My guest chef

I can not take any credit for the following recipe except for the fact that I gave birth to the girl who prepared it. My daughter who had been opposed to cooking for many years decided it was time to prepare herself for the day she might need to feed herself and a cute family. She now cooks dinner every Wednesday, and now Wednesday is my favorite day of the week. When someone else decides the menu, you just might find yourself eating something that you never thought would be tasty. Adding fresh chopped avocado to a bowl of hot soup would have seemed odd to me, but my daughter thought it would be yummy, and she was right!

Veggie Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 cans chopped green chile peppers

3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 can corn

2 cans black beans, rinsed

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed

2 avocados, diced

tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, stir in onion, red pepper, garlic, and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are tender.

2. Add tomatoes, chile peppers and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low. Add corn, black beans, and pinto beans. Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes.

4. Garnish each bowl with avocado and chips before serving.

5. Try to get another member of your family to cook tomorrow.  :)

Good nuts, bad nuts

I guess if your wardrobe was influenced by his flamboyant fashion sense, you might consider him a good nut. However, you are probably in the minority. Most people are grateful that the death of Muammar Gaddafi rid the world of one more very bad nut.

You might categorize grown women throwing bleach on one another while shopping at their local Wal-mart as a bad nut, but if you enjoy a front row seat to a three ring circus along with the price of milk, you might need to rethink your judgment in more ways than one.

If you based their appeal solely on price, you would consider them a bad nut. But, when you consider the long list of health benefits associated with pine nuts, they definitely are a good nut. Along with being high in protein and good fats, pine nuts are also filled with amino acids and are a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc, potassium, and vitamins B1, 2 & 3, and E. All of that from a little nut found inside a pine cone. You might be tempted to skip this ingredient when making this yummy pasta dish, but be a good nut and leave it in.

Broccoli and Bow Tie Pasta

                8 cups broccoli florets

                1/2 lb bow tie pasta

                2 tablespoons butter
                2 tablespoons olive oil

                1 teaspoon minced garlic

                zest of 1 lemon

                2 teaspoons salt

                1/2 teaspoon black pepper

                1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

                1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

                parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add broccoli and cook just 3 minutes. Remover with slotted spoon in order to cook pasta in same water. Add pasta and cook 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well. Combine broccoli and pasta in a large bowl.

Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and lemon zest and saute for 1 minute. Remove skillet from burner and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to combine then pour over broccoli and pasta. Toss together. Sprinkle with pine nuts and parmesan cheese.

The things I know . . .

When I read the question, “What will you do without Oprah?” on the ABC News website, I knew that I would be okay. Because when she said every woman needed a white pair of jeans, I didn’t buy them. You see, I can make decisions all on my own.

I know that there had to be a motive behind the large amount of puzzle solving challenges on Survivor this season. Could it possibly have been to help Boston “Puzzle Master” Rob finally win the game?

I began reading the Bible in January, and now I know that King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Now, I am confused about why they called him wise. I also learned that when King David was stricken in years, they brought a young virgin into his bed to warm him. I wonder just exactly when the phrase “dirty old man” was invented.

I know that I could possibly be the reason that James Durbin went home last week on American Idol. Ryan warned me to vote for my favorites. Can someone tell me who is voting for Haley?

I know that when I cook with sour cream, butter, or cheese, my husband will be concerned about fat grams. I must admit that I love my fats. I also know that when I make baked ziti, it will be devoured. Fat grams and all.

Baked Ziti

1 lb ziti pasta

15 ounces ricotta cheese

4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

6 cups (2 jars) spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil ziti, according to package instructions, drain, and return to pot. Add all the ricotta cheese and half the mozzarella cheese. Stir til combined. Cover the bottom of a 13X9 pan with half the sauce. Put ziti mixture on top of the sauce. Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden.

I know your family will love this on Meatless Monday or any day of the week.

To beef, or not to beef

To beef, or not to beef, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the diet to remove
And save the cows from outrageous fortune,
And to take arms against mine carnivores,
And by opposing madden them? To cook, to eat,
No more; and take a stand to say we end
The heart-ache, and the thousand unnatural shocks
That their flesh is heir to: 'tis a consumption
Devoutly to be avoided. To cook, to steam;
To eat, perchance a veggie – ay, there's the rule:
For in that meatless meal what delights may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal custom,
Must give us pause – there's the respect
That Meatless Monday makes of so long life.

 No Chicken Pot Pie

3 large red potatoes, scrubbed and diced

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups chicken or veggie broth

1 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 cups each frozen corn and peas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion, carrots, and potatoes in butter for 10 minutes. Add flour and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add broth and half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Stir in salt, pepper, corn, and peas. Pour into 2 pie plates and cover with pie shells. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Bake 40-50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and cooked through.

If your home is like mine, you may have a few carnivores, vegetarians, and some who eat meat in moderation. So I constantly ask myself should I beef or not beef. Yesterday I made this pot pie. One was made with chicken and one without. It was pleasing to all. To answer the question: I say save yourself some time and money and go no meat.

Mental Burritos

When children are little they pronounce things in such a cute way, and often their interpretation becomes the way the whole family then says a particular word. That is how spaghetti became sketti at our house. As my children got older they would change the names of dishes not out of cuteness, but to express how they felt about a particular meal. That is how Lentil Burritos became Mental Burritos at our house. You just have to love teenage boys and their mode of expression.

Lentil Burritos

1 cup lentils

1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth

Place in a sauce pan and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add

1 medium chopped onion

1 medium chopped zucchini

Cook for 6 minutes and add

2 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

2 cups loosely packed chopped spinach

1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained

cooked lentils

Serve on tortillas with salsa and sour cream.

Rachel Ray meet Mr. McCartney

I love Rachel Ray. So many women in the spotlight catch the “I have to be skinnier than Kelly Ripa” disease, and I am just glad she looks like a real woman and not your typical Hollywood stick figure. We need more of her type on TV. You can tell that she actually eats the food she cooks. I think that is always an important quality for a chef to possess. One of her recipes that I tried at home was her 30 minute Chicken Noodle Soup. If it wasn’t Meatless Monday, I could probably share the recipe. Rachel adds parsnips and dill to the traditional recipe. Another recipe that looked delicious was a soup with chorizo, collard greens, and potatoes. My husband, however, does NOT eat pig. One day I picked up some veggie sausages at the store, and they worked great in the recipe. I am not sure that Rachel’s husband would approve because I get the impression he actually likes his meat from an animal and not a plant, but my husband loved the soup.

 Peasant-Style Potato and Collard Green Soup

4 Italian "sausages", browned and sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

8 cups vegetable stock

8 potatoes, sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and root ends trimmed

1 bunch collard greens, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced

salt and black pepper, to taste

In a heavy stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened. Add stock, potatoes, and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon transfer the potatoes and garlic to a bowl; lightly mash with a fork. Return to the soup and bring to a simmer. Stir in collard greens. Simmer 5 minutes, or until greens are tender. Stir in the sausages and season with salt and pepper.

Thanks Paul! It’s just what I needed.

 

I am meated out! It is like Paul McCartney just knew I would need a meatless day after the long holiday weekend. I guess it is his gift to me. This weekend my family ate a prime rib roast that seemed questionably raw on Christmas Eve, several pounds of bacon, ham, and sausage for Christmas breakfast (see above photo of my goofy son), and then more ham and a roast for Christmas dinner. I am not sure how many animals were slaughtered for our celebration, but it was way too many for my taste. After spending many hours in the kitchen over the past month, I am not excited about cooking dinner, but I have the perfect solution. Veggie Quesadillas will be on the menu tonight. They are quick, easy, tasty, and most importantly meat free.

Veggie Quesadillas

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can green chiles

shredded colby/jack cheese

8 tortillas 

Mix beans, corn, and chiles. Place about 2 tablespoons of cheese on half of the tortilla, 1/3 cup bean mixture, and then more cheese. Fold tortilla over. Place on cookie sheet and cook under broiler until toasted and browned. About one minute. Flip and cook other side. Serve this with a yummy green salad for an easy and tasty meal.

