Lentil Loaf

My first attempt at Lentil Loaf - and we liked it.  It was extra yummy the second day sandwiched in a grilled cheese. From the freezer: place the frozen loaf on an oiled pan, defrost.  Spread the tomato mixture on top & sides of loaf, bake 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  The recipe suggests covering with tinfoil during the last 10 minutes, but I preferred a bit of "crust" to the loaf.

The recipe can be found here, http://www.myvegancookbook.com/recipes/recipe.php?id=16

Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Spinach

Recipe from the 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup green lentils
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp cumin OR 1 tsp toasted cumin seed, crushed
zest of one lemon
1 potato, peeled and grated
6 cups of vegetable stock
8oz fresh spinach leaves
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Place lentils in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, and carrots, stirring until softened for about 5 minutes. Add garlic cumin and lemon zest and cook for 1 minute.  Transfer mixture to slow cooker, add lentils, shredded potato and stock.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. When vegetables are tender, add spinach and lemon juice. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes until spinach is cooked and mixture is hot and bubbling.

Fried Rice

Precook 1 cup of brown rice and cool completely. I usually make this on Sunday and use it all week or pop some in the freezer.

Ingredients
Onion - scallion, red, white, or whatever you have
Garlic
About 2 cups of veggies like corn, mushrooms, peas, greens, thinly sliced cabbage, sprouts, etc.
1 well scrambled egg
Soy sauce


Heat oil in a frying pan (add egg and cook- remove when cooked) and saute onions and garlic. Stir fry for a minute. Add rice and cook until well heated and add veggies. Stir fry until veggies are done and add soy sauce. Add egg and enjoy.

Fattoush Salad with Falafel

Salad:
Chopped Lettuce (you need crunchy – I used half romaine, half iceburg)
Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, sliced
 Red onion, sliced thinly
Feta cheese
Pita chips

 Separate pita layers and toast until very crispy. Let cool and break into smaller pieces. Reserve. Toss together salad ingredients with dressing. Add pita chips and toss with salad right before serving (or they will start to get soggy.) Serve with falafel (heated) and Tahini lemon dressing.

 Lemon Mint Vinaigrette:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dried mint
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
 Kosher salt

Combine first 5 ingredients. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly, until well blended. Season with salt. (can add more lemon juice, molasses or vinegar, to taste.)

 Here is the link for the falafel recipe http://ohsheglows.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6028856 I made 8 patties 1 cup dry chickpeas (or 2 & ¼ cup cooked)
3 large garlic cloves
½ cup red onion, roughly chopped
3 T. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro
¼ cup packed fresh parsley
¼ cup ground flax
¼ cup breadcrumbs
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
½ tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste

 1. In a food processor, with the processor running, drop in 3 garlic cloves to mince. Now add most of the chickpeas (reserving about ¼ cup to stir in later), and process a few seconds to chop. Now add the oion, lemon juice and herbs. Process until just combined, being careful not to over-process. You want to leave texture.

 2. Scoop the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the ground flax, breadcrumbs, cumin, reserved chickpeas, and salt and pepper to taste. Shape into patties, about ¼ cup each and really pack the dough in tightly so it holds together.

3. Grease pre-heated skillet with cooking oil (I used EVOO) and then cook the patties on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden.

Serve with Tahini Lemon Dressing. Tahini Lemon Dressing – makes about a cup.
¼ cup tahini
2 garlic cloves
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2-4 T olive oil
1 tsp salt and pepper
3 T. water, or as needed In a food processor, mince garlic first. Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and process. Add water gradually, to get the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper. This is really strong, so you could make less if you didn't use a food processor.

Spinach and Cheese Calzones with Tomato Sauce

Here is the recipe for pizza dough. This made 2 large calzones. http://casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2009/09/pesto-pizza.htm

I made the dough and separated them into 2 balls before letting them rise.

