Day 53: Build - a - Burrito and Quesadillas

We have been getting ready for Pascha, and there is much more to do.  And, we must fit in our schedule to eat once in a while while attending the various Church services.  After all, Holy Week services are some of the most beautiful and moving, we would feel empty from not attending them.  So, we needed something quick and easy for today, before we dash off to the evening services.  That's why we opted to make our own burritos.  And, we have a quesadilla maker, so that will give us yet another option, especially to have something quick and warm on this cool evening.  Either way, we like this as a simple, fast meal that everyone can have what he/she likes inside.


You may remember that we visited Chipotle Grill (Day 30), and that was somewhat inspirational to us for tonight.  We have been raving about how filling and how yummy that food was, and that put us in the mood for some "Mexican" food.  Well, this is our solution -- it is Lenten-appropriate, it is healthy, light, and quick.  We have most of the ingredients on hand -- although we thought about splurging on a purchase of salsa.  The other nice part about a "build it yourself" meal is that every ingredient is optional.  You can use one thing and not the other depending on what you and your family like to eat, what you have, and what you want.

So, what do you need to make your own "Build-a-Burrito" night for a family of four?  You will need the following:
4-8 tortillas (flour or corn are fine) OR
4-8 hard taco shells
1 packet taco seasoning
about 1 1/2 cups of each vegetable, chopped


Some options for toppings are (but not limited to this):
lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper, zucchini, corn, TVP (texturized vegetable protein, rehydrated), soy chunks (or ground soya product, rehydrated), vegan cheese (rice or soy), black beans, kidney beans, romano beans, or lentils, refried beans, hot peppers, jalepeno sauce...

On the left, dry TVP, on the right, dry soy chunks

We have chosen to use TVP  (Texturized Vegetable Protein).  It has the seasonings for chilli already mixed in to it, and in order to use this as a meat substitute, all you have to do is pour boiling water on top of it and let it sit, covered, for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.  Many stores sell unflavoured, unseasoned TVP, but we like the chilli flavour, especially for this purpose.  It saves from using too much of the taco seasoning, and offers a little bit of a spiciness to the food without going overboard.  We are also going to use the soy chunks.  These will give a nice overall texture to the burrito, since when they are rehydrated, the chunks look like little pieces of chicken.  The same process is used for the TVP and soy chunks.  Here is how you do it:

Pour boiling water on the soy chunks to rehydrate.

Pour boiling water over the TVP to rehydrate.

Measure 1 cup TVP and put it in a medium sized bowl with a lid.  Boil 2 cups of water.  Pour the boiling water over the TVP and mix well.  

Cover the bowls (we used Rubbermaid Food Storage containers which have their own lids), and allow them to sit for about 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.  These are now ready to use in any recipe that calls for ground meat or meat pieces.  With the chunks, you can fry them, season them, add them to your favourite sauces or eat them as is -- they are ready to use once all the water has disappeared.  

On the left are the dry soy chunks, on the right, the rehydrated, larger chunks.

You may notice how much the soy chunks expand in the boiling water.   They take on a slightly different colour when they expand.

Pour some taco seasoning in with the soy chunks.

Mix well.

We have chosen to keep the TVP as is, and add a little taco seasoning to the soy chunks.  It seems that we are trying to "spice up" our dinners!  We used the taco seasoning on the romano beans, too.  

Taco seasoning and one can full of drained and rinsed romano beans.

Mix the taco seasoning in with the rinsed romano beans.

Mix well.

First, rinse the beans.  Then, empty the can into a bowl, sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Mix well.  If the beans seem a little dry, then add a bit of water to moisten the taco spices.  Then, use them in your meal and enjoy.  You will likely use one entire packet of seasoning for both the soy and the beans, but you will decide how much is enough for you.


Now, you can assemble the burritos or tacos with your choice of beans, TVP, veggies, and cheeses.  

Put the burrito fillings in the middle of the tortilla.

Add what you like.

Try to keep the fillings in the middle of the tortilla.

Mmm, rice cheese!

