Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Tofu

this was another thing I cooked that was also great. 

-1 pound extra firm tofu, drained
- 4 cups fresh vegetables (I used 2 bell peppers, and carrots)
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 10 oz jar of La Choy sweet and sour sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon water


You can find out how to cook it here.  I'm waiting for my son to get here so we can video game! 

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/07/crockpot-sweet-and-sour-tofu.html

Tofu in Peanut Sauce

I went on a slow cooker kick over the past week.  I'm not sure why.  I hate the things!  I do however love tofu, and I love peanuts, so when I saw this recipe, I figured I should at the very least try it. 

Was worth it, will eat again, maybe without so much spinach next time.  Not a fan of wilted green veggies :(

The Ingredients:
serves not too many -- probably a family of 2 to 4 if over rice and vegetables. If you've got hungry people you should double it.

package of extra-firm tofu (16 ounces) 

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice of one lime

1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

2-3 cloves of chopped garlic (we're still out, so I had to use the jarred stuff)

--whole bag of baby spinach (10 or 12 ounces)

When I made this I used less than 10 ounces of spinach, probably about four.  For some reason the sauce thickened quickly, and that may be because my slow cooker is gigantic. 

It tasted great though. 

You can see a picture and the non modified recipe here.

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Tofu-in-peanut-sauce-crockpot-310375

Red Beans and rice

This was another thing I tried, I hate slowcooking, because for me the dish always dries out and then I put too much water in it, and that washes away the seasoning, so for this it ended up more like a stew than the actual dish :(

Ingredients

• 1 cup of long grain brown rice
• 2 cups of dried red kidney beans
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup of chives
• 1-2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp. of smoked paprika
• ½-1 tsp. salt
• 4 cups of boiling water

Instructions

1. Add everything to the crockpot and stir together.
2. Cook on low for around 6-8 hours. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your crockpot.

Pad thai

So I took a second job and that cut my blogging time.  I've been cooking and I have two recipes for you all.  The first one is for a Vegan pad thai, and it was a marvelous! I actually got this off of Martha Stewart's website.

• • 8 ounces dried wide, flat rice noodles
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving (3 limes)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chili sauce, such as Sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained, thinly sliced, and patted dry
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoons roasted salted peanuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1. Soak noodles according to package instructions; drain. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, chili sauce, and brown sugar.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium-high, tilting to coat pan. Add eggs, swirl to coat bottom, and cook until just set, about 1 minute. Transfer eggs to a cutting board, loosely roll up, and cut crosswise into thin strips. Add 4 teaspoons oil to skillet and heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides, 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to cutting board.
3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, carrots, garlic, and scallion whites to skillet and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add lime-juice mixture and bring to a simmer. Add noodles and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add eggs and tofu and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt. Divide among four plates and top with peanuts, cilantro, and scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.