Dinner 29: Vermont

Menu

Maple-Lemon Roasted Chicken
Maple and Mustard Roasted Root Vegetables
Pure Maple Fudge

Review

My granddad was coming to visit, so I chose Vermont, because it's a state near where he lives, which is in Canada. I thought he'd like to have food that he might already know. Everything we looked at had maple syrup in it, which was good because I really like maple syrup!

I chose roasted chicken and vegetables, with two different kinds of maple sauces on them, and maple fudge, which was a bit tricky to make without any milk in it.

I liked all the food, because like I said, I like maple. The chicken was super yummy and I had a lot of it! I liked the veggies too, but not as much as the chicken. The maple fudge was really, really good and Mommy even used cookie cutters to make it into maple leaf shapes! I was sad when the maple fudge was all done, because it was so good.

Recipes

Maple-Lemon Roasted Chicken

(original recipe from Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association)

1 4-pound chicken
2 lemons, one quartered and one for juicing
6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Peel one of the lemons, removing long, thick strips of zest. Reserve the zest and juice the lemon into a bowl. Add the maple syrup and olive oil and whisk to combine.

Rub the chicken all over with the lemon zest and garlic cloves. Stuff the cavity with the quartered lemon, onion, garlic and lemon zest. Brush with the lemon-maple mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken in a shallow roasting pan until done, brushing on additional lemon-maple mixture after each 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Maple and Mustard Roasted Root Vegetables

(original recipe from Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association)

1/8 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped root vegetables of your choice (we used parsnips, potatoes and carrots)

Combine maple syrup, mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper until well mixed. Toss vegetables in the mixture until well coated. Add to roasting pan with chicken (above) and cook until done.

Pure Maple Fudge

(original recipe from rectories)

4 cups soy milk

4 cups maple syrup

2 dashes salt

In a saucepan, simmer the soy milk over low heat until it is reduced by half. Allow to cool slightly. Add maple syrup and salt.

Using a candy thermometer, cook over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 240F, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Without stirring, gently remove from heat and pour into a bowl (do not scrape the sides of the pot!) Allow to sit 5 minutes.

Stir the fudge until it holds its shape. This should require effort towards the end. Pour it into a pan lined with wax paper and smooth the top. Allow to cool completely.

Once set, slice into squares or cut into shapes.

Dinner 28: North Dakota

Menu

Fleischkuekle
Knoephla Soup
Carrot-Apple Side Dish
Lefse with sugar

Review

I chose North Dakota next, because it's next to Canada. When we looked up recipes a lot of them had names that were really hard for me to say, but that's because they're from other languages that I don't speak. I decided to have a food that's like meatballs in a kind of dough, a soup that had dumplings in it, an apple and carrot salad, and a dessert that was like thin pancakes, but I forget all the names.

I loved the food from North Dakota! The meatball things were delicious and I had leftovers at school lunch the next day and the soup was so good I had two cups of it at dinner and more of it at school, too. I asked Mommy to make the soup again, because it's my favorite soup ever. The dessert was really good, too. Like rolled up pancakes with sugar and margarine on them. The margarine was all melted, though, so it did make a bit of a mess.

Recipes

Fleischkuekle

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

Filling:
1/4 pound ground beef
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer powder
3 tablespoons warm water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy milk

2 cups oil for frying

In a small mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, salt and pepper until well blended. Set aside.

Combine egg replacer and water until thoroughly mixed.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add egg replacer mixture and soy milk. Stir until well blended. Form the dough into 2-inch balls and, on a floured surface, roll out into circles 1/4-inch thick.

Form the beef into small balls, as many as you have dough circles. Place one on each dough circle and fold the dough around it. Seal the edges completely.

Heat the oil to 365F and fry the balls until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

Knoephla Soup

(original recipe from Food.com)

Knoephla Dumplings:

3 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Water, as needed

Soup:

4 cups water

2 cups chicken broth

1 large onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cups potatoes, diced

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 bay leaves

1 cup soy milk

Mix flour, salt and baking powder together to make a stiff dough. Add just enough water to make a stiff dough.