 Filling for 2 large calzones:
 9 oz fresh baby spinach
24 oz whole milk ricotta (I used whole because it’s less watery)
Mozzarella cheese,
freshly grated, about 4 oz Pecorino romano cheese,
 maybe 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, to brush top

 Steam spinach until it is wilted. Strain out water. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out water. Chop finely and blot more water out with paper towel. (I didn’t want any leaking liquid!) Stir together with cheeses. Romano should make it salty. Roll out pizza dough to about a 14 inch diameter circle. Note – this makes a very thick crust for the calzone – make a smaller one if you want thicker crust. Brush a little water around half of the edge. Spread filling on half, allowing 1 inch of dough edge. Fold over and press edge. Cut a few air vents. Brush olive oil over top. I baked these on a pizza pan (metal pan with holes) on the bottom shelf of the oven (525 degrees) for about 14 minutes. Make sure you watch it so it doesn’t burn. Serve with tomato sauce.

 Here is the recipe for the tomato sauce http://www.casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2011/09/fresh-tomato-sauce.html

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

From King Arthur catalog
 1 cup (4 ¼ oz) AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 T cocoa powder
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (3 ½ oz) sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
½ cup (4 oz) sour cream
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips, mini preferred

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 3 ¼’ x 5 ¾” pans, or one 9” x 5” loaf pan. (This made 3 small loaves for me.)

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla, banana, and sour cream. Gently mix in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips until well incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake for 45 minutes (smaller loaves) to 60 minutes (large loaf) until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan(s) for 10 minutes. Turn the bread(s) out onto a rack and cool completely.

Wheatberry Salad

From the Barefoot Contessa, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/wheatberry-salad-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 1 cup hard winter wheatberries
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup finely diced red onion (1 onion)
• 6 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 scallions, minced, white and green parts
• 1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
• 1 carrot, small diced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the wheatberries and 3 cups of boiling salted water in a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over low heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain.

Saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.
In a large bowl, combine the warm wheatberries, sauteed onions, scallions,red bell peppers, carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheatberries to absorb the sauce. Season, to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Curried Carrot Soup

8 cups shredded carrots

2 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

2 tbs oil

¼ tsp baking soda, heaping

1 tsp curry powder

Salt to taste

4 cups water

Cook the carrots, leeks, and baking soda over medium heat. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes until soft. Add curry and cook 30 seconds. Add water and simmer for a few moments. Using a hand blender, puree until smooth.

For CC:  I only added 3 cups of water. Use as is for a very thick soup or sauce for rice or greens. Add a cup of water, broth  or milk for a soup.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ellie Krieger Recipe, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/blueberry-coffee-cake-recipe/index.html

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, or frozen and thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter and oil until fluffy. If necessary, use the back of a spoon to press out any lumps in the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt.

Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, stirring until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter and top with the blueberries, gently pressing them into the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture over the cake, pressing gently. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly and then unmold and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut the cake into 2-inch squares.

Summer Vegetable & Pesto Tart

This is a repeat, see
http://casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-veggie-pesto-tart.html.

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars

Sourced to SmittensKitchen.com, Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

For the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Make the crust and crumb: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.

Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. (Note: The book suggests you reserve one cup only. My gut told me that was too little, and I upped it. I wanted to make sure the top of the raspberries were mostly covered, at least for packing purposes, and was glad I had changed it.) Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hans or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

Make the raspberry filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

Assemble and bake the bars: Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

Breakfast Casserole with Spinach, Leeks, Cottage Cheese, and Goat Cheese

Recipe from KalynsKitchen.com
1 leek, white and light green part only (or use green onion or red onion if you don't want to buy leeks)
2 tsp. olive oil
5-6 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed and dried if needed
10 eggs, lightly beaten
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or use any other all-purpose seasoning that tastes good with eggs)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (Spike has salt, so I only used pepper)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, rinsed with cold water and drained well
3 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled (the one I used had 7 grams of fat per ounce, could substitute low-fat cream cheese, Feta, or more cottage cheese for the goat cheese)

Cut a 3 0z. piece from a log of goat cheese and put in the freezer to chill while you prep other ingredients. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

Measure 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, put in a fine strainer, and rinse with cold water. (If you prefer not to rinse the cottage cheese I think it would just make it a little creamier, but I always rinse.)

