♪

from https://www.justonecookbook.com/mapo-tofu/

2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger (2.5 cm)
2 green onions/scallions
14 oz silken/soft tofu (396 g)
1 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
½ lb ground pork (227 g; or any other meat/veggies of your choice)

Seasonings

2 ½ Tbsp Doubanjiang (spicy chili bean sauce/broad bean paste) I use 1 ½ Tbsp Doubanjiang (non-spicy) and 1 Tbsp Ladoubanjigang (spicy). You can buy the non-spicy one from this shop online. More information on how to differentiate spicy from non-spicy. You can use just non-spicy if you want.
2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp miso
1 Tbsp oyster sauce (if allergic to shellfish like I am: replace with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or fish sauce)
½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (roasted)
1 tsp potato starch/cornstarch
4 Tbsp water

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients. Draining tofu: silken tofu is delicate. First, unmold the tofu by running a knife along the edge. Then carefully drain it. You can let it drain on a plate and pour off the water. You can also drain it on paper towels or dishtowels but avoid waffle weave, as the tofu can get trapped in the towel!

Combine all the ingredients for Seasonings (2 ½ Tbsp Chili Bean Sauce and/or Broad Bean Paste, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp miso, 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce, ½ Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp corn starch, 4 Tbsp water) in a bowl and mix well together.

Mince the garlic cloves and ginger finely.

Cut the green onions into small pieces. Drain the tofu and cut into about 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes.

In a large frying pan, heat vegetable oil on medium heat and saute garlic and ginger. Make sure you don't burn them. Once they are fragrant, add the ground pork and break it up with a spatula or wooden spoon.

When the meat is no longer pink, add the Seasoning mixture and stir thoroughly.

Once the sauce is back to boiling, add the tofu and gently coat the tofu with the sauce. Stir frequently, without mashing up the tofu, until it is heated through. Add the green onions and mix just before taking the pan off the heat. Serve immediately.

The theme for this mix is "Tunes for being stuck in your house: depression jingle bugaloo"

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https://pinchofyum.com/veggie-alfredo-lasagna

This is a two-day recipe

INGREDIENTS
for the cauliflower alfredo sauce
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons butter
5 cups cauliflower florets
6–7 cups vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½ teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
½ cup milk (more to taste)
Parmesan cheese to taste
for the lasagna
10 lasagna noodles
4 cups cauliflower Alfredo sauce
5 cups veggies (I used chopped fresh greens, grated carrots, fresh and canned tomatoes)
3 cups mixed shredded cheese like Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, etc.
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cauliflower sauce: Saute the garlic with the butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Bring the cauliflower in the water or broth for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Do not drain. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to a blender or food processor. Add 1 cup vegetable broth or cooking liquid, sauteed garlic/butter, salt, pepper, and milk. Blend or puree for several minutes or until very smooth.
For the lasagna: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the lasagna noodles for a few minutes until they are just starting to soften but still stiff and cool enough to handle.
Spread a spoonful of cauliflower sauce on the bottom of a 9 inch square glass baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Layer lasagna noodles, 1/2 cup sauce, one fourth of the veggies, a good sprinkle of salt, 1/2 cup cheese, and 1/4 cup sauce (I put sauce in each layer twice – once under the veggies and once on top). Repeat layers 4 times, ending with noodles. Cover the top noodle layer with 1/2 cup sauce and the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Cover with greased foil and bake for 25 minutes. The liquid should be bubbling along the sides of the dish. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown to your liking. Cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
NOTES
I used a combination of fresh diced tomatoes and canned diced tomatoes. If you do use tomatoes, be sure to drain the excess liquid out before adding them to the lasagna, otherwise it will be too watery. I also found that sprinkling salt over each of the veggie layers helped it to be more flavorful, especially as leftovers.

From https://www.oliviascuisine.com/brazilian-paprika-chicken-stew-white-beans/



1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound chicken sausage (you can omit, but it adds delicious flavor)
Juice of one lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves (can replace with oregano)
1 can white cannellini beans (you can use canned)
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup parsley

Instructions
In a large bowl, toss the sliced chicken and whole sausage with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Like five minutes or so? You want to give the juice time to soak in.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven, over medium high heat, and brown the chicken and sausages, about 2 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your pot, you will have to work in 3-4 batches, adding more oil when necessary. Remove the chicken/sausage to a plate and slice the sausage into rounds.

You need to move fast for this part. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and sauté the onions and garlic until softened, which happens basically instantly. Then add the paprika and the tomato paste and stir to combine. Pour the chicken broth to deglaze, and add the bay leaves, thyme, and chicken/sausage.

Once the liquid starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the stew simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and almost falling apart.

With a ladle, remove a bit of the broth into a cup and stir in the flour to make a roux. Return the roux to the pot and add the beans. Cook for 10 more minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper, if necessary. Skim the excess fat off the top. Remove the bay leaves and sprinkle the parsley. Serve immediately, over rice or with bread.

5 medium russet potatoes
3 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
2 cartons chicken broth
3 Granny Smith apples (about 1-1/2 pounds)
About 1-1/4 pounds medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 cartons chicken broth
Milk

to bring: heavy cream
coriander
yogurt
bay leaf



https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-apple-and-parsnip-soup-108625

https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-potato-soup/

https://milkallergymom.com/2016/12/hot-chocolate-with-just-water.html

I know, hot chocolate with just water…sounds a little iffy, doesn’t it? Well, when you are plum out of dairy-free milk and all the neighbor kids are chanting in the front yard for hot cocoa in December, you find a way to make it happen.

I knew making hot cocoa with just water was a gamble. Google searches pretty much told me this would be disastrous, who makes hot chocolate without milk? But I was willing to take my chances. Kids are easy to please, right?

So after a little trial and error, I finally secured a decent hot chocolate with basic ingredients from the pantry…and water.

And shoot, this was so inexpensive to make that I’m willing to supply the neighborhood children all winter long.

The only caveat here is that you will want to add a splash of SOMETHING creamy. Just a dash of NON-DAIRY milk or whipped cream or canned coconut milk or creamer or ice cream. Marshmallows suffice, as well. You get the idea. A little something creamy will make this hot cocoa legit, and we used marshmallows.

And since that day with the neighbor kids, I have been able to make this into an “on-the-go” instant hot cocoa mix! Just leave out the extracts, use 2 Tablespoons of marshmallows for the “creamy element”, and throw the rest of the ingredients into a baggie (cocoa, sugar, chocolate, salt, marshmallows). You’ll only need a cup and hot water to make your dairy-free hot cocoa while you’re out.

As an adult with a little more sophisticated taste, of course I like a milky hot chocolate better. But my kids don’t bat an eye at this water version so I can definitely recommend it for when you’re in a pinch.

1 Serving of Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa Mix

2 Tbs. cocoa powder

2 Tbs. powdered sugar

2 Tbs. dairy-free chocolate

Dash of salt

2 Tbs. of something dairy-free & creamy (like marshmallows)

Splash of vanilla extract (optional) (affiliate)

Splash of peppermint extract (optional) (affiliate)

Heat enough water in your tea kettle for servings needed. 4-6 oz. per serving. I love my electric kettle!

Put cocoa, powdered sugar, chocolate, salt in the bottom of the mugs. Mix together.

Pour hot water over mixture in the mugs and stir vigorously until incorporated.

Add your creamy element.

Enjoy!