennel and cabbage and onions, I did my breath - and, thus, the pussycats - a favor and ate a few of the generic mint faux-reos which may be my new favorite junk food. (They're double-stuffed, which is gross and excessive in traditional Oreos, but is perfect for the ones with the minty filling!)

On a chilly, dreary, rainy, snowy, icy "March comes in like a lion" evening, a nice hot dinner was the perfect comfort. Ramen. A huge bowl of it, loaded with carrots, mushrooms, pea pods, broccoli, red and green onions, some chile garlic sauce, and toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.

And there will likely be more faux-reos in my future, this evening ... :)


Applesauce Muffins

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/8 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, tofu, and almond milk until smooth. Add flours, salt, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, flax seed, and walnuts. Stir until combined.

Divide batter among the lined muffin cups. Stir together sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over muffins, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until muffins feel set when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Fennel Slaw

1 small fennel bulb
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 small red onion, halved, sliced thin
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
Pinch of kosher salt
Generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Trim stalks, fronds, and root end from the fennel. Slice remaining bulb in half, then slice thin; place into a large mixing bowl along with the cabbage and onion.

Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper; pour over vegetables and mix. Let rest for 30 minutes or, preferably, several hours for the flavors to blend.

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Vegetable and Peanut Ramen

1 teaspoon sesame oil
Few mushrooms, sliced
Few pea pods
1 thin slice red onion, halved
Few broccoli florets
1 small carrot, peeled, sliced thin
1 small stalk of celery, sliced thin
1 large scallion, root end trimmed, sliced thin
Vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut sauce
1/2 teaspoon chile garlic sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 package ramen noodles, seasoning packet discarded
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Handful of chopped peanuts, toasted

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and sauté briefly. Add pea pods, red onion, broccoli, carrot, celery, and white part of scallion; cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth to cover vegetables by 1 inch. Stir in sauces and add noodles. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes, until noodles are just done.

Pour everything into a deep bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds, peanuts, and green parts of the scallion.

Yield: 1 generous serving.
Source: Mary Bilyeu.

Vegan Week: Day 1

Fattoush.

Well, it took me three months, but I'm back ... for a little while, at least.

My favorite picky eater, Craig, left today to go visit his kids in California. They'll indulge in pizza, pizza, Mexican food, and more pizza. Craig may make some of Jennifer's and Justin's favorites: chicken and rice pilaf or indulgently overstuffed chicken tacos.

I miss him while he's gone - I do! But when Craig goes away, all his little dietary quirks go away, too. Remember, he's a man who won't eat peas. Or sweet potatoes. Or biscuits. The list goes on ....

So when Craig is off having fun with his kids on the West Coast or visiting flea markets on the East Coast, I always relish the opportunity to have foods that I can't eat otherwise. I love to cook, but it's just a bother to cook two separate meals for two separate people. And the dishes ... oy.

This time, I decided to do something different. This time, I decided to challenge myself.

So, folks, welcome to my experiment: Vegan Week!!! From this morning's breakfast through Friday's dinner, I am eating a plant-based diet.

No meat. No eggs. No fish. No cheese. Lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. And treats ... treats, absolutely!

This required a fair amount of advance planning, without regular meals like burgers or fried eggs to fall back on in a pinch, so my pantry and refrigerator needed a boost. A schlep through the grocery store yielded a cart filled with fennel, spinach, scallions, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, lime, whole grain flatbreads, soy ice cream, almond milk, salsa, and Fritos (yes, they're vegan. The double-stuffed mint-flavored generic store brand Oreos are vegan, too.).

So, I got started this morning.

Full of anticipation and curiosity, I made my coffee. I added the almond milk-based coffee creamer ... and I nearly gave up my week's mission right there. Bleah.

The "creamer" was thin, and it bore no resemblance to the caramel flavoring the carton had promised. I drank it, because giving up animal products was one thing; giving up coffee ... nope. And black coffee? I'm not ready for that much challenge yet.

But things got better with breakfast: Elvis-Style Oatmeal, thankyouverymuch!

Elvis-Style Oatmeal, with peanut butter and banana.

Made with a splash of almond milk, a dollop of crunchy peanut butter, and a sliced banana, it had creaminess, crunchiness, and comfort all in one bowl. I ate an entire generous serving that likely could have fed two, if Craig had shown any interest in it (and if there had been any left!) when he woke up this morning.