Another Cranberry Salad

 

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1 6 oz can mandarin oranges

1/4 cup sliced almonds

 

Dressing

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

 

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cranberries and oranges. In a blender combine first six dressing ingredients and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil. Add sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with almonds.

What’s for dinner?

I hate that question! You would think that since I have been cooking for my family for over 25 years that I would let that one just roll off my back. The problem is that even when I have an answer there will always be a critic. And when I don’t have an answer, and I fire back, “What would you like?” I usually don’t like the response. I don’t even know what I would like them to ask instead. I guess I just want them to stand happily by the oven and see what comes out at 6:00PM, and eat without any complaints. Well, I guess if I was really going to get a miracle at my house, I wouldn’t waste it on that silly idea, so I guess we will stick to our same old routine. Child asks. Mother gets irritated. Child learns not to ask for a few days. Mother makes a plan. In case I don’t have a plan, I like to have a few meals that work with things mostly from my food storage. And being since it is Monday, no meat is required!

                      Southwest Vegetarian Bake

               1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
               1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
               1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
               1 (4 ounce) can green chiles
               1 pint salsa
               1 cup sour cream
               2 cups cheese, divided, preferably colby/jack but cheddar will work
               1/4 teaspoon pepper
               1/2 cup chopped onions, red, green, or yellow will work
               1 small can olives, sliced and drained

In a large bowl, combine rice, beans, corn, chiles, salsa, sour cream, 1 cup of cheese, and pepper. Transfer to a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with onions and olives over top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Serve with chips and salsa or guacamole. This is seriously good and easy. I usually don't have any whiners when I serve this!

A Good Day for a Chili Cook-off

In my part of the world, I woke up to snow. A nice bowl of chili is great for dinner on a blustery day like today. Most people combine big chunks of ground chuck and some kidney beans to make chili. That would all be good if today hadn’t been declared Meatless Monday by Paul McCartney. I have a chili recipe that would make Paul sing. I am not even sure where I got this recipe. I am not very environmentally friendly when it comes to recipes. If I see one I like, I print it off. I have a rather large stack of recipes to be tested. At least when I try one if I don’t like it I will recycle the paper. No recycling bin for this recipe. It is a keeper.

Healthy Black Bean Chili

          2 tablespoons olive oil

          1 large yellow onion, chopped

          1 large bell pepper, chopped ( the recipe called for a yellow pepper, I had a red one and used it)

          5 cloves garlic, minced

          2 teaspoons chili powder

          1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

          1 teaspoon dried oregano

          1/2 teaspoon salt

          1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

          4 cups cooked black beans

          2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

          2 cups mild salsa

          2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

          2 cups cooked wheat berries

          Juice of one lime

         

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, salsa, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through.

Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish with your choice of sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

A Suggestion for a Meatless Monday for Al Gore

I haven’t heard if Mr. Gore has joined the Meatless Monday campaign. I have been thinking about a meal that might be tempting for him to join. I make a Spinach Lasagna that my husband loves. In order to post this recipe for A.G., I actually had to figure out the exact quantities in this recipe. My daughter gets a little annoyed with me when she asks for a recipe, and I am not sure of the exact instructions. Sometimes I just cook, and the process is in my head. The other problem with that method is sometimes a dish turns out better than usual, and I don’t know what I did different. But enough about my life, I need to convince my planet saving friend to give up meat for a day, and I hope this recipe will do it. I spent extra time measuring and jotting down the amounts when I made this, and so I hope Al will give it a try!

Spinach Lasagna

Sauce

Saute the following:

small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Then add and simmer for about 15 minutes:

1 quart tomatoes, chopped

3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1 tablespoon dried basil

Cheese Mixture

Combine the following:

24 ounces cottage cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

9 uncooked lasagna noodles (whole wheat works great)*

8 cups loosely packed chopped spinach

4 cups grated mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

In a 9x13 casserole dish, layer the following:

a little bit of sauce to cover the bottom of the pan, 3 noodles, 1/2 the cheese mixture, 1/2 the spinach, 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the cheese, 3 noodles, 1/2 cheese mixture, 1/2 spinach, 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the cheese, 3 noodles, cover noodles with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake covered for 1 hour at 375 degrees.