Add whatever toppings you like.  This is the rehydrated ready to use TVP.

Line up your choices of fillings in the centre of the tortilla.  Put about two soup spoons full of each topping that you choose.  

Fold in the one side.

Fold over one side of the tortilla so the edge lines up to the middle of the filling pile.  

Fold over the second side.

Then, fold the second side into the middle, so the two edges overlap.  The burrito takes on a nice, cylindrical shape that makes it easy to eat.  You could also fold the other two sides, which would keep the filling in the middle.  We chose not to on this one.  It's just more of a challenge to eat if everything is falling out of the shell!  Or, if you choose fewer ingredients, you may want to roll the tortilla tighter, which makes a beautiful plate presentation.

Soy chunks, rice cheese, onions, peppers, and lettuce.

On the left, rice cheese.  On the right, Kraft Singles slices.

We used the rice cheese tonight.  We put it next to the typical Kraft Singles cheese slices that we usually have in the house.  By looking at the slices next to each other, it is hard to tell the difference.  They are both wrapped the same way, and have the same colour.  

Can you tell them apart?

Top: Kraft cheese slice, bottom: rice cheese slice.

When we opened the pieces, it became even harder to differentiate between real cheese and rice cheese.  It was only when we touched the two that the difference was clear.  The rice cheese slice was very soft and flimsy.  The Kraft Single held its form much more clearly (it did not bend).  


Then came the tasting.  We had a few other people taste for us, since we are abstaining from dairy products for a few more days.  Nobody could tell the difference in taste.  Most of them, in fact, thought that the rice cheese was just out of the fridge longer, which would have accounted for the soft texture.  That was the big difference to our tasters -- the texture.  The soft, almost oily cheese was tasty, but "didn't feel quite right" with its mouthfeel.  So, we may have found that rice cheese was a good substitute for real cheese.


We wanted to find out if the rice cheese had the same properties as the Kraft Singles when it was melted, so we pulled out the quesadilla maker.  Now, you have to remember that you can make quesadillas in the frying pan.  Heat the pan, if you want, you can spray a little non-stick spray on the pan.  Put one tortilla in the pan.  Then, add your fillings.  We chose TVP, pinto beans, tomatoes, and "cheese" for our quesadilla.  Lay another tortilla on top of the filling and let everything get warm.  Then, turn the quesadilla over to cook the second tortilla.  After about two minutes, you should have a crispy quesadilla.  Slide that on to a serving dish and cut into wedges. 

The quesadilla maker.

The inside of the quesadilla maker.

Our quesadilla maker has the wedges marked, so it scores the tortillas for us.  We tried to line up our filling to match with the pattern of the press.   

TVP and romano beans fill the quesadilla.

We added tomatoes, and lined them with the wedges on the quesadilla maker.

Quarter slices of rice cheese being added to the quesadilla.

First, we spread out the beans and the TVP.  Then, when we placed the tomatoes and cheese, we tried to line up with the marks on the quesadilla makers so that each piece would have the same toppings.  We cut each of the rice cheese slices into four, so the triangles would fill each piece. 

Put a second tortilla on top of the filling.

Then, we laid the second tortilla on top of the fillings and closed the machine.  We waited for the green light to shine, which is how we knew the quesadilla was ready to eat!

The finished product, ready to slice.

We took the quesadilla from the machine and put it on a plate.  And, since the slices were scored for us, we were able to take a knife and cut even wedges.

Cut along the scored lines to serve.

In anticipation, we wanted to know if we were going to have melted cheese, and if we would have a little bit of tomato, cheese, TVP and bean in every bite.  What we found when biting into the hot and crispy quesadilla was that YES, we did it properly!!  We had a little of everything in each bite.  The rice cheese melted just like we knew the Kraft cheese did.  It spread through the quesadilla very nicely, and went very well with the other flavours.  With one bite, we were hooked, and it became hard to put this down!  The rice cheese with the quesadilla maker was a good combination for us tonight. 

See how everything melted together?

Yummy!  It was hard to put down!