For lunch, I brought my favorite salad to work: fattoush, a Middle Eastern salad flavored with sumac for a pinch of tart spice. I had purchased just a few assorted olives at the grocery store (another verboten item, as Craig only eats the tinny black California variety), and tucked them into my lunchbox, too, along with the vividly green mint faux-reos.

Dinner was a more glamorous take on the standard beans and rice, which was actually pinto beans served over a mix of rices and quinoa. I sautéed the beans with garlic, red and green onions, red pepper flakes, a bit of chopped orange pepper, some chopped tomatoes, and a dash of chipotle-infused salsa. And then, for a little extra crunch and flavor, I topped it with ... no, not cheese. Fritos. Crushed Fritos. It was the perfect touch.

Pinto beans with onions, garlic, orange pepper, corn, tomatoes, and Fritos.

So, join me on the adventure, whether by enjoying some of the meals (recipes will be posted each day, I hope!) or, at least, living vicariously through the pictures.

It's good to be back ... :)


Elvis-Style Oatmeal

1/2 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup quick-cook oats
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 banana, sliced

Place almond milk, water, and oats into a small saucepan; bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Stir until oatmeal is thickened, then stir in peanut butter. Place oatmeal into a bowl and top with the banana.

Yield: 1 generous or 2 smaller servings.
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Fattoush

Lettuce, torn into small pieces
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced radish
Bits of red onion
Crushed pita chips
Lemon juice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Generous pinch of ground sumac (available at Middle Eastern markets)

Proportions and quantities are variable, depending upon personal taste and the number of people eating the salad.

Place the vegetables and the pita chips into a mixing bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, and sumac; make it more/less sour, more/less salty, etc., as you like it. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss and serve.

Note: Feel free to add sliced carrots, chopped peppers, tomatoes, parsley, or other items that you'd like.

Source: Mary Bilyeu


Pinto Beans with Rice and Quinoa

1 bag Minute Multigrain Medley (rice and quinoa)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
Ancho chili powder, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
1/3 cup corn kernels
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped orange pepper
1 small tomato, cored, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh chipotle salsa
A few Fritos, crushed

In a small saucepan, combine rice/quinoa with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red onion, and red pepper flakes; saute until onion is translucent. Add chili powders and corn; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add scallions, orange pepper, and tomato; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until pepper softens. Add beans and salsa; bring just to a boil, then simmer.

To serve, place the rice/quinoa mix onto a plate and top with bean mixture. Sprinkle the crushed Fritos over the top.

Yield: 2 generous servings.
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Shhh - The Brownies Have a Secret

This may look like an ordinary luscious, rich, chocolate-y brownie bite. And, I have to say, it absolutely IS a luscious, rich, chocolate-y brownie bite! But it's anything but ordinary.

It's vegan.

Yup - no butter, no eggs, no milk, no nothin' that came from an animal.

A vegan brownie.

And it's really, really good ... :)


Vegan Brownie Bites

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup light vegetable oil
1/4 cup silken tofu
1 tablespoon flavoring (coffee, brandy, fresh orange juice, etc.)
dairy-free mini chocolate chips, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup mini muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together soy milk, oil, tofu, and flavoring. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full of batter, and sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top. Bake for 15 minutes until a tester comes out clean, then remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes to set, then remove to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes about 3 dozen brownie bites.

Note: To make standard-sized brownie "muffins," bake for 20-25 minutes.

Too Long Since I Said "Hello" from Toledo

The beautiful welcome sign when I visited Da Capo coffee shop.

Oy ... it's been too long! Too long since I caught up with all my friends, too long since I told you of my adventures, too long ... just too long.

I had thought, perhaps, life would be easier - ha! - when I had one writing job instead of a day job plus several writing jobs. Boy, was I wrong! I spend way too much time sitting at this machine, typing; I have a column and a main feature every Tuesday, sometimes a second story on Tuesdays, and a column of news tidbits on Sundays. I also have speaking engagements (3 in an 8-day period, recently), a t.v. show taping (which you can watch here, if you'd like, as I discuss what it's like to be a newcomer to Toledo), a lot of events to attend, and just generally going out and about in town to meet people and learn about all the interesting food-related stories there are.

There's an executive chef at the Toledo Zoo (recently voted best zoo in the country, by the way!). There are programs to feed those in need, such as Mobile Meals and Food for Thought and Claver House's daily breakfast, which I've tried to help and to promote. I'm being adopted by new bubbes, in addition to the ones I miss in Ann Arbor. I'm among baking friends with folks who also straddle the Ann Arbor-Toledo line. And every so often I still cook and bake, too!

