Vegetarian Recipes

Cherry Cranberry Pie

2011-10-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

1 9" pie crust

4 cups of fresh/frozen cherries and cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 c corn starch

1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 brown sugar
6 T butter

Put the berries in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until they release a lot of their juice. Add sugar and corn starch, stir well, and cook until it thickens.

Meanwhile, mix flour, other sugars, and butter until they form small crumbs.

Put the filling in the crust, top with cumbly mix, and bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes.

Black Forest Cherry Cake

2011-09-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (14.5 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.
Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.
Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1/3rd of the whipped cream. Top with 1/3 cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Add (or decorate with) remaining whipped cream and spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

2011-09-13T06:49:00.001-07:00

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/blueberry-crumb-bars/

These are easiest to cut once chilled, and store even better in the
fridge than they do at room temperature–something unusual for cookies!

Yield: I cut these into 36 smallish rectangles

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and
baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter
to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of
dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon
juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture
evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly
brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool
completely before cutting into squares.

Try making it with apricots instead:
2 cups dried apricots
1/2 cup sugar (or a little less)
Water to cover
Pinch of salt

Boil this all together on the stove for a while until the water is
mostly absorbed and the apricots have broken down a bit and it
smells/tastes good. Add more sugar if needed. Put in a splash of
brandy if you want before taking it off the heat.

Then just use this mixture as the filling instead of the blueberries
below.

Bailey's Ice Cream

2011-08-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 c heavy cream
1 c milk
1 c sugar
1/2 c Baileys (or other liquor)

Instructions:

Whisk all of this stuff together until all the sugar has been dissolved. Stick it in the ice cream maker. Because of the alcohol, it will stay pretty soft. 1/2 cup of liquor may not seem like a lot, but you will definitely be able to taste it.

Mac & Cheese

2011-07-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

You can substitute the same amount of any type of cheese and substitute any veggie (or just leave the veg out entirely).

Ingredients

8 ounces of pasta (macaroni, penne, etc)
1 1/4 cups of milk
2 T butter
2 T flour
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (optional)
4 oz cheese (I like smoked gouda. 4 oz is about 1 cup of shredded cheese)
1 bag of fresh spinach (or substitute about a cup of other veggies or leave them out)
1/2 c bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375

Cook the noodles until al dente.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour until it's bubbly. Slowly stir in the milk and keep stirring until it starts to thicken. Add the cayenne, salt & pepper to taste, and bring it all to a boil for a couple minutes. Add the cheese and stir until it's melted. If you're adding veggies, add them now (for spinach, it will seem like a lot, but don't worry - it wilt really quickly in the cheese sauce).

Meanwhile, make bread crumbs by chopping up some stale bread in a blender and seasoning with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, or anything else you like until they taste good.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Add the noodles, pour the sauce over them, and stir. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake for about 20 minutes until it's golden brown and bubbly.

Lemon Bars

2011-07-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cups lemon juice

Cream the butter and sugar, add flour from first 3 ingredients. Bake for 15 minutes at 350. Mix the remaining ingredients. Pour over baked crust and bake 25 minutes at 350.

Alexis's Mom's Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

2011-06-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

375*

1/2 c butter
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla

cream the above, then sift and add carefully:
1 1/4 c flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

shape into 1.5-2 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, place onto cookie sheet, the use a fork or potato masher to lightly press a checkerboard/plaid dents and slightly flatten the balls.

bake 10-12 min.

mmmmmmmm

Spicy Chickpeas

2011-02-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon Cajun spice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Mix it all together well and then bake at 400 until chickpeas are crispy on the outside, 45 minutes to an hour.

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder (Whole Foods)

2011-01-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

3 medium poblano peppers

Olive oil for roasting peppers

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 stalk celery, sliced thin

2 large cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups whole milk (or half & half)

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, washed and diced unpeeled (or Yukon Gold)

1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup roasted red peppers (in jar), chopped

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

* Lightly coat poblano peppers with olive oil and place on pan for roasting. Place pan under oven broiler until peppers are charred (about 5 minutes); turn over and char other side.

