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Category Archives: Vegetarian

Mojo de Ajo Asado aka Roasted Garlic Mojo

18 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by annashortcakes in Dressings/Sauces, Gluten-Free, Mexican, Vegetarian

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

garlic, gluten free, lime, Mexican, roasted, sauce, vegan, vegetarian

After hearing an interview with Rick Bayless on NPR, I knew I had to check out one of his cookbooks. I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I have never met a dish I didn’t like. I also appreciate Rick’s approach to this cuisine. It’s not that fried, unhealthy “Mexican” that can be found in every average Mexican restaurant in the US. This is homemade, home grown Mexican.

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Mojo de Ajo Asado aka Roasted Garlic Mojo (from More Mexican Everyday)

  • 4 heads of garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt

In a large iron skillet, scatter the garlic and roast, turning regularly until evenly spotted brown. You may need to do two batches. (This method is super easy!) Allow the roasted garlic to cool then remove the clove from the peel. Add to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Turn the processor on and slowly pour the olive oil into the garlic. Stop the processor and add the lime juice and the salt. Pulse until incorporated. Store in a glass jar. Lasts several months. Makes 2 cups.

Rick suggests adding a chili flakes for heat, stirring it to mayo for a quick aioli, using it to saute shrimp, or spreading onto bread before grilling it. 

 

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Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

09 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Italian, Vegetarian

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Tags

cheese, Dinner, fresh, mushrooms, pasta, quick, ravioli, sauce, tomato, vegetarian

This is a quick work night dinner or busy weekend lunch that you can make to use up the last of this season’s tomatoes. I am sad that winter is coming but looking forward to fall foods… I can’t wait for soups, chowders, and root veggie hash. Mmmm!

ravioli

Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

  • 2 servings of fresh cheese ravioli
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 5 leaves of basil, sliced very thinly
  • 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 small onion, chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Parsley, chopped, to garnish
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the ravioli per package instructions. In a skillet, heat up about 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onion until tender. Add the tomatoes and warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Place al dente ravioli on plates; top with sauce and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 2.

Quick Pickled Onions

05 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Appetizers, Dressings/Sauces, Gluten-Free, Snacks, Vegetarian

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

appetizer, condiment, gluten free, onions, pickled, quick, red, snack, vegetarian

Every get together of our Foodie Friend group, someone requests these quick pickled onions. They go with damn near anything. Hamburgs, hot dogs, BBQ, soup beans, Mexican food, charcuterie, cheese plates, dried fruits…. See what I mean…. You want to make these. Just do it.

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Quick Pickled Onions

  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 5 to 10 whole peppercorns
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced

In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except the onion. Bring to a boil. In a glass bowl, add the onion and pour the hot vinegar over the onion. When room temperature, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

I am Back Again… (and this time with Grilled Shishito Peppers!)

23 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Asian, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

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Tags

gluten free, grilled, peppers, produce, shishito, summer, vegetable

I know I said a few months ago I was back to blogging and then I disappeared again. Getting the hang of this new life is harder than I thought. There is a lot of growing and changing and shifting after a major life event. This is not something that one can anticipate, even someone who is a planner to the extreme (who!? Not me!). As much as I have struggled these past few months, I have also grown tremendously and learned I have more strength and resilience than I previously believed. I have more confidence and faith in myself. I am more reflective of my self, my thoughts, my actions. I have made some wonderful new friendships and strengthened older relationships. I am happier now than I have been in a long time.

I have loved hosting dinner at my humble little apartment home. My last little dinner included spicy pork burgers with spicy cheddar and grilled shishito peppers. These little Japanese peppers are full of flavor without overwhelming spiciness. Trader Joe’s sells these now when in season. You can also find them at your local Asian market. Give these little babies a try….

peppers

Grilled Shishito Peppers

  • 8 oz fresh shishito peppers
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper

Prepare your grill to medium heat. In a bowl, toss the peppers in enough olive oil to evenly coat. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the peppers change color evenly (I look for the army green color to just appear). Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 2 to 3.

Bright Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

16 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Dressings/Sauces, Gluten-Free, Salads, Vegetarian

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

blueberries, gluten free, pecans, poppy seed dressing, raspberries, salad, strawberries, vegetarian

Kentucky is suffering “WINTER STORM 2015” according to our local weather. Dramatic much?! It really is pretty snowy though. We have about 7 inches right now. Not much for the Yanks but a pretty good snow for us Kentuckians. Thankfully it is a light powdery snow so maybe we will keep our power throughout the night. The next few days promise to be miserably cold. I am not excited.

I am excited about this salad though. It is delicious and beautiful. I can’t wait to take it to work. I won’t be tempted to order out when I know I have this meal waiting on me.

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Bright Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Salad:

  • 2 cups leaf lettuce
  • 1/3 cup raspberries
  • 1/3 cup blueberries
  • 1/3 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup croutons

Poppy Seed Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, add the lettuce. Top with berries, pecans, onions, and croutons. In another bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Pour desired amount over salad. Serves 1.

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Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

10 Tuesday Feb 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Italian, Main DIshes, Vegetarian

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

asparagus, cheese, Italian, main dish, pasta, pesto, vegetarian, walnuts

I love this recipe because it is delicious, quick, cheap, and easy….. That’s what she said!

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Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

  • 20 frozen cheese ravioli
  • 1/2 bundle of fresh asparagus, lightly roasted in the oven
  • 1/4 cup English walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1/8 cup pesto
  • Parmesan cheese to garnish

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan. Add the asparagus, walnuts, and pesto. Toss to coat. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Pomegranate, Kale, and Wild Rice Salad with Walnuts and Feta

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Salads, Vegetarian

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

appetizer, feta, gluten free, kale, pomegranate, salad, vegetarian, walnut, wild rice

It is so cold here!! A record low of 24 today! All I can do is shake my head and seek solace in food. But as I mentioned earlier, I don’t want to gain extra weight before the holiday eats. This salad is delicious, low calorie, and easy to assemble. If I was hosting Thanksgiving this year, I might consider serving a small version of this as first course.

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Pomegranate Kale, and Wild Rice Salad with Walnuts and Feta (from Pinch of Yum)

  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 cups chopped baby kale
  • 2 cups cooked wild rice
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • ¼ cup feta cheese
  • Pomegranate Vinagrette or this onion dressing

Prepare your salad ingredients and separate into 4 bowls. Top with desired amount of dressing.

Look how beautiful the salad is up close!

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Pinto Bean and Hominy Salad

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Gluten-Free, Salads, Vegetarian

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

gluten free, healthy, hominy, pinto beans, protein, salad, side dish, vegetarian

The holidays are just around the corner and I am sure that at least 75% of people have already thought about the possibility of gaining that extra holiday weight. Who can resist all the deliciousness? Rather than deprive myself, I am trying to eat really healthy beforehand.

This recipe is full of fiber and protein to help you stay fuller longer. It’s cheap to make and delicious. You could serve it as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course.

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Pinto Bean and Hominy Salad (from The Homesick Texan)

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, drained
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, roughtly chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, and diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the pinto beans, hominy, onion, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and peppers. Toss to combined.

Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, and smoked paprika. Pour over the salad and stir. Add the feta cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Blue Stallion Brewing Co.

05 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Kentucky Proud, Travel, Vegetarian

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

beer, Blue Stallion Brewing Co., breweries, Jim Clemons, Kentucky Proud, local, on tap, vegan

The Bluegrass region has a lot to offer. The Bourbon Trail. Horse racing. Excellent outdoor activities. And several new breweries in downtown Lexington. My first visit into this district was with friends at Blue Stallion Brewing Co., located off West 3rd Street. During this visit, I drank some tasty beer and ate some amazing things from the Gastro Gnomes food truck. I had a blast and can’t wait to go back again.

BSBC 2

JimClemons4_275pxAs I was sipping my Wee Heavy, I was lucky enough to get a brief interview with one of the owners, Jim Clemons. Jim used to be a Chemical Engineer for LexMark but has become one of the lucky few who makes money as he lives his passion. After making beer at home for several years, Jim joined with four other beer enthusiasts to found Blue Stallion, one of the smallest commerical breweries in Kentucky. Jim says his favorite beer is the Pilsner because it reminds him of the time he has spent in Germany. He describes the beer as bitter enough to have character but not overwhelmingly so. It is quite tasty! The full flavor is very enjoyable without being too pushy; sturdy enough to drink alone but also would pair well with most any food. Of the three I tried, it was also my favorite.