I have judging gigs coming up this summer for pierogi, ribs, and kuchen. I'm involved with the Mud Hens' "Create Your Own Hot Dog" party. I have 4 more speaking engagements lined up into next Spring. The Blade's marketing department is working on a logo for me. I have Twitter (@BladeFoodPage) and Facebook (facebook.com/thebladefoodpage) accounts for the food page. And I recently had the opportunity to interview Roy Choi - father of the food truck craze - about his work as a consultant to the movie "Chef," his efforts to have chefs do more to feed the hungry, culinary trends, and more ... wow.

But, I have to accommodate others' schedules for photos and layout, rather than working independently as I was accustomed to. I can't do scenic layouts of photographs, the way I want to. I have to write my features without using first person, though many tell me they like my confessional/conversational style. I work for a different entity now, though there are many, many wonderful people and I've been told that one of the "powers that be" loves me so much that he wants to give me a big hug through the phone! I'm still adjusting, 4 months later. It's been an absolute whirlwind.

The best way to keep up is to "like" the Facebook page; that's my favorite, as it's interactive and we can all chat and communicate about stories, recipes, pictures, videos, whatever silliness I happen to post.

Here are some photos, just to give a very brief and woefully insufficient taste (pun intended!) of some of my adventures. There's a LOT of good food here in Toledo, and some wonderful people. For every moment that I'm exhausted and can't face another second of staring at this screen, there are at least 51 moments that are full of fun and love and laughter and compassion and joy ... :)

Part of the breakfast array at Claver House, which serves soup, salad, cole slaw, toast, and other items each morning to those in need of a meal. The cake was in honor of those celebrating birthdays that month.

Spring roll and Fall roll at Tasty Thai, where Craig and I found out the hard way that we're wusses who need to order mild, not even medium, spice! Can't even imagine what "Thai hot" - top on the list of 5 choices - must be like!

The famous Tony Packo's dog and pickles.

A beautiful sweet potato soup and chicken salad at the fabulous Toledo Museum of Art, whose chef - Drew Ruiz - is a gem in this particular gem of the city.

Pear Salad and quiche at Pam's Corner, a lovely breakfast/lunch spot.

Just some of the produce grown by Toledo GROWS, a division of the Toledo Botanical Garden which supports urban gardening.

The mochi at Wei Wei, an amazing Chinese restaurant owned by the warm and wonderful Sherry and Mike; it serves addictive Szechuan dumplings!

My gingered rhubarb pie, which converted even the "leery of both ginger and rhubarb" Craig, who helped to devour this pie within, perhaps, 24 hours.

Vegan banana muffins with lime glaze. A feature on vegan foods is in the works.

My salt-cured egg yolk project: store a fresh egg yolk in kosher salt for 1 week, brush off excess salt once it's more solid, wrap in cheesecloth for 2 weeks until hard and grate-able like Parmesan.

What it was like when I crossed the border from Michigan to Ohio on February 1, to embark upon my new adventures.

Toledo on Friday, June 13, as I waited downtown for the bus.

Frugal Floozie Friday - NeoPapalis

I had a fabulous Girls' Night Out recently with my BFF Wendy and our new friend (who seemed immediately like an old friend!) Vicki. Both eat a vegan diet, so I wanted to find a restaurant we could all enjoy without having to impose too greatly upon the kitchen or leave my dining companions with only a few meager options.

Fortunately, NeoPapalis - one of Ann Arbor's newest pizza places - offers a little something for everyone ... and at prices which happily meet our Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

There are four basic pizzas to choose from, costing either $6 or $7, which easily feed at least two people.  A few toppings - butter crust, oregano, or a four pepper olive oil - are available for free, while others cost $1 each.

The $6 Red Marinara version comes with tomato sauce, sliced Romano tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, roasted garlic, oregano, and sea salt ... and it comes with no cheese. It was perfect!

To the left, you'll see the "as is" version that Wendy chose; to the right, you'll see the one I ordered with caramelized onions and Kalamata olives. At the top of the post is Vicki's pizza, topped with pineapple and green and red peppers. Each of these allowed two slices per person, as we mixed and matched and took home leftovers. You could add more toppings if you're hungry, but the pizza is delicious even with no frills.

