Calçotada is the name of a spring festival in Spain that celebrates an oniony-type vegetable known as the calçot. Great quantities of calçots are grilled and then served with romesco, a sweet and savory pepper sauce. In my part of the world, there's an oniony-type vegetable that closely resembles the calçot. It's called a leek, and it's also widely available in the spring and fall. This recipe uses leeks, but it's inspired by the Calçotada's marriage of caramelized, roasted onions with yummy pepper sauce.
Read MoreSour Cream Seitan Enchiladas
Although I was a transplant, growing up in an area where "TexMex" food is serious business left its mark on me. I still remember my first night in the south, having made the long drive with my family from the northeast shores at the tender age of 7, to a chain restaurant called "Pancho's Mexican Buffet". We were convinced this place was an exemplary source of real Mexican food, served cafeteria style, complete with a soft serve ice cream machine and little Mexican flags on the table that you can raise whenever you wanted a waiter to show up.
Read MoreMulligan Stew
It is believed that Mulligan stew was a creation of American hobos around the turn of the century. It was a community dish formed by whatever people happened to have on hand. Now that traditional hobo culture is not so prevalent in America, Mulligan stew has come to resemble Irish beef stew with an American bent. This version uses seitan in place of beef, beer with the broth, and is chock-full of root vegetables. Once again, I will be dedicating this stew recipe to an important person in my life. This time, it's my little brother, Ben.
Read MoreRetro Seitan and Broccoli Casserole
It's been a while since we've had an adventure on this blog, so this time we're taking a journey into the past. You shuffle in through the front door after a long, wintery day of school. Tossing your backpack aside, you follow tempting aromas into the kitchen. Your mom pulls open the oven to reveal a warm, creamy, hearty....casserole!
Read MoreSeitan and Dumplings
This recipe is based on possibly the most famous stew in the southern United States. It's the kind of dish that is passed down from generation to generation, creating feuds between families over minor variations, such as flat or fluffy dumplings (fluffy) and broth base or cream base (broth). Having come from the northeast, where the gravy is always brown, I never knew much about this stew before I met my husband. That's why, as part of the tradition I've started on this blog, I'm dedicating this recipe to him.
Read MoreWhite Chili
I decided it was time to inaugurate the first soup recipe on this blog, and with the weather turning colder and colder, a chili seemed like the best choice. I've also decided to start doing something new. From now on, I will dedicate each soup recipe to someone awesome in my life.
Read MoreSeitan Normandy
In our house, this dish signifies the beginning of fall. It's named after the Normandy region of France which is famous for (among many other things) its apple brandy. The brandy, called Calvados, is also named for the region in which it was first distilled centuries ago, and continues to be made there. Although Calvados has many applications, both sweet and savory, in food or drink, this one is by far my favorite.
Read MoreSeitan and Roast Potatoes With Mustard Sauce
"I'm a meat and potatoes kinda person." That's a thing people say, isn't it? I suppose it's to let others know that they're approachable and down-to-earth. Well, are you a meat and potatoes kinda person? If so, you'll love this dish. If you're not, you'll still love this dish because it has a subtle French twist - just a small eccentricity in the form of a tangy, creamy mustard sauce. Everybody wins!
Read MorePulled Seitan Barbecue
For this adventure, we're making our own barbecue sauce! If that sounds a bit extreme, you can always use the store bought kind instead, but then you'll miss out on all the fun.
Read MoreSeitan Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles are traditionally a brunch dish made with last night's leftovers. We love them so much, we think they're worth making from scratch and having for dinner! Once you give them a try, I think you'll agree.
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