Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Lentil Curry and Rice Soup

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Cindy Kerschner

Lentil Curry and Rice Soup blends the spices of curry into an inviting soup. Make this vegetarian offer as a lunch, brunch or main meal.

Day one of #BrunchWeek is here! Our brunch loving group of bloggers have 3 days of fun recipes planned for your next get together. Mother’s Day, bridal showers, graduation or any special occasion benefits from a tasty brunch setting.
I always grab a bit of breakfast and lunch items, Gotta try them all!

Today I’m sending soup to the brunch menu. Easy Lentil Curry and Rice Soup is light and goes well with just about any dish.

Don’t forget to scroll down and check out all the fun brunch ideas from our group Continue reading →

Posted in #brunchweek, lentils, rice, soup, vegetarian, What's For Dinner? | 10 Comments

Chimichurri Cauliflower Steaks

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Cindy Kerschner

Hi everyone! I know it’s been a long time since I posted. I want to change that!
First up is roasted slices of seasoned cauliflower, drizzled with a spicy chimichurri sauce.

You can serve this as a main course or side dish. I like to cut my steaks about 3/4-inch thick. At this thickness, it takes about 35 minutes to reach tenderness.
Season it with any kitchen favorites. I like smoked salt, pepper, garlic, Tabasco, lemon and olive oil. These flavors go well with a tangy chimichurri sauce.

Cauliflower is like a blank canvas. Experiment with different seasonings to find your favorite combo.
I included my spicy chimichurri in the recipe below.
Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Chimichurri Cauliflower Steaks

Print Recipe

Servings 4 each

Ingredients

1 each head cauliflower

marinade

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash hot sauce (optional)

sauce

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley. I use flat leaf Italian.
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp hot sauce I used Chipotle Tabasco

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Whisk together marinade ingredients. Set aside.
Cut cauliflower through head and stalk into 3/4 to 1-inch thick slices. Brush both sides with marinade. Arrange steaks in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip steaks. Bake until the stalk portion is fork tender, approximately another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with chimichurri sauce.

Posted in cauliflower, What's For Dinner? | Comments Off

Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Cindy Kerschner

It’s day 3 of Spring Sweets Week! I’m so excited to share my Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese and our group’s sweet treats recipe links with you!
Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese allows everyone including vegan, and dairy-free to enjoy this strawberry treat. Only 3 ingredients!

Enjoying fresh fruit flavored cream cheese doesn’t get any easier than this recipe. Strawberries, sugar and cream cheese substitute. That’s it!
Since I shy away from direct milk and soft cheese this recipe works for my dairy intolerance.

Maybe it’s not much of a recipe, per say, but more of a simple treat. This particular version uses a coconut base cream cheese substitute. Any non-dairy cream cheese will work in this recipe.
Texture can be an issue depending on the cream cheese and how juicy are the strawberries. Play with the amount until you get a desired consistancy.
I’m fine with a more rugged texture!

Vegan vegan stawberry cream cheese

Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup chopped strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces vegancream cheese (I used Follow Your Heart)

Instructions

Place strawberries and sugar in food processor. Blend.
Add cream cheese, blend. Refrigerate to firm.

Friday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

Baked Key Lime Pie Donuts from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Browned Butter Carrot Cake Scones from The Spiffy Cookie
Keto Waffles from Art of Natural Living
Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
Mimosa Muffins from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Mixed Berry Lemon Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Tea Party Charcuterie Letters from For the Love of Food
Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Posted in #SpringSweetsWeek, breakfast, dessert, egg, fruit, strawberry, What's For Dinner? | 4 Comments

Blueberry Blondies

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Cindy Kerschner

It’s day 2 of Spring Sweets Week! Today I’m sharing my Blueberry Blondies recipe along with links to our fabulous spring sweets week group creations!
Blueberry Blondies take delicate vanilla blondies and swirls in fresh blueberry jam. A taste of spring in every bite!

Sometimes I just want a little something sweet. Something easy to make and keeps fresh tasting for days. Blueberry Blondies fit the bill.

As a bonus, the extra blueberry refrigerator jam spread on a bagel or toast makes a good breakfast or snack.

Tips for better blondies

Layer aluminum foil in both directions to create “handles” to easily lift the blondies from the pan.
Resist adding extra jam to the batter. Too much jam will create soggy treats.
A splash of lemon brings brightness and enhances flavor to berry jams.

Blueberry Blondies

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe

Servings 12 squares

Ingredients

Jam

2 cups fresh blueberries crushed (should equal 1 cupscrushed)
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

blondies

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter melted plus 2 tablespoons for greasing pan
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 each egg
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

jam

Stir together crushed blueberries and sugar. Let mixtures tand for about 10 minutes for sugar to absorb liquid. Stir occasionally.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for1 minute. Continue cooking over reduced heat until reduced to desired consistency (about 30 minutes). Refrigerate or freeze extra jam.

blondie

Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil in both directions. Allow a few inches tohang off the ends. Brush foil with melted butter or shortening. Set aside.
Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Addegg and lemon. Add to dry mixture.
Spread dough evenly over bottom of the pan. Dot with jam.Use a knife to swirl into dough. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow pan to cool about 10 to 15 minutes before removing blondies with foil intact. Lift foil by overlap "handles" and set on rack to finish cooling. Cut cooled blondies into desired sizes.

Wednesday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes