Dinner 19: Minnesota

Menu

Jucy Lucy Cheeseburgers
Minnesota Green Beans
French Fries
Strawberry Fluff Jello Salad

Review

I chose Minnesota next because I wanted a state that started with 'M' and because Mommy said we could probably have a salad made with Jello, which I thought was funny! After looking up different recipes, I decided to try a hamburger made with cheese in the middle, french fries like how they have at the state fair, green beans and a strawberry Jello salad with whipped cream in it!

I really liked the french fries - they were the best fries I've ever had! I liked the cheeseburgers, too, but thought it was a little weird to have the cheese in the middle, it was kind of messy to eat. The green beans were very yummy and I loved the Jello salad - it was bright pink and full of marshmallows! I want to have that again!

Recipes

Jucy Lucy Cheeseburgers

(original recipe from Food.com)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 ounces shredded soy cheese, divided into four portions
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine beef, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Divide into 8 portions and shape into thin, round patties.

Place one portion of the shredded soy cheese on top of a patty. Cover with a second patty and tightly crimp the edges together to form a tight seal. Repeat with remaining patties.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers 5 minutes, flip and, using a toothpick, poke a small hole in the top to allow steam to escape. Cook 5 more minutes, or until desired doneness.

Minnesota Green Beans

(original recipe from Cooks.com)

1 pound fresh green beans
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a dash celery salt
1 tablespoon dairy-free parmesan topping
4 tablespoons soy margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Steam beans for 3 minutes, then place in an oven-proof dish. Add remaining ingredients, except margarine, and toss until beans are evenly coated. Dot with margarine and bake for 20 minutes.

French Fries

(original recipe from epicurious.com)

6 cups vegetable oil
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch sticks
salt, to taste

Heat oil to 325 degrees in a heavy pot over medium heat.

Fry potatoes in batches for 1 1/2 minutes per batch and transfer by slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Heat oil to 350 degrees and re-fry in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to clean paper towels to drain.

Season with salt.

Strawberry Fluff Jello Salad

(original recipe from Grinning Cheek to Cheek)

1 large package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
1 large package strawberry Jello
2 cups water
16 ounces dairy-free whipped topping (we used this recipe: Dairy Free Whipped Cream Frosting)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
1 pint fresh strawberries, cut into bite-sized pieces

Pour pudding and Jello mixes into a small pan and add water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Refrigerate until mixture thickens, about 2 hours.

Once thickened, whisk the mixture until it is creamy and few lumps are left. Add the dairy-free topping and mix lightly, then fold in the marshmallows and strawberries.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dinner 18: New Hampshire

Menu

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Maple Glazed Chicken with Carrots
Turn of the Century Baked Brown Bread
Delicious Maple Bars

Review

I chose New Hampshire because I wanted to do a small state after Texas was so big. I chose pumpkin soup, maple chicken, bread made with molasses, and maple bars. I really wanted to try all the maple food!

We still had a pumpkin leftover from Thanksgiving, so it was easy to make the soup. Mommy just roasted it and then made it into soup with some other ingredients. The soup and the bread smelled really, really good while they were cooking. The maple bars did, too, but I wasn't allowed to eat any of them early.

My favorite part of dinner was the bread, which was so so soooooo good I had to have another piece. My next favorite part was the maple bar for dessert, because it was like a big square cookie and it tasted like maple. I liked the soup and the chicken and carrots, too. Everything was really good. I like New Hampshire food a lot!

Recipes

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

(original recipe from Visit New Hampshire)

1/2 cup soy margarine
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sherry
2 quarts chicken stock
1 medium pumpkin, poached & peeled
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups soy milk

Melt the butter in a small soup pot. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent.

Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Add the sherry and deglaze the pan, then add chicken stock and bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Add the pumpkin and maple syrup and blend until smooth. Add the soy milk and season to taste. Allow to simmer until desired thickness.

Maple Glazed Chicken with Carrots

(original recipe from Ben's Maple Syrup)

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 servings of carrots
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy margarine
1/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking dish with olive oil.

Place chicken breasts in the prepared dish. Surround the chicken with the carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth over veggies and bake in oven for 20 minutes.

While chicken is baking, melt margarine in a small sauce pan and remove from heat Add maple syrup and stir until thick and thoroughly blended.

Brush maple mixture over chicken and carrots and bake for another 15 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Turn of the Century Baked Brown Bread

(original recipe from grouprecipes.com)

2 cups soy milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a large loaf pan.

Mix all ingredients and pour into prepared pan. Bake about 60 minutes or until cooked through.

Delicious Maple Bars

(original recipe from Visit New Hampshire)

1/2 cup maple sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup crushed pretzel bits

1 egg equivalent of prepared egg replacer

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.

Mix all ingredients together. Spread mixture into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until done.

Cut into squares while still warm.

Dinner 17: Texas

Menu

Texas Chicken-Fried Steak
Tex-Mex Spiral Potatoes
Texas Sweet Onion Rings
Texas Sheet Cake

Review

I chose Texas next, just because I wanted to. I didn't really have a reason. All the foods we looked at had Texas in the name, so it was easy to find Texas food! I chose chicken-fried stead, potatoes with sauce and cheese on them, onion rings and a really big chocolate cake.

I helped make the cake, which was a lot of mixing stuff together. Then I helped pour it into the pan. And then I helped taste the batter! Yum! I also ate a couple of the onion rings before dinner to taste them, too.

I liked everything! It was a really good dinner. I really liked the onion rings, they were even better than the ones we had from Nevada. I liked the potatoes, too, but I liked them better without the sauce on them. And I liked the steak, too. My favorite was the chocolate cake, because it was soooo chocolatey and sooooo big!

Recipes

Texas Chicken-Fried Steak

(original recipe from Mr. Food)

4 beef cubed steaks
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups soy milk, divided
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chicken broth

In a shallow dish, mix flour, salt and pepper. In a second shallow dish, combine 3/4 cups of the soy milk and the vinegar.

