Vegan Sour Cream Dip

I know this sounds like a oxymoron but it is not. I love sour cream and when it comes to eating healthy, sour cream does not fit into the equation. I make this up at least once a week and just love it on baked potatoes or with chips and veggies. My Healthy Living Class is learning all about tofu and this recipe was a big hit! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 block extra firm tofu
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 packet southwestern ranch dry dip

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until creamy. This usually happens in about 3 minutes. Place covered in the fridge. I promise if you try this that you will love it!


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Fried Rice

As I've said many times, here on Beaty's Creek there are few take out places and NO Chinese take out places at all! I have to make my own when we get the craving for some Chinese food. I have always loved fried rice and this is my way of having it at home! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
2 pounds of white rice-steamed
1 bunch of green onions-chopped
2 carrots-peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 cup frozen peas
2 eggs-beaten
Oil of your choice-I use canola
6 T soy sauce
1 T sea salt
1 T black pepper
Meat of your choice or firm tofu cut into 1/2 inch pieces


I think the trick to really good homemade fried rice is steaming your rice the day before you are going to use it. The next trick is to have a really hot wok. I use an electric stove so I cook on high when I use my wok.

Heat wok with about 3 T of oil in it. When heated add your meat of choice (thinly sliced) and cook until almost done. Remove from wok and add in veggies, soy, salt and pepper. Cook until fork tender, remove from wok. Now add beaten eggs and cook until done. I stir mine around up the sides of the wok and then scrap them off, remove from wok. Add about 3 T oil and add your rice back with your meat choice. Stir constantly for about 4 minutes, now add in your veggies and eggs with a little more soy sauce. Serve hot with additional soy if you like.

Everyday Cookies

I was looking for a new cookie recipe and came across this one. I decided to give it a try because the ingredients sounded like an interesting mix. It comes from Food Editors' Favorites Treasured Recipes and the recipe made me laugh out loud. Well they are called Everyday Cookies, I assumed this meant that you could make these everyday. Well, I had to make sure that I had all of the listed ingredients before starting. Check your pantry because the list is a little long and a little different and if your pantry is like mine, coconut does not always live. Be sure to not bake these longer than listed or the bottoms will burn and the tops will still be light gold. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t cream of tartar
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup rice crispy cereal
1 cup quick cooking oat meal
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350'. Cream butter, sugars, and oil. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well so oil does not separate. Add flour mixed with cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Stir in rice cereal, oats, coconut and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Bake on lower rack for 5-6 minutes and then move to middle rack and bake for 5 minutes longer. Remove from sheets and cool completely.

Cochon 555 @ Stillwater, OK

First of all I would like to thank foodbuzz for selecting my blog to go to Cochon 555! Raven and I had a blast! The food was incredible and the wine even better. Choc Beer was also there, you will have to check out their website. They have been an Oklahoma brewery for many years with a lot of history in the state. Really good beer to say the least.

Our vote for the best of the Cochon 555 had to go to Catalan out of Houston Tx. Their chefs and food were the absolute best! Their pork was juicy and seasoned to perfection. They had an appetizer of whipped lard on a crustini, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. One person I talked to said "it tasted like budda." I never knew that fat could taste so good, a good thing since I am teaching a healthy eating class. Their pork tacos were the best I have ever eaten and that is saying a lot. I love pork tacos and eat them whenever I get a chance. The Catalan used a Mangalitsa breed of pig that is also known as the "Woolly Pig." This breed is known for a high quality lard-type fat and a high percent of marbling which doubles that of average pork. This pork had a wonderful taste with just the bare minimum of seasonings. I think that says a lot about the quality of the meat when you don't have to spice it up to taste good. This pork was fork tender too, no knife needed.

Our other honorable mention goes to the Chef himself, Matt Harris from J&G Grill at the St. Regis, out of Utah. We just loved Matt's Maple coated pork. He used a Yorkshire/Hampshire breed of pig. This breed was bred for a very thick back fat and marbling of the meat. This makes for juicy and great tasting pork.

My pick for the best tasting wine goes to Miner Winery. I am a big fan of their attitude and taste! One thing I hate about red wine is the oak taste. The red I sampled of theirs was not "oaky" at all. It was very good with pork. I realize the pictures we took are not the best but neither was the lighting. I hope you got a feel of how great Cochon 555 was. If you are lucky enough to have Cochon 555 roll into your city, be sure to check it out!

Colcannon

This must be my Irish week. I love Colcannon and can eat it as a main dish or as a side. This is definitely a dish where simple ingredients combine to make something unique and tasty. It is easy to make but there are a few steps to get to the end product. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
4 pounds potatoes-peeled and quartered
1-2 pound head green cabbage
1 stick butter
1 cup cream
1 pound bacon-cooked until crisp

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, as you would for mashed potatoes. Meanwhile, pour enough oil on a heavy bottom skillet to coat it. Cut up your cabbage and remove the core. I cut mine into 1 inch wide strips. Salt and pepper to taste and place into an oil coated skillet. Cook over medium heat until softened but not mushy. Now pour water off of potatoes and mash. While mashing add in your butter and salt and pepper to taste. Add in cream and whip up the potatoes until light. I love to use my Kitchen Aid for this. Now add in cabbage and bacon and stir well. That is it. You are good to go now and remember to share.

Homemade Banana Moon Pies

Ransome loves Moon Pies and so do I. I have seen so many recipes for them but I think this one is the best, soft and sweet. I just love using vanilla beans instead of liquid vanilla extract. I think the taste is best with the beans, plus I love the look of the tiny little vanilla goodness in every bite. This is the first cookie that I have piped out of an icing bag but it will not be the last. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 very ripe banana-mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1 stick butter-softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 vanilla bean-scraped
2 packages cream cheese-softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean-scraped

In your Kitchen Aid Mixer with the paddle attachment, mix your butter and both sugars together until light and creamy. Add in your banana, sour cream, vanilla, and egg. Now add your egg and sour cream and mix well. Now sift all of your dry ingredients together. I added mine in a cup at a time until all are mixed well. Now fill a pastry bag that is fitted with a 1/4 tube tip. I squeezed out mine to half dollar coin size on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I wish that I had pressed the "tip" down so the outside of the cookie would have looked smoother, next time maybe. I guess they look fine with the little pointy tip on top though. Bake at 350' for 10-12 minutes. They will not get golden but will be solid to the touch when done. I removed mine from the parchment paper to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Add your cream cheese and vanilla bean scrapings into your Kitchen Aid bowl and with the paddle attachment on, whip until light. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time until all is added. Fill a pastry bag and use the same size tip that you used to make the cookies. Place about a tablespoon of icing on the bottom of a cookie and top with another. Store in the fridge.

Corned Beef Hash

Raven loves corned beef hash, I guess she is my little Yankee ;~) I decided to make her some out of our leftover corned beef from St. Patrick's Day and it turned out scrumptious. We ate this with buttered rye bread and it makes it even better. This is What's Cookin on this rainy Spring Day on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
7 russet potatoes-peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 carrots-peeled and a sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 pounds corned beef-cut into 1/2 cubes
4 T canola oil

Coat bottom of a heavy bottom skillet with canola oil and heat over medium heat. When heated add your carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes and then add in your corned beef. Continue to cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and corned beef if crispy.