* Remove peppers from oven and place in paper bag; roll top of bag to trap steam. Allow peppers to sit for 10 minutes.

* Remove steamed peppers. Set aside to cool. Peel, remove stem and seeds, and chop.

* In a large, heavy soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, garlic and onions and cook till translucent, about 5 minutes.

* Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter till melted. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, careful not to let the flour scorch.

* Turn up heat to medium-high and slowly add the vegetable stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add milk.

* Bring mixture to a rolling simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

* Add the potatoes, poblanos, corn and red peppers.

* Adjust heat to a slow simmer and cook uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

* Season with salt and cayenne pepper; serve.

- Whole Foods Market

Nutritional information per serving: 362 cal., 12 g fat (7 g sat), 29 mg chol., 57 g carb., 11 g pro., 6 g fiber, 595 mg sodium

Whole Wheat Graham Crakers

2010-12-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg whites, divided
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons raw or turbinado sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add butter and work into flour with your fingertips until completely incorporated and mixture resembles fine meal. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 egg white, brown sugar, honey and vanilla. Add this to flour mixture and stir until a sticky dough forms.

Turn half of the dough out onto a very well floured surface and roll out into a (10-inch) square. Cut into 12 rectangles and transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Repeat process with remaining dough and second prepared baking sheet.

Brush graham crackers with remaining egg and sprinkle raw sugar over the tops. Bake until dark brown and fragrant, 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside to let cool completely (graham crackers will harden as they cool) before serving.

Sugar Cookies

2010-12-13T09:19:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

2010-12-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

Cranberry Sorbet

2010-11-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is a nice refreshingly light dessert that's a great alternative to pumpkin pie if you're overwhelmed on Thanksgiving.

4 cups of cranberries

5 cups water

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

Optional : zest from 1 lemon

Directions

Bring 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sugar to a boil. Add the cramberries and cook them until they pop, around 10 minutes. In small batches, puree the berries and cooking syrup in a blender. When its' done, pass it through a mesh strainer to get any solids (mostly peels and seeds). Chill this for 1-2 hours until cool.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Let this cool as well.

Combine the berry puree with the syrup when everything is cool. Then pop it on your ice cream maker until it's ready. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: This recipe is bigger than the standard ice cream maker. Half it or, like I do, make it in two consecutive batches. Serves 10-12.

Le Creuset Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Topping

2010-09-15T12:11:00.001-07:00

4 tbs. olive oil 1 large red onion, roughly chopped 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” pieces 1 lb. eggplant, cut into ½” pieces 4 celery stalks, cut into ¼” slices 4 zucchini, cut into ½” slices 1 lb. canned crushed tomatoes with their juice 2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 tbs. sugar 2 cups fresh white bread crumbs 1 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper (I also added a clove of fresh garlic, crushed)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in the buffet casserole over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and butternut squash and fry gently until they are lightly colored. 2. Add the eggplant, celery, and zucchini and continue frying, turing the vegetables occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, basil, parsley, vinegar, and sugar with 1 cup of water and plenty of seasoning. Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hr 15 minutes to 1 and a half hours until the vegetables are tender; the squash will take the longest to soften 3. When the vegetables are tender, remove the buffet casserole from the heat. Mix together the bread crumbs and cheese with plenty of seasoning and scatter this evenly over the vegetables. Put immediately under a hot broiler to crsip and brown the top. Serve straight from the buffet casserole.

4 tbs. olive oil
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
1 lb. eggplant, cut into ½” pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into ¼” slices
4 zucchini, cut into ½” slices
1 lb. canned crushed tomatoes with their juice
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
1 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
(I also added a clove of fresh garlic, crushed)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in the buffet casserole over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and butternut squash and fry gently until they are lightly colored.

2. Add the eggplant, celery, and zucchini and continue frying, turing the vegetables occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, basil, parsley, vinegar, and sugar with 1 cup of water and plenty of seasoning.

Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hr 15 minutes to 1 and a half hours until the vegetables are tender; the squash will take the longest to soften

3. When the vegetables are tender, remove the buffet casserole from the heat. Mix together the bread crumbs and cheese with plenty of seasoning and scatter this evenly over the vegetables. Put immediately under a hot broiler to crsip and brown the top. Serve straight from the buffet casserole.

Apple Crisp

2010-08-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups apples-cored and chopped
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Lightly grease an 8 inch square pan.
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and top with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Plum Pie

2010-06-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

4 cups sliced fresh plums
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pastry shell
TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; pour into the pastry shell. For topping, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cover edges of crust during the last 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool on a wire rack.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2010-05-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Thanksgiving Stuffing

2009-11-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

8 cups of bread cubed
2 T butter
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 large onion or 1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 t thyme
1 t paprika
3/4 t sage
1 t rosemary
2 t parseley
2 T fresh sage, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 c vegetable stock

Directions

Mix the bread crumbs and dry spices in a bowl

Spread the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 until golden. Stir occasionally

Reduce oven temp to 350

In a frying pan, melt butter and cook onions, garlic, and celery until soft, about 10-15 minutes

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and then add in stock.

Bake in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray for about 1 hour covered.

Squash Soup

2009-10-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

3 pounds of squash (acorn, butternut, etc)
2 T. butter
1.5 pounds potatoes (I prefer red, any type is fine), cubed
1 medium onion
1 leek
2 cloves garlic
6 c. vegetable stock
1/2 c. sherry
generous 1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. ginger
1/8 t. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. cream

Halve and seed the squash. Place face down in a baking dish with a little water and bake at 375 until soft, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Melt butter in a large pot. Sautee onions, leek, and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add stock and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are soft, 15-20 minutes. Add squash and puree everything until smooth (I do it in batches in the blender). Return to the pot and add add spices, sherry, and cream. Heat through and serve. Freezes and refrigerates well.

Collard greens

2009-08-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

3 quarts of water
4 t salt
1 t garlic powder
1 t pepper
a tiny bit of cayenne pepper - seriously, not too much. a bit under 1/8 teaspoon. this will be plesantly hot even with that amount
1 large bunch collard greens

bring the water and seasoning to boil. As it's heating, wash the greens and separate them from the thick middle stems. Stack them, roll them into a tube, and slice them into 1 inch strips. After it reaches boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the greens. Stir occasionally until they are tender, around 15-30 minutes depending on taste.

Zucchini Bread

2009-07-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

Aloo Gobi

2009-07-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

* 2 T vegetable oil
* 1/2 large onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
* 1/2 bunch fresh coriander, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths
* 1 1/2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into even pieces
* 1 can diced tomato
* 1/2 t ginger
* 2 cloves crushed garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
* 1 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon garam masala

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan.
Add the chopped onion and one teaspoon of cumin powder to the oil.
Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent.
Add chopped coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, salt, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. Mix.
Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan).
Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce.
Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).
Add two teaspoons of Garam Masala and stir.
Turn off the heat, cover, and leave for as long as possible before serving.

Pesto

2009-07-01T16:39:00.001-07:00

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts or, use more walnuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Red Velvet Cake

2009-06-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Red food coloring

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, cocoa, and coloring and mix well. Add buttermilk by hand. Add flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat well by hand. Add vinegar and baking soda. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes if using a 9 x 13 inch pan, or 25 minutes in 3 (8-inch) cake pans.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-06-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 T softened butter

Mix together. Spread.

Corn Bread

2009-04-22T15:20:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 T. baking powder
1 egg
1 1/3cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and egg. Stir until well mixed. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)

Mexican Wedding Cakes

2008-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

These are my very favorite christmas cookie, and they are so easy to make

Ingredients

1 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 T. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
extra powdered sugar

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar. Mix in flour and vanilla. Add nuts and mix by hand. Roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. These do not spread so you can place them close together. Bake for ~20 minutes at 350. They are best when they are just barely done, so watch them closely. Let them cool for a minute to let them solidify, and then transfer them to a bag of powdered sugar. Gently move them around to give them a good coating of sugar. Let them sit in the bag for around 10 seconds so the steam from the cookies can combine with the coating of sugar. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I like these best refrigerated the next day.