You could supplement your pizza with a $5 salad, and still stay within budget by sharing lunch or dinner with loved ones. The base price offers a salad large enough to feed a small family, and the following items are even included at no charge (choose whichever ones you like): sliced mushrooms, cucumbers, red onions, green and red peppers, Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes, roasted garlic, broccoli, beets, Jalapeno peppers, hot pepper rings, pineapple, and artichokes. Cheeses cost $1 each, meat items cost $1.50 each, and dressing options beyond Ranch, the house vinaigrette, Chipotle Ranch, or Balsamic Vinaigrette cost an extra 75 cents. Pizza and a hearty vegetable-laden salad make an exceptional meal to share with your family or friends at very little cost!

I also ordered the sweet potato fries, for a mere $3, because I adore them.  Most places offer soft, baked versions; NeoPapalis' fries, however, are crisp and served with a Chipotle Ranch dipping sauce that is an ideal, spicy complement. I devoured these, and continue to fight cravings for more. They are a great appetizer to share before pizza or salad, or make an excellent snack all by themselves with a $1.50 soda, lemonade, or iced tea.

I'd had such a lovely meal with Vicki and Wendy that I brought Jeremy and Craig to NeoPapalis soon after for lunch. Craig ordered a $5 pita sandwich which, unfortunately, wasn't particularly photogenic although it was enormous. For the base price, you get a nearly foot-long meal containing one meat, one cheese, one dressing, and any vegetables from a list of sixteen - yes, sixteen potential additions for no extra money. If you want extra cheeses, they cost $1 each; extra meats cost $1.50 each. But trust me, they're superfluous - the basic sandwich is huge.

Jeremy ordered the $7 Bianca pizza: an herb butter base, Asiago and Mozzarella cheeses, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey. He topped it with bacon, because he's my child. This was rich, delicious, and easily splittable by 2-4 to stay well within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget. Even Jeremy, a 22-year old male - a species notorious for its appetite! - advocates for sharing something this hearty.

I ordered the sweet potato fries again, because I like them so much, and split them with Craig and with Jeremy. I'm not ordinarily a creature of habit (at least with food), but this time I couldn't help it.

For great values, good fresh food, and a menu that is inviting to virtually any diet, NeoPapalis is a welcome addition to town!

NeoPapalis
500 E. William St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-929-2227
Sunday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Cardamom

My dear friend Marcie joined Jeremy and me at Cardamom recently; Marcie and I had been counting down 'til it opened, and Jeremy was happy to share in the adventure of trying a brand spankin' new restaurant.

Marcie, unfortunately, suffers from numerous food allergies and intolerances; so Cardamom's menu - which provides a code indicating which items are vegetarian or vegan, which can be made gluten-free or vegan, which ones contain nuts or gluten - makes ordering much easier for those who need to be careful with their diets. Our waitress, Grace, was wonderfully helpful, too, in answering questions and checking with the kitchen to find out information about ingredients.

We ended up ordering an array of items from the lunch menu (available Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.) to try numerous dishes. The dinner menu is more extensive and costs a bit extra because of larger servings; the lunch menu offers some sandwiches and other quick items, as it is designed to facilitate a fast meal - but not typical "fast food" - for busy folks who need to get back to work for the afternoon.

The vegetarian thali (pictured above) costs only $10 and is absolutely generous enough for two, to meet our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person. I ate a huge lunch from this platter, shared tastes, and still had enough food to bring home for another meal the next day. There were dishes of chickpeas, cauliflower, spinach, and lentils; rice and naan; chutney and pickles; and even dessert, the creamy and fragrant rice pudding.

All but one of the appetizers comes in under budget, so we ordered the Vegetable Pakora (left; potatoes, onions, spinach, and cauliflower) and Onion Bhaji (right) for $4 each.  I could happily have made a lunch from either of these, or divvied them up to enjoy a plate of half-and-half. The fried fritters, dipped in a chickpea flour batter, come with both tamarind and mint chutneys for dipping, and were excellent.

A full serving of the cardamom-infused rice pudding costs $3.50. Jeremy ordered the Gulab Jamun - fried balls of dough in a sweet, rose-scented syrup - which also costs $3.50, and which he enjoyed immensely; I was fortunate to be given a small taste, to see how good they were.

You could also order a cup of soup for $3, a generously-portioned side salad for $4 (the lime vinaigrette, one of three choices for a dressing, was lovely and bright), one of the numerous beverages (the mango lassi for $3.50 was rich and creamy), or one of the luscious desserts (most of which come in under budget, or could easily be shared with a loved one).

I love Indian food, so it's wonderful to welcome another restaurant offering this fabulous cuisine!

