Food goodness

This is a test of the system

from Cooking Light, Dec. 2005 1 cup vertically sliced red onion 2 (10-ounce) packages Mediterranean-style salad 2/3 cup Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted To prepare salad, combine onion and lettuce mix in a large bowl. Add Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette, and toss well. Sprinkle with walnuts. Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette 1 (15-ounce) can pear halves in juice, undrained 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Dash of ground red pepper To prepare dressing, drain pears, reserving 1/3 cup pear juice. Combine pears, juice, vinegar, and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Yield: About 2 cups (serving size: about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

From the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook, which I suggest you check out in person because it is very awesome. I also threw some fresh spinach in here, just into the mixture before the breadcrumb step, and it turned out really well. 1 1/2 c 1% cottage cheese 1 1/2 c skim milk or buttermilk 1 t dried mustard or 1 T prepared mustard pinch of cayenne (or more) 1/4 t nutmeg 1/2 t salt 1/4 t ground black pepper 1/4 c grated onions 1 c grated sharp cheddar (4 oz.) 1/2 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni (or other tubular pasta) 2 T finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese 1/4 c bread crumbs Preheat oven to 375. Prepare square baking pan with a light spray of oil. In a blender, combine cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper and puree until smooth. In a large bowl (actually, I did this right in the baking dish), combine pureed mixture with the onions, cheddar and uncooked macaroni. Stir well. Pour macaroni and cheese mixture into the baking pan. Combine the gra...

from epicurious.com 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel 1/2 teaspoon lime oil (we didn't use lime oil, we just used more peel and juice) Additional powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in lime juice, lime peel, and lime oil. Beat in flour mixture until smooth. Refrigerate dough until just firm, about 45 minutes. Using scant 1 tablespoon for each, form dough into balls and place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until pale golden on top and browned on bottom, about 23 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks; immediately sift generous amount of powdered sugar over cookies. Cool cookies completely on baking sh...

from Cooking Light December 2005 5 cups water, divided 2 cups clam juice 3/4 cup dry white wine, divided 2 (1 1/4-pound) whole Maine lobsters 1 1/2 cups chopped carrot, divided 1 1/2 cups chopped celery, divided 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided 1 cup chopped fennel bulb, divided 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 5 fresh parsley sprigs 2 bay leaves 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped peeled baking potato 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 1 cup fat-free milk 1/4 cup whipping cream 2 tablespoons brandy Chive sprigs (optional) Combine 3 cups water, clam juice, and 1/2 cup wine in an 8-quart stockpot; bring to a boil. Add lobsters; cover and cook 10 minutes or until bright red. Remove lobsters from pan, reserving liquid in pan. Cool lobsters. Remove meat from tail and claws. Discard any roe or tomalley. Chop meat; chill until ready to use. Plac...

from Grazing by Julie Van Rosendale 1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cayenne 1/2 Tbsp coarse sea salt 2 c. unsalted mixed nuts Preheat oven to 325. Set a large saucepan over low heat and add oil and spices, except salt. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the spices begin to toast. Add the nuts and cook, stirring, until well coated. Transfer nuts to a baking sheet and bake for 15 min, shaking the pan occasionally so that they will toast evenly. Toss with coarse salt and cool. ** My notes: I didn't have unsalted nuts (there's a really good Ann's House of Nuts warehouse by my office, and I can buy nuts in bulk for cheap, but the salted ones were cheaper), so I omitted the salt from the recipe. And I didn't use garlic salt, because I think granulated garlic tastes better. Also, I didn't add any of the chili powder and just a couple of dashes of the caye...

* from Real Simple Serves 4 3.5 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 yellow onion, sliced into 1-inch wedges 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste 3 Tbsp maple syrup 6 sprigs fresh thyme Preheat oven to 400. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Arrange vegetables around chicken. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with maple syrup. Lay thyme sprigs cross top. Bake until chicken is cooked through, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring vegetables once during cooking. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. * I did not use a whole chicken. I used one package of boneless, skinless thighs and one package of drumsticks. * I would recommend seasoning the chicken first, because when you add the vegetables they mostly cover the chicken, and then the chicken misses the salt and pepper, and it's kind of difficult to stir this dish when you have big pieces of chick...

I just made this for Gaby's teachers this year (and for us, too) and it's really good. Super easy to make. I had it in the oven while we were dipping buckeyes, Oreos and peanuts. recipe from Nestle 12 cups popped popcorn 1 (12-ounce) can (2 1/2 cups) salted peanuts 1 (11.5-ounce) package (1 3/4 cups) milk chocolate chips 1 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup butter 1. Heat oven to 300F. Butter large roasting pan. Line serving plate with waxed paper. 2. Combine popcorn and nuts in prepared roasting pan. Place morsels, corn syrup and butter in medium heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Pour over popcorn; toss to coat. 3. Bake, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly in pan; remove to prepared serving plate. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.

3 sticks butter 2 1/2 c. peanut butter 2 tsp almond (plus an extra splash) 2 lbs powdered sugar 24 oz chocolate 1/2 stick parafin Combine butter, peanut butter, almond, and powdered sugar. Mold into balls that are about 1 inch in diameter, lay onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Put cookie sheets into fridge so the balls can harden, probably 1 hour. Melt chocolate and parafin in a double boiler (you can just put a large bowl on top of a pot with boiling water, but the last time I did that I burned the hell out of my hand). Spear each peanut butter ball with a toothpick, dip in chocolate, and put back on wax paper. Take toothpick out, cover up hole. Put back in fridge to let chocolate set. These should be kept in the fridge (not on the counter), and you can also freeze them.

