Marina Sauce with Pasta

1/2 lb. bacon, cut up
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
4 medium mushrooms, quartered and thinly sliced
28 oz Italian tomatoes, drained
pasta of choice, cooked and drained

Saute bacon.  Add onion and garlic, saute.  Add zucchini, pepper, mushrooms, saute.  Add tomatoes, heat through.  Serve over hot pasta.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 cup cubed potatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 
  
• In a large saucepan, combine water, cauliflower, potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
• Melt butter in separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in milk. Return to heat, and cook until thickened. Stir in vegetables with cooking liquid, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese until melted, and remove from heat.

Nutritional Information

Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 385

• Total Fat: 24.7g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 366mg
• Total Carbs: 25.9g
•     Dietary Fiber: 2.5g
• Protein: 15.7g

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Brazilian Limeade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)

1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.
Wash limes thoroughly with dishwashing soap; you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.
Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.  Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk. 
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance.

Dill Onion Dip

1  cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp dill weed
1 1/2 tsp parsley
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 1/2 Tbsp grated onion
1 clove minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together and chill in refrigerator overnight.  Serve with veggies, pretzels, etc.

Stuffed Mushrooms

8 to 10 medium mushroom, firm, closed caps
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons minced onion or green onion
1/4 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs (see below)
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons water
salt & pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350°. Wash mushrooms quickly under running water; drain on paper towels. Pull stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add chopped mushroom stems and onion. Sauté until tender. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, soft bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle salt over mushroom caps and fill with sautéed mixture, mounding over the top. At this point, you may cover and refrigerate these mushrooms for up to 24 hours. Before serving, put 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow dish and arrange stuffed mushrooms in dish. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.Makes 8 to 10 appetizers.

Soft bread crumbs: Put bread on cutting board and use fork tines to tear off crumbs, or use food processor to make finer crumbs. One slice bread makes about 1/2 cup lightly packed crumbs.

Vanilla Refrigerator Cookies

Vanilla Refrigerator Cookies

1 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 C finely chopped nuts

Mix butter, vanilla, eggs and sugar.  Stir in flour, salt and nuts.  Divide dough into three equal parts; shape each into a roll, 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 7 inches long.  Wrap; chill at least four hours.  Cut rolls into 1/8 inch slices.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet; bake 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove immediately.

Variations

Butterscotch: substitute 1 C of brown sugar for sugar
Cinnamon: substitute  1/2 C sugar and 1/2 brown sugar for sugar, and 3 tsp cinnamon for vanilla
Orange-Almond: mix in 1 Tbsp grated orange peel with the butter mixture and 1/2 C finely chopped almonds with the flour.

Oriental Salad

Oriental Salad

Salad Base:
1 lg. head green cabbage, shredded

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 bunch green onions, chipped

1 can mandarin oranges

On a cookie sheet, crush and brown at 350 for 10 minutes:

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1/4 c. slivered almonds

1 package oriental flavored ramen noodles

Dressing:
1 T. sugar

3 T. vinegar

1/2 c. oil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

oriental ramen flavor packet

After browning the seeds, almonds and noodles stir them into the salad. Before serving toss the salad in the dressing.

One-Pot Pasta

One-Pot Pasta

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 jar (7 oz) oil-packed sun dried tomatoes OR diced fresh tomatoes

3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5 ¼ C)

1 pound uncooked penne pasta

1 head broccoli (2 C small florets)

2 medium carrots, peeled

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese

¼ tsp salt

½ coarsely ground pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Thinly slice garlic.  Place 1 Tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes into 8-quart stockpot.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown.  Add broth; increase heat to high.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Stir in pasta; cover and simmer until pasta is almost cooked but still firm.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets.  Cut carrots lengthwise and then into thin strips.  Cut cream cheese into cubes.

Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and pepper to pot.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated.  Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve immediately.  Top with grated cheese.

Honey and Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables

Honey and Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables

1 ½ C. sliced fennel bulb (about one small bulb)

1 ½ C. (½ inch) cubed peeled butternut squash

1 ¼ C. (½ inch) cubed red potato

1 C. (½ inch) cubed peeled turnip

1 C. (½ inch-thick) sliced parsnip

1 Tbsp. olive oil

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

3 large shallots, peeled and halved

Cooking spray

1 tbsp honey

1 ½ tsp cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine first 11 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.  Arrange vegetable mixture in single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until vegetables are browned and tender.  Place vegetable mixture in bowl.  Add honey and cider vinegar to vegetables, and toss well.  Makes about 4 servings (serving size: about 2/3 C.)

Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

1 pound (3 medium) yellow-flesh potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt
3 tablespoons butter, divided
8 to 10 fresh (2 to 3-inch) sage leaves, stacked and cut across into ¼-inch strips
1/2 cup 1% milk (approximate)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a 3-quart saucepan over high heat, add potatoes and squash chunks with water; add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring just to boil; reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until tender, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
In a small frying pan or saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the sage. Tilting pan and watching closely, cook about 3 minutes, until butter foams and begins to brown; remove from heat and keep warm.
When potatoes and squash are cooked, remove from heat and thoroughly drain the water off. Reduce heat to low, return pan with the drained potatoes and squash to burner, and shake 1 to 2 minutes; remove from heat.
Roughly mash with hand masher leaving mixture chunky. Gently mix in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and enough milk for consistency desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon into a large serving bowl and drizzle with brown butter/sage mixture.
Makes 4 servings (about 4 cups).

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups whole almonds

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.

Lightly beat the egg white; add vanilla, and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the prepared pan.

Bake for 60 to 90 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally (especially after the first hour), until golden. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers. 

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches

1 lb. thinly sliced deli roast beef

4 hoagie rolls

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. flour

1 shallot, chopped

10 oz. beef broth or consommé

In large skillet over medium heat, sauté chopped shallots in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add flour and sauté 2 more minutes.  Slowly pour in beef broth and whisk.  Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to low and simmer.  Cut rolls in half and place ¼ lb. warmed roast beef inside each.  Pour dipping sauce into individual serving dishes. 

Chickpea, Roasted Pepper and Feta Salad

Chickpea, Roasted Pepper and Feta Salad

2 yellow bell peppers, cut lengthwise into flat panels

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp salt

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 bunches arugula or watercress, tough stems removed

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat broiler.  Broil pepper pieces, skin side up, 4 inches from heat for 12 minutes, or until skin is charred.  When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into ½ inch wide slices.

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil and salt.  Add roasted peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes, onion and parsley, and toss to combine.  Let stand 30 minutes to develop flavors.

Add arugula and toss gently.  Serve immediately, with feta sprinkled on top.

Makes 6 servings.  Each serving has 296 calories, 16 g fat, 29 g carbohydrates (5.4 g fiber), 11 g protein, 998 mg sodium. 

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

1 package cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

1 cup chicken broth

3 lb. red potatoes, thinly sliced

1 package (6 oz.) smoked ham

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 13X9 pan with cooking spray.  Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and chicken broth in large bowl until well blended.  Add potatoes, ham, peas and 1 ¾ cups of cheese; stir gently to coat all ingredients.  Spoon into prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup of cheese.  Bake 1 hour or until heated through and potatoes are tender.

Makes 15 servings, ¾ cup each.

Asian Beef and Noodles

Asian Beef and Noodles

1 lb. hamburger

½ lb. fresh broccoli

3 green onions, chopped

2 3 oz ramen noodle packages

1 C. carrots, diced

¼ lb. mushrooms, sliced

Cut broccoli into flowerets.  Cook hamburger, crumble and drain.  Season with one of the packets from ramen noodles; set aside.  Combine with 2 C. water, ramen noodles, broken into small pieces, and remaining seasoning packet; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, add hamburger, green onions and broccoli; cover and simmer 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms when serving.  Serves about 4.