Cardamom
1739 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-662-2877
Tuesday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., 5 - 10 p.m.
Friday - Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., 5 - 10:30 p.m.
Closed Mondays



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Musings on My Week as a Vegetarian

I signed a pledge to only eat a vegetarian/vegan diet during Ann Arbor Veg Week, from April 22-28. I regularly eat an omnivorian diet - anything that strikes my fancy, anything that meanders my way, anything that sounds good. Dinner leftovers for breakfast, breakfast for dinner, kugel warm from the oven, samples at the grocery store, dessert first, etc.

So to set limits upon my diet was a newfangled tactic. I'll readily make accommodations for others' religious beliefs and health needs. Pickiness and exclusionary dietary choices can be acknowledged, though admittedly with significant internal complaint and kvetching ... and even occasional swearing, depending upon the number of dictates and their level of pettiness. It is not my place to judge, however I dislike having others impose their own issues upon my food choices. It's one thing if you can't eat something; it's another if you won't.

Therefore, self-imposed restrictions are not normally my m.o. So, how did I do with my new eating regimen???

Frankly, it was fine - no major moral revelations, no sudden increase in energy or vitality, no noticeable hunger or fatigue. I had no significant cravings for a burger, although I tend to have difficulty maintaining iron levels - just ask the Red Cross, which has repeatedly rejected my very poke-able veins because I can't pass their test despite iron-loading before donation appointments. I didn't miss bacon ... I know! Who'da thunk??? But I did find that the usual brain paralysis I endure in trying to decide what to eat - when everything sounds good, everything sounds good! - was exponentially increased because a wide variety of dishes was suddenly off my menu. It felt as though there were constraints, even though I was still able to eat an enormous number of foods and quantity thereof.

I went to dinner one evening last week with my BFF Wendy and with our new friend (who seemed immediately like an old friend) Vicki - both are vegans. I looked through an assortment of menus online to find a restaurant where they would feel comfortable without having to make special requests or settle for side dishes. We chose a place that serves (among other items) four core pizzas, one of which is vegan; toppings can be added for $1 apiece, ranging from cheeses to meats to vegetables. So we ordered three of the vegan pizzas, each with a different assortment of goodies on top (from peppers to pineapple, onions to olives), and shared without any feeling of deprivation. We enjoyed hours of conversation over a hearty, healthy meal.

I must confess that I ate a gorgeous piece of salmon on Sunday night, technically still Veg Week (mea culpa!), because I attended a beautiful gala event celebrating my friend/boss' 25th anniversary as the congregation's rabbi and I'd ordered the fish meal before signing up for the pledge. Since the caterer is a good friend of mine (and an amazing cook!), I wasn't going to inconvenience her in any way by changing my order at the last minute. But I would have happily eaten the stuffed Portobello mushroom that was served as the vegetarian option, had I made the Veg Week pledge sooner.

I signed the pledge because it was an interesting challenge and - I'll admit it - a new schtick for blog posts. But regularly, even without this impetus, I consider the ethics of my choice to eat meat ... and, truth be told, I often feel guilty. Truth also be told, though, I happen to like meat. I don't need to eat it, but I don't want to feel that I can't or as though I'm cheating if I do. I can even resort to Biblical teaching as a basis to defend the practice; if God said it was okay, as long as there are restrictions as to which living creatures and which parts of them are considered kosher, then who am I to quibble?

I especially don't want to be vilified for my personal decision, regardless of any justification I may make combined with my conscience. I don't approve of the unnecessarily inflammatory "compassion over killing" politics that were a part of the Veg Week campaign; I unsubscribed from emails sent by the coordinating group because of their guilt-inducing tone. Just as Morrissey sings "Meat is Murder," he - and many vegetarian/vegan groups - do nothing to educate or to encourage people who don't believe as they do. In fact, they immediately put people on the defensive, causing them to react rather than reflect. This is one reason I so respect and like Vicki, as she nurtures and teaches rather than being strident and vicious. Look up her recipes, and you'll see that she makes lovely things and offers nutritional information; oh, and by the way, the recipes are vegan. Vicki is warm and welcoming as she invites you to consider your diet and your choices.

It's important to evaluate and to think about what we eat, whether deciding on a carnivorous vs. vegetarian diet, whether choosing to eat organic foods or conventional, whether eating seasonally or buying tomatoes in January, whether buying free-range meat or whatever's on sale, whether we cook from scratch or grab a quick meal at a drive-thru window, whether workers' and human rights are respected by food producers, whether fair wages are paid, whether we consider doctors' orders and cholesterol or blood sugar levels when we go shopping, whether we eat dessert regularly or save it for special occasions ... the ethical, economic, and other permutations are almost overwhelming. Each meal, each dish, each ingredient presents a dilemma with many factors weighing upon it.

And it is up to each of us to consider what we want to eat, without indictment or imposition from others.

So, I'll undoubtedly go back to eating meat - I tried a bite of Jeremy's bacon pizza on Monday without any qualms. Might I eat less of it? Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

Changing my diet was a good exercise in discipline and in being conscientious. It wasn't a matter of health - vegetarians can still eat macaroni and cheese and Fritos, after all, rather than brown rice and tofu.

But I think I'll go back to being an omnivore. Frankly, I already have. I eat what I want when I want to, enjoying myself along the way whether I'm eating a salad for lunch or nibbling on trimmings from a batch of brownies.

And my choices may or may not include meat, depending upon my whims. I'm a fairly whimsical girl, after all ... :)

Frugal Floozie Friday - The People's Food Co-op

It's Ann Arbor Veg Week, so it made perfect sense to feature The People's Food Co-op today. It's an Ann Arbor institution which offers many creative and delicious vegetarian and vegan options both for dining in and for take-out. There are so many, many ways to eat well here while staying within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

As pictured above, there is an entire array of salads, vegetables, pastas, and other dishes to choose from, all charged by the pound so you can select smaller or larger servings and prices to suit your appetite and/or your finances.

I picked one of my favorites, the Sesame Cashew Noodles that are cooked perfectly and offer great spicy flavor, paying only $2.66 for this generous serving. Since the Co-op is part grocery store, part buffet, part deli, and part coffee shop (Cafe Verde), I was able to wander to the produce section and select a lovely organic Braeburn apple to complement my entree; it cost 80 cents. The miniature chocolate bars normally cost $1.29, which would have taken my total to $4.75 if I'd been shopping at a different time; but I happened to be at the Co-op on a day when the treats were on a 2-for-1 sale, which made this an even better deal! So I was able to purchase a nutritious, wholesome meal for a quick take-out - and even a luxurious dessert - and still stay within our limited budget.

You could also choose potato chips, available for only 99 cents; and Blue Sky sodas, if you want something to drink besides water, cost 79 cents. A large bowl of soup can be enjoyed for only $3.99, or a cup costs $2.75. Large handmade cookies tempt you for only $1.99. There are countless ways to mix 'n' match a meal for $5 or less.

The co-op offers Fair Trade, organic, and locally-sourced items, as well as cooking from scratch; so whatever you choose will not only taste good but do good, as well.

Cafe Verde, the coffee shop connected to the co-op, offers coffees, teas, juices, and a beautiful assortment of baked goods and pastries for varying prices. If you're looking just for a luscious treat - particularly if you are on any sort of restricted diet (vegan, gluten-free, allergies, etc.), you will likely be able to find an option. The co-op is very careful and conscientious about its ingredients and about everything it sells. (And when it's not Veg Week, feel free to choose some of the meat-based selections, as well.)

At any time, The People's Food Co-op can be a wonderful local resource for good food and good prices.


The People's Food Co-op
216 N. Fourth Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-994-9174

Store:
Monday - Saturday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Food Bar:
Salad & Soups: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily
Hot Bar: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. weekends

Cafe Verde:
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.



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Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Kugel ... and it's vegan!

Anyone who's been following along on my adventures knows I believe firmly that kugel [KOO-guhl] is one of the great foods in the universe. There are savory versions; but to me, kugel is a sweet, creamy, luscious noodle pudding ... consummate comfort food. And that, of course, makes it perfect for breakfast, for brunch, as an accompaniment to lunch, as a partner for afternoon tea, for dessert ....

I've made numerous varieties of kugel over the years - chocolate and cherry, apple and almond (which is probably my most requested recipe). They all contain rich dairy products, to make them utterly decadent.

In honor of Ann Arbor Veg Week, which started on Monday, I've taken a pledge to eat a vegetarian diet until Sunday. And as part of that commitment, I'm trying to make some vegan dishes, as well - not just ones that are inherently meat- and dairy-free, but attempts to make healthier versions of beloved favorites.

While I was contemplating what to write about for my meat-free posts, my friend/co-worker Karan brought some kugel for the office staff at lunchtime one day - it was still warm from the oven, fragrant, delicious. And it was then, while enjoying this consummate dairy dish, that I had an epiphany:

Make a vegan kugel. No sour cream. No cottage cheese. No butter. No eggs. No animal products at all.

Vegan. Kugel. These aren't words that would normally play nicely together in my vocabulary. But I like a challenge, and so off I went on my little diversion!