I think this was a weight watchers recipe that my Gran gave me. No idea on the points, though. 3 c. small mushrooms, quartered 1 c. onions, chopped 1 c. carrots, chopped 1 c. zucchini, chopped 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp olive oil 1 (or 3, your choice) garlic cloves minced 1 quart spinach leaves 3 c. canned stewed tomatoes (use the no salt added ones, they taste better) 2 c. low sodium chicken broth 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped 2 Tbsp. dill or basil, chopped 56 frozen tortellini (or dried works just as well) 1. In saucepan, combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, zucchini, oil and garlic and stir to coat. Saute about 6 minutes. 2. Add everything except the tortellini, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. 3. Add tortellini and stir; cover and cook until tortellini is soft. 4. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I think I found this a few years ago in a newspaper, but I can't remember which one. This is how we use up some of the turkey leftovers...since we don't have any leftovers this year, I'll probably make a turkey breast next weekend, just so I can make this. 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 med onions, chopped 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced 2 c. cooked turkey 1/2 c. ham (optional) 1 c. crumbled bread stuffing 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley 1/4 tsp. dried thyme 1 Tbsp. curry powder 1 c. uncooked rice 2 c. hot chicken or turkey broth Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet, melt 4 Tbsp of the butter and add onions, cook until golden. Add mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to baking dish. Add turkey, ham, stuffing, parsley, thyme and stir well. In same skillet, melt remaining butter. Add curry powder and rice and cook until rice is translucent. Transfer rice to baking dish, stir in broth, and bake until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender -- 25 to 30 minutes. Eat with other Than...

I don't remember where I got this, but I've been making it for years and apparently it went over well at Pre-Thanksgiving. It's the easiest thing you could possibly imagine, and really yummy. Total comfort food. 1 can corn, with juice 1 can creamed corn 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix 2 eggs 1/4 stick of butter, melted. Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. I usually cover it with foil, but remove it in the last 15 minutes or so to brown the top a little.

I made this for pre-Thanksgiving, and it was good -- even better the second day, actually. I didn't measure anything, but I threw two whole big loaves of bread in so that the lid barely closed, and it cooked down a lot. I also added more chicken broth during the stirring after at the first hour. It's from recipezaar.com , with which I am increasingly enamored; the person who posted there got it from the Calgary Herald . What could be better at Thanksgiving than stuffing from Canadians? 2 cups chopped onions 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery 1 cup diced tart apples, peeled and cored 1/4 cup butter (you don't need that much) 1 tablespoon ground sage 1 teaspoon ground marjoram 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon savory 1/2 teaspoon thyme 12 cups lightly toasted bread, cubes 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock In a large fry pan saute onions, celery and apple in butter until onion is just translucent. Stir in sag...

First things first. The archiving process is done, so all the recipes are cataloged in alphabetical order along the side. Whew. Also, I'm thinking about switching to authentication for comments, because I'm tired of deleting all the spam. We get a bunch these days. I'll discuss with Gwen, but if you feel strongly either way, let me know. And most importantly, the weather is turning cold (everywhere but where Ainsley is), and I've got the urge to bake and make "cold weather food." So, this is my plea for you all to post your tried and trues, be it cookies, cakes, pies, candies, casseroles, etc. I'll dig up mine. And now, for the ribs... Orange soy baby back ribs Gourmet May 2005 2 racks baby back pork ribs, cut into individual ribs 1/4 c. fresh squeezed orange juice 1/4 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. dark brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cumin Put ribs in a large plastic bag. Stir together orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and cumin. Then pour marinade over ribs, seal bag...

(I might have posted this one already, but I couldn't find it) 2 cups Low-fat Bisquick 15-oz can of pumpkin 1/2 cup Egg Beaters 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/3 cup Bakers Cake Pastry Filling- Prune Plum flavor* 1 cup All Bran With Extra Fiber 1/2 cup skim milk Add milk to All Bran. Set Aside. Mix together pumpkin, Egg Beaters, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and Prune-Plum filling. Stir in bran/milk mixture. Stir in Bisquick. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.** Split mixture evenly between 12 muffin cups. Fill muffin cups very full. Mix together some sugar and cinnamon for topping- sprinkle evenly over tops of muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. * You could also use the Apple flavor. You can find this in the baking goods section. It comes in a jar. ** Do not use paper cups. These muffins do not have enough fat in them to separate from the paper- they will stick *** these freeze well. each muffin: 120 cal, 2g. fat, 8g fiber, 1 point...

Finally, nearly a month after Shannon, Ernie, Gaby, Geoff, and I went to the pumpkin patch, where I promised to post this recipe! This one's for you, Shannon, and all you squash lovers out there in the ether.... Linguine with Squash, Bacon, and Goat Cheese (Real Simple magazine) 6 slices bacon 1 2- to 2-1/2 pound butternut squash -- peeled, seeded, and diced* 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/2 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I just used regular, and it turned out ok) 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled 1 1-lb package linguine, cooked 1 T olive oil 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, then crumble or break into pieces; set aside.** Drain all but about 2 T of the bacon fat from the skillet. Add the squash and garlic to the skillet and saute over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the broth and the salt. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is cooked through ...

Another favorite in the Morrison-Jackson Household. I like it because everything cooks up in a large skillet. There's some jockeying of materials from place to place -- reserve this, reserve that -- but that's ok with me, because I'm not dirtying too many dishes. This is super-yummy and pretty easy. Sauteed Ham Steak Pineapple (Sara Moulton, Food Network) 2 (1/2-inch thick) ham steaks (I use the ones without the bone) 4 T butter 1 T whole-grain mustard 3 8-oz cans pineapple chunks, reserve liquid 1/4 cup orange juice 1 T Dijon mustard Salt, fresh ground black pepper From ham steak, remove rind and trim off all but a 1/4-inch of outer fat. Cut ham into 4 serving pieces. (Note: the ham steaks I buy don't usually have a lot of fat, so I just cut 'em up and throw 'em in the skillet.) In a large saute pan/skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 T butter. Add ham steaks; saute for 3 minutes each sidee, until they're lightly browned. Remove and reserve (cover with fo...