Red Beans and Rice

2008-10-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 pound dry kidney beans
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (yes, that's a lot of garlic)
2 ribs celery, chopped
6-8 cups water
2 bay leaves
not quite 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (World Market sells $0.99 packets that are excellent!)

Directions

Soak the beans overnight. To prepare, sautee veggies in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Combine veggies, beans, seasonings, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium-low for and least 1 hour covered and then 1/2 hour uncovered. Mash some of the beans at the end to improve the texture. Add salt to taste. Serve over rice.

Brownies

2008-09-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

2 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup Ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate and cocoa powder or hot chocolate mix
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix the eggs and sugar, then add the butter (so you don't cook the eggs). Mix it up with everything else and bake it for 20-25 minutes at 350

Peanut Butter Dog Treats

2008-08-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hey! Our fluffy friends need recipes, too!

Ingredients

3 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 c. milk
1-1/2 c. peanut butter
2 T. molasses

Mix everything together, kneed slightly, and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter (preferably, bone shaped). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Then, turn off the oven and leave the bones in there until cool. If you're making multiple sheets, take the first ones out after their 20 minutes and then put them back in when it's time to turn the oven off. they will not be sticky and you can stack them if you need the space.

Asparagus and Spring Pea Soup

2008-03-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

Both Panera and Corner Bakery used to have asparagus and pea soup, which was SO good. Now, they don't have it, but I really wanted some tonight. I made my own version, which isn't the same but was still quite tasty.

Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus
1 lb bag of frozen peas (or fresh if you're lucky enough to get them)
3 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 onion
1/2 c half & half

Directions

Cut the tips off the asparagus and set aside. Cut the stems into 1 inch chunks. I cut the woodiest part of the bottom and use it in my stock instead of making it part of the soup.

Sautee the onions lightly in olive oil until transluscent. Add peas, asparagus stems, peas, and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. While the soup is cooking, cook the tips until tender (steam, microwave, broil - whatever).

Add the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. The next step is straining. I strain about 80% of the soup. You may want to do more or less depending on the texture you like. Add the asparagus tips and half & half to the strained soup, add salt & pepper to taste, and reheat until it's simmering.

Serve!

Roasted Asparagus

2007-12-30T14:26:00.001-08:00

Bend asparagus spears until they break - the tender part will break off from the woody part of the step. spread the good parts on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste. Spread the spears around to get them thorougly coated. Roast at 450 for 10-ish minutes until tender but not mushy. Great alone or with romesco sauce.

Romesco Sauce

2007-12-30T14:18:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 roasted red pepper
1 small chili pepper or red pepper to taste
8 oz stewed tomatoes or 2 cooked tomatoes
1 T vinegar
1/4 c almonds
2 cloves of garlic

Directions

In a food processor, blend nuts and garlic. You can substitute other nuts if you prefer. Add tomatoes and pepper and blend until smooth. Add vinegar. If the sauce is too thin, add some white bread to the mix to reach the right consistency.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2007-12-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

8 oz fresh chopped spinach
8 canned artichokes, chopped
8 oz. Philly cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan/Romano/Asiago cheese
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack (or mozarella) cheese
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 T softened butter
2 dashes of balsamic vinegar
salt to taste
red pepper flakes to taste

Directions

This is so so much better if you spend the extra money to get the Parmesan/Romano/Asiago cheese blend from the refrigerated section of the grocery store, rather than the normal kraft style parmesan cheese.

Combine all non vegetables and mix well. Add vegetables and mix. Bake covered at 400 for 20-25 minutes. uncover, sprinkle more parmesan cheese over the top, and bake until golden.
Serve with tortilla chips or bread.

