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The Kitchen Recessionista

So, here we are, in a recession. Let's eat!

Vegetarian Travel Guide: Delice & Sarrasin, New York.

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Delice & Sarrasin, 178 W. Houston St., New York, NY
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Menu: https://delicesarrasin.com/menu
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, lovers of good French food

Visiting Delice & Sarrasin has become a Christmas Eve tradition for LeeLee and me on our holiday jaunts to New York. Quite frankly, it’s also become a nearly-every-trip tradition when we come up to the city for a weekend, a show, a concert … you get the picture. We can find pretty much any reason to visit Delice & Sarrasin when we’re in town – and we’re never disappointed.

Now, this time when we took an Uber to the restaurant after Christmas Eve church service, we were surprised when the driver pulled over in front of an unfamiliar spot. Sure enough, there was the awning which read “Delice & Sarrasin,” but this location was not at all as we remembered. We hadn’t lost our marbles, it turns out (well, not about this, anyway); the restaurant moved earlier this year from its decade-long residence over on Christopher Street. The space is much bigger, and while it has a slightly different vibe from the old location, it’s still just as wonderfully cozy with a pop of elegance. A perfect combination for a French restaurant in the Village!

Though we were a few minutes early for our reservation, we were seated right away and settled in with a glass of wine – a merlot-cabernet for LeeLee and a Riesling for me. My Riesling was great, but the merlot-cabernet was SO good that I elected to join Team Red for my second glass! But I’ve yet to come across a bad wine at Delice & Sarrasin – whatever you choose will be great.

The restaurant’s menu is always a challenge – completely vegan, all delectable, it’s very hard to make any choices and it’s incredibly easy to fall prey to decision fatigue. But take heart! You can’t make a bad choice.

From the cheese plates to the French onion soup to the “escargots,” your appetizer options are incredibly varied depending on your whims of the day. On this particular visit, we chose the baked brie with bread and potatoes, and when it arrived, it warmed the heart and the stomach with its piping-hot, creamy goodness, tasting for all the world like a dairy-based brie. Better, in fact! If it had been socially appropriate I would have licked the serving dish afterward.

Next it was time for the main course. Now, it’s here where I have a confession: As many wonderful entrees as there are, and as many as I’ve gotten to try from LeeLee’s plate, I always order the exact same thing for the main course. I’m a little embarrassed about this – what kind of food writer AM I, anyway?! – but the heart wants what it wants, and in my case the heart wants tagliatelle aux fruits de mer. Tagliatelle pasta with a variety of vegan seafood – it does this Gulf Coast girl’s heart so very, very good. In the case of Christmas Eve, I can explain my repetition away by saying I’m just adhering to the vegetarian version of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, but quite honestly, I can come up with any excuse to order it. At once hearty and light, with pronounced piquant oceanic notes, it’s a wonderful feast for the erstwhile seafood lover who no longer loves actual seafood. 

LeeLee, ever the explorer, tried something new to us both: The Poulet Basquaise, or Basque chik’n (pictured at the top of this post). I snuck a taste (or several), and WOW, what a treat this was! The chik’n legs were so tender and succulent, and the sausage was perfectly spicy. The tomatoes, onions and peppers that served as the base of the sauce came together in beautiful concert, and the whole shebang was presented atop a bed of semolina to thundering applause. One taste in and I was hooked; I think I’ve found my replacement for the tagliatelle on our next visit!

Finally, it was time to move on to dessert. Now, I am partial to the orange crème brulee, but this time around we decided to try something new, and before too long we both landed on the La Suzette crepe, with is a crepe flambe with Grand Marnier, cooked in lemon and cashew butter. We certainly enjoyed it, but I found the orange liqueur and the lemon juice to be a bit too tart for a sweet treat (though I certainly finished my share, so please don’t cry for me!). LeeLee, meanwhile, did not find it too tart at all, lemon-lover that he is, so I suppose your mileage will vary based on your temperament. While I think I will go back to the crème brulee next time, we were both very happy to have tried one of the crepes (and I see plenty of other options to try on future visits!).

Ninety minutes or so after we arrived, we rolled out of the restaurant fat and happy. I can’t think of a better Christmas Eve mealtime tradition than Delice & Sarrasin – and encourage you to add it to your docket the next time you find yourself in New York! You won’t be disappointed. We’re already looking forward to our next visit; knowing us, it won’t be long!

:)

Vegan Butterscotch Candies.

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Before we discuss today’s candy excursion, a confession: I have yet to bake a single thing this holiday season. Oh, my spirit has been willing, but the time has been so crunched! And you know what? That’s perfectly OK. Sweets are good any time of the season, and if friends and neighbors don’t get their deliveries till after Dec. 25, we’ll call them New Year’s candies and move right on along. I haven’t had a recipient yet who refused my baked goods due to a date on the calendar.

I started a love affair with these candies nearly four decades ago and can’t remember a holiday season without them. Some of my first Christmas memories involve me standing on a kitchen chair so I could see over the counter, watching my mother mix the fixings for butterscotch candies on the stove, then carefully spooning them out onto aluminum foil to cool. Her original recipe had a chocolate-butterscotch blend, but when I developed cocoa-induced migraines in college (a travesty, that!), I moved the party to a butterscotch-only recipe instead. My cocoa-fueled migraines have abated at this point in my life, but I like the butterscotch-forward recipe so much that I’ve kept it!

While this recipe didn’t start as a plant-based concoction, I’ve taken the liberty of making it one. Dairy-free butterscotch chips are easy to find now both in specialty shops and on Amazon (I like the King David brand for meltability), and the rest of the ingredients are naturally vegan, so it’s just not all that difficult to do. And if you want to add a bag of chocolate chips back in, be my guest! We’re all for variety here. :)

The recipe’s below.

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Vegan Butterscotch Candies.

A holiday treat that will make friends everywhere you go!

  • Author: KitchenRecessionista
Scale

Ingredients

2 bags of butterscotch chips (or one bag of butterscotch chips and one bag of chocolate chips)

1 5-ounce container of chow mein noodles

8 ounces unsalted roasted peanuts

Instructions

Before you get started, line a countertop or table with aluminum foil. This will be important later.

Pour the chips into a large pot and turn the heat to Medium, stirring constantly. Once the chips have completely melted, add the noodles and peanuts and continue to mix until everything is well coated with butterscotch (or butterscotch/chocolate).

Working as swiftly (and smoothly!) as you can, spoon out the mixture one spoonful at a time onto the foil until you’re out of melted butterscotch, at which point you can feel free to lick the spoon and the remnants in the pot. Let the candies cool for several hours, store in an airtight container and give out to all your friends and family!

:)

The Holidays, Man.

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Tell me something: Is it me, or are the holidays absolutely flying by this year? I know, we all say this every year, but something about the way Christmas falls this time around – on a Monday, yielding a long weekend of holiday reverie – makes the whole month of December feel even more compressed. I’m sure I can’t be alone in this … right?

For me, one way to save some time and carve out a few minutes to myself is to rely on my easiest, heartiest and most comforting meals this time of the year. I have no problem sacrificing creativity for comfort food during the holiday season; it’s a trade-off I’m more than willing to make.

So if you’re like me, pressed for time and looking for the easy path wherever you can find it at the moment, you’re in need of some fast-cooking, quick-to-the-table meals to take the stress out of your evening dinner routine. Here are some of my favorites that I lean on every single year. Maybe they’ll become some of yours too! Have a go-to of your own that you’d like to share? Drop it in the comments!

Crockpot Cowboy Stew: This dish is always a crowd-pleaser and yields leftovers for days!

Backyard BBQ Chili: A treat for gameday, a lazy day or any day! 

Easy Instant Pot Hoppin’ John: Add a little Cajun flair to your day – any day! – with this impossibly easy Hoppin’ John recipe.

Vegan Hamburger Helper: A childhood comfort meal, re-created! It comes together in a snap.

Instant Pot Old Faithful: This infusion of black beans and rice is relied on so heavily in our home that we call it simply Old Faithful. It’s always there for us!

Instant Pot “Tuna” Noodle Casserole: After going vegetarian more than 20 years ago, I never thought I’d have tuna noodle casserole again, but this recipe proved me wrong.

Vegan Sausage and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches: These sandwiches feel so decadent, and yet they take no time to put together. Serve them up for breakfast or brunch – or breakfast for dinner! 

:)

On Prepping for the Next Recession.

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Are we in a recession or aren’t we? 

I’m going to be honest: That question sort of galls me. Definitionally, no, it doesn’t seem that the U.S. has dipped into a recession quite yet (though when I’m feeling salty I can easily argue the opposite view), but when it comes to the aspects of daily life, it’s hard not to feel like a recession is looming on the horizon at best, and sitting on the front porch at worst. So with that in mind, it doesn’t mean anything that we’re not officially in a recession yet. Many of us are already feeling the pinch, are we not?

So whether we’re in a recession already or not, in terms of how I’m thinking about my household finances, it really doesn’t matter. I’m preparing for a downturn and I encourage you to do so as well.

What does that look like on the heels of nearly three years of global pandemic, here in the Year of our Lord 2022? A few things right off the bat:

Clipping coupons. Now, I’ve never been an extreme couponer, and to be honest I find that coupons often lead me to purchase items I wouldn’t have even bought otherwise so I often stay away from them – with one key exception. One of our local grocery store chains, Harris Teeter, has started sending out $10 off coupons, good for one week each for a month. I’ve dutifully clipped them, pinned them to our family tack-board, and when the new week of shopping rolls around I fold it up around my store loyalty card before going to shop – that way I won’t forget them at home, which is easy to do!

Cooking at home. Granted, the pandemic has broken our habit of going out to eat multiple times a week, but I must admit I’d been looking forward to ramping that back up! But with restaurant prices being what they are right now, and with me keeping one eye on the financial future, we’ve kept our dining-out budget scaled waaaaay back. In exchange, I’m working to add a bit of spice to my weekly meal plan just so it’s not a constant rotation of beans and rice (we don’t call it Old Faithful for nothing!), salads and pasta all the time. For instance, on Saturday we enjoyed Sushi Night at home – what a treat!

Scaling back future leisure plans. Coming out of the acute phase of the pandemic, LeeLee and I had been looking very forward to going to see some shows again, as well as ramping back up on our beloved travel. Right now, we’re admittedly feeling like we’re in a bit of a liminal phase with this – we don’t want to NOT plan for travel and entertainment, but we don’t necessarily want to raise the stakes on anything either until we figure out what’s going to happen. Now, I could very easily just not allocate any money whatsoever to the aforementioned, and maybe 2023 Hope will think that is what I should’ve done. But at the moment I’m taking a bit of a middle ground – not throwing money around wildly, buying up tickets to every show in town and booking airline reservations from hither to yon, but rather booking some refundable hotels, eyeing some airfares that I can easily exchange for airline credit if necessary and keeping tabs on the concerts and performances I’d REALLY like to see, prioritizing those well above anything that warrants just a “This sounds nice.”

As you well know, this blog was created during the last major recession in 2008-09. We’ve been here before. We survived. And we can – and will! – survive again. There’s no need to panic (a relative liquidated her entire stock portfolio at the very first dip this summer – please don’t do that!), but there is a need to be cautious. Maybe even a little wary! That wariness is what gives us our edge and keeps us sharp. After several years of hypervigilance against a dread disease, I must admit I am not super-excited about keeping up that level of vigilance against a potential economic downturn, but I also know I can do it – and so can you.

We’ll get through it, one meal at a time!

:)

Four Great Picnic Ideas for Springtime

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Ahhh, springtime. The days are getting longer, the sun is peeking out, the flowers are blooming, and – if you’re where I am in the mid-Atlantic – the temperature is currently … 37 degrees? No matter. We’ll be back in the 70s soon enough, and already I’m dreaming of picnic fare.

