Green Beans With Sesame & Garlic

1 lb green beans, ends trimmed
1 Tbs peanut oil
3 large cloves garlic, each cut lengthwise into 4 slices
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce

1) Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Fill large bowl with ice water.  Boil beans for 4 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, immediately transfer beans to ice water.  Drain and dry beans.  This can be done up to 8 hours ahead; refrigerated beans until ready to use.
2) In wok or large, heavy skillet, heat peanut oil over high heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 1 minute.  Transfer to small plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Set aside.
3) Add beans, sesame seeds and salt to wok.  Stir-fry, pressing beans against sides until charred in a few place, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer beans to serving bowl.
4) Add sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce and reserved garlic to pan.  Stir-fry until heated through, then add to beans and toss to combine.  Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Review:  I served this over some cooked bulgur, to make it a meal.  I used frozen greens beans and basically skipped step one.  Therefore, I couldn't get my beans to char.  No biggie, the beans were still pretty yummy.  I can imagine this would be really awesome with haricots verts instead.  

Parmesan Pasta With Asparagus & White Beans

1 box pasta, any shape
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1) Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
2) Meanwhile, saute the garlic and asparagus in the olive oil for four minutes.  Add the white beans and cook for another four minutes.
3) Toss cooked pasta with asparagus mixture and Parmesan cheese.

Review:  This recipe was pretty basic, but yummy.  I'm becoming a big fan of pasta and beans.  It's a lot of starch, but is very hearty.  Mike made this and after tossing the spaghetti in the pot, wished he'd make penne.  I bet penne would have been great, but spaghetti was yummy, too.  :) 

Quesadilla Casserole

3 Tbs vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 (29-oz) can black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
5 (10-inch) flour tortillas
8 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 cup store-bought green enchilada sauce

1) Preheat the oven to 400F. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups black beans and mash into a chunky paste. Stir in the reserved liquid.
2) Grease a heavy, ovenproof skillet. In a bowl, combine the corn, parsley and remaining black beans. Place a tortilla in the skillet and spread with 1/3 cup mashed black bean mixture. Top with 2/3 cup corn-bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Press to compress the layers. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, mashed black beans, corn-bean mixture and cheese.
3) Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and cook for 1 minute. Serve with the enchilada sauce.

Review:  This was supposedly a $10 meal.  I didn't add up the costs, but I figure it's close.  This was pretty yummy, but then again, I love enchilada sauce.  I made this dish in a springform pan, as I don't have an ovenproof skillet and I thought it was too tall for a pie plate.  Then, I had the dilemma of how to slice and serve it!  It sliced well with a spatula, but fell apart in the bowl.  Then, I poured enchilada sauce over it and it looked like soup.  Presentation failed, but taste was great.  Yum.

Indian Samosa Casserole

Crust
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs vegetable oil

Filling
1 Tbs black or yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (1 1/4 lb)
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp agave nectar or sugar
2 Tbs soymilk

1) To make crust:  Preheat oven to 375F.  Whisk together flours and salt in bowl.  Stir in oil until clumps form.  Add 6 to 10 Tbs cold water, 1 Tbs at a time, until dough holds together.  Shape into ball, cover with damp towel, and set aside.
2) To make filling:  Stir together mustard seeds, curry, ginger, cumin and red pepper flakes, if using, in bowl; set aside.
3) Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 15 minutes, or until tender.  Drain, return to pot, and mash, leaving small chunks.
4) Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot and garlic, and saute 5 minutes, or until carrot is tender.  Move onion mixture to side of pan, and add mustard seed mixture in center.  Toast 30 seconds.  Stir in peas and broth.  Fold onion mixture into potato mixture; stir in agave nectar.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Spread filling in 9-inch pie pan.  Set aside.
5) Roll out crust dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface.  Cover filling with dough, pressing down to make sure no air pockets remain.  Trim away excess dough, and crimp edges with fingers.  Cut X in center to vent steam; brush with soymilk just before baking.  Place pie on baking sheet, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Review:  Mike loves ordering samosas when we go to the Indian restaurant.  When I found this recipe, I knew I had to make it for him.  This wasn't as complicated as it initially seemed.  When done, the crust lifted right off the filling, so I cut the crust, took off a slice, then scooped out filling to go with the crust piece.  That seemed to work, though the presentation was ugly.  After it had been sitting quite a while longer, it was able to be sliced and served like a pie.  We liked the flavor, though Mike believed the spices should be doubled to taste more like a samosa.  I thought the spices were fine.  We omitted the red pepper flakes, as it didn't sound like something that belonged in the recipe, especially at such a small amount!

Christmas Pizza

1 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F
1 packet dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups flour (may use a little more or less)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1) To the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the warm water and yeast and sugar and stir to dissolve the yeast.

2) Add the olive oil, flour, and salt. Mix with the dough hook until the dough comes together and climbs up the dough hook.

3) Remove the dough from the mixer and, on a floured surface, form into a smooth ball shape.

4) Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place in a warm, draft free place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

5) Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to desired size.

6) Add toppings and cook until visibly done.  

Remove:  Every recipe I found for pizza dough used a stand mixer.  Why?  I did all this with a spoon and it worked just fine.  We initially wanted to use an Alton Brown recipe, but this morning I saw the recipe called for the dough to be refrigerated for 18 to 24 hours before baking.  Oops.  So, I went back to the internet search and Emeril got to be the dough winner.  The first pizza was sauce, spinach, tomatoes and goat cheese.  The second was mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach and black olives.  The dough recipe made almost two, thin crust pizzas.  Yum.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbs, caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 graham pie crust (6 oz)
1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbs, chopped pecans, divided
2 pkg (3.4 oz each) vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cup cold milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, thawed, divided

1) Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts.
2) Beat dry pudding mixes, milk, pumpkin and spices with whisk until well blended.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups cool whip; spoon into crust.
3) Refrigerate 1 hour.  Top with remaining cool whip, caramel topping and nuts just before serving.

Review:  My pie didn't set up well, so when I served it, it looked like a glob of yumminess.  The caramel topping is super runny and can't be put on before serving.  I tried and now I have a puddle of caramel topping in my pie container, not on the pie.  But, this is yummy.  (And I left out the nutmeg, so it may be yummier to others with the nutmeg added).

Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce

1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
2 (28-oz) cans whole Italian plum tomatoes, with their juices
3 whole heads roasted garlic, cloves removed from peels

1) In a large saucepan saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until soft and lightly golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you place them in the pan, and their juices. Stir to combine well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2) Add the roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until the flavors have come together.

3) Serve over pasta of choice.

Review:   Wow, 3 heads of roasted garlic?  Yeah, you could totally taste it.  This had an awesome, hearty taste.  However, this recipe makes enough sauce for two boxes of pasta.  We froze half of the sauce.  Yum, but you have to love roasted garlic.

Zucchini Spaghetti With Saffron Sauce

1 lb spaghetti
2 cups vegetable broth
2 pinches saffron
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 small or 2 medium zucchini, cut into small cubes or thinly sliced
6 Tbs butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.  Set the pasta aside.
2) While the pasta is working, in a medium saucepan, bring the broth and saffron to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
3) In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat.  Add the zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
4) Scatter butter in bottom of pasta pot.  Add the pasta, zucchini and saffron-infused stock, then add the cheese and toss vigorously for 1 minute to form a yellow, glossy sauce.  Add the reserved pasta cooking water as desired if the sauce is too thick.

Review:  This had a thick, extravagant sauce.  It was almost too rich!  I really loved this, especially since Mike made it for me while I did laundry.  Yay.  :)

Three Mushroom Tart

2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
3 oz portobello mushrooms
8 oz white mushrooms
6 Tbs unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust, recipe follows
Sage Whipped Cream, for serving, recipe follows

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Put the shiitakes into a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until softened. Drain and cool. Remove stems and slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.

3) Put the portobellos and white mushrooms in a colander and rinse well.

4) In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. While the onion is cooking, slice the portobellos and white mushrooms and add them to the pan. Add the fresh thyme, dried thyme and dried basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and let cook for 15 minutes or until most of the mushroom liquid has reduced down. 5.  Add the shiitakes, red wine and tomato paste and simmer until thickened. Spoon into the partially baked Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with Sage Whipped Cream.

Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
6 ounces unsalted butter, chilled
3 tablespoons ice water

1) Place the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until mixed. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the mix resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water and pulse again until the dough begins to form. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times just to make sure everything is incorporated. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and work it up the sides so that you have a 1-inch lip all the way around. Chill the crust for 20 minutes.
2) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3) Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights, raw rice or dried beans. Bake the crust on the lower rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Very carefully remove the foil and weights and bake another 5 minutes or until the crust is just dry. Remove from the oven and let cool before filling.

Sage Whipped Cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
3/8 teaspoon ground sage
2 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Generous pinch ground white pepper

Place the heavy cream into the bowl of a mixer and beat at high speed until it begins to thicken. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Serve with tart.

Review:  Ooh, this was a production!  Just what I needed for my Saturday night.  :)  I used fresh shiitake mushroom, instead of dried.  I also added a few tablespoons of porcini powder, which a coworker gifted me.  Yum.  I also used white cornmeal instead of yellow.  I also managed to make the crust too high on the sides of the springform pan.  Therefore, after I added the filling, I knocked off the excess and spread it across the top - kind of like a crumb topping.  For the whipped topping, I did not use fresh sage and I left out the orange zest.  I always leave out zest.  This was pretty tasty, and savory.  I would recommend doubling the filling and making it thicker. 

  

Apple-Walnut Salad With Maple Vinaigrette

1/4 cup chopped walnuts
6 cups mixed salad greens
2 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks
     * recommended cameo, honey crisp, ginger gold, braeburn or fuji, as they resist browning
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs walnut oil
2 tsp whole-grain Dijon mustard

1) Toast walnuts in skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and fragrant.
2) Place mixed greens and apples in large bowl.
3) Whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, oil and mustard in small bowl.  Drizzle over salad, and toss gently to coat.
4) Divide salad among plates.  Sprinkle each serving with walnuts, and serve.

Review:  Once again, I am grateful for TJ Maxx, as that's where I scored roasted walnut oil.  This oil needs to be refrigerated once open - be careful.  I was totally annoyed by making matchstick pieces, but this salad ended up being worth the effort.  This was super yummy and had a bit of an exotic taste.  Definitely a show-stopper salad.  BTW, cameo apples were used.  I had my first bowl of salad about 24 hours after I actually made it - no apple browning.  I'm impressed.

Penne & Cauliflower

1 lb penne
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 Tbs dried minced onion
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup grated pecorino-romano or extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
1 bunch watercress or 1 packed cup spinach, chopped

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain.
2) While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat.  Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic and rosemary; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 2 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.  Add the stock and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
3) Add the pasta and cheese, and toss.  Serve in shallow bowls, topped with the greens.

Review:  I began making this and realized I was out of white wine.  I used one cup vegetable broth.  In Idaho, pecorino-romano and extra sharp white cheddar don't exist.  I used sharp yellow cheddar.  I also substituted some mixed greens that I had on hand.  Needless to say, this didn't seem to pack the same punch.  It was a bit bland.  I could really see this being an amazing recipe if broccoli were substituted, Cabot's hunter cheese, no greens and no wine were used.  Yum, I'll try it when I live in Cabot country again. :)

Broccoli & 3-Cheese Lasagna

1 15oz container ricotta
1 lb frozen chopped broccoli florets, thawed
2 1/4 cups grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and black pepper
1 16oz jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for the foil

1) Heat oven to 400F.  In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, 2 cups of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  In a small bowl, combine the marinara sauce and cream.
2) Spoon a thin layer of the sauce into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish.  Top with 2 noodles, a quarter of the remaining sauce and a third of the broccoli mixture; repeat twice.  Top with the remaining 2 noodles and sauce.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
3) Cover tightly with an oiled piece of foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Review:  The ingredient also called for 4 cups of mixed greens and step 4 instructed to toss the greens with oil and lemon juice for a side salad.  Oops, we didn't want a little side salad and thought the greens went into the lasagna!  Now we have a bunch of greens with no use . . .  eh, I can always make another pomegranate/pecan/feta salad.  Yum.  This lasagna was easy and yummy.  It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was hearty and filling. 

Cold French Lentil Salad

1 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried dill
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
1/3 cup finely diced fennel bulb
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup diced white onion

1) Bring lentils, bay leaf and 3 cups water to a boil in saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.  Drain, remove bay leaf and cool.
2) Whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard and dill in bowl.  Stir in lentils, celery, cucumber, fennel, corn and onion.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review:  I omitted the cucumber, fennel and onion since I don't like those things.  I added one zucchini, diced.  I also used canned lentils which seriously shaved time off the preparation of the dish and made it easier to have a cool salad.  Mmm, this was good.

Pesto Pasta

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups torn baby spinach leaves
1 tsp dried basil
4 oz cooked spaghetti
2 Tbs shredded mozzarella

1) Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the nuts and toast them for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic, spinach and basil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, turning frequently.
2) Toss with the cooked pasta and top with cheese.

Review:  I pulled my food processor out of the cabinet before I read the instructions, since I always use it when making pesto.  However, this was not a pesto!!  I'm not sure how they came up with the name for this dish.  It lacked a strong taste, even after I tossed it all in roasted walnut oil.  Hm, it needs a little something and I'm not sure what that would be. 

Thanksgiving Dinner 2009

Mm, a nut loaf, stuffing, roasted root vegetables, pie and pinot grigio champagne. It doesn't get much better than this! See below for all the recipes I used for my super yummy Thanksgiving dinner!!!

Vegetarian Nut Loaf

2 large onions, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 Tbs butter
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower kernels
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups soft whole wheat bread crumbs

1) In a nonstick skillet, saute onions, mushrooms and green pepper in butter until tender. In a bowl, combine the mushroom mixture, carrots, celery, eggs, walnut, sunflower kernels, salt, basil, oregano and pepper. Stir in bread crumbs.
2) Coat by 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with waxed paper. Transfer vegetable mixture to a prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 160F. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Review: This was exciting, as it's seriously the first time I've made a loaf of any sort that was actually able to stand on it's own! I also used parchment paper for the first time (worried wax would have smoked) and I think it's awesome!!! This was super yummy. I'm tempted to tweak the recipe and add more nuts. Hm, walnuts, almonds and cashews?