While we had people around to taste the rice cheese, we also asked our tasters to taste the soy chunks, without telling them what they were.  We were curious to know if anyone had a strong opinion about them.  We were told that the chunks were good, interesting, and overcooked.  Overcooked?  That person obviously thought that was a chunk of meat!  Everyone agreed that they went very well in the burrito, and did taste like they may have been a meat product.  Now we know that the soy chunks were a successful choice, too.


So, this is easy enough for everyone to make.  It's a great dish to share with children, especially the picky eaters because they can choose what to include in their own.  And, it's a lot of fun to assemble, roll, and eat a food that you made all by yourself.  Although we would have loved having salsa or guacamole, we were happy for this option for tonight.  It fit our schedule, fit our dietary requirements, and fit our budget!  Best of all, this is healthy and light, and completely appropriate for our fasting days.

Another homemade burrito with beans, onion, red peppers, rice cheese, TVP, and lettuce.

Holy Wednesday

When Jesus was at Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table. But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Matthew 26:6-16

(Source:  http://www.goarch.org/chapel/lectionary_view? type=G&code=308&event=1013&date=4/11/2012)

Day 52: Koulourakia; κουλουράκια

Koulourakia (koo-loo-rah-kyah) is not an easy word to say -- not even for some Greeks! But, it is an easy food to eat.  These are a staple food in many Greek households.  They are good to have with breakfast (or for some, as breakfast), snack, afternoon coffee, or in the evening with tea.  They are an easy  treat to pick up and take with you because they are small, dry, and portable.  There are so many varieties of recipes for this cookie, that it is hard to say what would be the best way to make them.  We do know, however, that the best time to have them is after Holy Saturday, when we are no longer fasting.  (There are recipes for Lenten-appropriate koulourakia, but we are in the preparation for Pascha now, and using these as a celebratory, non-fasting treat.)


The beauty about koulourakia is that they keep in an air-tight container for a month, and are easy enough to prepare, although it can be time consuming to shape them.  This is a nice togetherness project for family, especially when the children are involved.  Koulourakia can be shaped into various braids, circles, letters, or whatever your imagination can create.  Many children love the ease of shaping the dough, and the even easier part of pressing it all back together to start over.  The dough, itself, is forgiving that way, where it is hard to overwork to make a dry, cracked end result.  You have some time  and some room to "play" with different ideas.  And, if you are having helpers, either adults or children, this can be a relaxing activity.


So, what do you need in order to make koulourakia?  The recipe that we are providing makes about 5 dozen small cookies -- although that varies with the size and shapes you make.  When we make koulourakia, we may get 4-5 dozen.  When my mother makes hers, she gets 9 dozen.  And my mother-in-law, when she makes hers, she gets almost 3 dozen.  It's all about size and shape that will determine your outcome.  This is a recipe that is similar to what my mother-in-law makes.  It is light and airy, uses baking soda, and has that little tiny baking soda aftertaste that we all know and love.  It is good recipe to keep in the folder so when the occasion calls, you will be prepared to make koulourakia.

You will need the following:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (granulated)
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
3 tsp. vanilla
2 TBSP baking soda
1/2 cup milk
about 9 cups flour (all purpose)
sesame seeds (optional)

The first step is to mix the sugar and the butter together in the stand mixer (the process is called "creaming").  Use the flat paddle for this.

Add the eggs one at a time.  Really, one at a time.  We always crack our eggs into a glass container before adding eggs to the dough.  This way, we make sure that the egg shells don't sneak in to the food.  Make sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.  

Then, add 2 (TWO) egg yolks.  Reserve the other two for making the egg wash toward the end of this recipe.


Mix well.

Now, add the vanilla.


Once the vanilla is completely combined, turn the mixer off.  This is the time that you should switch the attachment to the dough hook.  It sounds a little odd, perhaps, but the dough hook will be very useful as you add the flour, and you will best be able to see the consistency of the dough.  So, put on the dough hook and we'll move on.