Aside from cookouts, the picnic is probably my favorite type of meal to plan. I love the exotic feeling of dining outdoors, atop a well-worn blanket or perched in camp chairs or, sometimes, sitting in the way-back of the car, preparing to watch a drive-in movie. With friends, with LeeLee, or sometimes just by myself, a picnic brings peace, no matter the occasion. It signals a slowing-down of the day, a moment to savor life. I love picnics for that most of all.

There are plenty of ways to plan an excellent picnic. A satchel of wine and snacks never hurt anybody. Or a to-go bag of your favorite carry-out is a great choice for after work when you don’t feel like whipping something up. But if you’re looking to go the homemade route, you could do worse than these ideas! From huge buffet-like spreads with half a dozen friends to quiet evenings for two, here are some picnic recipes to get the party started.

Falafel Pitas With Salad
Any falafel recipe will do for this dish – I used a homemade baked version that I’ve had since about 2003 (!). Store-bought is also just fine if you’re in a bit of a rush. But whether you enjoy this in a backyard feast, in your local park or even in the living room on a rainy evening, it won’t dare let you down. Falafel is so dang versatile – and it holds up so well in a pita during transport!

Turk’y and Cheese Sandwich With Potato Salad and Fresh Fruit
This combo served LeeLee and me so very well when we brought it to an outdoor movie a few years back (and many times since). Be sure not to load your sandwich down with too many condiments so it won’t get soggy before serving, and don’t forget to keep that potato salad on ice! And if you’re following us to a movie, be sure and bring a fun card game (Mille Bornes is a huge hit in our house).

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches
Let’s face it – peanut butter and banana sandwiches make for an excellent hiking buddy. My dad and I have been known to enjoy PB&Bs on every road trip we’ve ever taken together over the years, and for good reason: These sandwiches are easy, shelf-stable, filling and frugal. They’re easy to carry on the trail (just keep an eye out for grizzlies, would you?) and just as easy to prep on the dashboard of the rental car should events call for it! 

When Friends Convene, a Buffet Emerges
In this case, a picture speaks a thousand words. From tabbouleh to tortilla chips to beet salad to peanut noodle salad to … well, you name it … the more friends you can rope into the act, the better your picnic spread will be! In this case, we had joined up with a big group to celebrate a friend’s birthday in the pre-pandemic era, first feasting on all the aforementioned (and more) and then enjoying an evening of live music under the stars. When it comes to the menu, the sky’s the limit!

Vegetarian Travel Guide: Bozzelli’s Deli, Arlington, Va.

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Bozzelli’s Deli, 2600 Crystal Drive
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.
Menu: https://www.bozzellideli.com/crystal-city
Suited for: Vegetarians, vegans, omnivores, pizza fans

Ah, pizza. Just the thought of it sets my mouth to watering. And, even if I order a pie for just me, the thought of pizza gives me a feeling of community that I suppose first took root when I was a small child, visiting our beloved Barnaby’s restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida, and enjoying their square slices year after year! 

Delivery pizza also entered the lexicon for our family as I grew up in the 1980s, and before too long allegiances were formed (we were a Hungry Howie’s family in the ’90s). For football games, birthday parties, or lazy Friday nights at home, pizza was just a phone call away.

In this age of baking my own pizza crust and trying to eat a bit healthier, ordering pizza hasn’t been as regular of an occurrence as it used to be for me. But recently, I stumbled on Bozzelli’s, and it has quickly become a siren song. LeeLee out of town? Order a 10-inch Bozzelli’s pizza. LeeLee IN town? Order TWO 10-inch pies. Movie night? Order a Bozzelli’s pie. And so on, and so forth. It’s become a bit of a habit, to be honest.

And, pray tell, why not? From all the standard pizzas to ones stationed further afield, you could order from Bozzelli’s twice a week and still not come up with an identical combination for a long, long time.

