Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

I went to an Apple Orchard this fall with some friends and came home with a mountain of apples.  So what to do with all those apples? Make homemade cinnamon applesauce! It's so easy  I almost don't want to tell you, so you can continue to be uber impressed that I made applesauce from scratch!  But lucky you, I'm in a good mood, and will let you in on this secret.

Ingredients:
6 apples peeled, cored and chopped (I used Heraldson Apples)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4th cup water or apple cider (I had cider on hand from the same orchard trip so I used that)
1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a slowcooker
Heat on high for 3 hours or low for 5

basically heat it until when you put a fork in and stir, the apples fall apart and you have applesauce in front of you.

Done! Now go impress some people with your culinary prowess!

An Idaho Girl: Homemade French Fries and Fry Sauce

I am from Idaho, born and raised.  Potatoes are my favorite food, and French Fries are the Queen of Potatoes. Making homemade fries is actually really easy, healthier (because they are baked not fried), and soooo yummy.  Now be an Idahoan and eat those fries with Fry Sauce.

French Fries
Ingredients:
- Idaho Russet Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt

- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Wash and dry the potatoes, don't even think about peeling those skins off.
- Cut into thin strips, you know, like fries.
- Fill a large bowl with salted ice water.
- Place cut potatoes in the ice water.  This draws out some of the starchiness and will help them to get crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
- Drain water and use a paper towel to dry off the cut potatoes.
- Toss potatoes in olive oil, until coated but not sloppy.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for about 10 mins and then use a spatula to flip the potatoes.
- Bake for about another 10 mins, take out of oven when they are lightly browned and crisp on the outside.

Fry Sauce
Ingredients:
- Mayo (I like Helmanns)
- Ketchup
- Sriacha or BBQ Sauce

- Mix equal parts Ketchup and Mayo with a splash of either Sriacha or BBQ Sauce. You can adjust the ratios depending on your own taste.

Eat up!

Rachael's Homemade Vegan/Vegetarian Chili

Chili! I love chili, especially during fall when it starts to get chilly outside (see what I did there?).  This recipe is one I've been messing with for a couple years and it continues to morph and change every time I make it.  It's vegan before you add the cheese or sour cream, and vegetarian either way. So it's a great dish to make for a group with a lot of different dietary preferences!

Chili with red onion, cheese, cilantro and sour cream topping!

Ingredients:

3-4 big carrots, finely shredded

1/2-1 Serrano pepper*, finely chopped (with seeds if you like spice, without seeds for mild)

1/2-1 Jalepeno pepper*, finely chopped (with seeds if you like spice, without seeds for mild)

1 bell pepper each of yellow, green, red, and orange; seeded and chopped

1 white onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes

2 cans black beans

3 cans kidney beans

vegetable broth

olive oil

cumin

chili powder
salt & pepper

* For a mild chili, you can add only 1/2 of these peppers without the seeds.  For a really spicy chili go for the whole pepper.  The seeds are what really give the pepper it's kick, so use about half the pepper and a few seeds if you'd like your chili somewhere in the middle. Remember it's always better to use too little, since you can always add more peppers as a topping to spice it up at the end.

-Finely shred the carrots or pulse in a food processor until very very finely chopped

-Saute carrot in a pan with some olive oil, a little salt and pepper and a dash of vegetable broth until it is thick and soft, with a pulp like consistency (this is what will thicken your chili)

-Move carrots to crockpot (or very large soup pot) 

-Saute all bell peppers, Jalepeno pepper, Serrano pepper, garlic and onion with 2 tablespoons cumin, a    dash of chili pepper and salt and pepper in olive oil. 

- Saute until soft and beginning to lightly brown/sear

- Move to crock pot

- Add cans of tomatoes to the crock pot and stir, adding cumin and chili pepper as needed, it should smell like chili

- Add all the cans of beans, including the liquid in to the crock pot

- Add vegetable broth if you like your chili a little thinner in consistency

- Cook on high for about 30 mins if you need to eat it soon or if you'd like it to stew a little (better flavor) set the crock pot to low for about 3-4 hours. 