Savory Spinach & Artichoke Stuffing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 lbs spinach, washed (3 cups cooked and roughly chopped)
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 Tbs roughly chopped garlic
1 Tbs, plus 2 tsp, Italian seasoning blend
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 (8 1/2oz) cans quartered artichoke hearts, any tough outer leaves removed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs lemon juice
12 to 14 cups cubed (1 inch), day old French bread (1 loaf)
1 lb Brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with 1 Tbs olive oil.
2) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, squeeze as much water from spinach as possible, then roughly chop and reserve.
3) Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 tsp of Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
4) Combine the eggs, cream, broth, lemon juice, remaining 1 Tbs Italian seasoning, remaining 2 tsp salt and remaining 1 tsp pepper in large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the bread, spinach, artichoke mixture, brie, 1/4 cup Parmesan and parsley. Stir to combine. If bread does not absorb all of liquid immediately, then let rest until this happens, about 20 minutes.
5) Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top and drizzle with remaining 2 Tbs olive oil. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve warm.

Review: Once again, we omitted the lemon juice. It just works better. We used a big bag of croutons (the only unseasoned bread cubes we could find), instead of a loaf of bread. It worked well. This was unbelievably yummy and I can't wait to have it again as leftovers. I definitely have plenty!!!!!!

Roasted Vegetables With Thyme

2 lb baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium-sized chunks
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into medium-sized chunks
1/2 lb parsnips, trimmed and cut into medium-sized chunks
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat oven to 375F.
2) In a large bowl, toss potatoes, carrots and parsnips with olive oil and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer vegetables to a large roasting pan.
3) Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

Review: Oops, forgot to take a pic! We omitted carrots and substituted one turnip. Yay, it was uniform white chunks and tasty. It did take longer than expected to bake, but I suspect we may have used too many potatoes. We do have a large box of them and have added more than necessary to most of our recipes to use them up!

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

1 cup creamy peanut butter, plus 2 Tbs divided
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
12oz container (4 1/2 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 prepared chocolate pie crust
11.75oz jar hot fudge spoonable ice cream topping, divided

1) Beat together 1 cup peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium until well combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie crust. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
2) Reserve 2 Tbs of hot fudge topping in the corner of a resealable food storage bag; set aside. Microwave remaining topping on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir. Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups) over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.
3) Cut a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 Tbs peanut butter in a resealable food storage bag; cut bag corner and squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Review: Careful with the hot fudge - mine exploded out of the jar in the microwave! This was unbelievably rich and very strong on the peanut butter taste. Yum!!

Soba Noodle Salad With Ginger Peanut Dressing

6oz soba noodles
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbs agave nectar or maple syrup
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs lime juice
1 tsp fresh lime zest
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1 large carrot, grated
2 Tbs chopped peanuts, optional

1) Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
2) Puree peanut butter, vinegar, agave nectar, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and 1/4 cup of cilantro in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy, adding 2 to 3 Tbs warm water to thin, if necessary.
3) Toss together noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot and peanut butter mixture. Garnish with remaining cilantro and chopped peanuts, if using.

Review: I substituted zucchini for the cucumber, because I really don't like cucumbers. Mike actually made the recipe, which was my favorite part. A whole box of spaghetti was used instead of the soba. It was good to increase the pasta, as the sauce is pretty potent. It was yummy, but had quite a distinct taste.

Vegetable Moussaka

1 4-lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 10-oz container white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced yellow squash
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup, plus 4 Tbs, grated Parmesan
4 Tbs unsalted butter
5 Tbs all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
7 oz Greek yogurt
2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1) Preheat oven to 425F. Lay eggplant slices on paper towels and salt both sides; let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Brush both sides with olive oil (1/4 cup total) and place on 2 baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes, turning slices and rotating pans halfway through. Remove eggplant from oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
2) In a large skillet with a lid, heat remaining oil. Add onion, mushrooms, zucchini and squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, covered, over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove lid, turn heat to high and cook until liquid evaporates. Add garlic, oregano, tomatoes and puree and parsley and cook until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
3) Mist a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cover bottom of dish with eggplant rounds, spoon half of vegetable sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbs Parmesan. Repeat with remaining eggplant and sauce and 2 Tbs Parmesan, finishing with a top layer of eggplant.
4) Melt butter in pan and whisk in flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and yogurt and stir until smooth. Whisk in eggs and yolks.
5) Pour cheese sauce over eggplant. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until heated through and top is browned, about 70 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Review: I replaced the eggplant with zucchini, doubled the yellow squash and omitted the 1 cup diced zucchini the recipe originally called for. I've never liked eggplant and have found that zucchini typically works well instead. It seemed to do the job for this dish! Because I used zucchini, I omitted the step of roasting, but I did sweat the zucchini. This dish made about 8 servings, so we had plenty of delicious food.

