Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place all ingredients in 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with fork. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and side of crust.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Use as directed in favorite pie recipe.

Sweet Potato and fried sage

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Sweet-Potato-Rounds-with-Garlic-Oil-and-Fried-Sage-350654

Moroccan Stew

1/2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup chopped green beans
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed fresh tomatoes
3 cups vegetable stock
13-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and halved (reserve the brine)
1/2 cup pitted black olives, halved
pinch of saffron
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
toasted chopped almonds

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the thyme, potatoes, green beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes and cook on medium high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetable stock and the brine from the artichokes and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the halved artichoke hearts, the black olives, and a pinch of saffron. Continue to simmer gently for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread or on couscous and top with chopped almonds.

Recipe from Sundays at the Moosewood

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut

From "125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes":

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut

2 Cups red lentils

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin seeds (see tips)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked peppercorns

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, including juice

6 cups vegetable stock

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 long red chili pepper or 2 thai chilies, finely chopped (see tips)

thin slices lemon (optional)

finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1. In a colander, rince lentils thoroughly under cold running water. Set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Stir in reserved lentils and stock.
3. Transfer the mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours (on low is much better), until carrots are tender and mixture is bubbling. Stir in coconut milk, lemon juice, and chili pepper and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
4. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top with lemon slices and cilantro, if using.

Tips:

If you don't have fresh chili peppers, stir in your favorite hot pepper sauce, to taste, just before serving.

For enhanced cumin flavor, toast the cumin seeds in a frying pan and coarsely crush before using in this recipe.

This soup can be partially prepared the night before it is cooked. Compete steps 1 and . Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, continue cooking as directed in step three.

SERVES

8 to 10 as a starter or

4 to 6 as a main course

Goat cheese, basil, carrot, and kiwi CAN be good together!

Okay, here it is... you've got to try it! As nauseating as it sounds, its actually REALLY good. With that introduction I'm sure you're all going to be rushing to try it.

Step 1: the carrot spread

Put several peeled carrots in a food processor with roasted garlic, ginger, and a bit of tofu and blend until very smooth.

Step 2: the sandwich, part 1

Spread goat cheese on one slice of bread, and the carrot spread on the other. Place fresh basil between them, and close the sandwich. Butter both sides of the sandwich and fry in a pan like grilled cheese. When both sides are browned, remove from pan and open the sandwich back up. 

Step 3: the sandwich, part 2

Now sparingly place very thin slices of fresh onion across a slice, and then place thin slices of kiwi on top. Finish and serve before it cools off!

Its so good! I'd imagine you could play with different fruit choices... pears, peach, strawberry... They all would add a bit of their own taste, but the primary role of any of them is to add sweetness. Hope you enjoy!

Tropical spin on Oatmeal

Tried this this morning... so good! Waaaaaaay too much saturated fat, but for an unusual treat, its worth it!

1/3 cup of coconut milk (shake the can real well before opening)
1 cup water
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
nutmeg to taste
brown sugar to taste
1 sliced kiwi

Combine the first three and microwave for 3 minutes. Season with nutmeg, and stir in some brown sugar. Top with kiwi slices and devour.

Chef James Arthur

My good buddy in town James Arthur kickin it Mediteranian style for a contest to cook with Rocco Dispirito.