Feel free to make it your own by adding or omitting different kinds of vegetables! Maybe don't use all 4 colors of bell pepper or you could add zucchini or spinach! You can also turn this into a meat-eater's dream by adding browned ground beef sauteed in cumin and chili powder. 

Toping options: chopped green onion, chopped red onion, cheese, crackers, crumbled tortilla chips, cilantro, sour cream, chopped fresh Jalepeno, the sky is the limit!

Enjoy!

Veggie Cashew Curry Oh My!

I love Indian food. So much.  Until I came upon this recipe that suggested adding Greek yogurt I could never quite figure out how to give it that tangy creamy kick that curry has when you go to a restaurant.  So I used that trick to create my own hearty vegetable curry recipe! This recipe is completely adaptable to what you have on hand.  For example, the recipe below is for the pictured curry, but I have also made this recipe to great success by adding onions, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, baby corn, cilantro garnish, chicken, and/or chickpeas.  The basic makeup is to make sure you saute whatever veggies/meat in a little bit of oil with lots of curry powder a touch of cumin and red pepper flakes.  The key ingredient is the yogurt mixture you stir in at the end.  The rest is up to you!

Vegetable Cashew Curry:
ingredients:
3 small heads of brocolli; chopped
2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 bag of baby spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 baby cucumber, finely chopped and some thinly sliced (optional garnish)
1 can of cashew slices
1.5 cups plain greek yogurt
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 can coconut milk
about 3-6 tablespoons curry powder
Pinch of cumin
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Rice

(All of this takes place in one large cooking pot, making this a one pot dish!) 
-Saute Brocolli in a little bit of oil and 1 tbls of curry powder stirring to coat.
-Add red bell pepper and garlic adding oil and curry powder as necessary, again to coat.
-Add mushrooms and spinach with a touch of oil, cumin and red pepper flakes.
-Once the spinach is beginning to wilt add the coconut milk and simmer.  It should be yellow in color.
- While your curry is simmering add half the can of cashews, lime juice, and yogurt to a food processor and mix.  It should have a thick consistency (like pancake batter) add more cashews/ yogurt to reach desired consistency.
- Add mix to the vegetable curry and stir to blend.
- Add most of the rest of the cashew slices to the curry and stir.
- Add chopped cucumber (if using)
- Serve in bowls over rice with extra cashews and sliced ribbons of cucumber.

Enjoy!

Beans on Toast-Yes it can be AMAZING!

Recipe Time!!!!

I have a recipe that is so easy, quick and delicious.  It's vegetarian, and really filling so even those meat eating men in your life will be satisfied.

White Bean Ragu-(Adapted from Bon Apetit)
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup of Soffritto (recipe below)
-White crusty bread, I like to use sourdough
-Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Parmesean
- 2 (15oz) cans of white beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney beans or white navy beans either will work)
- Vegetable broth
- 1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes- or 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.
- salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, rub slices of bread with a little olive oil, garlic and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top. Toast in the oven until they begin to brown on top (5 mins). Set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a skillet. Add Soffritto and beans to the skillet, cook over medium heat until heated through. 
*If you are using cherry tomatoes add to the skillet along with a cup of broth.  Stir, scraping up browned bits until the broth has been absorbed/thickened.  Add broth as needed to get to the consistency you like, up to 4 total cups. I like mine a little liquidy so it soaks into the bread, so I tend to use about 3 cups. 
*If you are using a can of tomatoes, add to the skillet juices and all.  Add small amounts of broth to reach the consistency you like.

Put pieces of bread in a bowl and top with the bean ragu.  Grate Parmesan cheese over the top with a little salt and pepper.  Top with a fried egg if you like for extra protein.  Plus the runny yolk mixes with the broth and it's heavenly.

Soffritto:
Ingredients:
-3 medium onions
-1 red bell pepper
-olive oil
-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste

Pulse onion and bell pepper in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the onion pepper mixture to it, add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Simmer stirring often until the onion and pepper are completely softened. Add minced garlic and tomato paste.  Cook stirring often until the tomato paste turns a deep red about 3 mins. 

Yay! You can add Soffritto to soups, pasta sauces, eggs and obviously white bean ragu for a quick and easy flavor boost.  Cover and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.