Roll the dough into 1/2-inch ropes and cup into 1/2-inch long pieces. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, add water, broth, onion, celery, potatoes, bouillon cubes, salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaves. Boil until potatoes are done, about 15 minutes. Add soy milk and knoephla. Simmer 30-40 minutes.

Carrot-Apple Side Dish

(original recipe from Taste of Home)

3 medium carrots

1 cup water

1/2 tablespoon dairy-free margarine

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 dash cinnamon

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

In a saucepan, cook carrots in water until crisp-tender. Drain the water and add margarine, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix well, then stir in the apple. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cornstarch and cold water into a slurry. Stir into the carrot mixture. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Lefse with Sugar

(original recipe from Cooking Channel)

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup soy milk

2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain.

Combine potatoes with soy milk, margarine, sugar and salt and mash until smooth. Place mashed potatoes in the refrigerator to cool down, about 30 minutes.

Once cooled down, add the flour to the potatoes and work gently into a dough. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.

Take 2 tablespoons of the dough and form it into a ball. On a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a very thin circle, adding flour as necessary to avoid sticking.

Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Turn the parchment paper upside down and gently peel off the circle of dough. Place the dough on the heated skillet and cook until brown speckles begin to form, about 1 minute. Flip the lefse and cook another 30 seconds. Transfer lefse to a place and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

To serve, spread with margarine and sprinkle with sugar, then roll up. If the lefse are cold, they can be warmed up in a heated skillet.

Dinner 27: Ohio

Menu

Skyline Chili
Burnt Carrot Salad
Dairy-Free Nut-Free Buckeyes

Review

I chose Ohio this week, because it also starts with 'O' just like Oklahoma last week. I chose a kind of chili that's served on spaghetti, a carrot salad and a candy that usually has peanut butter in it. Mommy said Daddy wouldn't like the chili, but I wanted to have it anyway!

Mommy was right that Daddy didn't like the chili, but I did - I really liked it on the spaghetti! It was kind of like spaghetti and meat sauce but also kind of different. And I liked the carrots, too, even though they were a bit burnt, which they were supposed to be. The best part was the dessert though! They were chocolate covered candies made from Sunbutter, which were delicious! I wanted to have more and more and more of them! Yum!

Recipes

Skyline Chili

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 pound ground beef
2 cups water
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 bay leaf

To serve:
cooked spaghetti
raw onion, diced
grated cheddar soy cheese

Place the ground beef in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up the beef to a fine texture. Simmer the meat until thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Add water as necessary to prevent the chili from burning.

Serve with raw onions and a generous amount of grated soy cheese over spaghetti.

Burnt Carrot Salad

(original recipe from Metropole)

2 large carrots, peeled and trimmed
2 firm avocados, thickly sliced
1/2 cup grated soy cheese
1/4 cup pickled red onion
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then cut them into 3.5 inch segments. In simmering salted water, slowly poach the carrots until they are easily pierced with a paring knife. Remove carrots from water and set aside.

Bring a heavy pan to medium high heat and coat with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, season the carrots with salt and pepper and lay them in the pan, cut side down. Turn the heat down to medium and let the carrots develop a nice, even, dark char. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, avocado, soy cheese, onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and dress with lemon juice and olive oil.

Dairy-free, Nut-free Buckeyes

(original recipe from Adventure of a Gluten Free Mom)

1 1/2 cups sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar
10 ounces dairy-free chocolate

In a large bowl, mix sunflower seed butter, margarine, vanilla and confectioners sugar to form a smooth, stiff dough. Shape into balls, using approximately 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Place on parchment paper covered pan and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Slowly melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.

Remove the candy from the freezer. Insert a toothpick into a ball and dip into the chocolate, leaving a small circle at the top uncoated. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, chocolate side down and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining candies. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set.

Dinner 26: Oklahoma

Menu

Oklahoma-Style Onion Burgers
Best Ever Pinto Beans
Creamed Corn
Faux Pecan Pie

Review

I chose Oklahoma because it's OK! We looked at a lot of recipes, and I decided to have burgers with onions, beans, corn and a pie that usually has nuts, but my mom said we could make it with pretzels instead.

I went shopping with Daddy, but we didn't have to get anything special since it was all stuff we usually get. Except the beans, it took a while to find the right kind of beans because they were put in a different place.

My favorite part of dinner was the burger with onions. Usually I don't like onions, but I ate all of these, they were so good! I also liked the corn, and the beans were okay, too. The pretzel pie was very very sweet, and I loved it. Sometimes I don't like very sweet stuff, but this pie was great. Too bad I was only allowed small slices!

Recipes

Oklahoma-Style Onion Burgers

(original recipe from Serious Eats)

3/4 teaspoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef, divided 6 small balls
salt and pepper
2 small onions, thinly sliced
6 slices soy Cheddar cheese
6 soft hamburger buns

Heat canola oil over high heat until smoking. Add beef and press down with the back of a spatula until flattened and very thin. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Working quickly, spread onions evenly over cooking burgers and press down to embed them in the meat. Let cook until well browned, about 2 minutes more.

Carefully flip the burgers and onions with a spatula. Let cook until the onions begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add soy cheese and top bun. Place the bottom bun upside-down over the top bun to steam.

When buns are soft, transfer the bottom bun to a plate. Add condiments, if desired. Lift onions, burger and top bun all together and place on bottom bun.

Best Ever Pinto Beans

(original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

1 pound dried pinto beans
6 cups water
4 slices smoked bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6.5 ounces tomato sauce

Cover pinto beans with water in a large bowl. Soak beans for 4 hours, changing water every 30-45 minutes. Drain.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add beans, bacon and salt. Add more water, if needed, to cover the beans by at least 1 inch.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are just starting to soften, 2-3 hours.

Stir in brown sugar and tomato sauce. Simmer until beans are tender, about 1 more hour.

Creamed Corn

(original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

16 ounces frozen corn kernels
5 ounces soy cream cheese
1/3 cup dairy-free margarine
1/3 cup soy milk
2 teaspoons white sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Cook for 30-45 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Faux Pecan Pie

(original recipe from Southern Plate)

4 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer powder
7 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted and cooled
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 deep dish pie shell, unbaked

For topping:
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
3 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, whisking until well combined. Pour into the pie shell.

Combine all topping ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well, until pretzels are coated. Sprinkle evenly over pie.

Bake for 1 hour, covering the crust with foil after 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Dinner 25: New Jersey

Menu

Ripper with Chili
Disco Fries
Diner Salad
Saltwater Taffy

Review

I chose New Jersey next just because I decided to try it. I didn't really have a reason. I wanted to have the ripper hot dogs because they look cool and I wanted try the chili sauce to compare with Rhode Island and Michigan. I also chose disco fries, a salad that was like cole slaw, and saltwater taffy because Daddy really likes it!

I didn't really like the hot dogs because they were kind of crunchy, but I did like the sauce. The fries were really good and the salad was ok, even if I didn't like the peppers in it. The saltwater taffy was the best part! I helped Mommy pull it and pull it and pull it when the candy had cooled off enough to touch. That part was hard to do, but it tasted so good when it was done. And it made a lot! We made almost 100 pieces!!

Recipes

Ripper with Chili

(original recipe from The Weiser Kitchen)

Oil, for frying
6 hot dogs
6 hot dog rolls
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Texas Wiener Sauce (see recipe below)

Heat oil to 350F. Fry hot dogs until casing rips, about 3-5 minutes. Drain hot dogs on paper towels.

Put a layer of onions at the bottom of each bun. Add the hot dog and top with chili sauce.

Texas Wiener Sauce

(original recipe from Roadfood.com)


1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 tablespoon cumin
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound ground beef
8 ounces tomato paste
1 cup water
3 ounces ketchup
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion

In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.

In a saucepan, brown the ground beef while breaking it into very small pieces. Drain most of the grease.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomato paste and water and combine well. Add the spice mix, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce and onion and mix well.

Simmer for at least 1 hour, adding water as necessary.

Disco Fries

(original recipe from Food.com)

Steak cut French Fries

Dairy-free Cheese Sauce, warmed (see recipe below)

Beef gravy, warmed

Preheat oven to 450F.

Arrange fries on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Pour gravy and cheese sauces over fries.

Dairy-free Cheese Sauce

(original recipe from Milk Allergy Mom)

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup soy milk

1 tablespoon dairy-free margarine

1 cup shredded cheddar soy cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk flour into milk and set aside.

Melt margarine in a saucepan. Slowly add the milk mixture to the margarine, stirring constantly.

When the mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat and add shredded soy cheese. Stir until soy cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste.

Diner Salad

(original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, grated

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onions, carrot, pepper and cucumber.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Saltwater Taffy

(original recipe from Food.com)

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine

1/4 teaspoon green food coloring

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Calibrate candy thermometer by boiling water.

Lightly grease a jelly roll pan and set aside.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a 2 quart pan.

Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.

Heat mixture without stirring, until it reaches 255F (or adjusted temperature based on candy thermometer calibration). Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Allow to cool until just able to handle.

Greasing hands thoroughly and regularly, gather taffy into a ball and pull. Continue pulling until the candy is light in color, very hard to pull and no longer sticky.

Divide the candy into 4 balls. Pull into a 1/2 inch thick rope. Cut into 1 inch pieces using greased scissors. Set pieces aside for 15-30 minutes before wrapping individually in waxed paper or plastic wrap.

Dinner 24: Arizona

Menu

Navajo Fry Bread Tacos
Chilled Corn Soup
Prickly Pear Ice Cream

Review

I chose Arizona because it's close to New Mexico on the map, and I wanted to see if the food was the same kind of thing. I chose to have tacos made on fry bread instead of the regular kind of tacos because we hadn't had any tacos yet and they looked good. I chose corn soup because I've never had corn soup before. And I chose ice cream made from prickly pear, which is cactus fruit because I wanted to know if it tasted cactus-y.

Mommy ordered some prickly pear syrup on the computer and it came a few days later! On the day we were going to have our dinner, I got sick, so we waited another day, but Mommy made the ice cream that first day - it was really pink! Then we had the dinner the next day and it was really good!

I liked the tacos a lot - I even tried some tomato pieces on mine, but didn't really like those. The fry bread was delicious! I liked the corn soup, too. But the ice cream was the best part! Because it was really pink! I even think it was a bit prickly like a cactus. I'm really glad we had lots more to eat during the rest of the week, too.

Recipes

Navajo Fry Bread

(original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy milk
oil, for frying

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk and mix until the dough comes together. Add flour, if necessary, to form a soft bread dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet to 365F. Oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls and shape into discs 1/4 inch thick, with a depression in the middle. Fry until golden on both sides, turning only once. Drain on paper towels.

Indian Tacos

(original recipe from What's Cooking America)

1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 cup black beans
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1 cup shredded Cheddar soy cheese
4 cooked Navajo fry breads

In a large frying pan, over medium heat, brown beef and onions. Add beans and cook until heated through. Remove from heat.

To assemble tacos, layer beef mixture, lettuce, tomato and soy cheese on each fry bread.

Chilled Corn Soup

(original recipe from Local Farm Foodie)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1 leek, cleaned and minced

6 cups water

3 1/2 cups corn kernels

1/4 cup soy milk

2 sprigs thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté onion and leek in olive oil until golden brown.  Set aside.

Bring water to boil in a stock pot. Add corn kernels, onions and leeks and simmer for 30 minutes.  Purée until smooth and add soy milk, thyme and salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator until cool.

Prickly Pear Ice Cream

(recipe inspired by Back to the Kitchen)

3 cups soy milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups prickly pear syrup

Whisk together all ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Put in ice cream maker and freeze following instructions.

Dinner 23: Washington

Menu

Porchetta Sandwiches
Walla Walla Sweet Onion Soup
Mariner's Garlic Fries
The Big Pink Cookie

Review

I chose Washington next. I don't know why. I think because it starts with a 'W' or maybe because it's far from us. Anyway, it was hard to find foods that didn't have any fish in it, but we chose a sandwich from a famous sandwich place, onion soup, fries from the baseball team and a big pink cookie! I thought the cookie looked awesome because it was big and covered in pink frosting!

The pork for the sandwiches had to cook for a long time. It smelled really good. Then Mommy had to make it into the sandwich filling by cutting it up with forks. They were really good sandwiches. I had more the next day at school! I liked the onion soup, too, and ate all of it. And the fries were really tasty, especially because they came with a bit of apple, which was pretty funny! My favorite part was the cookie - it was really pink! And really good! But it was so big I couldn't finish it all the first night.

Recipes

Porchetta Sandwiches

(original recipe from The Moonlit Kitchen)

For roast:
5 pound pork shoulder
2 bulbs fennel, topped and whole
2 large onions, peeled and whole
1 large carrot, peeled and quartered
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup fennel top, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
salt and pepper

For sandwich:
1 slice white sandwich bread, crust removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 crusty baguettes

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Place fennel bulbs, onions, and carrots in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Add the wine.

Generously salt and pepper the pork shoulder and place it on top of the vegetables. Top with diced fennel tops, garlic, parsley, thyme, and fennel seeds.

Place the roast in the oven to 5-6 hours.

Remove the carrots and break up the pork and remaining vegetables with a fork. Set aside.

While the roast is cooking, allow the bread slice to stale on the counter. Crumble into bread crumbs and combine with garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Set aside for 1 hour.

Sauté the onion and pepper with a small amount of olive oil. Set aside.

To assemble the sandwich, cut each baguette into 4 sections and slice to open. Spread some of the garlic spread on each side and top with generous servings of porchetta, peppers and onions.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Soup

(original recipe from Cottage Grove House)

3 tablespoons soy margarine
6 cups sweet onions, thinly sliced and quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup soy milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt margarine in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the white wine.

Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in soy milk, season with salt and pepper and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.

Mariner's Garlic Fries

(original recipe from Your Homebased Mom)

4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small wedges
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 apple, cored and cut into wedges.

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Toss potato wedges with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast potato wedges, turning occasionally, for 45 minutes, until tender and brown.

While potatoes are roasting, lightly sauté the garlic. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mix with parsley and set aside.

When the fries are ready, toss with garlic and parsley mix. Serve with an apple slice or two.

The Big Pink Cookie

(original recipe from Baking the Goods)

For the cookies:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cups soy margarine
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1/4 cup soy milk

For the frosting:
4 ounces soy cream cheese
1/4 cup soy margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
red food coloring

Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine, shortening and sugar for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts and soy milk until combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients, beating until smooth. The dough will be very soft and sticky.

Divide the dough in two and shape into discs about an inch thick. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

While the dough chills, prepare the frosting:

Cream together soy cream cheese and margarine. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Add red food coloring, one drop at a time, until desired color is achieved. Set frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Roll out the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into large circles and place on lined baking sheets an inch apart (6 to a sheet).

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges just start to brown. Transfer cookies to racks and allow to cool completely.

Generously frost with soy cream cheese frosting.

Dinner 22: Maryland

Menu

Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham
Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes with Old Bay Seasoning
Barbecued Green Beans
Smith Island Cake

Review

I chose Maryland next because we were going to visit Granddad and I wanted something with a really good dessert. Mommy said Maryland had a cake with a lot of layers that would be fun to try, so that's why I chose it! I also chose stuffed ham, roast potatoes with a special kind of spices, and green beans with a sauce on them.

Mommy and Granddad made the stuffed ham - it was really big and they had to find a really big pot to cook it in! And it had to cook for a long time. It smelled really good and made me very hungry by the time it was dinnertime.

Making the cake was funny because each layer was made in its own pan. But we only had three pans, so it took a lot of time to make them all. Mommy also made the layers a little bit too thick, so we only had five layers, but it was still yummy!

I liked the ham, but not the stuffing part, which was a bit funny tasting to me. I really liked the potatoes, and the green beans were okay, but I didn't really like the sauce on them. It's weird to eat green beans with a sauce. The cake was the best part! It was sooooooo yummy!

Recipes

Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham

(original recipe from GroupRecipes)

8 pound bone-in ham
1 head cabbage
2 pounds kale
1 pound onions
1 bunch scallions
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 tablespoons celery salt
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon salt
cheesecloth

Finely chop onions and greens. Mix with seasonings and set aside.

Cut 2-inch slits, on a 45 degree angle, in the ham. Press the stuffing into the slits until they will hold no more.

Wrap the ham in cheesecloth and add any leftover stuffing.

Put the ham in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer for 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 160F.

Turn off the heat and let the ham cool in the water for about 2 hours. Remove and drain.

Chill ham in the refrigerator, and serve cold.

Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes with Old Bay Seasoning

(original recipe from Cook Smarts)

2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 500F.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt. Cover with aluminum foil and seal tightly. Steam the potatoes for 10 minutes.

Remove foil and toss the potatoes with olive oil and Old Bay seasoning. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until crispy.

Barbecued Green Beans

(original recipe from Food.com)

4 slices bacon, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 pound green beans

Preheat oven to 350F. 

In a small saucepan, cook bacon and onion until the onion softens. 

Add ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce. Simmer 10 minutes.

In a casserole, combine beans and sauce. Bake for 20 minutes.

Smith Island Cake

(original recipe from Visit Somerset)

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

Icing:
1 cup soy milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease several 9-inch pans and set aside.

Whisk together soy milk and vinegar. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Slowly add soy milk mixture and beat until smooth.

In a second bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add, one cup at a time, to the margarine mixture. With the mixer running, slowly add the vanilla and water. Mix until just combined.

Put three serving spoonfuls of batter in each of the prepared pans, using the back of the spoon to spread the batter evenly. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 8 minutes. When you remove the layers from the oven, hold them near your ear. If they don't sizzle, they're done.

Let the layers cool a few minutes in the pan. Then remove and set aside to cool completely. Prepare the pan for another layer, if necessary.

To make the icing, bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan, then immediately remove from heat. Add chocolate and maple syrup, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and the icing is smooth. Set aside.

Assemble the cake as the layers cool. Use 2-3 serving spoonfuls of icing between layers and cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing.

Dinner 21: Wisconsin

Menu

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder
Potato Pancakes
Spinach Salad and Hot Bacon Dressing
State Fair Cream Puffs

Review

I chose Wisconsin for our next state because my map had pictures of cheese and milk on it, and I wanted to make it a challenge for my mom to find recipes to choose from! We ended up choosing a soup that usually has cheese in it, but we used soy cheese. It also had sausages in it. Then I wanted the potato pancakes because they sounded yummy, spinach and bacon salad, because it had bacon in it, and the cream puffs because they looked really good in the picture.

The best part of dinner was the potato pancakes! I had two extra ones! They were so yummy! I also liked the soup and the salad, but not as much as the potato pancakes. And I liked the salad more than the soup, which is funny, because I usually like soup better than salad! The cream puffs for dessert were really good, too! I had two of them! Yum!

Recipes

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder

(original recipe from Midwest Living)

2 tablespoons soy margarine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 large shallots, chopped
1/3 cup flour
1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 ounces shredded cheddar soy cheese
4 cooked smoked bratwurst, halved lengthwise and sliced
12 ounces ale

In a large saucepan, heat the margarine over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and shallots. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes until the onion is very soft and golden.

Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the stock, stirring continuously. Add the soy milk, caraway seeds and pepper. Cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.

Gradually stir in the soy cheese and cook until the cheese is completely melted, but do not allow the soup to boil. Stir in the bratwurst and beer. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.

Potato Pancakes

(original recipe from Food.com)

3 large potatoes, peeled, finely shredded and well drained
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
oil, for frying

In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, onion and dry ingredients. Roughly stir, smashing the potatoes until tender and until the batter is well mixed.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a preheated, generously oiled skillet. Brown on both sides.

Spinach Salad and Hot Bacon Dressing

(original recipe from The Bratwurst Pages)

1 pound spinach, washed and trimmed
6 slices bacon, sliced crosswise
4 green onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place spinach in a serving bowl and set aside.

Brown bacon in a large heavy skillet until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add green onions and garlic to the bacon drippings and sauté over low heat for about 2 minutes. Mix in ketchup, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour over spinach, add bacon bits and toss well to mix.

State Fair Cream Puffs

(original recipe from Taste of Home)

For puffs:
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1/4 teaspoon yeast dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
3 tablespoons soy milk

For pastry cream:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Bring water, margarine and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Slowly add the yeast mixture and soy milk, beating until a smooth, very thick paste forms.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks and immediately slice open to allow steam to escape. 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.

Fill the puffs with pastry cream just before serving.

Dinner 20: Michigan

Menu

Detroit-Style Coney Dogs
Michigan Salad with Cherry Vinaigrette
Mackinac Island Fudge

Review

I chose Michigan next because it starts with 'M' like Minnesota did and because the state is split into two parts, which is kind of neat. For the food, I chose a kind of hot dog with sauce called a Coney Dog. It's funny because it's named for a place in New York, even though it's from Michigan. I also chose a salad with cherries and apples and fudge for dessert.

I liked everything except for the salad dressing. The hot dogs were good - they look kind of like the hot dogs we had from Rhode Island, but I liked these ones a lot more! I liked the salad part of the salad and the cherries and apples were yummy, but the dressing was too much flavor and a little bit sour. The fudge was really good, though. We got to have big pieces, too, and there was lots left over, which was good, too!

Recipes

Detroit-Style Coney Dogs

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

4 hot dogs with natural casings
4 hot dog rolls
1 small onion, diced
10 ounces Detroit Coney Sauce (recipe follows)
yellow mustard, to taste

Grill hot dogs to taste.

Place hot dogs on buns, top with Coney sauce, onion and mustard.

Detroit Coney Sauce

(original recipe from Great Lakes, Better Food)

1/2 pound ground beef
1 hot dog, casing removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup beef stock
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown the beef and hot dog in a large Dutch oven. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Using the same Dutch oven, melt butter, whisk in flour to create a roux. Once the roux turns lithely brown, slowly add the stock, whisking constantly. Add all remaining ingredients and the beef mixture. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has a thick consistency.

Michigan Salad with Cherry Vinaigrette

(original recipe from Loaded Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened tart cherries
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons honey
1 large shallot, quartered
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

1 bag mixed greens
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
dried cherries
shredded soy cheese

Put the frozen cherries in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries and juices are reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Combine the cooked cherries with the remaining ingredients, except the olive oil. Blend until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil, blending continuously, until the sauce thickens. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, toss the salad ingredients together, drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Mackinac Island Fudge

(original recipe from GroupRecipes)

1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup soy margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa

Mix soy milk, margarine, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy pan. Cook at medium heat until boiling. Boil for exactly 6 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and thick.

Pour into a greased pan and freeze for 20 minutes.

Cut into pieces.