September | 2008 | The Cookbook Smasher

Tofu Teriyaki

September 24, 2008 Author: Rachel
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It seems as though I’m on a tofu kick lately. The “skillet dry fry” as I call it is my favorite way to prepare tofu. But tonight I baked it in the oven. Baking is definitely easier and far less time consuming, but I like the “skillet dry fry” method the best. Bottom line is that I’ll eat tofu prepared both ways.

I came across a teriyaki sauce, and that got my creative juices rolling. I prepared the recipe as directed, then adapted for my own liking, and the result is absolutely delicious! This sauce would be excellent on chicken or beef too…it’s very versatile.

Baked Tofu
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of extra firm tofu, sliced however you like
- cooking spray or olive oil
Directions:
1. Line one baking sheet with 6 layers of paper towels. Cut tofu and arrange tofu on baking sheet. Top the tofu with 6 more layers of paper towels. Place another baking sheet on top of the paper towels for 30 to 45 minutes – this provides the weight needed to extract the water from the tofu.
2. Preheat over to 350. Take a baking sheet and line with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray; then arrange tofu in a single layer. Either spray tofu with cooking spray or drizzle with oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tofu is golden brown–as tofu begins to swell, that’s the time to take it out. If you overcook the tofu it will be chewy, but I like denser chewy tofu because it has more of a meaty texture.
3. You can now refrigerate the tofu for later or use it now.
Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. fresh ginger, minced (if you grate it you’ll use less ginger)
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 3/4 c. water
- 1/2 c. honey
- 2 TBSP corn starch
- 2 TBSP water
- chopped green onion
Directions:
1. Heat the soy sauce and fresh ginger over medium heat in a skillet or saucepan. Stir in the garlic powder and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add 3/4 cup water and the honey and stir until dissolved.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 2 TBSP water until completely dissolved, and then slowly add to the sauce while stirring continuously. Keep stirring over medium-low heat until the sauce starts to simmer and begins to thicken.
Tofu Teriyaki Stir Fry:

Ingredients:
- tofu
- Teriyaki Sauce (see above)
- Veggies of your choice (I used broccoli, zucchini, and red pepper)
- Olive oil or sesame oil
- Steamed rice
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add veggies and stir fry until nearly done. Add cooked tofu and Teriyaki Sauce and toss to coat. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onion.
Tofu Teriyaki:
Tofu, Potato, and Pea Curry

September 15, 2008 Author: Rachel
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Tofu isn’t -s’s favorite, but he does like (read will eat) tofu at Thai restaurants. Tofu at restaurants has a much denser texture, and I finally figured out how to cook it like that at home. The key is getting all the water out before you cook it. I started pan frying the tofu in oil, but it spit oil everywhere (on me and my walls), so after getting frustrated, I grabbed the nonstick electric skillet (the one we use for pancakes, grilled cheese etc.), brushed a tiny bit of oil on the surface and cooked away. You couldn’t taste the difference from the ones cooked in all the oil, and this way is far healthier.

This dish was delicious, and I especially loved the tofu! I used my tried and true curry base, and added the veggies and cooked tofu, then served over rice. This dish makes for excellent leftovers too!

Ingredients:
- 2 packages of extra firm tofu, cut into 1 inch squares and dried
- 4 to 6 cooked red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Dark sesame oil
- 3 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, sliced thick
- 2 zucchinis, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1-2 tsp. red curry paste or massaman curry paste
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 TBSP brown sugar
- 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
- Top with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges
Directions:
- - 1. Line one baking sheet with 6 layers of paper towels. Cut tofu and arrange tofu on baking sheet. Top the tofu with 6 more layers of paper towels. Place another baking sheet on top of the paper towels fro 30 to 45 minutes–this provides the weight needed to extract the water from the tofu.
    2. Break out the nonstick electric skillet and set the temperature as high as it goes. Lightly brush with canola oil. Add tofu to the skillet and cook until both sides are browned. Repeat with remaining tofu. If you don’t have time to finish the dish, just put the cooked tofu in the fridge. The tofu with the water extraction and cooking is the longest step in this dish.
    3. Cook your potatoes in boiling water or in the microwave.
    4. Heat sesame oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add onions, zucchini, and frozen peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer; then add tofu and potatoes. Bring back to a simmer and cook until everything is warmed through.
    5. Serve over rice and top with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Tofu, Potato, and Pea Curry:
Orange Honey Chicken

September 12, 2008 Author: Rachel
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This recipe is adapted from Country Bob’s site. I opted not to cook the veggies in the crockpot, as I prefer my veggies more crisp, so I made the veggies on the side. This was really quite tasty, and everyone liked it a lot. -s added more Country Bob’s sauce to the final product, but this will definitely be made again.