Sesame-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges With Broccoli

4 cups bite-size broccoli florets, halved lengthwise
2 small sweet potatoes, each cut into 16 wedges (1 lb)
6 green onions, each cut into 4 segments
3 Tbs toasted sesame oil, divided
1/4 tsp coarse salt
2 Tbs orange juice
2 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs mirin
1 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups baby spinach

1) Preheat oven to 450F. Place broccoli, sweet potato wedges and green onions in a large bowl. Add 2 Tbs sesame oil and salt; toss well to coat. Spread vegetables on baking sheet, and roast 20 minutes, turning with spatula 2 or 3 times. Increase oven temperature to 500F. Roast vegetables 10 minutes more, or until tender and browned.
2) Meanwhile, whisk together orange juice, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic and remaining 1 Tbs sesame oil in small bowl. Place spinach in large serving bowl, add roasted vegetables and orange juice mixture, and toss well to mix.

Review: My broccoli began to burn at 20 minutes and the potatoes were done, so I did not roast them for another 10 minutes. This was really yummy and had a great flavor, though I am a big fan of sesame oil. I served this over some bulgur to stretch it into more servings. I think it would have been better to have less spinach and more potatoes and broccoli!

Steamed Vegetables With Ginger Miso Dressing

3 Tbs yellow miso
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, grated
1/2 to 1 Thai bird chile, minced with seeds
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/2 bunch broccoli, cut in large florets
1/2 bunch cauliflower, cut in large florets
2 carrots, cut in thick slices
1 yellow or zucchini squash, cut in thick rounds
1/2 to 1 head fennel, cut into thin wedges
1 bunch asparagus
8 cloves garlic
1 bunch scallions

1) For the dressing: Whisk the miso, water, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chile, to taste, in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing. Serve or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
2) For the vegetables: Pour 1-inch or more of water in a wok or skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the vegetables in a bamboo or collapsible steamer. Set the steamer over the boiling water, cover, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or just until the vegetables are crisp tender. Serve warm or at a room temperature with the dressing.

Review: I left out the fennel, because I don't like fennel (tastes like licorice). I substituted a zucchini, instead. It worked really well and I can't even imagine this dish with fennel. This was super yummy. Mike especially liked the dressing and it might be a good one to make and have with regular salads.

Golden Glow Stuffed Squash (crockpot recipe)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion, minced
1 medium-sized carrot, coarsely shredded
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 Tbs minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp dried thyme or ground sage
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large winter squash (butternut, buttercup, kabocha or acorn), halved and seeded
1 cup hot water

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and bell pepper, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and turmeric, then stir in the rice, parsley and thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and spoon the mixture into the squash cavities.
2) Pour the water into a 6-qt oval slow cooker and add the squash halves, stuffing side up. Cover and cook on Low until the squash is tender, about 6 hours. Serve hot.

Review: My squash didn't fit in my slow cooker, so I had to layer them and then smoosh them in after a few hours of baking. It turned out to be quite delectable. I scooped out the squash from the rind and mixed it with the "stuffing" to make it easy to package leftovers. I used a buttercup squash. :)

Field Greens With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

6 cups washed and dried field greens
1/4 cup blue cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pecans, halves and pieces
1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
1/2 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard

1) To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl until combined. Add the oil in a stream continuously whisking until emulsified. Set aside.
2) Prepare the salad by adding 1/2 of the greens to a large bowl and gently toss with just enough dressing to lightly coat. Add the remaining greens and toss. Add additional dressing as necessary to just coat the greens. Add HALF of the cheese crumbles, the pecan pieces and the pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries), reserving the remaining half of each to use as a topping.
3) To serve: Arrange 1/4 of the prepared salad on each of 4 chilled salad plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese crumbles, the pecan pieces and the pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries). Serve at once.

Review: We bought pomegranate balsamic vinegar a couple of weeks ago, when we found it on sale, with a coupon, for about a dollar. I finally found a way to use it! This was unbelievably good and would make a great salad for fancy occasions when you need to impress someone, but need an easy way to do it! I wanted to get the pomegranate seeds from Costco, as they're already shelled. Mike opted to buy a pomegranate from the store. After he tore it apart, he regretted not buying the Costco seeds. Learn from his error!!

Asian Vegetable Cakes With Crunchy Cabbage Salad

1 14.1 oz vegetarian split pea soup
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup sugar snap peas, coarsely chopped
1 cup julienned or grated carrots
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
4 green onions, white and green parts chopped
2 Tbs toasted sesame oil
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
low-fat Asian salad dressing, optional
Sriracha chile sauce, optional
4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage (about 1 head)
1 cup julienned or grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup Asian dressing

1) Whisk together soup and eggs in bowl. Stir in cornmeal, then sugar snap peas, carrots, corn, green onions, oil, tamari/soy sauce and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
2) Toss together all ingredients in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.
3) Heat nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Scoop pea mixture onto skillet in 1/4-cup dollops, and cook 5 minutes, or until golden on one side. Flip, and cook 5 minutes more. Transfer to plate, and repeat with remaining pea mixture until you have 12 cakes.
4) To serve: Divide salad among plates. Top each serving with 2 cakes. Serve with Asian dressing and Sriracha, if using.

Review: This made about 8 servings - we had so much food! Fortunately, this was supremely yummy. We used Newman's Sesame & Ginger dressing which was really good.

Root Vegetable Curry

1/2 lb baby carrots, halved
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 lb daikon, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tbs olive or canola oil
2 Tbs dried minced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp curry powder or more to taste
3 cups vegetable broth
1 lb turnips or rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1) In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add curry powder and stir until powder is heated and aromatic, but not browned. Add broth and vegetables. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 45 minutes.
2) In small cup, whisk flour into water until smooth. Add to curry, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Serve hot.

Review: Oops, our baby carrots went bad. However, we have a 50lb box of potatoes, so I tossed one of those in, keeping the skin on. I added the peas about 5 minutes before the flour mixture, as they really don't need to cook as long. It was pretty hearty and made five bowls, which was more than I expected!

Smothered Cajun-Spiced Squash

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
2 butternut squash, quartered and seeded, each quarter halved
2 Tbs, plus 8 tsp Cajun seasoning, or more to taste, divided
4 large onions, halved and sliced
4 medium red or green bell peppers, quartered and sliced
8 large celery ribs, sliced on the bias
5 Tbs flour
1 1/2 Tbs cider vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Combine 1 Tbs oil and garlic in small bowl. Brush garlic-oil mixture over butternut squash pieces, and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle each squash piece with 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until squash pieces are tender enough to easily pierce with fork.
2) Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers and celery, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetable are soft and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.
3) Stir flour into onion mixture, and cook 1 minute, or until flour begins to brown, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar, remaining 2 Tbs Cajun seasoning, and 6 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
4) To serve: Place 2 squash pieces on plate. "Smother" with 1 cup onion mixture.

Review: The recipe said to serve with rice or grits. I served this over bulgur. This was super yummy. The butternut squash with Cajun seasoning was AMAZING. I used the diced stuff from Costco to make my life easier. And, I used only 1 onion and decreased the water to 2 1/2 cups. This made quite a bit of food for me, which means I get this again for lunch tomorrow. Yum!

Walnut Miso Noodle

4 oz spaghetti or linguini
1 small bunch of asparagus, sliced thinly
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium clove garlic, peeled
2 Tbs mellow white miso paste
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
2 big pinches salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup+ warm water

Topping ideas: sliced green onions, chopped chard stems and leaves that have been cooked for a minute or two in a skillet with a bit of olive oil and salt, chopped fresh chives, toasted walnuts

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and cook the pasta per package instructions, being careful to not overcook. About 10 seconds before you are going to drain the noodles, add the asparagus to the pot. Drain and set aside.
2) Meanwhile, puree the walnuts, olive oil, garlic, miso paste, vinegar and honey in a blender. Add the warm water a bit at a time until the dressing is the consistency of a heavy cream. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it.
3) Toss the pasta/asparagus with about 1/2 the walnut-miso dressing. Add additional dressing to taste and serve.

Review: I somehow missed the asparagus when I made the grocery list. Oops. So I added some frozen broccoli that I found in the freezer. I really liked this dish, though it oddly tastes a bit like ramen noodles. I guess this is a healthier option, though.

Swiss Chard Ricotta Gnudi With Fall Mushrooms

Gnudi
1 lb Swiss chard, stem ends trimmed
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallot
1 large egg
1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour, plus additional for shaping dumplings

Broth
6 cups vegetable broth
2 shallots, thickly sliced
1 lb assorted wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, chanterelle and cremini), stems trimmed and reserved, caps thinly sliced
6 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, divided
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
coarse kosher salt

Gnudi
1) Cut chard leaves from each side of center stem. Cut stems into matchstick-size strips. Cover and refrigerate stems; reserve for sauce.
2) Cook chard leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; cool. Squeeze chard leaves until very dry; place in processor. Using on/off turns, finely chop chard. Add ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, shallot, egg, coarse salt and pepper; process to blend. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate dough overnight.

Broth
1) Bring vegetable broth, sliced shallots and mushroom stems to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to 3 cups, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain. Return broth to saucepan; discard solids in strainer.
2) Melt 2 Tbs butter with 2 Tbs oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat; add sliced mushroom caps. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; saute until mushrooms are tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Heat remaining 1 Tbs oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add reserved thinly sliced chard stems and saute until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
3) Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon some flour onto large plate. Working in batches, drop heaping teaspoonfuls gnudi dough (size of small walnuts) onto plate with flour to form about 36 gnudi. Using floured hands, gently shape each into 1 1/2 inch long, 1/2 inch thick oval. Tap off excess flour; transfer gnudi to prepared baking sheet.
4) Bring large wide pot of salted water to boil. Slide gnudi into pot; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, whisk remaining 4 Tbs butter into hot broth. Season broth to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
6) Divide mushrooms and chard stems among 6 bowls. Add broth, dividing equally (about 1/2 cup each). Using slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Review: This was soooooooooo much work. Mike rolled the gnudi and I expected it to be a lot like gnocchi. However, it didn't adhere as well and ended up dissipating some in the broth. It was yummy, but not so yummy that it was worth this much work. I won't make this again.