Dip the steaks in the flour mixture, pressing it into the meat, then dip into the soy milk mixture, then bad into the flour. Reserve remaining flour.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until done. Drain on a paper towel-lined platter and cover.

To make gravy, add remaining flour to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes until flour is browned, stirring constantly. Whisk in remaining soy milk and broth, stirring until sauce is smooth and thickened. Serve over the steak.

Tex-Mex Spiral Potatoes

(original recipe from Mr. Food)

4 large Idaho potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Texas-style barbecue sauce (recipe follows)
1/4 cup dry whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded soy cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 chopped scallions

Slice the bottoms off the potatoes so that they will lay flat. Place two wooden spoons parallel to each other and place a potato lengthwise between the handles. Make 8 crosswise cuts into the potato, stopping as the knife hits the spoon handles.

Place the potatoes on a microwaveable plate. Cook on high for 7 minutes, then turn the potatoes over and cook for another 7 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Carefully brush the outside of the potatoes with oil, reserving the remaining oil for the topping.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the potatoes in a baking dish, then drizzle with barbecue sauce, allowing the sauce to drip between the slices.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, soy cheese, garlic powder and remaining olive oil. Top each potato with the crumb mixture.

Bake potatoes for 20 minutes, or until soft in the center. Top with chopped scallion.

Texas Style Barbecue Sauce

(original recipe from Taste of Home)

1 tablespoon soy margarine
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder

In a large saucepan, heat margarine over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Texas Sweet Onion Rings

(original recipe from Texas Monthly)

3 cups soy milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
oil, for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together soy milk and vinegar. Add onion slices and set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large dish, combine flour, salt and chili powder. Drain the onions and dredge in the flour mixture.

Pour at least 4 inches of oil into a heavy saucepan. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Fry the onions, about 2-3 minutes, until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Texas Sheet Cake

(original recipe from She Bakes, She Makes)

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup soy margarine
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Texas Glaze (recipe follows)

In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa powder, margarine and 1 cup water, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy milk and vinegar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and flour. Add the cocoa mixture and blend well. Stir in the baking soda, 2 tablespoons water, soy milk mixture and vanilla.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. While the cake is baking prepare the glaze.

When the cake is done, immediately spread the glaze over it.

Texas Glaze

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

6 tablespoons soy milk

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup soy margarine

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine the soy milk, cocoa and margarine. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Spread over warm cake.

Dinner 16: Massachusetts

Menu

Cranberry Pork Chops
Boston Baked Beans
Herb-Roasted New England Potatoes
Boston Cream Pie

Review

We had Massachusetts food next because my cousins and uncle and aunt were visiting and I wanted them to try Massachusetts food. We looked at a lot of recipes, but I decided to have pork chops because they were made with cranberries inside! I also chose baked beans, potatoes and Boston cream pie, which is really more like a cake.

It took all day to make the beans - they cooked on the stove for a long time and then cooked in the oven for a long time. At first I thought they were yummy, but then I thought they were too sticky and I didn't like them anymore. I liked everything else, though! The pork chops really did have cranberries in them and on top of them, too. I didn't really like the cranberry sauce, but the pork part was good. I really, really liked the potatoes and the cream pie was the best part! It was so yummy!

Recipes

Cranberry Pork Chops

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
6 pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
honey, to drizzle

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Add the cranberries and cook until about half have popped. Remove from the heat, stir in the cloves and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously greases a large glass baking dish.

Cut a pocket in the side of each pork chop and fill with the cranberry mixture. Place in the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle honey over each chop. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until done.

Boston Baked Beans

(original recipe from Boston Discovery Guide)

1 pound navy beans
2 onions, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ginger

Rinse the beans. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the beans and turn of the burner. Allow beans to soak for an hour.

Drain out the water and refill with enough water to cover the beans by at least 3 inches. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Combine all remaining ingredients in a large baking dish and mix thoroughly.

When the beans are ready, remove them from the stove. Add one cup of the cooking water to the baking dish and stir to thin the mixture. Reserve the remaining cooking water.

Add the beans to the baking dish and gently stir, being careful not to crush the beans. The mixture should look pale and soupy - add more cooking water, if necessary.

Cover the dish and put it into the oven to bake. Check every hour to make sure they aren't getting too dry. If they are, add more of the cooking water and stir.

After 3 hours, remove the cover and continue baking uncovered for 1 more hour, checking frequently to ensure the beans don't get too dry. Allow the beans to cool slightly before serving.

Herb-Roasted New England Potatoes

(original recipe from Rodelle Kitchen)

2 pounds small New England red potatoes, washed and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss to coat the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a baking dish and roast until tender.

Boston Cream Pie

(original recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Cybele Pascal)

Cake:
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Pastry Cream:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Ganache:
1/4 cup soy milk
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a cake pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy milk and vinegar together and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar and vanilla. Add the soy milk mixture and beat another minute. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix thoroughly until no large lumps remain.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minute or until done. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the pastry cream, whisk together the cornstarch and soy milk in a small saucepan until no lumps remain. Bring to just below a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Once it thickens to the consistency of pudding (this happens very quickly once it begins to thicken), remove from heat and stir vigorously until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and continue to beat while adding the cooled soy milk mixture. Beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Set aside.

To make the ganache, bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a rubber spatula to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside.

To assemble the pie, slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread the pastry cream on the bottom layer, place the top layer of the cake on top, then spoon about half the ganache over the cake, let set for about 5 minutes, then spoon the rest of the ganache over the cake.

Dinner 15: Tennessee

Menu

Tennesee Burger with Bourbon and BBQ Sauce
Papa's Slaw
Old Fashioned Biscuits
Chocolate Fried Pies

Review

I chose Tennessee next because they were playing Daddy's favorite football team next. I wanted the hamburger because it looked yummy. And the chocolate fried pies - I'd never had those before!

