Ginger-Spice Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar to decorate

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan- or if you have a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon into a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer (hand or stand version), beat the eggs on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar.
4. Reduce speed to low, and beat in the flour mixture alternatively with the whipping cream into the eggs, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in vanilla.
5. Pour into the pan and bake until the top springs back when touched lightly, about 35-40 minutes. Watch closely- you don’t want to over-bake or it will be dry.
6. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the hot cake, cut into squares or wedges. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Recipe Credit: http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/10/01/ginger-spice-cake/

Corn Casserole

Ingredients:
1 (15¼-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14¾-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 to 1½ cups shredded Cheddar


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter.
3. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar.
6. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
7. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Recipe Credit: http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2012/09/corn-casserole/

Daniel-Fast Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
¼ cup chopped dates or raisins
¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Transfer to an 8 by 8-inch baking dish that has been lightly rubbed with olive oil. Pour oatmeal mixture into dish and bake 45-50 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy on top.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 squares)

Recipe Credit: http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/too-yummy-for-my-tummy/

Cheesy Tortellini-Spinach Bake

Ingredients:
1 12 oz. cheese or cheese and spinach tortellini
3 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tb flour
2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cups chopped, fresh spinach
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook as directed on the package.
3. Add garlic to some oil in pan and cook for a minute or two. Add flour to the pan and whisk for a minute. Add milk and mix until smooth. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice and basil and bring to a simmer.
4. Drain tortellini and add back to the pot. Turn to low heat and add spinach and most of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses and bacon. Add sauce and stir until well combined.
5. Add to an 8x8 or 9x9 dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and bacon.
6. Cover your dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Credit: http://lilluna.com/cheesy-tortellini-spinach-bake/#comment-46207

Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients: 

4 extra large eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons sour cream
4 egg whites
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat yolks until thick. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and sugar. Add the sugar mixture and milk into the egg yolks incrementally. Stir in the sour cream,
In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
2. Heat skillet or griddle to a high temperature. Place a small amount of oil on the skillet and pour about 1 tablespoon of batter onto the skillet, and spread the batter out evenly. Brown the pancake on one side. Flip pancake over when bubbles appear on surface. Brown on the other side. Repeat process with remaining batter.

Recipe Credit: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/swedish-pancakes/detail.aspx

Pad Thai

1 (12 ounce) package rice noodles
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces (or for vegetarians, I use a bag of frozen Asian-style vegetables instead of chicken)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/8 tablespoon crushed red pepper
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
3 green onions, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges


Directions:
1. Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Sauté chicken (vegetables) until browned.  Remove, and set aside. 

3. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken (vegetables), and cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes.

Recipe credit: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pad-thai-2/detail.aspx

Marinated and Grilled Salmon

I'm not a big fish eater, but I do love this marinated fish recipe.  It is the perfect mixture of sweet and salty and tastes delicious when served with mashed potatoes.  

Ingredients: 

1 - 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Water
1/4 Vegetable Oil

Directions:
1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat grill for medium heat.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.


Recipe Credit: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-salmon-i/detail.aspx

Roasted Vegetables

This is one of my new favorite things to do.  I learned this trick from a friend: buy a lot of vegetable you've never really eaten and roast them all together.  It is amazing.  This is a great way to eat vegetable that you wouldn't normally try.  I don't think I had ever eaten a brussel sprout and I had probably not ever heard of a parsnip before this.

Recipe for Roasted Vegetables

Note: These directions are for the roasted vegetable in the picture above, please add or subtract things as you feel necessary.  I have made several varieties of vegetables, and they are always good.

Ingredients:
Brussel Sprouts
Parsnips
Beets
Carrots
Onions
Artichokes
Garlic

Directions:
1. Cut up all vegetables into bite-sized pieces
2. Put in large pan with 2-4 Tbsp olive oil
3. Add any spices you like (for example, pepper, lemon pepper, salt, oregano, basil, etc.)
4. Bake for 1 hour in 375 degree oven, or until soft all the way through and as blackened as you prefer.

Recipe Credit:
Nicki!

Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

This breakfast cake is absolutely amazing.  It is rich, thick, creamy, and a little fruity.  Delicious.

