VICTORY IS MINE!

RECIPE POST:  So if you've been following the blog, you know by now that I love snack foods, with a capital LOVE, and that we've had a crazy busy social calendar of late which I think has finally tapered off for a bit.  You also know that I had a "doh" forehead slapping moment of clarity recently that if I stopped taking fattening, salty wondrous appetizers to a social gathering that I might infact, not find myself diving onto the snack table, gathering the food all around me and screaming MINE! at anyone who dares to approach! 

Well guess what?  I'm happy to announce this little trick actually worked!  I won't lie and say not nary a snippet of salty crunchy passed these lips, but I only had 3 little bugles dunked in spinach dip to assuage the evil wicked Snack Monster that dwells within the heart of me!  This is a victory akin to the blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  One sided.  Complete.  Annihilation.  I'm most pleased.

I behaved at a party and still had a fantastic time!  YEAH TEAM!

So here are the recipes for what I took.  Try them.  You'll LOVE them.

Barbecued Cauliflower.  (My friend Connie's recipe that I modified to make it spicier)
1 big head of cauliflower, broken into florets.  Drizzle a scant amount of olive oil over them.  Salt and Pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Let cool

1 cup ketchup
1/4 soy sauce
2 TB olive oil
1 - 2in piece of ginger minced
1/4 c minced garlic (again I use the jarred stuff which won't be as strong as fresh, so if you're using fresh, cut back to maybe 3 -4 cloves)
1/4 cup of Red Curry Paste.  I use Patak's Mild. 

Saute the garlic and ginger in the olive oil being careful not to let the garlic brown.  Add the other ingredients and cook until thickened.  Cool then coat the cauliflower in the BBQ sauce.  This will sit nicely for a while, but long term, the BBQ sauce pulls the liquid out of the cauliflower and the results, while still tasty, are soupy looking.  Its good at room temp or cold.  What I do is keep things separate until right before I'm ready to serve.  This is yummy and Connie and I and our husbands fell in love with this at a restaurant here in town called Copper.  If you like Indian food.  Try it.  Both the carnivores and this veggiehead were all exceedingly happy! http://www.copperrestaurant.com/

Corn Zucchini Stir fry ( this is a lift from The Field of Greens Cookbook which is one of the best vegetarian cookbooks on the market in my opinion.  http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Greens-Vegetarian-Celebrated-Restaurant/dp/0553091395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278872430&sr=8-1
1/4 olive oil
1/4 cup of garlic (remember back it down if you're using fresh)
5 ears of corn (don't use frozen or canned, it'll turn out mushy) Cut the kernels off with a sharp knife
3 big zucchini cut into 1 in dice
1 big red onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, minced try to avoid the stems as much as possible
salt and pepper to taste.

Saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.  Add the corn and cook, stirring frequently because it will stick, until the corn is cooked.  Add the zucchini and cook until its wilted but still maintains it shape.  Add the cilantro, salt and pepper and heat through.  The original recipe also calls for topping with smoked cheddar cheese which I admit is wonderful and also has you using zucchini boats stuffed with the filling which makes for a lovely presentation, but tastes just fine this way and is easier.