This, That, and the Other

Hello Veggie Horizons readers!

I have a lot of catching up to do. So I thought I would throw in a schmorgasbored (is that how we even spell that?) of what I have been cooking and consuming lately.

My new favorite thing to make? Nichole's english muffins. I make them every weekend now and eat them throughout the week/bring them to work to share. They get AMAZING reviews and I can say with full authority that they are the BEST english muffins in the history of the world. Quote me.

I eat them with light cream cheese and strawberry jam most mornings, or with a bit of peanut butter and jam, or, when I'm really decadent, I make Nichole's cream cheese, egg, and basil sandwich. Quite possibly the most delicious breakfast sandwich on the planet.

A tip? the flour you use really makes a difference. King Arthur's Unbleached flour that Nichole recommended really is the best!

A bit more of what I have been cooking lately...

Marinara sauce. Why buy it at the store when you can make it yourself? And make it just as garlicy as you want? I found this great recipe on food.com for crockpot marinara. Now, I know I am not making it completely from scratch because I use canned tomatoes. But I'm a busy girl and this is the best I have come up with so far :-)

The recipe:

• 2 (28 ounce) cans Italian-style crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons Splenda sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot and simmer on low for 8 hours. Note: I like to add a 1/4 of red wine, lately Cabernet. Just adds some extra flavor!

I also love breakfast, as we all know. So I tried these cinammon rolls from the vegetariantimes.com. I didn't have baking powder in my apartment at the time, so they came out a bit flat, but were still delicious!

Recipe!

Rise and Shine Cinammon Rolls

• 3/4 cup low-fat milk
• 2 tsp. yeast
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tbs. lemon juice

1. To make Cinnamon Rolls: Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray. Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat until warm to the touch. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with yeast. Set aside.
2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and salt in bowl. Rub butter into flour mixture with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk until soft dough forms. Transfer to well-floured surface and dust with flour. Press into 12x6-inch rectangle.
3. Combine brown sugar and remaining cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle over dough, and press in lightly with palms of hands. Gently roll dough lengthwise into log. Cut log into 16 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices on prepared baking sheet, reshaping into rounds if necessary. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until rolls begin to brown.
4. To make Glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Glaze will be very thick. Brush glaze on cinnamon rolls right when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.