I made sure to buy egg-free noodles, and I knew that I couldn't use eggs to bind the ingredients together, either. I bought Tofutti non-hydrogenated sour cream, and I also bought soymilk-based yogurt. As I perused the various flavors, I chose strawberry because I had yet another epiphany: the traditional crumb topping could be made with chocolate Cheerios and chocolate graham crackers to make a dish inspired by a chocolate-covered strawberry!

I boiled, I stirred, I baked, I waited. Once the kugel cooled enough to taste it, Jeremy was a willing guinea pig. He told me that if I hadn't told him it was vegan, he would never have known that there was anything unusual about the dish. It offered the expected creaminess and crunch, and his favorite bites contained bits of fresh strawberries. He really enjoyed it!

And the best part about this? Almost everyone else can enjoy it, too, no matter their dietary issues or preferences. Use gluten-free noodles, and you've likely met requirements for everyone!


Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Kugel

Noodles:
1 12-ounce package egg-free noodles
1 12-ounce container Tofutti sour cream
2 5.3-ounce containers Silk dairy-free strawberry yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups chopped strawberries

Topping:
2 rectangles chocolate graham crackers
2 cups chocolate Cheerios
1/3 cup brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish.

Prepare noodles according to package directions; drain.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, yogurt, sugar, salt, vanilla, and strawberries. Add noodles, stir to combine, and pour noodles into prepared casserole dish.

Grind graham crackers and Cheerios into crumbs; place into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, then stir in margarine with a fork until crumbs are moistened. Place crumbs over the noodles, and bake for 30 minutes until topping is toasted and the noodle layer is bubbly.

Let cool, then serve.

Makes 12 generous servings.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew with Preserved Lemon

My good friend Deborah gave me a beautiful gift, recently: preserved lemons. She had written to me awhile ago to say that she had a bounty of riches, with too many lemons to use. What could she do with them?

I suggested pie, of course, because one can never, ever go wrong with pie. I happen to adore lemon pie (not that I was hinting!). But that wouldn't use up very many of the fruits.

So then I dared to offer the notion of preserved lemons, a classic of Moroccan cuisine, that are brined and sometimes spiced. Essentially, they are lemon pickles. Not too many folks would think this was a viable option, but Deborah is an adventurous cook who cares deeply about ingredients. She was the perfect person for this project!

Deborah happily accepted the challenge, and then very generously shared the results with me. So, of course, I delved into cooking something novel and exotic with this novel and exotic item.

I happen to be a huge fan of Moroccan food - stews, lamb, chicken, dried fruits, salads, breads, mint tea, and spices. But I've never made my own preserved lemons before, so I'd never had an opportunity to use them.

So I assembled my collection of ingredients and started cooking. Even though I own an authentic tagine [tah-ZHEEN] - a terra cotta cooking pot, and also the name of the stews cooked within them - I simply used a large skillet, figuring that it would be more readily found in others' kitchens than the more esoteric cookware; then I wouldn't have to worry about accommodating timing differences for cooking in the different utensils, etc. But, of course, I had to serve this in the right vessel!

With many thanks to Deborah for inspiring, and contributing to, this spicy, flavorful dish in honor of Ann Arbor Veg Week which begins today. I have signed a pledge to eat a vegetarian/vegan diet this week, and this is a lovely way to start things off! And also with thanks to my friends Rob and Ellen, for the lovely gift certificate to Spice Merchants, a beautiful store where I was able to buy the fragrant Moroccan spice blend I also used to make this dish.


Moroccan Chickpea Stew with Preserved Lemon

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Spice Merchants Moroccan Blend (contains garlic, onion, chilies, salt)
2 tablespoons garlic paste
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 cup chopped sweet potato
1/2 preserved lemon, chopped fine
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
couscous, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and Moroccan spices; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, sweet potato, and lemon; bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over couscous.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: If you don't have any preserved lemons, or any friends who will share theirs with you, I think a spritz of lemon juice and some finely grated lemon zest would be good substitutes.

Sweet Potatoes Baked with Rosemary and Salt

My BFF Wendy told me recently that she'd eaten a fabulous dish at a party recently: "sliced sweet potatoes with a thin coating of oil, lots of rosemary, a little salt, baked." Several times, she insisted that I had to make it.

And so, I did.

I adore sweet potatoes - baked, fried, whipped, candied, whatever. Rosemary emits an extraordinary aroma. In this dish, the two combine in a beautiful, simple preparation that lets the ingredients shine.