Zucchini Lasagna

8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 container (15oz) ricotta cheese
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced thinly crosswise
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly oil an 8x8 inch square baking dish; set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and ricotta; season with salt and pepper. In another medium bowl, combine zucchini, garlic and oregano; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
3) Spread 1/3 zucchini mixture in prepared baking dish; top with two lasagna noodles, then 1/3 ricotta mixture. Repeat twice with remaining zucchini mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
4) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil; bake until bubbly and noodles are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove foil; bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Review: I doubled this recipe, though I can understand a smaller lasagna can sometimes be nice. This was really yummy, mostly due to the vast amount of cream cheese. Yum.

Szechuan Black-Eyed Pea Salad

2 14 oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado, cubed
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs Szechuan sauce
2 tsp sugar

1) Toss together black-eyed peas, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic in large bowl. Toss avocado with lemon juice in separate bowl. Add avocado to black-eyed pea mixture.
2) Whisk together oil, vinegar, Szechuan sauce and sugar in bowl used for avocado. Add to black-eyed pea mixture and toss to mix.

Review: I could have sworn I had two lentil salad recipes for the week and thus opened two cans of lentils. Then, Mike corrected me. Oops. So, what do you do with two opened cans of lentils? You add it to the recipe! I just doubled the dressing ingredients. It turned out wonderfully and was incredibly yummy. I'll just have to be more alert in the future.

Provencal Lentil Salad

1/2 cup lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh sage

1) Bring large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add lentils, garlic and bay leaf. Cook until lentils are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Discard bay leaf.
2) Transfer lentils to medium bowl and toss with bell pepper, parsley, oil, vinegar, sage, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Review: I made this last night, using a can of lentils. It saved some cooking time and I got to eat this cold for lunch. It made just under 2 cups of salad, but was a tasty lunch. I'd recommend doubling the recipe. And canned lentils are really a great time saver. I couldn't find them at the store, so I bought a case from amazon.com. Thank goodness for our pantry!

Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto

7 cups vegetable broth
1/2 lb butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbs, plus 1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 3/4 cups arborio rice
1 tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves
3/4 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes
2 Tbs chopped fresh sage
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1) In large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Drop squash into boiling broth, reduce heat and simmer until squash in tender, but still firm, about 3 minutes. Remove squash with slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat and let broth simmer.
2) In large, deep skillet, combine oil and shallots. Place over medium heat and stir to cook without browning, about 2 minutes. Add rice and salt. Stir until rice is coated with oil. Add wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until rice absorbs wine.
3) Ladle 1/2 cup of simmering broth into skillet and stir until absorbed. Continue with remaining broth, adding 1/2 cup of simmering broth into skillet and stir until absorbed by rice before adding more liquid, about 25 minutes total.
4) Add chard and stir until wilted. Stir in squash, tomatoes, sage and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheese and serve hot.

Review: I used 1 1/2 cups of bulgur and 3 cups of vegetable broth, cooking it as normal. I followed the rest of the instructions as it directs to do. It came out wonderfully. It had a great flavor and made plenty of food. It also had a great "hearty" taste. Perfect for a cold October night.

Garlicky White Beans, Sage & Orecchiette

salt
3 cups orecchiette
6 medium size fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup (packed) fresh parsley leaves
2 cups cooked white beans, or 19oz can drained white beans
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup small dice of mixed yellow, green and red bell pepper, for garnish
Grated asiago cheese

1) Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is tender.
2) Cut fresh sage leaves into fine shreds; peel and mince garlic, chop parsley. Rinse and drain canned white beans.
3) Heat olive oil in a medium size saucepan. Add garlic and sage and cook for 10 seconds. Add wine and cook until evaporated, about a minute. Add beans, cover and simmer until heated through: 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, off heat, until pasta is done.
4) Drain pasta and return it to the pot, off heat. Stir in bean mixture, toss well and serve immediately garnished with raw peppers. Pass cheese separately.

Review: This was super yummy. We used penne pasta and should have used two cans of beans. We could only find 14oz cans and it just wasn't quite enough. I also believe sage may be my new favorite spice. When I bought the package of fresh sage for a recipe last week, I didn't realize how much is in that little container. I didn't want to waste it and it was keeping well, so I filled this week full of sage recipes. It truly has such a different taste when fresh. Yum.