I got this one from the Pampered Chef (came with the Deep Dish Baker), and just tried it last week. It's very good, and I'm sure will become a favorite in the Morrison-Jackson Household. Savory Chicken Pie 1 package (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts) 1 egg, divided, plus 2 more eggs 1/3 cup milk 1 T Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped* 4 green onions with tops, thinly sliced 3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded Swiss cheese 6 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled** 1. Preheat oven to 375. Let pie crusts stand at room temp for 15 minutes. Unfold one crust; place in bottom of Deep Dish Baker (or other large round baking dish...I think a pie plate would be ok), pressing into bottom and up sides. Cut one piece out of center of second crust; set aside. Cut second crust into 12 equal wedges and set aside.*** 2. Separate 1 egg over small bowl; set aside. In big bowl, whisk yolk, remaining 2 eggs, milk, mustard and black pepper. Add chicken...

These are from Cheryl . I've tried the first and it's really good. Taco Soup 1.5 lbs hamburger meat, browned and rinsed 1 package taco seasoning mix (note: i use the low sodium kind) 1 package ranch dressing mix 1 can pinto beans 1 can ranch style beans (note: I usually use kidney beans, because I've got no idea what ranch beans are. must be a texas thing) 1 can whole kernel corn 1 can rotel tomatoes 2 cans petite cut diced tomatoes 1 can tomato sauce Mix all ingredients together; let simmer several hours. Serve with corn chips and cheese or cornbread. Freezes very well, and is actually better left over than when first made. (My note: I actually put this all together and then cook it in the crockpot all day) Chicken Onion Soup (don't know what it's really called, lol) Approx 1 to 1.5 lbs cooked chicken, cut into pieces 1 onion, sauteed until done 2 cans french onion soup 1 can rotel tomatoes 2 cans whole kernel corn Mix ingredients together and let simmer.

Adapted from The Great American Detox Diet, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005). INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 leeks, white and light green parts washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices 2 cups chopped yellow onion 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes 4 cups vegetable stock 2-3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves 1. Heat a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat and add the oil. 2. Add the leeks, onion, and sea salt and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn translucent. 3. Add the garlic and stir well. Cook for 1 minute more. 4. Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 minutes. 5. Remove the soup from the heat and use an immersion/stick blender to blend the soup in the pot or ladle the soup into a blender, 1 cup at a time. Blend the soup with the fresh rosemary leaves until smooth and free of chu...

INGREDIENTS Don’t be confused by the mention of onions in two places. The first gets stewed in with the potatoes. The second is caramelized slowly with butter and oil. 4 cups potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 2 medium leeks, white part only, halved lengthwise, sliced, and washed 4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large yellow onion, diced 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cream (optional) Fresh parsley Freshly-ground black pepper 1/2 cup small croutons, fried in butter (optional) 1. Put the potatoes, coarsely chopped onions, leeks, water, and salt in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the vegetables are completely soft, about 40 minutes. 2. While the vegetables are simmering, melt butter with olive oil in a heavy skillet and slowly cook the diced onions until they are caramelized a deep brown, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently so they don’t burn. 3. Press the softened potat...

Adapted from The Tassajara Recipe Book , by Edward Espe Brown (Shambhala, 2000). INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups navy beans, cleaned and sorted, soaked overnight 3 quarts water 1 bay leaf 3 - 4 sage leaves, fresh or dried 2 large cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups finely diced yellow onions 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (my note: I'm not sure I know what nutritional yeast is. i may leave it out) 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper 6 - 8 cups kale, stemmed and chopped to spoon size Cream to finish (optional) 1. Simmer beans in 3 quarts of water with the bay leaf, sage, and whole garlic cloves until the beans are completely soft, about 2 1/2 hours. 2. Remove one quarter of the cooked beans, puree them in a food mill or blender, then return them to the pot. The puree will give the soup a creamy background texture. 3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add the onions, then cook until transparent. When soft, add the yeast, a teaspoon of salt, and several...

from epicurious 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 2 1/2 cups chopped onions 1/2 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups) 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 1/2 cups) 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth 4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided 4 tablespoons sliced fresh sage, divided 3 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided 4 large eggs Olive oil 1 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; set aside. Add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage to same skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes...

I was looking a few weeks ago for a cake I could take to Becky's house. I ended up just bringing her a bottle of wine, but man this cake looks good. Recipe courtesy Paula Deen Cake: 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 egg 8 tablespoons butter, melted Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 8 tablespoons butter, melted 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little goo...

(I make this a lot in the winter. We had it last night with pork chops. Also good with turkey or any yummy autumn/winter recipe. And it makes your house smell great while you're cooking it). 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and sliced 5-6 apples, peeled and sliced 3/4 cup brown sugar allspice cinnamon nutmeg butter orange juice (optional**) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Place a layer of sweet potatoes and a layer of apples in the pan. Mix the brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Sprinkle half the mixture on top of the apples. Dot with butter. Repeat with another layer of sweet potatoes and apples, then the remaining sugar mixture. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Baste with the pan juices. Return to oven, uncovered, continue baking for 15-30 minutes more, or until apples and sweet potatoes are tender. *I had to bake for a total of one hour in order for all the sweet potatoes to be tender. ** You can also add a littl...