Ingredients:
- 6 boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 c. orange juice
- 1/2 c. chicken broth
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 TBSP dry mustard
- 1 TBSP teriyaki sauce
- 1/2 c. Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce
- 1 TBSP cornstarch
- Serve over rice along with broccoli and carrots or veggies of your choice
Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat skillet over medium high heat and brown chicken breasts then put in crock pot.
2. In a bowl mix juice, broth, honey, dry mustard, teriyaki sauce, and Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce. Pour over chicken in crock pot.
3. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
4. At the 2 hour mark remove 1/4 c. of the sauce and put in bowl; then mix in the cornstarch until the mixture is smooth. Return the mixture to the crockpot and bring sauce to a bowl.
Orange Honey Chicken:
Bulgogi

September 3, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I love Bulgogi. It just tastes so darn good! I found this recipe in Great Food Fast (shocking, I know!), and changed it slightly. You can serve this Bulgogi in lettuce wraps or over rice. It’s delicious both ways. You can also substitute chicken for the beef, which I bet is equally delicious! The sauce from this recipe would be really good in all kinds of stir frys or use it to substitute bottled Teriyaki sauce!

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. rib-eye steak, trimmed of excess fat
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 2 TBSP chili sesame oil (or 1 TBSP sesame oil with some crushed red pepper)
- 4 TBSP brown sugar
- 12 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 big hunk of ginger, minced
- 1 large onion, halved and cut lengthwise into 1 inch wedges
- 1 green pepper, sliced into 1 inch strips
- 4 tsp. vegetable oil
- lettuce leaves and/or hot rice
Directions:
1. Freeze the beef for 30 minutes; then slice diagonally (across the grain) into 1/8 inch thick strips.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger together to make the marinade. Place the onions and peppers in another small bowl and mix them with half of the marinade. Toss the steak with the remaining marinade; let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the peppers; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate.
4. Heat remaining 2 tsp. oil over high heat. Cook half the meat, turning often, until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining meat. Return the first meat batch and any accumulated juices to the pan; add the onion mixture. cook tossing, until heated through, about 1 minute.
5. Serve in lettuce leaves and/ or over hot rice.
Bulgogi:
Tofu Pad Thai

September 2, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I really like Pad Thai. I really like Thai food in general. I came across a shrimp Pad Thai recipe in Great Food Fast (if you haven’t already guessed, it’s my current favorite cookbook!), and I adapted that recipe for tofu in lieu of the shrimp. It was tasty, and the leftovers were even better!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. tofu, dried with paper towel, then cubed
- 1/2 c. tomato-based chile sauce
- 1/2 c. fresh lime juice
- 6 TBSP soy sauce
- 4 TBSP brown sugar
- 1/2 TBSP fish sauce
- 16 oz. rice-stick noodles
- Vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 c. bean sprouts
- 8 green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Garnish: peanuts, crushed red pepper, bean sprouts, cilantro, Sriracha sauce
Directions:
1. Wrap tofu in paper towels to absorb excess water; then cube the tofu.
2. Prepare sauce by combining chile sauce through fish sauce in a bowl; set aside
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook noodles until they begin to soften; drain and rinse with cold water
4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil (enough to pan fry the tofu) over medium high heat; then add the tofu, and cook until tofu is golden brown. Remove tofu from pan. Add the garlic to the remaining oil (add more oil if necessary) and saute for 1 to 2 minutes; add the cooked noodles and sauce; cook, tossing until combined, about 1 minute. Add the bean sprouts and green onions. Pour in the egg; toss until noodles are coated and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Top with tofu, and serve with cilantro, peanuts, bean sprouts, hot sauce etc.
Tofu Pad Thai:
Honey Glazed Carrots

September 1, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I’ve been meaning to make honey glazed carrots for some time. It’s one of those recipes that I come across quite frequently, but when it came time to actually find a recipe in my collection of cookbooks and magazines, I couldn’t. So I opened Great Food Fast and found a recipe for Glazed Carrots (which has no honey). I used that recipe as inspiration to create my version of Honey Glazed Carrots. They were very tasty too.

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. baby carrots halved lengthwise
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 2 TBSP honey
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a skillet, bring the carrots, sugar, butter and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partly covered, 6 minutes.
2. Cook uncovered, over high heat, tossing often until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with pepper.
Honey Glazed Carrots: