If You Brush the L-I-E-U-T, the MP Makes You KP on the QT

As Pinkie Pie sings, 'Both our diets, I should mention, are completely vegetarian.'  Here's some vegetable recipes, allegedly dating back to the 15th-18th centuries (with some modern modifications, but modern recipes definitely give more in-depth instructions, as you will see), some of which may have been enjoyed by General George Washington himself.

(Bell peppers were almost non-existent in these, must be in the meat dishes, or they didn't have a source for them back then. They also liked to add bacon into vegetable dishes back then, apparently.)

"The president came and desired us to walk in to dinner. The dinner was very good... peas, lettuce, cucumbers, artichokes, etc..." - Amariah Frost's diary, June 1797

Hmm, it may already exist, but imagine a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic cookbook: Pinkie Pie sweets, smoothies, cupcakes, apple pies and other baked goods, cakes, eclairs/donuts/mousse, vegetable dishes... I know they have cookbooks for Star Wars with fun, IP-themed dishes for the kids to make.

Hominy Gnocchi

Serves 6

• 1 quart milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup hominy grits
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
•  1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Scald milk, add butter, stir in grits and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring, until thick. Pour into 9x 12 inch baking dish. Cook 25-30 minutes. When cold, cut into circles with 1 1/2 inch circle cookie cutter. Place circles in greased oblong oven-proof dish. Pour the melted butter over the gnocchi and sprinkle them with the Parmesan cheese. Heat in 350 degree oven until bubbly and lightly browned.

Stuffed Baked Avocados

Serves 4

• 2 ripe avocados, halved with shell left on
• 1/4 cup olive oil
•  2 tablespoons chopped scallions or small green onions
• 1 (16 ounce) can pear tomatoes, drained and chopped or 1 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes, skinned, squeezed, and chopped
• 4 tablespoons herb stuffing, crushed a bit
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan heat olive oil, add scallions and cook until limp. Stir in tomatoes and simmer approximately 5 minutes, or until liquid is somewhat reduced. Add 2 tablespoons of herb crumbs. Brush avocados inside and out with butter. Fill centers with tomato mix and sprinkle tops with crumbs and cheese. Broil 5 to 6 inches from flame or heat until brown on top. Watch carefully!

Corn Fritters

Serves 10

• 12 ears fresh corn
• 3 eggs, seperated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter

Grate 12 ears of corn. Beat yolks of 3 eggs and add 2 tablespoons of flour, beating well after addition. Beat the whites of the eggs until stiff. Mix the grated corn and the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the beaten whites. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet and, when hot, drop fritter mixture by tablespoon. When edges are brown, turn and brown on other side. Serve immediately. May be served with maple syrup.

Sweet Potato-Apple Soufflé

 Serves 6-8

•  2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 4 eggs, seperated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Add to applesauce with orange rind. Mix well. Combine sweet potatoes, salt, applesauce mixture, and butter. Add beaten egg yolks. Beat egg whites stiff and fold into applesauce-sweet potato mixture. Pile lightly into greased 3-quart casserole. Bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato and Orange Casserole

Serves 6

• 10 sweet potatoes
• 3 oranges
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup strained honey
• Fine bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil sweet potatoes until almost tender. Arrange layer of sliced potatoes in bottom of casserole. Sprinkle with brown sugar, dot with butter, and cover with layer of thinly sliced oranges with skin left on. Repeat layers until ingredients are used. Pour over orange juice mixed with honey. Cover top with brown sugar mixed with fine bread crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Cherry Tomatoes With Rum

Serves 4

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons light run
• 1 teaspoon crushed basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt
• Pepper

Melt butter over medium heat in heavy frying pan. Add brown sugar and blend with butter. Add tomatoes and poach in this sauce for approximately 5 minutes, being careful not to break the skins. Add rum and basil. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Put into hot vegetable dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve at once.

Vegetable Pie

Serves 6-8

Pie Shell:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 onions, chopped and lightly sautéed
• 2 cups cooked rice
• Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beaten egg with sautéed onion and 2 cups of cooked rice. Press into a buttered 9-inch pie plate.

Vegetable Filling:

• 4 cups combined raw, sliced vegetables, using what you might have in the refrigerator - carrots, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt, pepper, and curry powder to taste

Sauté the sliced vegetable combination in the olive oil and butter. Add salt, pepper, and curry powder to taste. Place sautéed vegetables into rice shell.

Cheese Topping:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• Dash cayenne pepper or paprika
• Parsley

Melt butter in pan and add flour. Mix well. Slowly stir in milk. Add cheese and stir. Add mustard and paprika or cayenne pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. Top vegetable pie with this mixture. Sprinkle with parsley. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Cucumbers Filled With Green Beans and Peas

Serves 4-6

• 2 medium size cucumbers
• 1/2 cup cooked green beans, diced
• 1/2 cup cooked peas
• Green mayonnaise*
• Chives

Cut unpeeled cucumbers in half lengthwise. Simmer for 2 minutes (must be firm) Freshen under cool water and dry. Hollow out the seeds and some of the pulp, then fill with diced green beans and peas that have been cooked. Chill and cover with green mayonnaise and sprinkle with chives.

*Green Mayonnaise:

• 2 tablespoons watercress
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons spinach
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Boil watercress, tarragon, spinach, and parsley for 2 minutes. Drain and rub through a sieve (or put in blender) and add to 1 cup of mayonnaise.

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Hot Rum Sauce for Avocados

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 4 cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Several dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 2 avocados

Combine all ingredients except rum and avocados in saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to simmer and cover, stir occasionally. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove and discard cloves, add 1 tablespoon dark rum and cook sauce for 2 minutes longer. Halve and seed 2 avocados; score the sides lightly.Divide warmed sauce into chilled or room temperature avocados. Recipe can be doubled, reheated over hot water and refrigerated.

And here's that one I mentioned the other night ;) I usually top it with a simple icing, with food coloring for a little zazz, and it does go nicely with vanilla ice cream.

Fresh Apple Cake

Serves 8 to 12

• 5 small apples, cut in cubes
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, melted or 1 cup liquid shortening
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix apple cubes with sugar and set aside for 10 minutes. Melt butter. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix the shortening with 2 eggs; add apple and sugar mixture. Add dry ingredients to mix. Add raisins and nuts. Bake in greased 13x9 inch pan at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.