Fall comfort food

This may seems like an odd post for a blog on “comics and comic creation”, but I’ve been working on new ways to monetize my existing cartoons and other artwork. Notecards are an easy application for the type of work I do, and since the finished product is a work on paper, it’s something I’m comfortable with. This series of illustrations  I did over 20 years ago for a set of vegetarian recipes makes a nice addition to my notecard line. But rather than re-typesetting the full recipe for the back of the cards (sometimes I really miss PageMaker), I decided to just post them here. While they may not be the healthiest of recipes, you could do a whole lot worse. And they’re all the kind of warming comfort food that feels great on a nippy fall day…

Vegetarian Chili

• 2 cups dry black beans
• 1 ½ cups dry pinto beans
• 12 cups water
• 3 large carrots
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 large onion
• 14-oz. can stewed tomatoes
• 3 ⅔ cups tomato juice
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin

Wash and sort beans. Place beans and water in large sauce pan. Bring to a boil for three minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let stand for one hour. Drain water and rinse beans. Return to pan and add 12 cups fresh water. Return to burner and bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low and cook for one hour. Add remaining ingredients and cook until beans and carrots are tender (approximately 30-50 minutes).

Vegetable Biscuit Bake

• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 can of peas, drained
• 1 ½ cups uncooked pasta (shell, elbow, or rotini work best)
• 6 tablespoons vegetable margarine
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon each of paprika and black pepper
• 4 ½ cups vegetable broth, soy or almond milk

Preheat oven to 400°. Chop all vegetables into similar size pieces and place in 9 x 13″ baking dish. Sir in uncooked pasta. Melt margarine in medium sauce pan, add paprika, pepper, and flour, one tablespoon at a time until absorbed. Add vegetable broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until sauce is thickened. Pour over vegetables and stir. Cover baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking power
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon of your favorite herb (oregano or caraway seed work well)
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup vegetable broth, soy or almond milk

Combine all dry ingredients in small mixing bowl. Add oil and broth and stir until well mixed. After casserole has baked for 45 minutes, remove cover and drop biscuit dough on top of casserole in globs. Bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes.

Lentil Loaf

• 2 cups lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup uncooked rice
• ½ cup bulgur wheat
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup oats
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 6 oz. can tomato paste, separated
• 2 tablespoons honey or syrup

Combine lentils and bay leaf in a sauce pan with six cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes. Combine bulgur, rice and 2 cups water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until all moisture is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Preheat oven to 350°. Drain lentils and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add bulgur/rice mix, ⅔ of the tomato paste, and remaining ingredients, except honey. Mix until thoroughly combined. Shape into a loaf-like shape in a 9 x 13″ cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until firm but not dry. Mix remaining tomato paste and honey into a glaze. Brush top and sides of loaf with glaze and bake for additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, cut into slices and serve warm. (Leftovers make great sandwiches; don’t forget the pickles and mayo!)

Craisin-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

• 2 sticks vegetable margarine
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon egg replacer powder
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream together margarine, sugars and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add egg replacer and water and mix well. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture. Stir in oatmeal one cup at a time. Stir in craisins and raisins and drop by tablespoons onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned. Let stand or 1-2 minutes and remove to cooling rack.