Sal's Gazpacho Soup Two Ways - RH Week DAY 3!

Welcome to RH Week Day 3!! Hope you have been enjoying the tasty treats so far, I already have both recipes printed out and queued up to prepare for my next dinner party!! Today's guest entry is not one but TWO versions of Gazpacho soup, (a creamy gazpacho and a more traditional one,) sent in by a reader named Sal (no twitter or website he says in his e-mail, just an Organic Eats Fan... love it!) who got the recipes from an old, worn out and "thoroughly loved" recipe book entitled "Soups & Stews: A Two in One Cookbook" by Joanne Waring Lindeman c. 1976 Nitty Gritty Productions.

Personally, I really believe that there are fewer things more culinarily delightful than sipping chilled Gazpacho on a balmy summer day, so thank you again Sal for your contribution to many future nights spent in summer soup-filled splendor!

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Creamy Gazpacho

yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb ripe tomatoes

1/2 large cucumber

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 clove garlic, mashed

1 tbs. salad oil

1 tbs. vinegar

2 cups cold water

salt and pepper

1 tsp. McCormick's Season All dash Tabasco

1 cup (1/2 pt.) heavy cream

finely chopped parsley

Directions:

Peel and chop tomatoes and cucumber. Put into blender container along with bread crumbs, garlic, oil vinegar and water. Cover and blend 2 minutes. Chill mixture until icy cold. When ready to serve, stir in salt, pepper, Season all, Tabasco and cream. Sever in chilled bowls garnished with finely chopped parsley.

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Traditional Gazpacho

Says the cookbook: "This Spanish tradition is first cousin to a salad but even more refreshing. It must be served icy cold."

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups tomato juice

2 beef bouillon cubes (can substitute for vegetarian to make this a vegetarian or vegan soup)

2 tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped, unpeeled cucumbers

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup wine vinegar

2 tbs. salad oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

6 drops Tabasco

Directions:

Bring tomato juice to boiling. Add bouillon cubes and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Peel, seed and dice tomatoes. Add to cooled broth along with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate. Serve in chilled bowls.

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*Editor's Note: I love to top each bowl of chilled gazpacho with a few slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream and some fresh chopped cilantro or basil for garnish and extra flavor.

Nelly's Pumpkin Corn Fritters - RH Week DAY 2!

Hello Organic Eats readers!

I'm Nelly and I blog over at Cooking with Books!

http://cookingwithbooks.blogspot.com

I’m so glad I have this opportunity to post here today and share a delicious, simple recipe! These fritters came about while I was living in Charlottesville, VA. My boyfriend had come and spent Thanksgiving with me and we had cooked a huge menu, having left over canned pumpkin. I’m sure you’ve been through this before, but you could also use fresh pumpkin puree to make this even better! Pumpkin is definitely a versatile product and you can check out Organic Eat’s Pumpkin Pancake post here: http://oeats.blogspot.com/2011/05/pumpkin-pancakes.html

Pumpkin-Corn Fritters

Yield: 12-16 fritters, depending on size

Ingredients:

1 large egg

½ cup milk

½ can of pumpkin puree

½ cup of corn kernels

1 cup flour (add more if needed to achieve thick batter)

1 tablespoon baking powder

To taste: salt, pepper, chopped green onions, sautéed yellow diced onions

Directions:

1. In a small sauté pan, heat about ¼ cup of vegetable oil.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Fry on both sides until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
4. Serve with: a dipping sauce, cheese slices or as canapés with smoked salmon on top.

ALSO: try baking these! Spoon into circles on cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 4-5 minutes; the orange pumpkin color intensifies and the texture is completely different. Cut lengthwise and serve with flavored cream cheese or smoked salmon! A healthier, more nutritious version of a blini.

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Pumpkin Nutrition Facts:

-Pumpkin's deep orange color tells us it is rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene, a vitamin that can be converted to Vitamin A by the body. Beta-carotene can also reverse skin damage and promote good vision.

-Pumpkin also has anti-aging properties, and boosts your immune system.

-Don't forget the seeds! 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds contains 92% of your daily value of magnesium!

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Special thanks to Nelly for this delicious recipe! Follower her on twitter @nella22 for more enticing eats!

Slyvia's Spanish Slaw - Recipe Hosting Week DAY 1!

Hello Organic Eats readers and welcome to what will undoubtedly be an epic week of recipe hosting, (let's call it RH week for short, shall we?) Your first recipe comes to you via California, from Sylvia of sylveeeskitchen.com (twitter handle: @sylveeeskitchen so be sure to log onto her site and follow on twitter for more delicious eats!) I love the addition of the spanish olives in this slaw and can't wait to try it out for myself! The recipe couldn't be more appropriate for the oncoming summer and what a great, unexpected twist on a classic summer side dish. Personally, I can't wait to celebrate this newly warm and gorgeous weather right by preparing me some spanish slaw! Ole!

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COSTA DEL SOL COLE SLAW

YIELD: 12 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

For the DRESSING:

1 clove Garlic

1 can Anchovy Fillets(optional)

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

For the SLAW:

1/4 head Red Cabbage

1/2 head Green Cabbage

1 Red Bell pepper

1 small jar Spanish olives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the Dressing Ingredients in a blender jar; run at high speed until the Garlic is minced and all the ingredients are well blended.

2. Wash and dry all the Vegetables.

3. Thinly slice the Cabbages or slice in a food processor, using a 2mm slicing disk.

4. Thinly julienne the Bell Pepper.

5. Slice the olives into rounds.

6. Thinly slice the Red Onion.

7. Finely shred the Carrots.

8. Toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl; add the Dressing and serve.

9. The Salad may be made ahead of time and refrigerated; the dressing should not be added more than 1 hour before serving.

Note: Even though restaurants and delicatessens in the United States sell Spanish Cole Slaw, I could find none in Spain. This recipe uses ingredients that are often used in salads in Spain; if there really was such a thing as Spanish Slaw, this is how it might be.

Calling all Chefs/Cooks/Foodies/Adventurers of the Kitchen...

Hello all!! Happy Memorial Day Weekend to those US readers and to the rest, wishing you all a happy and relaxing weekend! Spent the night watching some beautiful fireworks that glittered across the surface of the Long Island Sound.

Today's post is more an announcement than a post: Exciting news! Starting on Wednesday, Organic Eats will be hosting a week of guest recipes so consider this post as an official bid to all of you fabulous culinary minds who read the blog to send in a recipe you'd like to be posted. The recipe can be absolutely anything... from your staple friday night dinner to your off-the-wall wacky dessert that is unexpectedly delicious... Of course all credit will be given to you as the grand creator of the recipe and expect loads of tweets/facebook mentions and the like to follow! I will be accepting submissions until Tuesday May 31st at 11PM. Please send your recipe to:

orgeats@gmail.com

Depending on the number of submissions, the recipe guest blog hosting may even extend a few extra days! Also, feel free to send in pictures or any other accompanying media that will help explain your recipe :)

Thanks so much in advance... not only for submitting but also for reading my recipes and food-fuelled thoughts, and I can't wait to read all of YOUR culinary creations!

Xo,

Organic Eats

Pumpkin Pancakes

It may not be October, but these pancakes are delicious enough for you to forget that.... I made these as a variation on the normal Sunday brunch and they were pure pumpkin perfection! If you can't already tell, I'm a bit obsessed with cinnamon so creating a recipe where cinnamon is involved makes me one happy cook! The spices in these pancakes are just right and enough to gently awaken anyone after the weekend is over. As an added bonus, the recipe is purely vegetarian and our homage to celebrating national Vegetarian Week 2011!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Yield: 7 pancakes (I made the recipe for 2 people but double it if you're making it for more...)

1/4 cup all purpose unbleached flour

1 tablespoon cane sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon shaved nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk + more if batter is too thick

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg - separated

3 tablespoons butter - melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Mix:

-flour

-sugar

-baking powder

-nutmeg

-cinnamon

-salt

in a bowl until well blended.

2. In another bowl, mix:

-whole milk

-buttermilk

-pumpkin puree

-egg yolk (leave white in separate, small bowl)

-melted butter

-vanilla extract

3. Add contents of pumpkin bowl into dry ingredients flour mixture until combined. Don't worry if the mixture seems a little thick, it should be at this point.

4. Beat egg white until fluffy but not stiff (it should be at the consistency right before forming stiff peaks...)

5. Add the whisked egg white to the pumpkin/flour mixture, folding in gently so as not to break the white. At this point, if your batter is still looking a little thick, add in a little milk to thin it out.

6. Head 1 teaspoon of butter on a skillet over medium heat. Scoop desired size of pancake onto the skillet once butter is melted. Once the pancake has bubbled on the surface, use a spatula to flip over and cook on other side. (Timing depends on stove but for me it was about 3 minutes on one side 2 minutes on the other...)