This is so, so good. I usually eat it with pita, but it'd probably be good with crackers or other breads. from Quick Vegetarian Pleasures 1/4 c. olive oil (I usually use much less, though, just a couple of swirls around the pan) 1 medium onion, chopped finely 1 can tomatoes, finely chopped and well drained 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced 1 green pepper, diced 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sugar black pepper to taste Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet, add onions, and saute for 5 min. Add tomatoes and saute another 5 min, stirring often. Lower heat to medium, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover the pan and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Stir periodically. Remove the cover and cook until all the juices have evaporated, about 5 min. Puree have the mixture and return to pan. Stir well to mix, then scrape into a serving bowl. Serve at room temperature.

from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded 1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar 1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 c. chopped or canned pineapple (I'm using crushed) 1/4 tsp pure coconut extract (I don't have any of this, so I'm going without) 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract Lightly oil the insert of the slow cooker. Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, coconut and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shortly before serving, stir in the pineapple and the extracts.

If there were any food in my house right now, I would be making this. cooking spray 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 medium eggplant 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten 1 cup canned tomato sauce 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder together in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Remove skin from eggplant and trim off ends. Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Dip eggplant first into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture. Bake eggplant on a nonstick cookie sheet until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Place a layer of eggplant on bottom of prepared baking dish, then add 1/3 of tomato sauce and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers in same order. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 10 mi...

Just an FYI that I'm cleaning up the blog, finally, and getting rid of all the spam comments. I'm also working on linking all the recipes on the side, in categories. It'll probably take me most of the weekend, but if you click on a link and it goes to the wrong place, or I missed some recipes, let me know.

Here is a recipe in honor of the bride-to-be, Kel-baby and her wildly popular birthday whoopie "pile." Her pile included pumpkin and red velvet pies too - I'll be on the lookout for those recipes. Rachel Keller's mom's Chocolate Whoopie Pies 2 cups sugar 1 cup shortening 1 cup cocoa 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs (save the egg whites for the filling) 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk 2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups flour Cream sugar and shortening together in a large bowl. Add eggs and mix. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture alternatively with milk. Batter will be stiff. If it is too thin, add more flour. Drop by tablespoon onto greased sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cookies comes out clean. F illing: 2 egg whites 1 box 10X sugar 1 cup shortening 4 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Beat egg whites till stiff. Add shortening and va...

These have nothing to do with each other, I just got them both in the same e-mail from Monica : Here are some recipes I saw in an issue of Home Cooking I picked up. I have not tried them yet, but they look yummy. Eggnog Pancakes ------------------------ 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups eggnog 1/4 cup oil 1 1/2 tsps vanilla 1 3/4 cups flour 1 tbsp sugar 4 tsps baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg In a large bowl, combine eggs, eggnog, oil and vanilla. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; add to eggnog mixture and mix just until blended. (Add additional eggnog if needed to make batter the proper consistency.) Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto heated griddle; turn when bubbles form around edges of pancakes. Serve warm. Makes about 15 pancakes. (I like my eggnog with a little Southern Comfort. I wonder how that would taste...mmmm...) Basil & Pecan Sweet Potato Bake ---------------------------------------------- 3 (15-ounce) cans sweet potatoes 1/2 cup half-and-half 2 tbsps butter, ...

These are all from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker Golden-Glow Stuffed Squash 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 medium sized onion, minced 1 medium carrot, shredded 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. turmeric 2 1/2 c. cooked white or brown rice 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced 1 tsp. dried thyme or ground sage salt and pepper to taste 1 large winter squash, halved and seeded 1 c. hot water Heat the oil a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tumeric, then stir in the rice, parsley, thyme or sage and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and spoon in the squash cavities. Pour the water into a 6-quart oval slow cooker and add the squash halves, stuffing side up. Cover and cook on Low until the squash is tender, about 6 hours. Winter squash stuffed with couscous, apricots and pistachios 2 c. apple juice 1 c. couscous 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1.4 tsp. ground alls...

Tonight, looking ahead to the coming squash-ful weeks of fall, I made a variation on Alissa's lovely recipe. I'll post hers in full and then below I'll add changes dictated by limits of my pantry. 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed 3 med. shallots or 1 onion, diced 2 T of butter 2 T dry white wine or sherry salt & pepper ginger (dry or fresh peeled & diced) to taste 1 C whole milk 2 C chicken or vegetable stock In a large stockpot: Saute shallots/onion/leek in butter on med-high heat. When the onions are golden brown add wine & squash. Cook 30 sec to burn off the alcohol. Add stock, salt, pepper and ginger to taste. Bring to a boil. Turn down & simmer, covered. Cook until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Use blender/food processor/hand masher/hand mixer to puree until desired smoothness. Add milk during this process. Serve with bread. Add a dash of cinnamon to each serving bowl. Keep 3 days in fridge, or can be frozen. *****************...

1 C coarsely chopped onion 2T coarsely chopped gingerroot 2 lg cloves garlic 2 T vegetable oil 1 t cumin seed 3 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into 1” cubes 2 C frozen green peas 2 medium tomatoes cut into 1” cubes 1 C water 1 t Garam Masala 1 t ground red pepper (cayenne) 1 t salt ¼ t ground turmeric 2 T finely chopped fresh cilantro In a food processor, finely mind the onion, gingerroot and garlic. In a wok or 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and sizzle for 15-20 seconds. Add the onion mixture and stir-try for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the remaining ingredients except cilantro. Lower the heat and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are warm, the peas are cooked, and the sauce slightly thickens. Sprinkle with cilantro. from The Turmeric Trail , by Raghavan Iyer

from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 3 c. vegetable stock One 28-ox can crushed tomatoes 1 Tbsp. tomato paste pinch of sugar or other sweetener 2 bay leaves salt and pepper 1 c. cooked Israeli couscous 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil for garnish Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker, add the stock, tomatoes, tomatoe paste, sugar and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender (remove bay leaves first), adjust the seasonings. To serve, spoon about 1/4 c. of couscous in a bowl, then ladle the soup on top. Serve with sprinkled basil. (and fresh mozarella, if you have any) **My notes--I haven't made this one either, but it's another one I'll be trying next week.

from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 6 c. boiling water 2 c. medium or coarse-ground cornmeal 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 8 oz assorted mushrooms (shitake, cremini, oyster or button) Salt and pepper To make the polenta, lightly oil the inside of the slow cooker. Add the olive oil and garlic and turn the cooker to High. Pour in the boiling water and salt, then whisk in the cornmeal, stirring constantly until blended. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon the cooked polenta into a lightly oiled loaf pan and smooth the top. Refrigerate until firm. To make the mushrooms, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 375. Cut the firm polenta into 1/2-inch slices and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the top with the remaining olive oil and bake u...

This is such a tasty recipe. I originally watched a Honduran guy named Chuck make it in my apartment kitchen my senior year of college, and I've combined what I remember from him with Cuban recipes from a lovely Mennonite international cookbook. Saute in a wide & deep frying pan: 1 medium onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced When the onion is translucent, add 1/3 of the mixture and a dash of salt to a pot of yet uncooked rice (about 3-4 servings). Cook using your preferred rice-making method. Open two cans of black beans, drain one but don't pour off the liquid from the other. To the veggies left in the frying pan, add the two cans of black beans & liquid. Add: 2 T balsamic vinegar 1 t oregano 1 t cumin 1/2 t coriander salt & pepper cayenne to taste Simmer for as long as it takes the rice to cook. Serve beans over rice. (You can top with cheese or sour cream, but it's irresistable as is. You can also add chicken to this recipe - ...

Laurel's Kitchen (where the spreads came from) is an oldie-but-goodie guide to complete vegetarian nutrition. I recently got Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home from our library and it also has some good basics. (I'll post the corn & avocado salad) I love love love my Extending the Table...A World Community Cookbook that I bought years ago at Ten Thousand Villages. It's not actually exclusively vegetarian, but the recipes are from all over the world. (I'll post gallo pinto) I subscribe to Care2.org's monthly recipe email and that always has some delicious-sounding options.

This isn't a completely authentic recipe (I'll post that one later), but this one is quick and easy. 2 c. rice vinegar (go to the Asian section and get the right kind, don't substitute just white vinegar) 1 c. water dark soy sauce to taste (half a cup, maybe? I just pour it in and then taste it. Do yourself a favor and get some Silver Swan...it's better than Kikkoman) 8-10 garlic cloves (no kidding) a handful of peppercorns chicken (whatever kind you like, we use boneless, skinless thighs) Throw it all in a pot and cook until the chicken is done. Eat over jasmine rice (add some of the sauce to the rice and it's tasty). If you're lucky, you'll be eating lumpia with this (you can buy it already rolled and frozen) and some sliced tomatoes.

...that I thought maybe someone out there would be able to help me find. I'm thinking of going mostly vegetarian...maybe keeping meat (turkey, seafood, chicken) in my diet at most three days of the week, and eating vegetarian the other days. Anyway, I'm looking for some reading on how to make that happen, and make meals that Ernie will eat and not miss the meat. Any suggestions? Also, recipes are always helpful. :) Also... Anyone up for another fruit/veggie challenge? One that we actually carry through for an entire week this time? I've been eating like crap lately...not junk food, just not the right food. I'm up for one starting next Monday, if anyone else is up for it.

Saw this one, and figured in the spirit of spreads, I'd post it. I haven't made it yet, but it looks good and I might this weekend. Gourmet August 2005 1/2 lb. coarsley chopped grated mozzarella (2 cups) 1/4 c. well-stirred prepared pesto 1/4 c. finely chopped drained oil packed sundried tomatoes Stir together all ingredients in a bowl until combined well. Spread on Italian bread.

I've brought this in to a couple of office parties, and to potlucks and such. It's a great recipe because it only has 5 ingredients, it's super-easy, and it tastes great! Note: this cake doesn't have any frosting. In my opinion, it doesn't need it, because the cake is so rich. TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE 1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix 1 package devil's food cake mix 6 oz. chocolate chips 1 3/4 cups milk 2 eggs Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then stir by hand for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, until it springs back. Let cool completely before serving.

If you're having a party, I recommend making Aunt Kinky's Salsa and Margaritas! Both are pretty simple, and you won't have any leftovers, I promise. =) By the way, Aunt Kinky's is Geoff's aunt, and her given name is Lynn. What happens when a small child can't say Lynn? His funny dad jokes, "Just call her Aunt Kinky!" and the name sticks.... AUNT KINKY'S SALSA 1 fresh jalapeno 1 can stewed tomatos 1 can Mexican stewed tomatos 6-10 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed* 1/2 medium or large onion, chopped small bunch of fresh cilantro, washed and chopped 1/2 fresh lime Boil pepper about 10 minutes, or until soft. In the meantime, pour tomatos in a blender, then add cilantro, onion, garlic. Finally, squirt in the juice from the lime. When the pepper is soft, cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds from half, then put both halves in the blender.** Add a little salt, to taste. Blend. * Obviously, it would be a good idea if everybody knows each other pretty ...

2 jars (6.5 ounces each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped (note: I found some frozen, non-marinated artichoke hearts in Trader Joes and these work just as well) 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 garlic clove, pressed 3 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain and coarsely chop artichoke hearts with Food Chopper. Combine artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, sour cream, mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. 2. Spoon dip into casserole dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 10-15 appetizer servings More notes: I'm thinking this wouldn't be terrible for you if you used non-fat sour cream and low-fat mayo. And you really can't taste the mayo, I think it must help with the creaminess or something.