I loved the burgers! Even the onions on them and I usually don't like onions that aren't mixed in, but these onions were really good. I liked the biscuits, too. I ate a bunch of them because they were so yummy. I didn't like the cole slaw though, which was funny because I liked the cabbage by itself, but not when it was mixed with the rest of the ingredients. The chocolate fried pies were my favorite! They were sooooooooo good.

Recipes

Tennesee Burger with Bourbon and BBQ Sauce

(original recipe from My Recipes)

3 bacon slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups vertically sliced red onion
5 tablespoons bourbon, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound ground sirloin
4 hamburger buns

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Add oil and onion to bacon drippings and cook until onion is lightly browned and very tender, stirring occasionally. Add 3 tablespoons of bourbon, vinegar, and salt. Cook until liquid is almost evaporated, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from pan and allow to cool.

In a small saucepan, combine 2 teaspoons bourbon, ketchup, mustard, honey, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of the onion mixture and add it to the beef. Combine thoroughly, then divide the beef mixture into 4 portions and shape into patties. Cook patties until desired doneness.

Spread each bun half with some of the sauce. Place patties on the bottom halves, then divide remaining onion mixture among servings. Top with bacon and top half of bun.

Papa's Slaw

(original recipe from Food Network)

1 small head cabbage
2 bell peppers
2 carrots
2 small onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar

Finely chop or grate cabbage, peppers, carrots and onions. Sprinkle salt over the mixture and let stand  2 hours. Drain well.

Add celery seed, mustard seed, vinegar and sugar. Mix well, then cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Old Fashioned Biscuits

(original recipe from Just A Pinch)

1 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening (very cold)
3 tablespoons melted soy margarine

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a biscuit pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine soy milk and vinegar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Mix in soy milk mixture until a light dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times.

Pat dough to flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place in pan. Pour melted margarine over each biscuit. Bake 13-15 minutes, until golden.

Remove biscuits from pan and place into a covered container and allow to steam for 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Fried Pies

(original recipe from Just A Pinch)

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup soy margarine, melted
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup soy milk, plus more if needed
vegetable oil, for frying

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and cocoa powder. Add the margarine and stir until it forms a paste. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the soy milk and combine until the dough sticks together. Divide the dough into 5-6 portions, and roll our on a floured circle into 6 inch circle. Place 2 tablespoons of the filling on each circle. Wet the edges of the dough and fold over, crimping the edges.

In a large skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/4 inch and heat over medium heat. Fry the pies until golden brown on each side, turning as needed. Remove to drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Dinner 14: Nevada

Menu

Hunter's Rabbit
(Not-)Buttermilk Onion Rings
Sunshine Beets
Caramel-Frosted Potato Cake

Justin's Review

I chose Nevada because Daddy said it would probably be the hardest one to find foods for and I thought that was kind of funny. Mommy said we should just have a buffet, but I decided I wanted to try rabbit. We also had onion rings, beets and a cake made with potatoes!

When Daddy and I went to get the rabbit, the butcher had just left the store and we had to come back another day, but the second time Daddy just went by himself.

I liked the rabbit, but there were a lot of tomato bits in the sauce - too many of them! I really liked the onion rings, they were delicious, but I really, really, really didn't like the beets. Yuck! The potato cake was really good, too. You couldn't taste potatoes at all, it just tasted like chocolate and frosting.

Recipes

Hunter's Rabbit

(original recipe from Food Network)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 rabbit, cut into 6-8 portions
salt and pepper, to taste
2 shallots, minced
1/3 cup flour
1 pinch dried thyme
1 pinch dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper. Place the pieces in the hot oil and brown both sides. Remove from the heat and transfer the pieces to a medium casserole dish.

Return the skillet to the heat and add more oil. Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes. Transfer the shallots to the casserole.

Sprinkle the rabbit casserole with flour, thyme and parsley. Add the bay leaf and stir in the tomato sauce, wine and broth. Cover with foil and put in the oven to bake until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours.

(Not-)Buttermilk Onion Rings

(original recipe from StarChefs.com)

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 large Vidalia onions, sliced into thin rounds

4 ounces flour

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

oil, for frying

salt and pepper, to taste

Lightly whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a medium bowl. Soak onion rings in the mixture for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin and salt. 

Heat oil to 350 degrees.

Remove the onion rings from the soy milk mixture, squeezing off any excess. Toss the rings in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Add salt and a pepper, if desired.

Sunshine Beets

(original recipe from Cooks.com)

1 1/2 cups sliced cooked beets
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon soy margarine

In a small saucepan, stir together cornstarch, sugar and salt. Combine with orange juice and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens.

Add the cooked beets and margarine and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until beets are hot.

Caramel-Frosted Potato Cake

(original recipe from Taste of Home)

Cake:

3/4 cup soy margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs equivalent of egg replacer, prepared

1 cup mashed potatoes (without milk or butter)

2 ounces sweet chocolate, melted

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup soy milk

Frosting:

1/4 soy margarine

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons soy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan.

In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the potatoes, chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the prepared egg replacer.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. Gradually add to the margarine mixture, alternating with soy milk, and beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg replacer until as foamy as possible. Gently stir into the batter. 

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, melt the margarine in a small saucepan, add brown sugar and cook over low heat for 2 inures. Remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and just enough milk to achieve a thick pouring consistency. Pour over cake.

Dinner 13: Virginia

Menu

Baked Glazed Virginia Ham
Christiana Campbell's Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins
Fried Carrots
(Egg-free! Dairy-free!) Pound Cake

Justin's Review

I chose Virginia next because it starts with V, like my best friend Violet's name. I wanted to have ham, sweet potato muffins, fried carrots and pound cake. Mommy said the pound cake would be tricky because it usually has a lot of eggs, but she made one without any!

When we went shopping, there were two hams and both were pretty big, but I told Daddy to get the biggest one. We have a lot of left overs now! I helped Mommy make the glaze for the ham by helping measure stuff and pressing the button to make the blender go.

I didn't really like the ham, though. I usually like ham, but I didn't like this one. I did like the muffins - they were really good. I liked the fried carrots at first, but then didn't like them after a bit. The pound cake was the best part! It was so delicious! And Mommy and Daddy both said it tasted just like pound cakes with eggs in it, too.

Recipes

Baked Glazed Virginia Ham

(original recipe from Food.com)

1 14-pound fully cooked spiral-cut smoked ham, on the bone
6 cloves garlic
8 1/2 ounces mango chutney
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add chutney, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest and orange juice, process until smooth.

Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour, until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned.

Christiana Campbell's Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins

(original recipe from Movin' On)

1/2 cup soy margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs equivalent of egg replacer, prepared
1 1/4 cups mashed sweet potato
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup soy milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Add the prepared egg replacer and mix well. Blend in the sweet potatoes.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to the margarine mixture, alternating with the soy milk, stirring until just combined.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Fried Carrots

(original recipe from The Mountain Laurel)

2 cups oil, for frying
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
water, to desired consistency
2 cups grated carrots

Heat the oil in a heavy pot, to 365 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

In a small bowl, combine the soy milk and margarine. Add to the flour mixture and stir to make a thick smooth paste, adding water as needed. Stir in the grated carrots.

Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.

(Egg-free! Dairy-free!) Pound Cake

(original recipe from Dairy Freed)

1 1/2 cups soy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 cups soy margarine, softened
2 eggs equivalent of egg replacer, prepared
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside.

Stir together the flour and sugar. Add margarine, egg replacer, vanilla and soy milk mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined.

Pour into prepared tube pan and smooth. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a long tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

Dinner 12: California

Menu

French Dip Sandwiches
California Raisin and Orange Salad
Crocodile Guacamole and Tortilla Chips
Outstanding Orange Rolls

Justin's Review

I chose California next because it's all the way on the other side of the country. I chose French Dip sandwiches, raisin and orange salad, guacamole and chips and orange rolls. Daddy really likes French Dip sandwiches, so I wanted to try them, too.

When I went shopping with Daddy, we had to ask someone where the fennel was, because we couldn't find any - they were hiding way up high behind some other vegetables! It was hard to find avocados that weren't too ripe, too.

I helped Mommy make the orange rolls, by mixing up the filling. I also helped mix the spices to put on the roast beef. Mommy made everything else.

My favorite California food was the chips, which were really good. I wanted more of them. I didn't really like the other dinner foods, except the roast beef was good, without the dip, which was too peppery. Daddy liked it, though! I also didn't like the guacamole, even though that was Mommy's favorite part. And the salad was okay, but I thought it was strange to eat fruit at dinner. I really liked the orange rolls for dessert, though. I'm happy we have leftovers of those!

Recipes

French Dip Sandwiches

(original recipe from Chow)

1 tablespoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
small boneless rib loin roast
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
6 rolls, sliced in half
margarine, for spreading

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Rub over the beef roast. Place the roast in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Continue roasting until medium-rare. Remove the roast to a cutting board and set aside.

Add wine to the roasting pan, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Transfer the wine to a small saucepan.

Add the broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off and discard the fat. Season to taste and keep warm over low heat.

Heat the oven to broil and set a rack in the middle.

Spread margarine on the cut sides of the rolls. Place the rolls, margarine side up, on a baking sheet and broil until golden. Set aside.

Thinly slice the roast beef and divide into 6 portions. Using tongs, dip each portion into the jus and place on the rolls. Close each sandwich and cut in half.

Divide the remaining jus into 6 bowls for dipping.

California Raisin and Orange Salad

(original recipe from relish)

2 naval oranges
1/2 head of fennel
2 hearts of romaine lettuce
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/3 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 teaspoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

With a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the oranges. Slice crosswise into a large bowl. Remove stalks and bottom from the fennel. Thinly slice the fennel and add to the bowl. Tear romaine leaves into small pieces and add, along with the red onion, to the bowl. Toss.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss.


Crocodile Guacamole
(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 small tomato, diced
1/8 cup minced yellow onion
chile pepper, to taste
cilantro, to taste
lime juice, to taste
garlic, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Blending until just before the avocados turn to mush.

Tortilla Chips

(original recipes from allrecipes.com and simplyrecipes.com)

3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water
oil, for pan

In a large bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal. Add the baking powder and salt and mix together well. Stir in the water to form a crumbly dough. Work the dough with your hands until it holds together.

On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Divide the dough into small balls and cover lightly with saran wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan.

Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten it by hand, then roll it into a 9-inch round. Cook until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges.

Pour oil into the skillet, to a depth of 1/4 of an inch. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees. Do not allow the oil to smoke.

Place a handful of tortilla wedges into the pan, in a single layer. Fry until the chips just begin to brown and become firm. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and sprinkle with salt. Continue to fry the chips, working in batches.

Outstanding Orange Rolls

(original recipes from Food.com and Go Dairy Free)

Dough:
2 3/4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy milk
2 1/2 tablespoons soy margarine
1 egg equivalent of egg replacer

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy margarine
2 tablespoons grated orange rind

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons soy margarine, softened
4 teaspoons soy milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl.

In a small pan, warm the water, soy milk and margarine until the margarine is completely melted.

Stir the warm margarine mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg replacer and only enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes, then place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.

Beat together filling ingredients until smooth.

Roll the dough out into at least a 15x10 rectangle. Spread the filling mixture over the dough and roll it up, starting with the long end. Cut into approximately 1 1/2 inch rolls. Place into a greased cake pan. Cover and let rise about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake rolls for 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Mix glaze ingredients and spread over warm rolls.

Dinner 11: New York

Menu

New York Style Pizza
Buffalo Wings
Saratoga Chips
Cheesecake

Justin's Review

I chose New York next because we drive through it a lot and I wanted to know what kind of food they have. There were a lot of foods to choose from, but I decided to have pizza, chicken wings, chips and cheesecake. Only we didn't use real cheese for the pizza or cheesecake.