7. Continue cooking until all of the batter is made, adding more butter if the skillet looks dry...

ENJOY and happy VEGETARIAN WEEK 2011!!! Go vegetables :)

Xo,

Organic Eats

Quinoa Flake Banana Muffins

Here is a recipe that can go vegan/low-fat OR it can have a bit of a higher fat content and a more creamy texture... all up to you and your dietary needs! But no matter how you slice it... or spread jam on it... these muffins are delish :)

Quinoa Flake Banana Muffins: (Vegan + Non-Vegan Versions below)

Ingredients

1/2 cup Quinoa Flakes

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose Flour (OR quinoa flour OR almond flour OR whole wheat flour... you get where I'm going with this...)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 VERY ripe bananas

2 eggs (OR 1/2 cup apple sauce for vegan version)

3 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup butter - melted (skip this ingredient if making these vegan)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Mix together quinoa flakes, unbleached flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside

3. In a separate bowl mash the bananas until they turn to a chunky paste, beat in 2 eggs, add honey (or sugar.) At this point, slowly mix in melted butter (unless you leave out the butter in which case... well... don't.)

4. Add the contents of the flour bowl to the wet ingredient banana bowl and mix thoroughly.

5. Scoop into greased muffin tins filling only HALF WAY (these things rise!)

6. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

ENJOY!

I think the thing I love the best about this recipe is the simplicity of creation... you can pop these out in no time for an easy but healthy snack or a quick and hearty breakfast. A delectable treat, a drool-worthy muffin...

Adios!

Xo

Organic Eats

Fusilli Pasta in a Spicy Bechamel Cheese Sauce

Hi all! It doesn't quite feel like spring yet but these springy pastas are a comforting and hearty way to warm up in this abnormally cold weather. Hope you enjoy and feel free to substitute with a vegetable of your choice!

Fusilli Pasta in A Spicy Bechamel Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups Fusilli Pasta

4 Cups water - boiling

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup broccoli - steamed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons flour

4 cups milk (whole or skim)

Salt ~2 teaspoons

White pepper - a few pinches

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup pepper jack jalapeno cheese

Directions:

1. First off, boil the pasta until desired texture in boiled water with a few drops of olive oil (I say about a teaspoon on the ingredients amount above.)

2. Simultaneously boil the broccoli - make sure to boil it to just before it's done, this way you can allow it some time to cook in with the pasta.

3. Next, get to work on your classic bechamel sauce. Cook the butter and flour together in a sauce pan until yellow and creamy (takes about 6-7 minutes.)

4. Add 4 cups of heated milk to the sauce - one cup at a time. Stirring with each addition.

5. Season the sauce with salt, white pepper and freshly zested nutmeg.

6. Continue to stir until sauce begins to thicken up, then when sauce becomes consistency of buttermilk (think thickened milk or yogurt texture) melt in the jalapeno jack cheese.

7. At this point, the pasta and broccoli should be done so add both to saucepan with bechamel sauce.

8. Taste the pasta and add whatever spices it needs (e.g. more salt, pepper, a little garlic powder etc.)

I love this recipe because it's a more gourmet version of mac and cheese and even incorporates some vegetables into the mix. Hope you try it and love it as much as I did!

Xo & stay dry in the rain,

Organic Eats

Strawberry and Blueberry Scones

Hi all! Sorry for the brief hiatus but the recipe posting is back! Expect some summer recipes to come your way in the VERY near future. To start off the season, here is a great recipe for strawberry & blueberry scones that not only utilizes fruits that are just coming into season now but also is incredibly easy to make. Feel free to change up the fruit in the batter, adding your own combinations or even to spice it up with the addition of some cinnamon or cracked pepper for an unexpected kick. The dough is not sweet but it is resilient and can hold up well to lots of great flavors. If you have an herb garden, I recommend experimenting with flavoring the scones with any combination of whatever looks great that you've grown, (particular favorites include a basil and strawberry combination or a rosemary and cracked pepper scone without any fruit.) Anyway, here's the recipe and I would love to hear how you add your own twist to the basic outline I've provided!

Strawberry and Blueberry Scones OR [Insert your own Fruit/herb/spice Combo here] Scones

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup pastry flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (frozen and cubed)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

3/4 cup whole milk (feel free to use skim if you're diet conscious or cream if you're looking to indulge!!)

6 large strawberries - chopped

1/2 cup blueberries

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. In a bowl, mix together the two kinds of flour, baking powder and salt (note that if you don't have pastry flour using all-purpose flour for the whole amount will do just fine.)

3. Add in the cold butter and stir until combined (easier with a kitchenaid mixer but still doable without one.)

4. Pour in milk slowly and mix in.

5. Add maple syrup (here you can do a taste test, if you want your scones a bit sweeter add more maple syrup, a bit more savory, add less or none at all.)

6. Add strawberries and blueberries and mix until combined throughout.

7. Scoop balls of the mixture onto a greased baking sheet, (about six balls of the dough should fit on one tray but make the scones whatever size you like.)

8. Bake about 15 minutes or until the tops of the scones have turned golden brown.

HOPE YOU ENJOY AND HAPPY EARLY SUMMER!

Xo,

Organic Eats