Gingerbread

2007-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

NGREDIENTS

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
Add dry ingredients and pour into the pan
Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes in my oven. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

Pumpkin Pie

2007-11-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (no spices added)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Blend everything together. Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. I like my pumpkin pie cold, so after cooling, I refrigerate it overnight.

Cranberry Sauce

2007-11-22T14:16:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c water
1 c sugar
12 oz fresh cranberries

Instructions

Boil water, juice, and sugar. Add cranberries. Return to boil then reduce heat to medium. Cook until cranberries pop (about 5 minutes)

Paper Bag Apple Pie

2007-10-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Prepare and set aside one unbaked pie shell.

Pare and core about 8 cooking apples. Cut into quarters and cut
these in half (not 1/8). Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine and mix well: 1/2 C. sugar, 2 T. flour, 1/2 t. cinnamon
Sprinkle over apple chunks and toss slightly. Spoon
into prepared shell. Sprinkle over top: 2 T. lemon juice.

Combine in bowl: 1/2 C. sugar, 1/2 C. flour. Mix well and add 1/2
cup butter or margarine. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or
two knives until mixture is coarse, like cornmeal. Sprinkle this
mixture evenly over top of pie.

Slide pie into a large, heavy supermarket paper bag. Fold open
end twice and fasten with paper clips. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 425 for 1 hour. Remove from oven, split bag open and cool
pie on wire rack. DO NOT open bag while baking!

Yellow Cake

2007-06-27T08:55:00.001-07:00

(still working on this one - my last version was not too moist. Maybe will try another with pudding)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

PREPARATION:

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture then half of the milk.

Add vanilla. Mix until blended; add remaining flour and milk and beat until smooth. Fill 2 greased and floured layer cake pans or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with the batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched near center.
Frost as desired.

White Rice

2007-06-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

2 cups water
1 cup white rice
salt

Boil water (with salt if desired). Add rice. Cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Test rice and if it's crunch, simmer a few minutes more. Don't uncover in the middle of the simmering process.

Lentil Potato Cheese Bake

2007-01-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

This recipe serves one person.

1/4 c. dry lentils
one red potato
1/4 c cheddar cheese
1 T. tomato sauce
1/4 c skim milk
salt and pepper

Boil lentils until soft. Slice potatoes thinly and boil until cooked through (I do the lentils on the stove and meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a bowl of water in the microwave for about 7 minutes). When the lentils are done, drain them. Return them to the pan and add tomato sauce and milk, and heat until warm. Add salt and pepper to taste(and any other stuff - basil or oregano are good, and also sauteed onions or mushrooms) Add lentil mixture to a oven proof dish (I use a glass bowl). Layer the sliced potatoes on top, and add the cheese on top of that. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and brown.

Lentil Curry

2007-01-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

* 1 cup lentils (brown or red)
* 1/2 large onion, diced
* 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon curry paste
* 1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger root, minced
* 1 c tomato puree (use basic spaghetti sauce if you don't have any puree)

DIRECTIONS

Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Bil lentils until lentils tender (about 40 minutes for brown lentils, and 30 for red).

Meanwhile, caramelize the onions in vegetable oil. When they are finished, add spices and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the tomato puree and reduce heat. If it is not too thick, summer it until the lentils are ready.

Drain the cooked lentils and mix with the sauce. Serve with white rice.

Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread

2006-11-17T17:33:00.000-08:00

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1.5 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t baking soda

3/4 c. orange juice
1 egg.
2 T softened butter

1.5 c fresh cranberries
1/2 c. walnuts

Mix dry ingredients. Add juice, egg, and butter. Mix until you have a good batter. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Spread evenly into a loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2006-06-11T16:50:00.000-07:00

Crust
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
3/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F or 300 degrees F for convection oven.

To make the crust: Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over moderate heat. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, gingersnaps, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and mix together with a fork. Line bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper. Spray with nonstick pan spray. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom.