I went shopping with Daddy - I thought it was going to be hard to find chicken wings, but it wasn't. Then I helped make the pizza by putting the soy cheese on it. I also helped with the cheesecake, by telling Mommy where to put the strawberries on it for decoration.

My favorite things were the pizza and the chips - they were really good. I also liked the chicken wings, but they were tricky to eat, and the cheesecake was good, too.  Everything was yummy! What was kind of funny was that we ate it while watching football on tv, because Daddy said it was football food and his favorite team was playing.

Recipes

New York Style Pizza

(original recipe from feeling foodish)

14 ounces all purpose flour
8.7 ounces water (cool to room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Pizza sauce (recipe follows)
Shredded soy mozzarella cheese

Combine flour, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water and mix until all the flour has been incorporated, then add oil and knead for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into two equal balls. Place each one into a lightly oiled freezer bag and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking to allow them to warm to room temperature.

Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees.

Shape each dough ball into a 14" round pie and place on parchment paper. Top with pizza sauce and soy cheese.

Transfer pizza to the hot pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

New York Style Pizza Sauce

(original recipe from serious eats)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt
28 ounces puréed tomatoes
2 six-inch springs of fresh basil, leaves attached
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
1 teaspoon sugar

Heat oil and margarine over medium-low heat until margarine is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and salt, and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, basil, onion halves and sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half, about 1 hour. Allow to cool before using.

Buffalo Wings

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings
1/4 cup soy margarine
1/4 cup hot sauce
ground black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
oil, for frying

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt.

Coat chicken wings with flour mixture and place in a large glass dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, combine soy margarine, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oil to 375 degrees. In small batches, fry chicken wings for 10 minutes, or until the wings begin to brown. With a slotted spoon, remove wings and place in a serving dish. Add hot sauce mixture and stir to coat wings.

Saratoga Chips

(original recipe from Food.com)

4 large potatoes
ice water
oil, for frying
salt, to taste

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Submerge the slices in ice water, separating the slices to rinse off the starch. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil to 375 degrees.

Drain the potatoes and pat dry using paper towels. Make sure the potato slices are completely dry.

Fry the potatoes in small batches until golden.

Drain the potatoes and season with salt.

Cheesecake

(original recipe from About Food)

1 graham cracker crust
1/4 cup egg replacer powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water
24 ounces soy cream cheese
1 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
8 fresh strawberries, hulled and left whole
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the egg replacer powder and hot water, beating until slightly stiff. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the soy cream cheese and 3/4 cups of the sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg replacer mixture and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the vanilla and beat 1 more minute.

Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 275 degrees and leave the oven door open for 3 minutes. Continue baking for 40 more minutes, until lightly golden. Allow the cheesecake to cool, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the chopped strawberries and 1/4 cup of sugar, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Cook, stirring often, until the strawberries are soft and a thin syrup develops. Add the corn starch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick, but still syrupy. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Coat whole strawberries in the cooled syrup and place around the top of the cheesecake. Drizzle the remaining syrup over the cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Dinner 10: Missouri

Menu

Kansas City-Style Spareribs
Missouri Skillet Cornbread
Savory Skillet Succotash
Gooey (Not)Butter Cake

Justin's Review

I chose Missouri because it's next to Kansas on the map and I thought the food would be just as yummy. The recipes I chose were ribs, cornbread, succotash and a butter cake that we didn't make with butter.

Daddy and I had to go to a whole bunch of different stores before we found one that still had ribs for sale. Then, after Mommy got the ribs ready, Daddy grilled them, even though it was cold outside. I think we were the only people grilling in our whole city!

I really liked the ribs, but they were a little salty, so Mommy rubbed some of the sauce off and then I liked them even more. I liked the cornbread, too, and the succotash, which was vegetables and potatoes. I liked the dessert best - it was really gooey! It was so sweet, it was like eating candy, even though it's not Halloween yet!

Recipes

Kansas City-Style Spareribs

(original recipe from Top Ribs)

3-4 pounds spareribs
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic
3/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup bourbon

Prepare ribs by removing the membrane and trimming off any excess fat.

Combine sugar, paprika, salt, lemon pepper and garlic in a bowl. Blend well.

Generously rub the spice mix into the meat on both sides of the ribs. Let the ribs cure in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours.

In a spray bottle, combine the cider and bourbon. Shake the bottle to mix.

Set up the grill for indirect grilling. Place a drip pan in the center and get the coals up to a medium heat.

Place the ribs, bone side down, in the center of the grill. Grill until the meat is well browned and tender, about 2 hours, spraying with the cider-bourbon mixture every 30 minutes.

Missouri Skillet Cornbread

(original recipe from Kitchen Daily)

1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 slices bacon
4 scallions, minced
4 tablespoons soy margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the soy milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture, stirring until well blended.

Fry the bacon in a cast-iron skillet until crispy. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Add the scallions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute, then transfer to the cornmeal batter. Crumble the bacon and add to the batter, along with the melted margarine. Pour the batter into the hot skillet.

Immediately transfer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Savory Skillet Succotash

(original recipe from Midwest Living)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium potato, peeled and sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup yellow corn
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Layer the potatoes and carrots in the skillet. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, turn the vegetables and cook, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, turning occasionally. Remove to a paper towel to drain and set aside.

Return the skillet to the heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion until transparent. Return the vegetables to the pan, stirring gently. Drizzle with remaining oil and season to taste.

Gooey (Not)Butter Cake

(original recipe from Midwest Living)

1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
6 ounces soy cream cheese
powdered sugar (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the 1/3 cup butter until the mixture forms small crumbs and begins to stick together. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the remaining sugar and margarine until well combined. Beat in the corn syrup and soy cream cheese until smooth. Spread the batter evenly to the edges of the pan.