Cut off the root end and dark green part of the leek, then cut into fourths lengthwise and slice into thin pieces. Leeks are usually dirty, so I washed the sliced leeks in the salad spinner and spun dry.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan with tall sides, then add leeks and saute 3-4 minutes. Then add the spinach leaves and saute 3-4 minutes more. While vegetables are cooking, lightly beat the eggs with Spike Seasoning, salt and pepper. Remove the goat cheese from the freezer and crumble it as finely as you can.

Spray a 8" x 8" casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread spinach/leek mixture in the bottom of the dish, then layer on cottage cheese and goat cheese. Pour egg mixture over, then use a fork to gently stir so the veggies and cheese are evenly distributed in the eggs.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until eggs are set and lightly browned. The casserole will puff up slightly as it bakes, but will settle down when it cools for a few minutes.

Our Perfect Veggie Burger Crunchy

Our Perfect Veggie Burger Crunchy, chewy, with a crispy outer shell, these delicious veggie burgers have all the right elements we love in a veggie burger. Light on the beans, these burgers aren’t mushy in the middle, but have a nice mixture of breadcrumbs, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, and seasonings to round them out. Best of all, they work great in the oven, frying pan, or even on the BBQ. They can also be made gluten-free by using gluten-free oats, Tamari, and breadcrumbs. Don’t have breadcrumbs? Just process a few slices of bread in the food processor for instant breadcrumbs. I used 3 slices of Ezekiel bread. Inspired by Whitewater Cooks.
Yield: 8 burgers Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl
• 1 cup oats, processed into flour* (other flours might work)
• 1.5 cups bread crumbs (I processed 3 pieces of Ezekiel bread until fine crumb)*
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly pureed or mashed
• Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or fresh herb of choice)
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred)
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp kosher salt)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F (if baking). In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 mins while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place all ingredients (except spices and salt) into a large mixing bowl and stir very well. Now, add seasonings and salt to taste.
3. With slightly wet hands, shape dough into patties. Pack dough tightly as this will help it stick together. I made 8 medium patties.
4. Cooking methods: You can fry the burgers in a bit of oil on a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side. If baking in the oven, bake for 25-30 mins (15-17 minutes on each side) at 350F, until golden and crisp. For the BBQ, pre-bake the burgers for about 15 minutes in oven before placing on a pre-heated grill until golden and crisp on each side. Our preferred method of cooking was frying in the skillet!! GF Note: To make these burgers gluten-free, use certified GF oats, GF Tamari, and gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Lemon Cheese Ball

From The Boston Globe Magazine
 Makes one 4-inch ball
 6 oz cream cheese
8 oz goat cheese
1 ½ teaspoons grated zest and 1 ½ tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
½ cup pine nuts, toasted (I used chopped, toasted pecans)

 With ingredients at room temperature, process the cheeses, lemon zest and juice, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt (I only added a pinch), and pepper to taste until smooth in a food processor. Add the shallot and parsley, and pulse just to combine. Scrape the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pick up the wrap by its corners, shape the ball, and twist wrap to seal. Refrigerate in a small bowl until firm, at least 4 hours. In a pie plate, mix the chives and nuts. Unwrap the cheese and coat with the mixture, rolling the ball and pressing lightly, and serve.

Spinach Quesadillas

From Family Fun

Ingredients:

6 teaspoons olive oil (may need more to brush on tortillas)

1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup minced scallions

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 large egg

½ teaspoon kosher salt (I didn’t add)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (I omitted)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I omitted)

2/3 cup crumbled feta

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas (I used 10-inch)

¾ cup shredded whole milk mozzarella

1.       Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil, swirling it to coat the pan. Add the spinach (in batches, if necessary) and sauté it until it is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a plate to cool, about 10 minutes.

2.       Meanwhile, add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet, then add the onion, scallions, and garlic. Saute them until they have softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. (I probably cooked them longer.) Let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

3.       Lightly beat the egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, dill, and parsley. Stir in the cooled onion mixture. Gently squeeze handfuls of the spinach over the sink to remove the excess moisture. Add the spinach to the bowl, then crumble in the feta, stirring gently to combine the ingredients.

