Pad Kee Mao with Prawns

How this spicy prawn and noodle dish with its enticing flavors of basil, soy sauce and onions made it way into my consciousness is completely lost to me, but what I do recall is how utterly delicious it is!

I had forgotten how delicious is the taste of fresh basil in soy sauce! if you haven't had that before, try it now! There was a dish that I always got at the only Chinese restaurant in the dismal Indiana town where I went to graduate school - three flavor prawns - and it was sliced ginger, garlic and basil stir fried with prawns. That's it! It was pure ecstasy in your mouth and it was always what was on my plate at The Great Wall. If you're ever in that area, make sure you ask for the Chinese menu! That's where all the good stuff is!

Creamed Chanterelle Mushrooms with Polenta

When it comes to wild mushrooms you cannot get them except in season, end of story. So when chanterelles show their gorgeous orange yellow trumpets on the mushroom aisle, they get scooped up fast! You can also find them at farmers' markets if you have a mushroom forager stall. Grab some and make this dish - you'll be smitten too!

Of course chanterelles are great over pasta as well, but if you're looking for a break from wheat or gluten, polenta is almost as quick and easy to make. Try not to over cook the polenta because then it becomes kind of rubbery, which is not bad if you want to then slice it and place it under the broiler with more butter and cheese. However a more creamy, pour-able version is what you are looking for in this recipe.

This post jumped ahead of lots of others because chanterelle season doesn't last long! Thankfully it is not as short as Morels (3-5 weeks at best!) but they will be gone faster than you think, so go get some now!

Classic Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are so 1950s, so white, colorless side dish...yet so freaking delicious! Yes! it is potatoes done right, simple, slightly cheesy but lots of tender potato goodness. And so much easier than you would think!

I have wonderful small (5"x7") glass baking pans (that are the perfect size to make two meals' worth of paneer from a gallon of milk) but they are also the perfect for making two servings of scalloped potatoes.

This recipe is the basic starting point, you can add whatever you'd like to dress it up: diced ham, proscuitto, cooked greens, roasted veggies, whatever you think would go well with potatoes and cheese. It also all comes together faster than you would think, especially if you have a mandoline (which you need, order one now online, I'll wait...you're welcome!)

Buckwheat Crepes with Artichokes, Tomato Jam and Chevre

Before moving to Arcata crepes were not high on my must eat or make list. A trip to Renata's Creperie changed all that! While it's lovely to eat out and be served, it is equally fun to try and replicate the goodness as home. This recipe worked beautifully!

Crispy edges, moist and spongy crepes, and any fillings my heart desired! It's a new meal for the weekend brunch menu and so many new ideas to try out! In this version, the tomato jam, chevre and artichoke hearts was the favorite. But the swiss chard, mushroom and chevre was a close second. Serve them with a dollop of sour cream, creme fraiche or yogurt if you like.

What I really loved about this batter was how easily it fried up; there was no broken, messy first one. They were beautiful from the get go! Make sure you're using large eggs; smaller ones may require an extra egg or half. Also, I did use spelt flour here, so if you are using regular wheat flour, you may need a tablespoon or two more of the milk.

Also, if possible, make the batter the night before and allow it to sit in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap overnight. This step allows it to thicken and makes for a smooth batter that cooks up beautifully.

Falafel with Spelt Flatbread

Sadly, wheat flour and I have had to part ways. My nose and sinuses thank me, but there was some grief. Happily, gluten is not my enemy, so enter spelt, wheat flour's cousin. It comes in white and whole "wheat" but does not seem to afflict me the way wheat does, yowza!

Spelt does take some getting used to, not in taste but in the amount of liquid it needs, specifically less. It creates a much stickier dough and doesn't rise as much as wheat since it has less gluten than wheat flour. So experimenting has been happening and happily these spelt flatbreads turned out swimmingly!

The trick to making great falafel is to only soak the chick peas, Do Not Cook Them! And then make the mixture and allow it to sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours; this helps it stick together. Of course this requires a little planning ahead, but then all you have to do is bake them and you can make the flatbread while the falafels are in the oven! Easy peasy!

Don't be daunted by what appears to be a long recipe to follow, it includes the falafel and tahini dressing as well. As for the veggies on the falafel, it's simply chopped tomatoes, cucumber and shallots. Vary that as you like.

I am linking this post to My Legume Love Affair, a fun blog event that Susan of The Well Seasoned Kitchen created and Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen now continues. Legumes have always been a favorite of mine but with my increased cooking of Indian cuisine, they are a weekly staple. This of course is Eastern Mediterranean in origin but the chick peas/ceci/garbanzo is still one of my all time favorites!

Thai Ginger Carrot Soup with Tofu Crisps

Do you live in a place where Fall is in the air? Crisp nights and chilly mornings are forewarning of leaves falling soon (making huge piles to be jumped into first before being raked to the curb?!) Then your mind and belly are probably lurching towards soups, stews, and warming cups of tea, mulled wine and hot cider! This is a new soup to add to your meal planning that will tickle your tummy and make your inner health nut happy!

Lots of carrots and garnet jams pureed with coconut milk, ginger and lime creates a unique, bowl licking, delicious soup. The cilantro and lime seem exotic but they make the soup; don't get scared and leave them out!

Years ago when I was the deli manager at Just Food Co-op in Northfield, Minnesota, I found this recipe on line and have no idea the origins. But it was a winner! Next to our Chicken and Wild Rice (the other religion in Minnesota, only second to the Lutherans!), this soup was our best seller. It's one of those dishes that people don't even realize is vegan! Love that!