It is best if you let it sit for at least 1 hour before cutting.



* I have used these whole wheat noodles in this recipe and my family didn't detect a difference in the taste from the regular noodles. One of the things I have hated about making lasagna is cooking the noodles before layering all the ingredients. This recipe works great to let the noodles cook during baking, and they actually absorb the taste of the sauce.

My Meat Free Monday

I was wondering the other day if Paul McCartney and Al Gore get together for a little meeting to determine what green advice should be shared with the world to help us little people be better stewards of our environment. And do they invite Robert Redford? Paul McCartney has launched a new campaign on his Help the Planet website. It is called “Meat Free Mondays”. Now I know Sir Paul is a vegetarian, but I just don’t see Mr. Gore going along with this campaign. He seems like a meat and potatoes guy to me. Usually most vegetarians are on the thin side, and well, Al Gore is not exactly slender. I think that we Americans eat way too much meat, and so I am giving Paul McCartney my full support and cooperation on his new campaign. Actually, we usually have meat free Mondays at our house. We also have meat free Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Typically we have meat twice a week. Now when I tell people this little interesting tidbit about our family, the first question is “What do you eat?” It takes a little more creativity to make meatless dishes that your family will like and give them the protein their bodies need, but it can be done. One of my all time favorite meat free meals is Baked Vegetarian Chimichangas. I found this recipe on a vegan website. It called for soy cheese and a non-dairy sour cream. I like the real stuff, and so that is how I make it.

BAKED VEGETARIAN CHIMICHANGAS

            1/2 cup chopped onions

            6 cloves garlic, minced

            1 tablespoon olive oil

            1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chilies

            1 (16 ounce) vegetarian refried beans

            1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa

            2 cups cooked brown rice

            1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            2 teaspoons chili powder

            2 teaspoons powdered cumin

            3 tablespoons sour cream

            1 1/2 cups grated colby jack cheese

            8-10 large burrito size tortillas or 12-14 medium size flour tortillas (I like the uncooked flour tortillas the best)

            olive oil

            cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado for garnish, as desired

1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is soft.  Add green chilies, flatten mixture in bottom of pan and saute without stirring until onions begin to caramelize a little, remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add onion mixture.
3. Depending on size of tortilla, place 1/2 to 1 cup filling on each tortilla. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold the sides in, then carefully fold it over to close. Brush each chimichanga with olive oil.
4. Place chimichangas on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
5. Add cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and tomatoes, and enjoy!

Beans and whole grain combined make a complete protein. These make excellent leftovers. Just place in the oven for about 15 minutes to reheat and enjoy for lunch the next day.

My garden – the successes and failures

Success – I said I wasn’t going to plant a garden this year, until we built planter boxes. My husband did a fantastic job and had them completed by mid May!

Failure – Even though we laid down weed control carpet and brought in special dirt, the morning glory still found its way into my garden.

Success – This was the first year my cucumber plant survived. I love dipping cucumbers in dill dip.

Failure – and the first year my zucchini plant died. I am probably the first person on the planet who actually killed a zucchini plant. All of my wonderful plans for zucchini recipes died along with my plant.

Success – My cherry tomato plant was out of control.

Failure – My cherry tomato plant was out of control.

Success – I had fantastic luck with basil, eggplant, green peppers, and cilantro.

Failures – I love spaghetti squash and decided to give it a try in my garden. I planted one plant, and it looked like it wasn’t going to make it, and so I bought another plant. The first one began to thrive as my second one died along with my zucchini plant. The first plant lived, but it turned out to be cantaloupe. My husband is allergic to cantaloupe and I am not very good at knowing when they are ripe. Big Failure!

Success – Baked Eggplant Parmesan

I tried a new recipe, and it was fantastic! Well, it is from Martha Stewart, and so you know it has to be good.


Olive oil
2 large eggs
¾ cup plain bread crumbs
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, for topping
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
Salt
Pepper
2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into ½ inch rounds
6 cups favorite tomato sauce
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.

2. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400°.

3. Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.