4.       Brush a large heavy baking sheet with 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil. Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of mozzarella over half of each tortilla. Top the mozzarella with a quarter of the spinach mixture, distributing it evenly and leaving a thin border at the edge. Sprinkle another tablespoon of the mozzarella over the spinach, then fold each tortilla in half.  Set them on the baking sheet and brush the tops and edges with the remaining teaspoon of oil.

5.       Bake the spanakopadillas on the top rack for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, flip them over, and let them rest bottom side up on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Cut each tortilla into thirds. (I cut the big one into quarters.)

Note – I made this once to test the recipe and I thought it was too juicy. So when I made it for you, I squeezed the liquid out of the spinach, then finely chopped it. Then I added it to the pan with the onions and cooked it to further dry it out. I didn’t add the parsley or dill, but that would probably be more healthy… not sure what the dill would do to the flavor.

Perfect Veggie Burger

From www.ohsheglows.com Crunchy, chewy, with a crispy outer shell, these delicious veggie burgers have all the right elements we love in a veggie burger. Light on the beans, these burgers aren’t mushy in the middle, but have a nice mixture of breadcrumbs, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, and seasonings to round them out. Best of all, they work great in the oven, frying pan, or even on the BBQ. They can also be made gluten-free by using gluten-free oats, Tamari, and breadcrumbs. Don’t have breadcrumbs? Just process a few slices of bread in the food processor for instant breadcrumbs. Yield: 6 burgers Ingredients: 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 large garlic clove, minced Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl 1 cup oats, processed into flour 1.5 cups bread crumbs (I processed 2-3 pieces bread until fine crumb) 1 cup grated carrots 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly pureed or mashed Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or fresh herb of choice) – I used basil 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred) 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred) 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce) 1.5 tsp chili powder 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. oregano Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp kosher salt) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350F (if baking). In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 mins while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 2. Place all ingredients (except spices and salt) into a large mixing bowl and stir very well. Now, add seasonings and salt to taste. 3. With slightly wet hands, shape dough into patties. Pack dough tightly as this will help it stick together. Recipe says to make 8 patties, but I thought 6 made for a better size (to match the rolls). 4. Cooking methods: You can fry the burgers in a bit of oil on a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side. If baking in the oven, bake for 25-30 mins (15-17 minutes on each side) at 350F, until golden and crisp. For the BBQ, pre-bake the burgers for about 15 minutes in oven before placing on a pre-heated grill until golden and crisp on each side. Our preferred method of cooking was frying in the skillet!! GF Note: To make these burgers gluten-free, use certified GF oats, GF Tamari, and gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Joanna's Eggplant Stacks

Egg Wash (egg, milk)
Plain bread crumbs (panko work best; sometimes I mix is dried parsley and/or oregano)
eggplants, cut in 1/3 inch slices
pesto
fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with olive oil.  Dip eggplant slices in egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs.  Place on baking sheet.  Spray top of eggplant slices with a light coat of olive oil.  Bake until desired crispiness is reached, flipping half way through.  I usually bake for 20 minutes, each side.  Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack.

Assemble stacks - eggplant slice, pesto, mozzarella, roasted red pepper. 


To eat immediately - bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
To freeze: wrap tightly, freeze.  On baking day, you can bake them directly from the freezer.  375 degrees, for approximately 30 minutes.   Check after 20 minutes and turn the stack over.

Mushroom Quiche

From The Great American Baking Book – Patricia Lousada

1 pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 eggs
1 ½ cup whipping cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

for the crust
1 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons cold margarine, cut into pieces
3-4 tablespoons ice water

1. For the crust, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the butter and margarine with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in just enough water to bind.
2. Gather into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Place a baking sheet in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
4. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan. Trim the edge. Prick the base all over with a fork. Line with crumpled wax paper and fill with pie weights (or uncooked rice or beans). Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and continue baking until golden, about 5 minutes more.
5. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towl to remove any dirt. Trim the ends of the stalks, and slice thinly.
6. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms render their liquid, then raise the heat and cook until dry.
7. Stir in the parsley and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
8. Whisk the eggs and cream together, then stir in the muishrooms. Sprinkle the cheese in the prebaked shell and pour the mushrrom filling over the top.
9. Bake until puffed and brown, about 30 minutes. Serve the quiche warm.