Peppered Pumpkin & Potato Ragout

1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs dried minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin
1 cup cubed potato, unpeeled
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen, thawed

1) In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 1 minute.
2) Add pumpkin, potato, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and white pepper, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pumpkin and potato are tender, about 20 minutes. Add peas and cook just until peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Review: I didn't read the instructions well. This was billed as a stew, and I have a dislike for stew/soup/chili. So, I only used 2 cups broth and served this over a bed of baby spinach. I also didn't have enough pumpkin (using just what I carved out of my jack o' lantern), so I substituted with some butternut squash. It turned out great and I really liked it. Mmmm

Pasta With Walnut Pesto

1 box pasta
1 1/2 cups walnuts
2 cups packed parsley
6 small sage leaves
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 yellow squash, halved and sliced
1 zucchini, halved and sliced

1) In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook 1 box of pasta. Drain and set aside.
2) Meanwhile, saute zucchini and squash in oil or butter, until tender. Set aside.
3) To make pesto, puree walnuts, parsley, sage, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and Parmesan in a food processor until smooth.
4) Toss pasta, squash, zucchini and pesto in a large bowl. Top with additional Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Review: The original recipe didn't include the veggies. It just didn't sound like enough food to me, so I added some. This was OK, but didn't wow me. Mike's decided he doesn't like any pesto that's made with a green other than basil. Bummer.

Roasted Vegetables With Quick Harissa Marinade

1/4 cup harissa
5 Tbs olive oil, divided
3 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 zucchini squash, quartered and chopped
1 yellow squash, quartered and chopped
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Whisk together harissa, 3 Tbs oil and cilantro in large bowl. Add vegetables; toss to coat evenly.
2) Arrange vegetables on baking sheet, brush with remaining 2 Tbs oil and harissa mixture. Roast 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, turning once. Serve over couscous, rice or bulgur.

Review: This was amazing good. Once again, I made the harissa using garlic-chile sauce and adding coriander and cumin. I loved this so much, that I couldn't wait to have it again for lunch the next day!

Creamy Penne

1 box penne
1 cup frozen peas
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
1 cup onion & chive cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1) Cook pasta in salted water for 10 minutes. Add peas and asparagus, and cook for 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Drain in colander.
2) Heat cream cheese and milk over medium low heat, just until bubbly. Add to pasta mixture in large bowl and toss to coat. Toss with Parmesan cheese and plenty of black pepper.

Review: I didn't read the directions very well and added the Parmesan to the sauce. It worked just fine, just made the sauce a bit thicker. Surprisingly, this sauce didn't have a strong flavor. I'd suggest maybe tossing in some parsley.

Wild Rice & Butternut Squash Medley

2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs dried minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-oz pkg cooked wild rice, or 3 cups cooked wild rice
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 Tbs dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1) Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant.
2) Stir in wild rice, squash, beans, mustard, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and 11/2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Review: Whoo - wild rice is pricey. I couldn't find precooked wild rice (silly Idaho), so I bought wild rice from the bulk food section ($10.99 a pound) and cooked it. Fortunately, this dish was yummy and made up for the cost. Oh, and I doubled the amount of squash, because it's yummy and Costco only sells 2 lbs at a time. Shucks.

Butternut Squash & Mushroom Lasagna

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 pound cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 tablespoons sliced fresh sage, divided
3 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 large eggs
Olive oil
1 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles

1) Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; set aside.
2) Add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage to same skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until squash is very soft but still retains shape, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper; mix in eggs.
4) Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup ricotta mixture over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Spread 13/4 cups ricotta mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/3 cups squash mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mushrooms and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, half of remaining squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, remaining squash, and remaining mushrooms. Top with 3 noodles. Spread remaining ricotta mixture over; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with oiled foil.
5) Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. (The lasagna can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated.)

Review: I am in love with Costco's prediced butternut squash. It made this so easy. Mike and I also got a "lasagna pan," which is deeper and wider than our casserole dishes. We seem to have gotten it just in time, as this FILLED it. I swear it weighed 10 lbs. But, this was really yummy and incredibly cheesy. Mmmmm

Mike's Taco Salad

1 Tbs dried minced onion
1 tsp ground chipotle
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cans lentils
20 oz baby spinach
2 tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar
salsa to taste

1) Mash lentils in a bowl, adding the minced onions, chipotle, paprika, garlic salt and cumin, mixing well. Cook over medium-high heat until thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes.
2) Layer salad ingredients as you please - spinach on bottom and salsa on top.

Review: Mike got to be named for this, as he designed the "taco seasoning." I wanted tacos/taco salad for dinner (Mike ate his in a wrap), and had recently seen a recipe using lentils for the meat. However, the recipe called for taco seasoning and we didn't buy any. I don't like traditional taco seasoning anyway, because it's typically really salty. Mike custom designed a taco seasoning for me and it turned out so well that it deserved a blog entry. :) Mmmm

Spaghetti With Sweet Potatoes & Ricotta

12 oz spaghetti
2 Tbs olive oil
2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
2 shallots, sliced
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup ricotta

1) Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the shallots and rosemary and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3) Toss the pasta with the potato mixture, Parmesan and the reserved cooking water. Dollop with the ricotta before serving.

Review: Oh - yum. This could have been too sweet, with the sweet potatoes and shallots, but the cheeses balance the sweet really well. Of course, I added extra ricotta, so I'm not wasting the rest of the package. I really recommend this one, though, it was really yummy.