Bake for 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Dinner 9: Montana

Menu

Venison Pasty
Rutabaga Oven Fries
Huckleberry Pie

Justin's Review

I chose the state of Montana next because I thought it would be a good one - and it was!

We had venison pasties, french fries made with a purple vegetable called a rutabaga, and huckleberry pie, which was also purple! Mommy had to buy the huckleberries online, because we can't get them in the store here. She got a jar of pie filling that was already made, but you could still see the berries in it - they looked like little blueberries!

We made the dinner at my Granddad's in Canada because it was Canadian Thanksgiving. It was fun to have the dinner with him!

I liked all the food from Montana! I even liked the extra pasties as leftovers the next day! The food was really good. I think the pie was my favorite part, though. And I'd like to have the rutabaga fries again, too.

Recipes

Venison Pasty

(original recipes from Maria's Farm Country Kitchen and Visit Montana, see "Elk Pasties")

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus a dab cold lard
2/3 cup water
1 pound ground venison
1/2 pound ground pork
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the lard. Add water, a bit at a time, until the dough holds together well.

In a separate bowl, combine venison, pork, potatoes, onion and salt and pepper.

Divide the dough into 4 balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough balls. Divide the meat mixture and add to each pasty. Fold the dough over and crimp the edges.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 375F and bake for another 45 minutes.

Rutabaga Oven Fries

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into spears
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Toss rutabaga spears with oil, rosemary, garlic and salt, until evenly coated.

Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until desired crispness.

Huckleberry Pie

(original recipe from Huckleberry Haven - from jar of pie filling)

1 42 ounce jar of huckleberry pie filling (as we couldn't get huckleberries locally)
1 double 9" pie shell

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pour filling into a pie shell. Cover with the the top crust and cut vents to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 60 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Dinner 8: Kansas

Menu

Cozy Inn Smashed Sliders
Corn Spoon Bread
Campfire Asparagus
Kansas Dirt Cake (or Pie!)

Justin's Review

I chose Kansas next, because it's kind of in the middle of the map and we hadn't had any middle states yet. I chose sliders, which are like little hamburgers, a corn bread that was kind of like pudding, asparagus and dirt cake, which was really good!

I mostly just helped make the dirt cake, which was actually kind of like a pie with pudding and some stuff like frosting in it. I got to mix it all up with the mixer. I also got to crush the cookies with a wooden thing like a square hammer until they looked like dirt. And then put that on top of the pie and froze it.

I really liked the food from Kansas, I think it was my second favorite state, after Maine. I just didn't like the mushrooms that were in with the asparagus, and the corn part was a little different. But the burgers and asparagus were really good, and I did like the corn thing, even if it was weird to eat bread with a spoon. The best part of the whole dinner was the dirt cake. It was soooooo yummy. I loved it!

Recipes

Cozy Inn Smashed Sliders

(original recipe from Food Network)

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
18 slider buns
Dill pickle slices, ketchup and mustard, for topping

Form the meat into 18 golf ball sized balls.

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs to the skillet and smash them with a spatula. Sprinkle salt, pepper and onion over the patties and cook for 1 minute. Flip the burgers and smash the patties again. Cook for 1 more minute. Steam the buns on top of the patties for a few seconds, then serve the burgers on the buns, topped with pickles, ketchup and mustard.

Corn Spoon Bread

(original recipe from Food Network)

1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar soy cheese, divided
1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs worth of egg replacer
2 tablespoons of soy margarine, cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cornmeal and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in half the soy cheese, and the corn, green onions, garlic and egg replacer. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Top with pieces of margarine, the red pepper flakes and the remaining soy cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Campfire Asparagus

(original recipe from Travel Kansas)

1/4 cup soy margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch sections
2 tablespoons water
4-5 mushrooms, sliced
Sesame seeds, to taste
Salt, to taste
Lemon pepper, to taste

Melt the margarine in a heavy skillet. Saute the onion until transparent. Add the asparagus, reserving the tips, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, cover and steam for 1 minute. Add the asparagus tips, mushrooms, sesame seeds, salt and lemon pepper and stir until well blended. Cook until mushrooms are heated through and the asparagus is bright in color and still slightly crisp.

Kansas Dirt Cake (or Pie!)

(original recipe from Food.com)

1 prepared Oreo crust
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 1/4 cups soy milk
4 ounces soy cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup margarine
6 ounces dairy free whipped topping (we used this recipe: Dairy Free Whipped Cream Frosting)
15 Oreo cookies

Mix together the pudding powder and soy milk. Chill until set.

Cream together the soy cream cheese, margarine and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the pudding and whipped topping. Spread the mixture to fill the crust.

Crush the Oreo cookies until it's mostly crumbs and only a few very small pieces remain. Top the pie with the crumbs.

Freeze at least 8 hours before serving.

Dinner 7: New Mexico

Menu

Stacked Cheese Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce
Spanish Rice
New Mexico Style Calabacitas
Sopapillas with Cinnamon Sugar

Justin's Review

For our next dinner, I chose New Mexico. I didn't know anything about New Mexico when I chose it, but I thought the food would be good, even though I don't think I've ever had anything from there before. Mommy said it might be spicy, but she'd make it less spicy for me if I wanted, which I did.

I helped Mommy make some tortillas, by mixing the flour and then rolling them out. I also tried one after it was cooked - it was really yummy and reminded me of a pizza with no toppings!

I really really liked the enchiladas, which were kind of like a lasagna, but with tortillas instead of pasta. I also liked the rice, but not the tomatoes in it. And I liked the corn, but not the squash that was mixed with it. For dessert, we had sopapillas, which were like cinnamon sugar cookies, but also like bread. They were yummy! I had more of them as a snack the next day, too.

Recipes

Stacked Cheese Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce

(original recipe from red or green?)