Corn Casserole

(Modified from Good News Café recipe)

POLENTA
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornmeal polenta
6 cups water

CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons hot sauce or 1 jalapeno, minced (I used 2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce)
2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

CASSEROLE
2 jars salsa verde (I used Ortega brand)
4 cups fresh corn, cut from the husk (I used frozen sweet corn)
1 bunch scallions, cleaned and sliced thinly
12 6-inch baked corn tortillas – I baked them, but not for long enough because they didn’t get crisp
Garnish suggestion – guacamole and chopped fresh tomato

1. Layer half the salsa verde on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
2. To make polenta, follow the directions on the polenta package! This recipe called for “quick cook” polenta but I couldn’t find. The recipe on the back of the Bob’s mill polenta package said to cook for 30 minutes, but I wanted it soft, so cooked for about 5 minutes. I boiled the water, then added the garlic, thyme, parsley and salt, then gradually added the polenta. I stirred for about 5 minutes until it was the consistency I wanted.
3. Chop scallions and put in bowl. Cook corn – if fresh, blanch corn quickly. Frozen corn I boiled for 6 minutes. Drain corn and toss with scallions.
4. Make cheese sauce.Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in the flour and salt and whisk while it gets a little browned. Add milk and cream and stir over low heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in grated cheese until thoroughly melted. Add hot sauce or jalepeno.
5. Spread half of cheese sauce over polenta.
6. Cover with corn and scallions
7. Cover with corn tortillas.
8. Cover with remaining salsa verde.
9. Cover with remaining cheese sauce.
10. Bake at 400 until bubbly hot, about 20 minutes if starting from room temperature.

Mexican Pizza (2 Ways)

Pizza with black beans, tomatoes, corn and avocado

Basic Pizza Dough recipe - see Pesto Pizza, September 2009
http://casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2009/09/pesto-pizza.html

Prepare pizza dough - you'll need to plan time to let it rise. I've found that letting it rise on the pizza pan after you stretch it out makes the dough have a really nice texture (an additional 30 minutes once it's stretched out.)

Top with:
1/3 can drained black beans
1/3 cup cooked corn (I used frozen)
2/3 can of diced tomatoes, strained (14.5 oz can)
4 oz freshly grated seriously sharp cheddar
4 oz freshly grated pepper jack cheese
Bake pizza on lowest rack in oven for about 10-12 minutes (500-525 degrees, the hotter the better)
Avocado – chop and add after pizza is baked.

Pizza with Mole sauce

Basic Pizza Dough recipe - see Pesto Pizza, September 2009
http://casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2009/09/pesto-pizza.html

Top with 1/4 recipe mole sauce
Mole sauce from Michele’s enchilada recipe – I left the sauce with tomato chunks:
http://casseroleclub.blogspot.com/2009/05/cheese-enchiladas-with-mole-sauce.html
Top with:
4 oz freshly grated seriously sharp cheddar
4 oz freshly grated pepper jack cheese
Bake pizza on lowest rack in oven for about 10-12 minutes (500-525 degrees, the hotter the better)

SPINACH SALAD

Baby spinach
Pear(s), cored and sliced
Gorgonzola or bleu cheese, crumbled
Spiced pecans
Lemon vinaigrette

SPICED PECANS

5 oz Pecans, toasted
½ cup Brown sugar
½ cup Sugar
1 ½ tsp Cayenne (I only added 1 tsp and they were pretty mild)
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
1 Egg whites
2 Tablespoons Soy sauce (I used low sodium)
1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Mix egg white and soy sauce and add half of dry ingredients to form slurry. Coat the pecans with the slurry and bake on parchment at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Let the nuts cool and coat in the remaining dry ingredients. (Toss in a big bowl to coat)

LEMON VINAIGRETTE

½ cup Fresh lemon juice
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon sugar

1. Mix lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar.
2. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I make this as a side dish for holidays. To make it into more of a main course, I put all the ingredients inside crepes. This is a made up recipe from a relative, so I’m trying to estimate the ingredient amounts.