I first learned of Bozzelli’s during Veganuary this year, and right away it became my go-to choice for vegan pizza. Gone are the days of pizzerias veganizing your order by simply removing the cheese and throwing on a bunch of vegetables. Oh, no. Want a good old-fashioned pepperoni pizza? They have a vegan version. How about vegan ground beef? Vegan sausage? They’ve got those too. Chik’n parm pizza? Yes, that too. Looking for a pie teeming with fresh veggies? The Farm Girl has your back.

My personal favorite go-to order is the Vegan Joe From Jersey, which begins with marinara sauce and is topped with mozzarella, sausage, mushrooms and onions. I could eat it again and again (and have!). Pro tip: Order more than you plan on eating for dinner – it keeps beautifully and makes a great lunch a day or two later.

And there is a “deli” side to Bozzelli’s Deli, as well, filled with such fun options as a vegan meatball sub, a chik’n parm sub, chik’n nuggets and more. Everything holds up well if you choose delivery (which we generally do), so don’t fret.

Alongside the vegan options, vegetarian guests will also find plenty to enjoy. From white pizzas to margheritas to a veggie-heavy variety, there’s a wealth of options without venturing into vegan-cheese territory.

Bozzelli’s is becoming a bit of a pizza empire in the D.C. metro area: With three locations in Virginia and two in the District proper, its reach is fairly expansive. And with a menu like theirs, it’s a well-deserved growth trajectory!

:)

Baked Tofu.

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This was one of those recipes that was borne out of necessity: I was looking to make a stir-fry and when dinnertime rolled around – GASP! – there was no store-bought baked tofu in the fridge when I was just SURE that I had an extra pack sitting in there waiting! Alas. I did, however, have regular old plain firm tofu, and as I poked around the pantry some more I realized I had plenty of seasonings and sauces. So, 20ish years into being vegetarian, it was time to bake some teriyaki-style tofu.

The recipe came together in a snap and can be customized to your liking – any sauce or seasoning I used can be added, subtracted or plain old omitted without hurting the dish in the slightest! For me, I cut the firm tofu into cubes about an inch apiece (but nobody look too closely, OK?) and plunked them gently into a zip-top bag. Then I added in a quarter-cup of hoisin sauce, a generous dousing of soy sauce, a dash of garlic powder, a dash of ginger and more chili sauce than I really needed. I patted the bag a bit to ensure everything coated the tofu evenly and then put the whole lot in the fridge for about half an hour to marinate (but the longer the better!).

Then it was simply a matter of baking it up – this is baked tofu, after all! I sprayed a baking sheet with cooking spray and then let the tofu tumble out in a single layer. Then I simply baked the tofu at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and dinner was served!

The beautiful thing about this dish – other than its ease – is how dang versatile it is. You can serve it in a stir-fry, as I did, or you can use it as protein to top a salad, or serve it over rice, or alongside noodles, or just eat it all by itself. And it keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days, so don’t hesitate to make extra just so you can have leftovers.

You’ll never go back to store-bought baked tofu again!

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Baked Tofu.

You’ll never go back to store-bought again with this quick and easy method for baked tofu!

  • Author: KitchenRecessionista
Scale

Ingredients

1 container of water-packed firm or extra-firm tofu

¼ cup hoisin sauce

3–4 tbsp. soy sauce

1–2 tbsp. chili sauce

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. garlic powder

Any other sauces or seasonings you fancy

Instructions

First, cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place them in a zip-top bag. Next add each sauce and spice one by one and then gently press the bag a bit to ensure the ingredients have coated the tofu well. (Don’t press to hard or you’ll crush your poor little tofu!) Set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to four hours.

 

Shortly before you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 and coat a baking sheet with a light coating of cooking spray.

 

When the oven is ready, pour the tofu out of the bag and onto the sheet, ensuring the cubes are in one layer. Put the sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, adding an extra five minutes on at the end if the cubes aren’t firm enough for your liking.

 

Next, serve with your favorite stir-fry, salad, or other favorite meal, and enjoy!

 

:)