2 tablespoons olive oil
9 corn tortillas (see recipe below)
1 pound shredded cheddar soy cheese
1 white onion, diced
2 scallions, minced
1 cup New Mexican chile sauce, or more, if desired (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush a 2.2 quart casserole dish with olive oil. Pour half a cup of the chile sauce into dish and spread to cover the bottom. Cover the sauce with a single layer of tortillas, tearing pieces to cover any gaps. Sprinkle 1/3 of the soy cheese over the tortillas, and 1/2 of the onions and 1/2 of the scallions over the soy cheese. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the chile sauce, then add another layer of tortillas, soy cheese, onions and scallions. Cover with any remaining tortillas, and the remaining sauce and soy cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Granny's Corn Flour Tortillas

(original recipe from allrecipe.com)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
Cooking oil, for pan

In a large bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal. Add the baking powder and salt and mix together well. Stir in the water to form a crumbly dough. Work the dough with your hands until it holds together.

On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover lightly with saran wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan.

Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten it by hand, then roll it into a 9 inch round. Place it into the pan and cook until light brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas and re-oiling the pan as necessary.

New Mexican Red Chile Sauce

(original recipe from red or green?)

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup New Mexican ground red chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Cook the onions until they are translucent. Add the garlic and salt and cook for 1 minute.

Add 1 tablespoon of the flour and stir until incorporated and no lumps remain. Repeat with the second tablespoon. Cook for 1 minute, then add the water and chile powder, stirring until well combined. Add the oregano and cumin and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Spanish Rice

(original recipe from Food.com)

1 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup green chile, drained
1 teaspoon oil
2/3 cup long-grain rice
1 1/3 cups water
salt and pepper, to taste

Saute rice in oil until brown. Add onion, tomato, garlic, green chile and water. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed.

New Mexico Style Calabacitas

(original recipe from Adobe Nido)

1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and chopped.
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and chopped.
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup shredded soy mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup prepared green chile
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, until fragrant. Add squash and zucchini and cook until they are about halfway done. Add the corn and cook until it is thawed. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then transfer to a 1 quart casserole dish. Stir in the soy cheese and chile.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes.

Sopapillas with Cinnamon Sugar

(original recipe from Cynthia Pineda)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
2/3 cup warm soy milk
Oil, for frying
Cinnamon sugar, for serving

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening, then add in the soy milk and quickly mix the dough until it forms a ball.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it until it is no longer sticky.

Re-flour the board and gently roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut the dough into approximately 10-inch by 5-inch rectangles.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet until it reaches 400 degrees.

Carefully slide the first sopapilla into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Cook until the sopapilla is a light golden brown, turning half way through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the sopapilla and drain on a paper towel.

Serve with cinnamon sugar.

Dinner 6: Florida

Menu

Cuban Sandwich
Black Bean and Rice Salad with Peppers
Florida Roasted Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad
Florida Key Lime Pie

Justin's Review

I chose Florida next, because I like Florida. It's fun to visit there, because it's sunny and Mickey Mouse lives there.

We looked on the computer and found some recipes. I chose Cuban sandwiches, bean and rice salad, corn salad and a kind of pie made with limes. To make the sandwiches, first we had to make the right kind of bread and roast the pork with a special kind of sauce on it.

I kind of liked the dinner, but not really. I really liked the bread and the pork, but didn't really like the sandwich, because it was too hard to eat all at once. I did like that Mommy had to eat a pickle, because she doesn't like them, but she tried it in the sandwich anyway and said it tasted okay.

I also liked the rice and bean salad, but not the peppers in it. And I liked the corn salad, but not the tomatoes in that.

I didn't like the key lime pie because it tasted too lime-y and sour. But I liked the crust! It was like eating a cookie!

Recipes

Cuban Sandwich

(original recipe from Three Guys from Miami)

4 small loaves of Cuban bread (we used this recipe: Pan Cubano)
3 tablespoons soy margarine
1 pound sweet cured ham
1 pound Cuban pork (recipe follows)
1/2 pound sliced Swiss soy cheese
Dill pickle slices

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.

Cut the loaves in half and spread generously with margarine.

Assemble the sandwiches in this order: pickles, pork, ham, and soy cheese.

Melt a little margarine in the frying pan. Place a sandwich on the pan, and, using a heavy skillet, bacon press or foil-wrapped brick, flatten the sandwich. Grill the sandwich for 2-3 minutes per side, until the bread is golden brown and the sandwich is about 1/3 it's original height.

Slice the sandwich diagonally and serve.

Cuban Pork

(original recipe from Three Guys from Miami)

1 4-pound pork shoulder roast
1 head of garlic (about 10-15 cloves)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sour orange juice (or two parts orange juice, one part lemon juice and one part lime juice)
1 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 cup olive oil

Mash the garlic, salt and pepper into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Combine with the orange juice, onion and oregano. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan until hot (about 220 degrees).  Remove the oil from heat and quickly whisk in the garlic-orange juice mixture until well blended. Let cool before using.

Pierce the pork roast as many times as you can with a sharp knife or fork. Pour the marinade over the pork, reserving a little for basting while roasting. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then allow to return to room temperature (about 1 hour).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roast the pork, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 225 degrees. Continue roasting until the meat is easy to pull apart with a fork. Baste occasionally with remaining marinade.

Black Bean and Rice Salad with Peppers

(original recipe from About Food)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked long-grain rice, chilled
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large bowl, combine beans, rice, bell peppers, and onion. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, mustard, sugar, cumin, and pepper. Add dressing to the beans and rice and stir gently to blend the ingredients. Garnish with parsley and serve chilled.

Florida Roasted Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad

(original recipe from Authentic Florida)

3 ears of corn, with the husks left on
2 pints of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the corn, in the husks, directly on the oven rack and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then remove the husks. Cut the corn from the cob, into a bowl. Add the tomatoes and basil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the corn salad, stir gently, cover and chill for 20-30 minutes.