SWEET POTATO:
Bake 2 pounds of sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for at least an hour. I rinse sweet potatoes and stick all over with a fork. Then cover a pan with foil, then the potatoes. Make sure they are fully cooked – a knife goes easily through. When they cool slightly, remove skins and mash with:

1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
¼ tsp allspice
1 tsp baking powder.

PEAR PUREE:
1 peeled and diced pear – ripe is good
1 Tablespoon OJ
Splash Peachtree schnapps (did not have so I used grand marnier)
Simmer until pears are super soft. Then puree in blender until smooth.
You could skip this step and just buy pureed pear (baby food), though it won’t taste quite as good!

CANDIED PECANS
Toast pecan halves in oven – make more than you will need because some break.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of waxed paper (I use a strainer to sift it on.)
Put pecans, brown sugar and a little Chambord in a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. The sugar will melt and caramelize. When there isn’t much liquid left, place nuts on waxed paper to cool (in sugar). They need to be separated or they will stick together. It’s fine if they get coated in powdered sugar.

Also need crumbled gorgonzola cheese.

1 Butter a 9-10 inch Pyrex pie plate.
2. Layer half the sweet potato, the pear puree, sprinkle on some gorgonzola, then cover with the remaining sweet potato. Can make this ahead of time.
3. Before baking, I add the candied pecans, lined up across the top.
4. Bake for about half an hour at 350 degrees. Maybe need to bake a little longer if starting from refrigerator temperature.

DESSERT CREPES

Delphin Gomes

INGREDIENTS:

1 CUP all purpose flour
2 TABLESPOONS sugar
1 CUP milk
2 eggs
1/3 CUP water
2 TABLESPOONS butter, melted and cooled a bit
FLAVOR OF CHOICE (GRAND MARNIER) 1 TABLESPOON, OPTIONAL
1 TEASPOON vanilla

PROCESS:

1. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add eggs and half the milk and whisk the batter until combined. Do not overmix.
3. Add remaining milk and vanilla (and flavor) and whisk together.
4. Add water and whisk.
5. Add butter.
6. Let sit at least 1 hour before using. Can refrigerate overnight.
7. If you mix using this technique, you will not have lumps.
8. This recipe makes nine or ten 10-inch crepes.

9. Heat crepe pan over medium heat. Brush lightly with butter. Ladle batter onto pan and hold and turn pan at an angle so batter coats it in a thin layer. Cook until slightly browned, then flip and cook the other side briefly – just to get a little color. Crepe should be thin and delicate, but not lacy and crunchy – if lacy, use more batter for the next one. You may need to adjust the temperature and batter amount to find the right balance.

10. Stack crepes on aluminum foil – they can be reheated in the oven or even microwaved briefly. They can be frozen too.

Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas

Vegetarian Times Issue: September 1, 2001   p.28   —   Member Rating: 

Here’s a fresh-tasting Mexican dish that is as satisfying as it is simple to make.
Meal Plan: Serve with a sliced jicama and orange salad sprinkled with fresh lime juice and a dash of cayenne. 

Ingredient List

6 Servings

• 2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1/3 cup sliced scallions (white and light green parts)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• Dash of ground chipotle (optional)
• 20-oz. can low-sodium enchilada sauce
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or soy cheese (2 oz.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In large nonstick skillet, combine black beans, corn, scallions and tomato. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup cilantro, oregano, cumin and chipotle powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Coat medium baking dish with thin layer of enchilada sauce.
3. Place tortillas in stack on microwavable plate; cover with moist paper towel. Microwave tortillas on high until soft and heated through, about 1 minute. Dip tortillas in enchilada sauce to lightly coat and spread with about 1/4 cup bean mixture. Roll tortillas and place seam side down in baking dish. Spoon any remaining filling over enchiladas and cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, until bubbling, 15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per enchilada: Calories: 235, Protein: 9g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: 4g, Carbs: 34g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 138mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugars: g

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I was really looking for a comfort food that didn't make me feel too weighed down. This was the perfect mix - get the recipe here. Surprisingly, I only changed the provolone to mozzarella. This recipe makes two lasagnas - one for now, one for the freezer.

Like most lasagnas - this is better on day two.