Food goodness

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