At Gwen's request, here is one of the easiest, most instantly gratifying recipe on the planet (outside of a good PB& ham, right Liss?). I don't think she believes me that the recipe is right on the box. 1 pkg. Knorr vegetable dry soup mix (it's in the yellow and green box) 16 oz. sour cream 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained 1 can water chestnuts, chopped coarsely Mix soup with sour cream. Add spinach and water chestnuts. Chill for at least 1 1/2 hours. Serve with vegetables, crackers, in a pumpernickel bread bowl with 1" bread squares or on a spoon in the middle of the night while you're wearing pajamas. And now for a few variations: - 2 packages of spinach instead of one (make sure it's chopped, not cut or you'll be mad) - use cottage cheese instead of sour cream and use as a sandwich spread

I'm eating Soy Spread sandwiches this week both recipes are from Laurel's Kitchen >>>>> Soy Spread 1 small onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small stalk celery, minced 1/4 C chopped green pepper 2-3 T olive oil 2 T tomato sauce 1 T basil 1/2 t oregano 1 can cooked, mashed soybeans 1-2 t vinegar 1/2 t salt dash pepper Saute onion & garlic in olive oil until soft, then add celery & cook until onion is transparent Add tomato paste & herbs and simmer. Stir in mashed soybeans, vinegar, salt & pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 C. Serve on sandwich bread with sprouts. >>>>>> (I have to add about 1/4 C of water to give it enough liquid for everything to simmer together. I usually mash the beans with everything else once it's simmered awhile.) >>>>> Cheese Spread 1 C grated cheese 1 C cottage cheese add any combination of: finely chopped celery, green or red pepper minced parsley/chives chopped tomatoes paprika mustard ...

(Can you tell Gwen and I got a bunch of peaches and blackberries last weekend? We're both looking for ways to use them all) Gourmet Sept. 2005 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 1/5 c. plus 1 tsp. sugar 1 1/4 lb blackberries (about 5 cups) 2 lb. peaches, (6 medium), peeled, pitted and cut into wedges 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1 c. plus 3 Tbsp. whole milk Preheat oven to 425 F. Butter a 13x9x2 glass or ceramic baking dish. (I skipped the buttering step) Whisk together cornstarch and 1 1/2 c. sugar in a large bowl. Then add peaches and blackberries and toss to coat. Transfer to baking dish, bake 10-15 min. While fruit bakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt in another large bowl, then blend in butter with pastry blender or fingers. Add milk and stir until dough forms. Drop dough on hot fruit mixture in 12 mounds, then sprinkle dough with remaining sugar. Bake until golden brown, 25-35 min. Serve warm. (good with ...

Gourmet 1991 1-1/2 pounds peaches (about 3), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges 2 cups blackberries, picked over and rinsed 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits 3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted pecans peach and brown sugar ice cream or vanilla cream as an accompaniment In a large bowl toss the peaches and the blackberries gently with the cornstarch, the lemon juice, and the granulated sugar until the mixture is combined well. In a small bowl stir together the flour, the brown sugar, the oats, the salt, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, add the butter, blending the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in the pecans. Spread the peach mixture in a 13- by 9-inch (3 quart) baking dish, sprinkle...

Alissa gave me this recipe once upon a time, and I used the apples and blackberries we picked this weekend to make it yesterday... 7 or 8 large apples, peeled and sliced 1 bag frozen cherries/berries/whatever (or other fruit -- I used a cup or two of fresh blackberries, and I think it would work with anything) 1/2 cup sugar (I only used a few tablespoons yesterday since the berries were really sweet) 1 t cinnamon 1 t nutmeg 1 t ground cloves Toss it all together and put the crockpot on low for 10 hours. Voila.

Just browsing around and I saw this recipe at the hungry tiger , a very cool-looking recipe site I've never seen before. We're are getting so much freaking squash from the farm share that I have no idea what to do with it -- and we're also getting sage, which smells really good and which I never know what to do with, so bonus for the sage usage in this recipe. -- The best summer squash for a gratin, I think, is a pattypan squash or the variety of zucchini that is only seed-filled down at one end. Try to keep the seeds to an absolute minimum. Trim ruthlessly and feed your compost heap. INGREDIENTS Two pounds summer squash, trimmed and sliced thin (about 1/8") 2 tablespoons salt 3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the baking dish 1 small onion diced very fine several sage leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon flour 3/4 cup milk 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 oz parmasean cheese, grated dash nutmeg freshly ground pepper TO DO Toss the squash with the salt and spread on a clean towel ...

This recipe doesn't have a name, and there's actually no set recipe. So make it however you like it. My Nana makes this and it's tasty...we made it last night and even Gaby liked it. 1 can cream of chicken soup (any kind you like. We used chicken and herbs last night) 1 can full of milk Combine soup and milk in casserole dish. Add to it cut up chicken (we used boneless, skinless thighs) and broccoli. Mix together. Put in 375 degree oven until chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes. Eat over rice or whatever kind of noodles you like.

Bon Apetit, August 2005 6 cups whole milk, divided 3/4 cups sugar 3/4 cup arborio rice or medium-grain white rice 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend 1/2 c. chilled whipping cream 2 1/2-pint containers raspberries 8 teaspoons golden brown sugar Mix 2 cups milk, sugar, and rice in large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean, add bean. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Mix in 2 cups milk, increase heat; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer until thickened, about 12 minutes. Add 2 cups milk, return to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until rice is tender and pudding is thick and reduced to 4 1/2 cups, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Quickly whisk in yolks. (be careful here. if you're not whisking the instant the yolks hit that pudding, they congeal. whisk fast.) Transfer pudding to large bowl set in a larger bowl fuilled with ice w...