Filling: Pour the heavy cream into a medium bowl and beat just until soft peaks form. Refrigerate. Beat the cream cheese (in large bowl) with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat the mixture until it is fluffy and pale. Stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and whisk lightly to re-blend. Using a spatula or flat spoon, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese-pumpkin mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Wrap one continuous sheet of aluminum foil around the springform pan and press firmly. Put wrapped pan in a baking pan and fill with hot water halfway up the spring from pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.

Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill thoroughly.

Remove the sides of the springform pan. Just before serving, place the pecan halves on top of the cheesecake, in a ring around the edges, to garnish.

Sundried Tomato Pesto

2006-03-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup of sundried tomatoes (*not* oil packed)
2/3 cup grated paremesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil

Instructions

Dump it all in a food processor and mix. It's great over hot pasta (I like it with whole wheat rotini), but it also can be mixed with butter and used as a spread.

Key Lime Pie

2006-01-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

So many key lime pie recipes out there are complicated, and include gelatin and lots of other totally unnecessary ingredients.

This original recipe for key lime pie is simple and irresitable.

Ingredients

1 9" graham cracker crust
1/2 cup key lime juice (it's better with key lime juice, but this recipe works fine with just plain old lime juice. Similarly, fresh squeezed is better, but the bottled kind will work fine)
14. oz of condensed sweetened milk (interesting note: In the Florida keys, there were no cows, so the only milk available to them was canned milk that came in shipments.)
4 egg yolks
1/2 c heavy cream

Directions

Add juice, milk, and eggs to a blender. Mix well. Pour into crust and bake 15 minutes at 325 to set the pie. Let cool and then refridgerate.

The pie is good alone, but much better with fresh whipped cream. When you're ready to serve it, add the cream to a bowl and beat it on high speed until it forms peaks. Spread this on top of the pie and serve.

Three-Bean Enchiladas

2006-01-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 can of refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can garbonzo beans
1 can enchilada sauce
tortillas (I prefer using 9 or 10 6" corn tortillas)
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cheddar cheese

Steps

Mix beans and salsa. Warm the tortillas, or (if you are feeling ambitious), add a layer of enchilada sauce to a frying pan and warm each tortilla in the sauce on each side. Fill the tortilllas, roll them, and add to a casserole dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and top with cheese. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes, and then uncover to brown the cheese.

Tortilla de Patatas

2005-12-18T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Two large baking potatoes (or the equivalent amount of other potatoes)
One small yellow onion, or half a large yellow onion
4 eggs
salt
olive oil

Peel the potatoes (I don't, but I'm lazy) cut each in half lengthwise. Cut each half into slices about 2mm thick. Dice the onions. Mix the potatoes, onions, and 1 - 2 tsp of salt (depending on your taste).

Add about 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to a frying pan and heat it to medium heat. Add the potatoes and onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft, a little golden, but not crispy.

When the potatoes are done, beat the 4 eggs lightly in a bowl, and add the potato mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat another 1Tbsp of olive oil in a smaller frying pan to medium heat. Add the egg and potato mixture. Flatten this out to get the traditinoal Tortilla shape. Once you feel that the whole thing can be flipped, flip it. I usually put a big plate face down on top of the pan, turn the whole thing over so the tortilla is on the plate, and then slide it back into the pan. Continue cooking on the new side. Flip it about 4 times until the tortilla is a nice golden color.

White Bread

2005-10-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

4 cups of flour
5 T butter
1c water
1/2 milk
1 pkg yeast
2T honey
1t salt

Make sure water is warm. Add milk, yeast, and honey. Let sit for 2 or so minutes. Add butter. Add salt. Combine flour and liquid. Kneed and add flour as needed. Cover and let rise 90 minutes. Form into two loaves and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 300 for 30-45 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

2004-10-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 heaping T ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat to 350°F and grease a loaf pan.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix 2-3 minutes.
Add in dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 until a toothpick inserted into the center
comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

Makes 1 loaf, 16 slices, 200 calories per slice.

Split Pea Soup

2004-10-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

10 cups of water
1 cup dried split peas
1 T. dijon mustard
1 medium potato, cubed
1 c. baby carrots (whole or diced)
3 ribs celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Mix peas, water, and mustard. Boil for 30 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until the desired thickness is reached (about 30-45 minutes). I usually make this very thick, and you may want to use more water for a thinner soup.

Vegetable Stock

2004-09-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is a basic staple in most vegetarian dishes, and is SO easy to make. It works much better than cubed bullion.

Ingredients

1 large bag of baby carrots (about 4 cups)
2 stalks of celery,chopped (that's stalks, not ribs. basically, use one standard bag of celery)
1-2 yellow onions, diced.
water

Directions

Add the vegetables to a large stock pot and fill 3/4 full with water. Boil until stock reaches a rich green-yellow tint - until water is reduced by about 1/2. Remove vegetables and store stock. It will refrigerate for about a week or freeze for months.

You can throw in any other veggies you have lying around and they'll add more flavor. I particularly like stems from asparagus and broccoli. I also find my favorite way to cook this is in a pot with a pasta insert. The veggies go in there and I can just pull out the pasta strainer when they're done.

I also do not salt my stock because I prefer to salt the dishes in which I use it. You can, of course, salt to taste.

Vegetarian Paella

2004-09-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

This traditional Spanish rice dish is easy if you don't mind chopping vegetables, and tastes fantastic. I listed my favorite vegetables here, but the point of paella is that it is flexible. You can put in basically anything you want and it will work.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 red pepper, chopped
2 c. brown rice (uncooked)
4 c. vegetable stock
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 c. fresh green beans
1 c. peas (fresh or frozen)
1 c. corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
1 c. chopped vegetarian sausage (Boca Italian Sausages actually work really well in this recipe - I would use 4 of them)
2 cups tomatoes (fresh, peeled Roma tomatoes or canned tomatoes drained of juice)
2 t. paprika
1 t. saffron (saffron adds the distinctive paella taste, but is expensive. tarragon works as a substitute, but be careful about how much you use so it doesn't overwhelm the dish)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In paella pan or large skillet, heat the oil and saute the onions, garlic, and pepper until the onions are translucent. Add the rice and mix with the vegetables. Add wine, and stir. After about 20 seconds, add 1 cup of stock. Simmer on medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to mix, cover, and cook on medium heat for 30-40 minutes.

Serves 4-5 as a large, single dish meal.

Lentil Soup

2004-08-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

One stalk of celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small onion, diced
1.5 cups of dried lentils
2 medium red potatoes, cubed
1.5 T fresh rosemary
1/4 c. chopped sundried tomatoes (*not* oil packed)
9 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Soak the lentils for one hour, or rinse well. In a large stock pot, combine lentils, carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-high heat until lentils and potatoes are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Add more water if the soup gets too thick.

Once lentils are tender, add rosemary, sundried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. I use quite a bit of salt (usually about 1.5 tablespoons). Simmer for another 10 minutes and serve hot.

As a main course, this serves 4. As a first course, it will serve 8.

Guacamole

2004-08-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Avocados
3-4 chopped green onions (scallions)
1 small clove garlic
1.5 T lime juice
salt and petter to taste

Directions

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop the insides out of the skin and put into a glass bowl. Mince or press the garlic and shallot and add to the avocado. Add in lime juice, salt and pepper, and mash to your desired consistency. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cream Of Potato Soup

2004-07-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

This is a very quick, easy recipe for a great, creamy soup.

Ingredients
2-3 Baking potatoes
Vegetable Stock to cover
2 cups of milk (or soymilk)
1/2 t. marjoram
1/2 t. coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Cut potatoes into 1" cubes. Add to a stock pot and add enough vegetable stock to just cover potatoes. Boil on high heat until potatoes are soft. Add milk and lower heat to medium. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the potatoes. Transfer about 3/4 of the soup to a blender, and be sure some potato chunks in the pan. Lightly puree the soup in the blender to make a thickish, smooth mixture. Transfer this back into the pan and stir in spices. Serve hot.

This makes an excellent meal with some warm crusty bread and butter.

This soup reheats well, but tends to get a grainy texture if frozen.