Cooking Archives - Page 2 of 10 - East of Eden Cooking

2018/04/112018/04/12

One Bowl Greek Salad

One Bowl Greek Salad with salty feta, tangy olives and flavor packed tomatoes is a stellar match for the zing of fresh oregano. Tossed with refreshing cucumber and perched on a bed of crisp romaine One Bowl Greek Salad is a favorite.

“On the wide level acres of the valley the topsoil lay deep and fertile. It required only a rich winter of rain to make it break forth in grass and flowers. The spring flowers in a wet year were unbelievable. The whole valley floor, and the foothills too, would be carpeted with lupins and poppies.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

My oregano plant thrives in the winter. It had outgrown its’ space and got a good trim. Oregano is very pungent when fresh. It pairs well with other strong and assertive flavors. One Bowl Greek Salad with salty feta, tangy olives and flavor packed tomatoes is a stellar match for the zing of fresh oregano. Tossed with refreshing cucumber and perched on a bed of crisp romaine One Bowl Greek Salad is a favorite. READ MORE . . .

2018/03/102018/03/11

Easy Tortellini Soup

Easy to make, freezer friendly and left overs for lunch worthy, Easy Tortellini Soup is winter comfort in every spoonful.

“In March the soft rains continued, and each storm waited courteously until its predecessor sank beneath the ground. Then warmth flooded the valley and the earth burst into bloom—yellow and blue and gold.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

My cooking goals aren’t as aspirational as my baking. Not surprised, are you? Cooking is more often than not about getting something on the table by 6pm. Healthy, nutritious and with bold, inviting flavor always are part of my choices, but so is easy to prepare and easy to clean up. I’m pretty sure you agree with these matters of daily importance, therefore I offer you Easy Tortellini Soup. READ MORE . . .

2017/11/292018/01/25

Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce

Vegan wraps filled with lentils and bulgur, red pepper spread, hummus and cabbage. A spicy tahini dipping sauce elevates these wraps to fabulous.

Have to keep up with the times, said Adam. I predict there’ll come a time when you can’t find a horse, Mr. Trask. Maybe so.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I’ve made these Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce for road and train trips, shared them with unsuspecting carnivores and served them for an executive board meeting luncheon. Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce are a wonderful make ahead dinner. Leftovers are the perfect grab and go lunch. These vegan wraps always get stellar reviews. I heard that “wraps” were out of style. Which immediately prompted me to share my favorite wrap recipe. Keeping up with food trends can be exhausting and downright silly. I’m here to share food that’s vibrant with flavor and worth the investment in time and effort to make.

Essentials

There are several components to the Food 52 recipe for Spicy Vegan Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce. Don’t let all these pieces to the recipe discourage your wrap making. The sauce and spreads can be made ahead of time. While the lentil and bulgur filling cooks, gather together all the components and get ready to roll the Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce. The original recipe can be found on Food 52. Below are the tips and hints for how I make the Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce. READ MORE . . .

2017/11/082018/02/09

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Coconut Milk

Roast sweet butternut squash with apples for an easy autumn soup.

Lee had his instructions. On the evening of the day of the announcement he was to cook a turkey and bake a cake.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The dreaded holiday dilemma has arrived. May we discuss? It begins with Thanksgiving. The assumption that because we like to cook, we would like to cook more. Clearly, if we cook, we want to cook even more. It rarely occurs to anyone that we would like to be pampered and enjoy Thanksgiving too. Finding a way to change tradition which is heavily reinforced with unstated expectations is a big, big challenge. You will have to speak up, make new plans or heavens forbid, switch up the menu. Otherwise it will be the same old exhausting Thanksgiving.

Cook as much as you want, but just enough so you can enjoy the celebration too! I want to thank picky daughter for teaching me how to enjoy Thanksgiving. Everyone who arrives at her place brings their assigned dishes. Looks like I have stuffing and candied yams this year, fabulous! If she’s busy working all week she picks up her items at the store. No fussy expectations, just good food and company. I couldn’t ask for a better Thanksgiving. READ MORE . . .

2017/10/292018/01/25

Lemon Verbena

Have you discovered Lemon Verbena?

Joe held the cup to her lips, and she drank the tea in little sips, breathing in over it to cool it. That’s enough, she said when the cup was only half empty. How was the night?

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Have you discovered lemon verbena? It’s an easy to grow herb that has the scent and flavor of lemon. It’s sweeter than a regular lemon, even sweeter and milder than a Meyer lemon. The older leaves are tougher and best for tea. The newer, more tender leaves are easier to chop finely to use in baking. If combined with lemon zest, the whole lemony thing gains intensity. It can be used in place of lemon zest in most recipes. Classic shortbread cookies flecked with lemon verbena and lemon zest are a lemon lovers dream. I’ve infused milk with the leaves and then made a mildly herbaceous and lemony cake. Pound cake or shortcake destined for soaking up summer berries and their juice sing with it’s assistance. For more lemon verbena joy Bon Appetit has several recipes and so does The Kitchn. READ MORE . . .