Courtesy of my mom -- we used to eat this all the time when I was little. It also freezes well and is kind of good when it's a little icy, too. Slice a zillion peaches and put them in the crockpot with 1/2-3/4 c. water. Put in 3 packets of Sweet'N Low (when I sort of balked at this step, my mother said you could also use a few tablespoons of sugar, but "it's fine with the fake stuff! no one's ever complained!" :) and it definitely doesn't taste Nutrasweet-y or anything). Sprinkle in a lot of cinnamon. Put the lid on and cook on low for "a very long time," she says -- she leaves it on overnight, 12 or 18 hours, but thinks you probably don't have to do it for that long.

So sorry, neglected food blog! If it makes it feel better, my kitchen is also neglected -- I I literally haven't cooked anything for a month, but that is going to change this week. And I brought a whole watermelon back from the beach and need to find a way to use it, so here are snow cups (courtesy of watermelon.org , the National Watermelon Promotion Board, which is kind of funny). Watermelon Snow Cups 4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon 6-ounce can frozen fruit punch concentrate, thawed 2 cups lemon-lime soda Place watermelon cubes in a blender and blend until a smooth puree. Pour into empty ice cream pail; add concentrate and soda. Stir until well-blended. Freeze for about 2 hours and stir vigorously. Continue to freeze until slush consistency. Serve in paper cups.

I think I'll probably make some of these this weeekend, too. Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine Difficulty: Easy Yield: 15 muffins 3/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 egg 1 3/4 cup sifted flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup blueberries 1 tablespoon flour Cream butter and sugar. Add milk and egg and beat until smooth. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Mix until moistened. Toss blueberries with tablespoon of flour and fold into batter. Fill a well-greased muffin pan 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced 1 small onion, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 1/2 pounds cheddar cheese 1 cup Italian bread crumbs Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Saute squash, onion, and pepper in a saute pan with olive oil until squash is soft. Add salt and white pepper. Put into a casserole dish. Mix the cheese and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs into the casserole dish with the vegetables. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs on top of casserole. Bake until golden brown.

Gwen's a slacker, so I'm posting this minestrone recipe, which is totally hers and not in any way mine. I just remember she made it for me after my Poppi died and it's one of the few things I actually wanted to eat. I may make some again soon, with all the veggies being in season right now. Anyway, dug up this e-mail in which she sent the recipe, so here you go (her notes in parenthesis, not mine): At last, minestrone! From "The Best Recipe." Our secret to this soup is adding the rind of the cheese... complexity and depth, blah blah... water instead of stock (I'm editing for you). Remove the rind from a wedge of fresh Parmesan (or buy a container of rinds at Whole Foods like I did). Rinds can be stored in a ziplock bag in the freezer to use as needed. Serves 6 to 8. 2 small or 1 large leeks, washed thoroughly, white and light green parts sliced thin crossways (about 3/4 c.) 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice (about 3/4 c.) 2 onions, peeled and c...

Colleen sent this to me last year. I'm going to pick blueberries on Sunday (A LOT of blueberries) and I'm planning to turn some of them into these muffins. They freeze well, reheat nicely and are really tasty. Blueberry-Lemon Muffins From Cooking Light 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup blueberries 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (I used 1% milk) 3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 1 large egg, lightly beaten Cooking spray 1 tablespoon sugar Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in blueberries; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, rind, and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spra...

>Not sure where I found this one, but it looks good. 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste 4 strips of lemon zest 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mix of all four 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (You can also substitute orange juice and zest for lemon in this one.)

Recipe was found here . Made it yesterday for our bbq using both red and orange tomatoes, and it was tasty. 2 pounds vine-ripened red and/or orange tomatoes (about 5 medium) 2 fresh serrano or jalapeño chiles (I only used one) 1/4 medium onion (preferably white) 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Quarter and seed tomatoes (I didn't bother to seed). Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice and transfer to a bowl. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and finely chop chiles. Finely chop enough onion to measure 1/4 cup and chop cilantro. Stir chiles, onion, cilantro, and garlic into tomatoes with sugar and lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Salsa may be made 1 hour ahead and kept at cool room temperature.

Everyone does it differently, but this is how we do it in our house. Melt 1 stick butter with some granulated garlic. Shuck corn, rinse. Put corn on grill, brush with butter mixture. Cook until desired brownness.

All measurements are approximate because after two batches of these, Sylvia and I quit measuring. 5-9 Tbsp. white rum 3 c. frozen watermelon (yellow or red) 4-5 ice cubes 3-5 frozen strawberries 2-4 Tbsp. lime juice 2 Tbsp. sugar Put all ingredients in blender. Blend.

I got this one from a Betty Crocker cookbook. It's been really popular whenever I've made it, so there's hardly any leftovers. :-( 4 cups chopped fruit 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup frozen limeade, thawed 1 teaspoon poppy seeds toasted almonds, if desired In a large bowl, combine honey and limeade, then add poppy seeds. Stir in the fruit. Top with toasted almonds. It's quick, it's easy, and it's good for you. Plus, you won't use the whole can of limeade, which means you get a pitcher of limeade out of the deal, too! Mmmmm.....I love limeade!

Alissa's going to have even more of these than peppers, and I'm obsessed with vine-ripe, farmer's market tomatoes. Here are some recipes. from foodtv.com: Provencal Stuffed Tomatoes (Recipe courtesy Maria Sinskey) 8 (1 by 1-inch) bread cubes 8 medium-small ripe red or yellow tomatoes 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup pitted, sliced kalamata or nicoise olives 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves 1 large garlic clove, minced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the cores from the top of the tomatoes and cut the top off the tomato 1/4 of the way down. Reserve the tops. Slice enough of the bottom off each tomato, so it stands up, but don...

these are from epicurious.com BLACK BEAN, GREEN PEPPER, AND RED ONION DIP 1 1/2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed 2 quarts plus 1/4 cup water 1 large green bell pepper, chopped fine, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 1 small red onion, chopped fine, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or to taste tortilla chips as an accompaniment cherry peppers for garnish if desired In a large saucepan let the beans soak in cold water to cover for 1 hour, drain them, and in the pan combine them with 2 quarts of the water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans at a slow boil for 1 hour, or until they are tender. While the beans are cooking, in a large heavy skillet cook the bell pepper and the onion in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Drain the beans, reserving 1/2 cup of them, add the remaining beans to the bell pepper mixture with the...

adapted from a recipe courtesy of Cathy Lowe (also found on foodtv.com) Haven't tried this, but I hear Alissa will have a wealth of green peppers in a bit. 4 red, green or yellow bell peppers, tops sliced off and chopped up 2 cups leftover rice or couscous 1 cup leftover chopped turkey (cooked ground turkey would probably work) 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 scallions, chopped Slice off tops of bell peppers, remove seeds and discard. Chop up the bell pepper tops and place into a large bowl. Add rice or couscous, chopped meat, dried basil, parsley, chopped pepper tops, chicken stock and scallions. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Stuff each pepper with filling and place in a square baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray (from foodtv.com) 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch dice 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 small onion, chopped 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 lemon, juiced (1 tablespoon) 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt and black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 a palm full Combine peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley in a bowl with your fingertips. Squeeze the juice of the lemon with the lemon half sitting upright. This will help prevent the seeds from falling into the bowl. The lemon juice will spill down over the sides of the lemon and the seeds will remain with the fruit. Squeeze the juice evenly over the salad. If the lemon is under-ripe, microwave it for 10 seconds before you cut into it. Next, sprinkle a tablespoon of vinegar over the salad -- just eyeball it. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the salad, add the salt, pe...

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks yummy. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 17 minutes Yield: 4 servings 2 beefsteak tomatoes Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 1 large lemon, zested, about 2 tablespoons 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 scallions, finely chopped 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 egg yolk Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Preheat oven 450 degrees F. For the baked stuffed tomatoes you need to make 4 tomato cups out of your 2 tomatoes. To do so, cut a very thin slice off both ends of each of the 2 tomatoes, this is to create 4 flat bottoms. Then cut each tomato in half across its circumference. You should have 4 cup shapes, using the thinly sliced side as the bottom of the cups. To create a cavity, use a melon ball scoop to remove the seeds and pulp from the wide, fleshy side of each tomato cup. You don't have to be too fussy about this. You are just tryi...

I got this one out of a Sarah Moulton cookbook, but the book is at home so I can't remember the name right now. 3.5 lb chicken (or close to that) olive oil salt pepper granulated garlic Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle chicken with olive oil, then rub in. Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Bake in oven for 45 minutes. *Note...I roasted an almost 4.5 pound chicken last night, and just added 15-20 minutes to it and it was fine.* Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Yum. The skin gets nice and crispy, and the chicken is really tasty. And, it takes no time at all, which means you could make roast chicken after work. ***************************** Also, decided to take Alissa/Gwen's suggestions and I made a yogurt sauce for the berries...vanilla yogurt, vanilla extract, a little brown sugar and a lot of cinnamon. I put it in the bottom of the bowl (or tupperware container) and added sliced strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Yum. ****************************** I...

Another installment in my obsession with pasta salad, part 87 million... I was watching a cooking show on PBS this weekend -- it turned out to be Everyday Food , which seems to have some connection to M*rtha St*wart, which makes me like it a little less -- that had a bunch of really good-sounding Greek recipes, and one of them was this one. I didn't catch the whole thing and am not exactly sure about amounts of the main ingredients, but I have a feeling you can't go too wrong. The woman making it didn't seem to be measuring much, and she did give the amounts for the dressing. Just guessing, though -- for some reason, the website doesn't have the actual recipe for this one posted. I blame Martha. Cook 1 box (?) orzo. When water is boiling, toss into the same pot a bunch of halved snap peas with the strings removed and 2 small yellow squash, diced into medium pieces. (Not sure how long the water was boiling before the veggies went in, but I think they stay in just long en...

It's also the season for fresh green beans, and I've got a bunch of those in the fridge, too, that I'll cook tomorrow for dinner. How are you cooking your green beans these days? We do it a couple ways in our house: Steam them Stirfry with sesame oil and some soy sauce and chili flakes (but that's too hot for Gaby) Cook in a pot of water with some olive oil and salt until soft Or...Ernie's favorite...cook in a pot of water with some bacon pieces, until soft. Of course, that's the least good for you, but it's the tastiest.

So, I know I'm the only person I know who likes beets, but it's the season for the things and I've been craving them. Tonight I steamed a bunch (just wash, trim the tops and bottoms, cut in half, and put in the steamer), and tomorrow when they're cooled, I'll make a salad: Beets, peeled and sliced thin (the skin will just rub right off after they've been steamed) Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and just a little lime or lemon juice (I prefer lime) Salt and pepper to taste Toss to coat I still can't find my salt and pepper shakers, but I do have some in the cabinent, so I'll quit being lazy and start cooking for reals now. Anyone else eat beets? How do you cook them? You can also roast the greens of the beets, they taste a little like kale and are good with white beans, tomatoes and onions, all roasted together. C'mon...someone out there has to like fresh beets...they're good for you...and they turn your fingers pink (and it's natura...

I've got one carton of strawberries and two of blueberries in the fridge right now, and I need to do something with them in the next few days before they go bad (and before I go to the farmer's market). Any suggestions?