Recipe Mania!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I'm on a recipe spree.

First, I'm making Spicy Cranberry and Zinfandel Sauce (pdf) of which my West Indian Homie, Chookooloonks twittered: "GIRL. a sauce that combines cranberry goodness with sweet, sweet alcohol? Behold, a new holiday tradition!"  I'm just surprised that my family requested this dish.  I think they are taking pity on me because of my pissiness over not being involved in the menu planning.  However, whenever I've made cranberry sauce in the past, other than my sister's partner, most everyone has passed it up for can-shaped slices of jelled cranberry or nothing at all.  My family often finds my foodie offerings strange and they pass them up or politely try a tiny bit and then ignore.  Plus most everyone who will be there isn't eating sugar, so... we shall see.  They're insisting that they want me to make this.

I've been on a Greek Pasta Salad kick which can be vegan or vegetarian and delicious either way.  The beauty of this is that you can just throw together whatever ingredients you like in whatever quantities you enjoy or have on hand.  Here's how I've been making it (quantities are estimates):

• 1 12 oz package of Orzo (I would use whole wheat if I could find it - I'll have to order some from Amazon to have on hand) cooked according to package directions
• 1 container heirloom cherry tomatoes halved or quartered depending on size
• 1 cucumber either organic (peeled) or English halved and sliced
• 30 Kalamata olives pitted and halved (or whole if you're feeling lazy like I was tonight)
• Red onion - 1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped
• Green onion - 3 stalks chopped, white and green
• Italian parsley - (curly parsley is good, too) - 3-4 Tbsp chopped
• Optional: 1 container Feta cheese (5-6 oz) crumbled - omit to keep it vegan - add a bit of salt to compensate if not using
• Dressing (very rough quantities - I eyeball it so adjust according to your taste):
• 1/3 cup very good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 1/4 tsp salt (I use fresh ground sea salt)
  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (again, fresh ground)
• optional: juice of 1 lemon
• shake to combine, pour over pasta, veggies and cheese if using, stir to combine

And, my other current favorite recipe I will call Purple and Green Wedding Soup in honor of the newlyweds Elisa Camahort from Veggie Going Vegan and her less public hubby.  Elisa had a lovely purple and green organic veggies and fruit centerpieces which she offered to her guests to take home in reusable canvas shopping bags.  I turned the veggies into soup and it was so magically and lovingly delicious, I've continued to make it.

• 1 clove of garlic, minced (or use the fabulous frozen cubes from Trader Joes that Elisa turned me on to)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 lb baby okra sliced
• 2-3 baby eggplants sliced and quartered
• 3-4 heads of baby bok choy, bottom removed and discarded and remaining head roughly chopped (you could substitute other mild greens like baby chard or baby spinach)
• 1 quart vegetable broth (make your own or I highly recommend Swanson Organic.  It's the tastiest - trusted me since I've tasted them all)
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• UPDATE: um, yeah 1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes - is way too much - a few shakes is plenty - depending on how spicy you like things
  
• Fresh thyme
  

Saute garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil briefly - just until garlic starts to heat, add okra and eggplant and saute for 1-2 minutes until eggplant starts to brown.  Add broth and then bok choy.  Strip the leaves from 3 stalks of fresh thyme and add.  Heat to boiling then reduce to a simmer and cook until bok choy is wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve seedless purple grapes for dessert!

Although this soup is tasty delicious the vegan way, if you're a carnivore, you can add a sliced Andouille sausage and brown it between the garlic and okra and eggplant steps.  However, you have to give it a new name since it is no longer in the spirit of Elisa's wedding.