Florida Key Lime Pie

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 9-inch graham cracker crust
16 ounces soy cream cheese
3 cups sweetened condensed soy milk (we doubled this recipe: Dairy-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk)
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dairy-Free Whipped topping (we used this recipe: Dairy Free Whipped Cream Frosting)

In a large bowl, whip soy cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed soy milk, lime juice, zest and salt. Whip until mixture is smooth. Pour into graham cracker crust. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Before serving, spread topping over pie.

Dinner 5: Rhode Island

Menu

N.Y. System Hot Wieners
Wimpy Skippy
Corn Fritters
Blackberry Slump

Justin's Review

For our next dinner we had food from Rhode Island. I really liked how small it was on the map and hoped it would have good food, too! We had special hot dogs that they make with beef on it, something called Wimpy Skippy, corn fritters and blackberry slump.

The beef sauce for the hot dogs smelled really gross and I thought it would be yucky to eat. I liked helping make the dough for the Wimpy Skippy and the blackberry slump, though. And stirring the corn into the corn fritters.

I didn't really like the food from Rhode Island. I did like the blackberry slump because it had blackberries and ice cream and dumplings. Everything else tasted too weird for me.

Recipes

N.Y. System Hot Wieners

(original recipes from Olneyville N.Y. System and Food Network)

2 tablespoons soybean oil
1 yellow onion, minced, divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablesppon paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon curry
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 pound ground beef, 80/20
1/4 cup water
all-beef rope-style wieners
side-cut hot dog rolls
yellow mustard
celery salt

Heat soybean oil in a saucepan. Add half the onion and simmer until brown. Stir in the spices and crumble in the beef.

Add water and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Mash with a potato masher for a finer consistency. If the sauce is too dry, add more oil.

In a medium saucepan, boil the wieners and steam the buns.

To serve, place the wieners in the buns, top with meat mixture, remaining onion and yellow mustard, and sprinkle with celery salt.

Wimpy Skippy

(original recipe from Just A Pinch)

10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach
1 stick of pepperoni, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella soy cheese
garlic powder, to taste
black pepper, to taste
2 pounds pizza dough

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the spinach according to the package directions. Combine with pepperoni, soy cheese, garlic powder and black pepper.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 equal pieces. Place a scoop of the spinach mixture in the center of each piece.

Fold and seal the dough around the spinach mixture. Brush the dough with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Corn Fritters

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

3 cups oil, for frying
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon shortening, melted
water, until desired consistency
1 1/2 cups corn kernels

Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 365 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the soy milk and shortening. Add the soy milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to make a thick, smooth paste, adding water, as needed. Stir in the corn kernels.

Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Blackberry Slump

(original recipe from simplyrecipes.com)

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy margarine

1/3 cup soy milk

4 cups fresh blackberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup water

vanilla soy ice cream, for serving

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, then add the milk and stir until just combined. Handling the dough as little as possible, form it into a ball. Set aside.

In a 2 quart saucepan, add the berries, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, lemon zest and water. Heat until boiling, stirring a few times so that the berries are well coated. Once the berry mixture is boiling, tear off chunks of the dough ball and drop onto the fruit, around the edges of the pot. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes.

Serve with ice cream.

Dinner 4: Mississippi

Menu

Big Mama's Fried Chicken
Crispy Coated Cajun Fries
Southern as You Can Get Collard Greens
Mississippi Mud Pie

Justin's Review

I chose Mississippi next because I thought it would have cool foods to choose from. I was right! We had fried chicken, spicy fries, collard greens and a dessert called Mississippi Mud Pie. All of the ingredients were easy to get - we only had to go to the regular grocery store.

I helped Mommy make the different layers of the pie. I also helped shake the spices and potatoes in a big bag! That was fun! It was like doing a bouncy potato dance!

I liked the chicken and the spicy fries. They were delicious. The mud pie was really good, too. It was gooey and fell apart as I tried to eat it.

Recipes

Big Mama's Fried Chicken

(original recipe from food52.com)

8-10 chicken pieces
salted water, for brining
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 quart soy milk
canola oil, for frying

Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Cover with water by 1 inch and add 1 tablespoon of salt for each quart of water used. Cover and refrigerated for at least 2 hours.

In a large, shallow dish, mix the flour and seasonings until well blended.

Drain the chicken, pat the pieces dry, and return to the bowl. Pour in the soy milk and soak the chicken for 15 minutes.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, thoroughly coating each piece. Set the chicken aside.

Fill a large heavy pot with oil, about 4 inches deep. Heat, over medium-high heat, until the oil registers 315-325 degrees.

In small batches, fry the chicken pieces, turning once, until crust is a deep golden brown, about 10-15 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, drain the oil, and place on a baking sheet in a warm oven. Repeat until all pieces have been fried.

Crispy Coated Cajun Fries

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into the wedges
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Place cut potatoes into a large bowl of cold water. Soak for 10 minutes.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the cornmeal and cajun seasoning. Shake the bag to blend.

Drain the potatoes, but leave them wet. Add the fries to the bag of seasonings. Shake to coat.

Spread the fries on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for 45-60 minutes.

Southern as You Can Get Collard Greens

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 bunch collard greens, rinsed, trimmed and chopped
2 smoked ham hocks
2 cans condensed chicken broth
3 cups water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for one hour.

Mississippi Mud Pie

(original recipe from food.com)

1 prepared Oreo crumb crust
1 package fudge sauce, divided
8 ounces soy cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipped topping (dairy-free recipe), divided
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cups soy milk

Spread half the fudge sauce on the bottom of Oreo crust. Set aside.

Blend together the cream cheese and sugar. Fold in half the whipped topping. Spread the mixture over the fudge layer. Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill.

Whisk together the pudding mix and soy milk. Chill until pudding it set. Spread the pudding over the cream cheese layer. Freeze the pie until solid.

Top with the remaining whipped topping. Drizzle the remaining fudge sauce over top. Return the pie to the freezer until fudge has hardened or ready to serve.