These sweet potatoes are tender, sweet, slightly caramelized at the edges, fragrant, and delicious. They're easy to make for Thanksgiving, and could even be made ahead of time and reheated to make your preparations easier.

May you have a peaceful, blessed, and happy Thanksgiving with all your favorite loved ones and a feast of fabulous food!



In case you still need some ideas, here are some other suggestions for your holiday menu:

Applesauce Pie

Pomegranate Molasses-Glazed Carrots

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Butterscotch Pumpkin Pudding

Buttermilk Biscuits

Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing

Quince-Glazed Baked Yams

Orange-Glazed Pumpkin Loaf Cake

Brown Sugar Tea Cake with Moscato Glaze


Sweet Potatoes Baked with Rosemary and Salt

• 2 very large sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cut the ends off the sweet potatoes, peel them, and cut them in half lengthwise; place into a large mixing bowl.

Drizzle the sweet potatoes with the oil. Add salt and rosemary; stir to coat.

Place the sweet potatoes into a 10" pie pan or casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, then stir carefully. Cover with foil and cook for 30 more minutes, until sweet potatoes are very tender.

Serves 8-10.

The American Lighthouse Cookbook

I received a lovely gift, the other day: a review copy of The American Lighthouse Cookbook: The Best Recipes and Stories from America's Shorelines, by Becky Sue Epstein and Ed Jackson.

In its introduction, this exceptional cookbook states that it "couples food with the romance of the seacoast, adding a dash of history and wrapping it in the very current 'eat local' movement." Lighthouses from around the country - from as far away as Eldred Rock, north of Juneau, to Buck Island, off St. Thomas in the Caribbean - are featured. Fascinating stories are shared about the lighthouses themselves, about their communities, about many of the ingredients, and much more.

In looking through the book - an activity which just draws you in, page after page - I learned about Matinicus Island, Maine, which is "headquarters for the National Audubon Society's Project Puffin, which studies this jaunty-looking (and formerly endangered) bird." I discovered a new treat, the Smith Island Cake: a luscious 10-layer cake that was named "Official Cake of the State of Maryland" in 2008. And I learned a new tidbit about my own state: "Michigan now has more lighthouses than any other state in the country: 124."

The Great Lakes region - from Minnesota to Wisconsin, Illinois to Michigan, and Ohio to New York - is represented with some lovely recipes which highlight the beauty and bounty of the area. White fish, pasties, lake perch, cherry pie ... good ol'-fashioned wholesome dishes shine.

After much deliberation - you know me, I always want to make and eat everything! - I settled upon a simple but stellar dish of fried potatoes featuring a hint of curry. I had each of the ingredients on hand, which of course simplified my decision-making process. And this also meant I could be impatient and just start cooking, without having to plan, shop, and only then start to satisfy my cravings.

Bill's Famous Potatoes are served at the Sand Hills Lighthouse Inn in Ahmeek, Michigan, near the tippy top of the state along Lake Superior. Owners Bill and Mary Frabotta had "dreamed of restoring the lighthouse," and were finally able to finish doing so in the mid-1990s. It's now "a charming inn filled with modern conveniences and historic style, open year-round." And the hearty breakfasts served to guests include homemade Danish Coffee Cake, egg casserole, specially blended freshly ground coffee, and these exceptional potatoes which are tender inside, crispy outside, and perfectly seasoned.

The cookbook is divided by region, and then each lighthouse featured within a regional section offers a menu of several dishes. For example, the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, New Hampshire, offers recipes for a fall supper of Corn Chowder, Mashed Turnips, Baked Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Maple Syrup, Roast Striped Bass with Onion and Fennel, and Upside-Down Apple Pandowdy. And Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo, on the Morrillos Peninsula in Puerto Rico, offers a "Menú Para el Día de Acción de Gracias" - a Thanksgiving feast of Fresh Fruit Cocktail, Green Salad, Rice and Pigeon Peas, Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic, Roasted Turkey with Puerto Rican Beef Dressing, and Sweet Papaya with White Goat Cheese ... sigh.

The American Lighthouse Cookbook showcases dishes from the familiar to the exotic, all of it delicious.

Bill's Famous Potatoes
(slightly adapted)

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of sugar

Place potatoes into a large mixing bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, Italian seasoning, onion powder, curry powder, salt, and sugar.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and start to brown them for 2-3 minutes. Cover the skillet and turn heat down to medium; cook for 5 minutes, stir, then cook for 5 more minutes 'til potatoes are just tender. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 more minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

Serves 2-4 as a side dish.