Vegetarian Tator Tot Casserole

The whole idea behind this blog is to recreate meals to be vegetarian friendly . So here goes, Tator Tot Casserole is a traditional family meal that everyone enjoys. Traditionally this meal includes hamburger in the casserole. This recipe replaces the hamburger with sauteed mushrooms and onions. You really do not miss the hamburger in this dish and the recipe has become a family favorite that everyone will enjoy!

VEGETARIAN TATOR TOT CASSEROLE

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 each onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
32 ounce bag frozen mix vegetables
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1/4 cup ketchup
28 ounce frozen tator tots
salt and pepper to taste

Saute mushrooms and onions in butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except tator tots in a bowl together. Place the mixture in a 9" x 13" pan. Place tator tots in a single layer on top of the mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

Delta Cole Slaw Similar To Fat Jack's

For years we have been fans of Fat Jack's restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, especially of their Cole Slaw recipe. They have always been very guarded of the recipe and I have been trying new recipes trying to find one similar. This vinegar based recipe is a great side dish to any meal.

DELTA COLE SLAW

• 1 head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked white pepper
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine the cabbage, bell pepper, onion and carrot. season with the salt and pepper and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour before proceeding.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard and celery seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir the vinegar periodically to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat. Remove the cabbage from the refrigerator and pour the vinegar over the top of the cabbage. Add the oil, green onions and parsley, and toss well to thoroughly combine.

Cover with plastic wrap and return the cabbage to the refrigerator. Allow slaw to sit for 2 or 3 hours before serving, stirring occasionally.

ENJOY!

Jeff's Spaghetti Sauce

Oh no! Another spaghetti sauce recipe! I promise this will be the last spaghetti sauce recipe for a while. My family has always been a bit competitive, so over the years, I have taken my dad's recipe and have "improved it". My dad would always laugh, but he never said it wasn't better. I agree, maybe not better, but just a new version, 2.0 . This sauce uses whole tomatoes giving it a chunkier style. This is the sauce I use for other recipes and is my personal favorite. So, without any further ado, here is my sauce.

JEFF'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
32 ounces canned whole tomatoes
16 ounces tomatoe sauce
1 tsp rosemary, powdered
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 tbs basil dried or 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 tbs oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup red wine

Add the olive oil to a pot and saute the onions and mushrooms until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for at least one hour. ENJOY!

Jane's Sweet & Sour Spaghetti Sauce

My sister Jane always enjoyed finding and testing new recipes. When she found one, she would call and share her new find with me. Needless to say, we spoke a lot on the phone. Jane has passed, but her recipes and memories live on with me. This recipe is for a sweet and sour spaghetti sauce. The sauce makes for a nice change of pace. The flavor calls you back for seconds.

JANE"S SWEET & SOUR SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 medium onion, chopped
12 ounces tomato paste
8 ounces tomato sauce
8 ounces hot water
1 tsp worschester sauce
1 tbs vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tap garlic powder
1/4 tsp chili powder

Combine all the ingredients in a pot and let simmer for one hour. ENJOY!

Ode To Grandpa Patwell's Spaghetti Sauce

Growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, my dad would make his spaghetti sauce on Saturday afternoons. I remembered smelling the sauce as it simmered all day. It was always a highlight when he made this dinner. Now, Grandpa would brown hamburger for the sauce, but it isn't necessary to enjoy the memories. For vegetarians, the sauce over spaghetti with parmansan cheese is a great family meal. I miss my dad and think of him when we make this meal. Here is his delicious recipe:

46 ounces tomatoe juice
6 ounces tomatoe paste
8 ounces tomatoe sauce
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 bay leaves
1 tbs parsley
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tbp oregano
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic salt

Add all the ingredients in a pot and simmer for at least one hour. This makes a great tasting smooth sauce. Serve over spaghetti with parmansan.

If your family is fussy about chunks of tomatoes this the right sauce for you. This sauce is very kid friendly. ENJOY!

Welcome to my new world of vegetables!

Hey Dad! I've decided to become a vegetarian! Eight years ago my son made this decision after a family trip to the Badlands of South Dakota. On this trip, one of his goals was to try as many different types of meat while visiting the wild west. This quest included; bear, buffalo, antelope, elk and whatever else he could find. I guess he could check this off his bucket list as he became vegetarian shortly after this trip.

For the next few years we accommodate his dietary needs as best as possible, a lot of frozen vegetarian meals as the rest of the family continued in our normal Midwestern diet, heavy on meat and potatoes. Fortunately, he went off to college and we only had to change our diet on the weekends.

Then it happened, my dear sweet daughter decided to become a vegetarian 18 months ago. Is there no God? She was only a freshman in high school and I had three years of trying to balance our future family menus.

Shortly after my daughters decision, I was speaking with my brother and told him, "OMG, my kids are vegetarians!" His first question was "What are you eating?" My brother and I always talk about new dishes to try.  At first, I have to admit, I was at a lost.

This blog will detail our journey into becoming vegetarians. I want to make no ifs, ands or buts about this; I will enjoy a steak or burger whenever one is presented to me. I will not swear off meat, but I will try to make good tasting meals for my vegetable eating faction, partake and enjoy.

Over the years. I have enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, but I have to admit most of the vegetarian items I have tried have been marginal. My goal is to try to reinvent and enjoy meals that taste good and don't make you think "Where's the beef?"

I do have to say Bossie the Cow endorses this blog. "Two hooves up!" and Henny Penny can't stop talking about it.

So join me and enjoy our journey! Thanks!