Now, you have to have the milk in a container -- bowl or measuring cup  (since we don't have any milk in our house right now, we decided to use what we had on hand, soy milk substitute).  Add the baking soda directly to the milk and mix it well.  You may see a few bubbles, but make sure that you mix this well.  **The baking soda will settle at the bottom of the bowl or measuring cup, so you will have to continue to mix this before each step of adding milk.

Next, add about one third of the milk/baking soda mixture to the butter/egg mixture.  

Now, add some of the flour.  You might not use the entire amount of 9 cups, so add only about one third at first.


Alternately add the milk, then the flour, then the milk, then the flour until all of the milk/baking soda mixture is added.  Then, we will see how the dough is forming to know how much of the flour to add.  At this point, you should have added about 7 1/2 to 8 cups of flour.

Turn down the speed of the mixer to very slow.  You should be able to see the dough forming and becoming firm.  As soon as you see the dough cleaning the sides of the mixing bowl, you are done mixing with the machine. 

You need to figure out if the dough is dry enough, while still being moist enough and pliable.  It should not stick to your hands, nor to the table surface.  It should roll into a log very easily without cracking.  If the dough cracks when rolled, it is too dry.  Let it rest for about one hour at room temperature, covered tightly with plastic wrap.  If the dough sticks to your hands or the table, then it is too wet, and you need to sprinkle some flour on the work surface and roll the dough in flour.  Experience is the best teacher for this.


Now comes the fun part.  And, it is great if you have helpers, otherwise, put a movie on the television, and relax while you roll the shapes.  Here is how you make the typical twisted shape of a koulourakia:

First, roll long, thin logs of dough.  Allow yourself plenty of space to line up the various rows that you just rolled.  Make sure that the logs are all the same, whether they are thin or thick does not matter, but they all have to be pretty much the same.  If you have thick logs, you will have bigger koulourakia.  If your logs are thin, you will have smaller koulourakia.  So, roll out several logs where they are even in size to one another. 

Now, decide how long you want to cut the pieces.  They should be long enough to twist two times or three times (personal choice).  We usually go for two twists.  So, make sure that you choose a length that will give you the size koulourakia you want.  Once again, try to keep each piece the same in length.  We cut one piece, decided on the correct length by making a practice twist, untwisted that one and then laid the piece next to our cut line, and used the initial piece as a "ruler" to measure the length of all the other pieces.

To make the twist:

Pinch or fold the center of the log with your fingers.  Don't pinch so hard that the dough sticks, just pinch enough to make a U shape.

Then, cross one side of the "U" over the other.

Lastly, cross put the two ends in one hand, and the middle of the cookie in the other.  Twist the cookie so it looks like the twist goes twice or three times around.  This will vary depending on how large your koulourakia are.  The larger they are, the more twists they get. 

Try to keep  the koulourakia as uniform as possible.  This will help in the baking time and evenness, as well as the appearance of the koulourakia.  

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  This will prevent any sticking whatsoever.  It also is easier clean up!  Put your cookies in rows on the paper lined baking sheet.  

Now, roll the rest of the dough the same way.  They should still look identical.

Brush the top of each cookie with egg wash -- that is, the two egg yolks that are left over, as seen above, mixed with a little water or milk.  Milk will make the cookies more brown, water will give a more natural colour, not as deep brown. 

Now, after you have brushed the cookies with egg wash, sprinkle some sesame seeds on each cookie.  This step, too, is optional if you don't like  sesame.


Once the cookies are topped with a sprinkling of sesame, then put them in the oven at 350° F for about 10 to 15 minutes, until you have that beautiful golden colour and the cookies move around freely on the parchment paper.


Allow the koulourakia to cool completely before storing them.  While they are cooling, you can sit back and enjoy the delicious smell coming from the oven.  Then, remind yourself that it is a few more days before you can try one.  Just a few more days...

Today is Holy Tuesday:


"But when the Pharisees heard that he  (Jesus) had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.""
(Matthew 22: 34-40)
(Source: http://www.goarch.org/chapel/lectionary_view?type=G&code=305&event=1011&date=4/10/2012)