Featured Recipe: Summer Veggie Pie

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The following recipe for Summer Veggie Pie is from Joshua Grindle Inn in Mendocino, CA.

"More often these days we have guests who are abstaining from animal products. We've been very careful to eliminate meat from all of our dishes, but this request is a little more challenging since we rely so much on milk and eggs in our recipes. However, we have found that this quiche is so creamy, tangy and satisfying that no one seems to notice that it is not a traditional quiche." -- Cindy & Charles Reinhart, Innkeepers

Prep time: 1.5 hours
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 13 oz frozen shredded potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil, plus extra for sauteeing vegetables and oiling baking pan
• 1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 3/4 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced
• 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained*
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• paprika to taste

Steps:

1. Oil a glass pie plate and distribute potatoes over bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned.

2. Spread softened potatoes evenly over bottom and sides of pans. Saute green onions, yellow onions and garlic in oil until tender.

3. Add broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms and saute until tender. Drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

4. In food processor, blend tofu, oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and flour until very smooth. Add to vegetable mixture and mix well.

5. Spread mixture evenly into the pie plate. Sprinkle top with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until firm and lightly browned on top.

* If you've never cooked tofu before, click here for tips!

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Scots Irish Stew

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This recipe for Scots Irish Stew is from The Irish Inn in Ozark, IL.

Prep time: 3 hours
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs stew beef or lamb cut into one inch cubes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 head garlic (mince all the cloves in the head)
• 2 2/3 large onions, chopped
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 cup dark ale
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 bay leaves, crumpled
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• 3 1/2 lb red potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 cups peeled carrots, cut in medallions
• 1 medium piece cinnamon bark (can be ground, or left whole and removed after cooking)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch or two of pepper
• Parsley leaves and coriander for garnish

Steps:

1. Heat olive oil in very large pot over medium heat. Sauté meat until brown, then add garlic and onion. Continue to move the meat in the pot with the garlic and onion over heat for another 7 minutes, then sprinkle with sugar.
2. Add beef stock, ale, tomato paste, tomatoes, spices, and Worcestershire or soy sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another two hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
3. In a deep skillet sauté the potatoes and carrots in butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer. Add to the stew pot after it has simmered for two hours.
4. Add the cinnamon bark or stick and simmer on lowest heat for another 40 minutes. Remove the bark and bay leaves. Garnish with parsley, coriander, or a combination of both.
5. Serve this Scots Irish stew with garlic bread, crusty Italian bread with creamery butter, or traditional Irish soda bread.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Maple Acorn Squash

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This recipe is from Artist's Inn & Gallery in Terre Hill, PA.

Prep time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
• 1 acorn squash

Steps:

1. Cut each squash in half; remove seeds and place cut side down in baking pan. Add about 1" of water. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 F, or until skins are just a little soft.
2. Remove water from pan and place squash cut side up in pan or in small ramekins. Place one tablespoon each of syrup and cream in each squash half, bake additional 15 minutes
3. Using a grapefruit spoon, mix syrup, cream and squash flesh together.
4. Squash can be baked beforehand, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. Heat with the syrup and cream just before serving. It may take a little longer since they will be chilled.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Springtime Fritatta

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This recipe for Springtime Fritatta comes from Main Street Manor in Flemington, NJ.

"We serve this with healthy, all natural chicken sausage and home-baked Italian whole wheat bread. And always a dish of fresh fruit to start. Enjoy!" -- Donna and Ken Arold, innkeepers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh asparagus
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 zucchini
• 2 shallots
• 4 whole eggs
• 8 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated romano or parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps:

1. Slice asparagus, pepper and zucchini into 1" pieces. Lightly coat a roasting pan with a little olive oil and add vegetables. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste and roast at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until just brown. Can hold overnight in the refrigerator once they cool to save time in the morning.

2. In a 12" oven-safe coated pan, saute minced shallots in a little olive oil just until translucent. Chop the parsley finely and keep to add later. Add the roasted veggies to the pan and toss together. In another bowl, combine whole and egg whites and blend well. Add ricotta cheese, then grated romano or parmesan. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

3. When veggies are warm through and combined, add the egg/cheese/parsley mixture to the pan and move the veggies around so the egg mixture coats the bottom and sides of pan as well as the vegetagles. Keep the heat on low-medium so the bottom does not burn but so that the fritatta will set (about 10 minutes).

4. When just the center of the fritatta is still a little loose, put the pan into a 350 degree oven and allow it to continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is set and has risen. Cool for 5 minutes, slice and serve!

By Emily Starbuck Crone