BSBC 1According to Jim, the beer at Blue Stallion is “more old world European” than the beer offered at the other Lexington breweries. He describes the beer at Country Boy as “pleasantly cutting edge,” while the beer at West 6th is “more in the modern American style.” Jim speaks very highly of the other breweries and reports that they all share a strong relationship; he says a strong brewery district is good for everyone. Having such a large variety of beer available in Lexington means that there is something for every palate.

The production beer at Blue Stallion Brewing Co. is, at least so far, all vegan, all natural, with no spices, fruit, or herbs. Their beer is made with only grain, hops, and yeast, from the beer’s country of origin.  According to Jim, many breweries use a clean yeast strain from California ; “there isnt’ anything wrong with that, it’s just a little different flavor than what we are going for,” Jim says. Most all Blue Stallion beer is filtered with coarse filter pads, resulting in crystal clear beverages; he says this is just a preference but does not affect the flavor of the beer.

BSBC 3Blue Stallion averages one batch of beer per week ­- that’s 28 kegs of beer. He says they serve half of that beer at their own bar, while bottling and selling the other half to resturants and private citizens by the growler. When I asked what he saw for the brewery in the future, he said he would like to see them increase their production three fold, build a bigger brewery (they have a 15 year lease at their current location, so don’t fear, they won’t be moving any time soon), and to become more production oriented, rather than bar oriented.

BSBC 4But clearly serving their own beer is working well for them now. When I arrived at 530pm, there were about 10 people there already, enjoying a cold one. Several people (including me) were also waiting on the Gastro Gnomes Food Truck to begin serving dinner. Blue Stallion, like the other breweries, allows food trucks to park on their property and conduct business. (Side note: Lexington is working on legislation to allow food trucks in more areas around town. Despite some pushback from traditional resturants, food trucks have become very popular, even though they have to park with permission on private property at this time.) Jim says allowing food trucks is a great way to increase beer sales. He says the more you eat, the more you can drink, the longer you stay. It also is a great draw for the sober driver in the group. Plus, most everyone would agree good food and good beer make for a great night out. There is a rotating collection of food trucks that serve at the brewery. You can find out when each one will be there on the Blue Stallion event calendar or the food trucks websites.

BSBC Collage

In addition to partnering with food trucks, Blue Stallion has other events nearly every night. Sunday and Monday features reduced pricing on growler fills (that’s a half gallon of deliciousness!). Tuesday night has been dubbed “Test Batch Tuesday.” Jim says beer from tap #4 is usually real good, but occassionally some is not (Hey, it’s experimental !!). Either way, I bet it’s a lot of fun! Wednesday night features live music from local bands. Live Team Trivia is popular on Thursday. If none of these things are appealing, there is a comfortable lounge area with dart boards and a pool table. I can’t imagine how anyone couldn’t have fun at Blue Stallion Brewing Company. I had a blast and can’t wait to go back!

Thanks to Jim for the interview, the delicious Gastro Gnome for the tasty eats, and my fellow foodie friends for inviting me to such a wonderful place! (Please note all photos, except the photo of Jim, were taken by me. The photo of Jim can be found here.)

Pickled Garlic

26 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Asian, Vegetarian

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Edward Lee, garlic, molasses, pickled, pickles, snacks, soy

For Christmas, my dearest hubby gave me Smoke and Pickles – the cookbook by Edward Lee, a Louisville chef, whose recipes have a lovely twist of Southern and Asian flavors. This pickled garlic is lovely.

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I finely mince it and then add it back into the molasses soy sauce to use as a dipping sauce for potstickers. It would also be a great garnish for Bloody Marys or as a nibble to go with other pickled items and your cocktail.

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Pickled Garlic

  • 2 heads of garlic, each clove peeled and rinsed with water
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 2/3 cups rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Place the garlic cloves in a jar and cover with the white vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days. Drain the garlic and rinse with cold water. Place the garlic back in the jar. In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sugar, molasses, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then turn off and allow the flavors to mingle for 15 minutes. Pour the liquid over the garlic cloves, cover, and refrigerate for a week. Enjoy for weeks!

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