Recipe for Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the blueberries)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk***

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top
*** To make homemade buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1-cup line. Let stand for five minutes.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Credit:
http://cookbook-recipes.org/buttermilk-blueberry-breakfast-cake/

Tofu and Broccolini Pad See Ew

Yes, that's right. I attempted another type of Thai food. It turned out pretty good. I will be making it again.

Recipe for Tofu and Broccolini Pad See Ew

Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) package dried wide rice noodles
14 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into large chunks
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 pound broccolini, sliced on the bias into 1-inch-long pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 medium garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
2 large eggs

Directions

1. Place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak until loose and pliable, about 30 minutes. Separate the noodles by hand and drain; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the tofu cubes on a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of the water, and brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of water in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the broccolini, cover with a tightfitting lid, and cook until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring often, until the water has evaporated and the broccolini is just tender when pierced with a knife, about 2 minutes more. Remove the broccolini to a plate and set aside.
4. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the reserved tofu and sauté, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides (be careful—the oil will splatter), about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook until just beginning to color, about 15 seconds. Add the reserved soy sauce mixture, noodles, and broccolini and cook, tossing gently, until the noodles are soft, warmed through, and coated with sauce, about 4 minutes.
6. Push the noodle mixture to one side of the pan, add the eggs, and scramble until they begin to set, about 30 seconds. Let the eggs cook undisturbed until solid, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and toss to evenly combine all the ingredients. Serve immediately.

Recipe Credit:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28028-tofu-and-broccolini-pad-see-ew

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I think what makes them so perfect is that they are baked on parchment paper. It is an important step, so don't skip out on it! Also - when I take them out of the oven, I'm always questioning whether or not they are done, but they will continue to cook for a few minutes and toughen up, so when in doubt, take them out early.

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. baking powder
2¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. 

2. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes on medium-high speed). 

3. Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. 

4. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. 

5. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. 

6. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

7. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Recipe Credit: 

http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/10/alices-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/

Vegetable Lasagna II

This is a special family recipe that originated with my sister-in-law, Amanda.  I think that she made it for us once, and we all loved it!  Now the recipe is a staple in our house.  It is pretty fail-proof.  My only comment about this lasagna recipe is that it is very dependent on the sauce that you use.  All pasta sauces taste different, so use a good sauce that you like.  Thanks for the recipe, Amanda!

Recipe for Vegetable Lasagna II (with Spinach) 

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lasagna (12 full noodles)
2 jars pasta sauce
16 oz. of ricotta or cottage cheese
1 pkg frozen, chopped spinach thawed and drained (or about 4 large handfuls of fresh spinach)
1 lb+ of mozzarella
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
1. Boil water. Add lasagna and cook until el dente.  Remove lasagna from water. 

2. In a bowl, combine half the mozzarella, parmesan cheese, eggs, spinach and ricotta cheese. 

3. Layer in a greased 15 x 9 pan sauce, lasagna, sauce, spinach mix, mozzarella, lasagna, sauce, repeat.  4. Cover with foil, bake 45 mins at 350. 

5. Uncover, top with remaining mozzarella and bake another 15 minutes. 

6. Let stand for 10 mins before serving.

Recipe Credit: 

my wonderful sister-in-law, Amanda

Cheesecake Recipe with Lemon-Blueberry Topping

I have never made a cheesecake before. In fact, when I was younger I didn't even like cheesecake. For some reason, I decided I wanted to learn to make a cheesecake, so I tried this recipe out. It was delicious, and now I want cheesecake all the time... dangerous!

Cheesecake Recipe with Lemon-Blueberry Topping

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash vanilla extract

Warm Lemon Blueberry Topping, recipe follows

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the Filling:

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not overbeaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

6. Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the surface.

7. Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

Warm Lemon Blueberry Topping:
1 pint blueberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons sugar
In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe Credit:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

Kale and Broccoli Quinoa

Yum! I tried this recipe for the first time just this week.  It was delicious!  This is a great way to get some vegetables in because it tastes so good.  

I tripled the amount of Quinoa in this recipe and used 2 heads of broccoli and one whole bunch of kale, and a package of shredded parmesan.  

I would recommend this as a side dish or something fun and new to take to a potluck.  

Kale & Broccoli Quinoa

serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
3/4-1 cup water, to cook quinoa (you could also cook in broth to give more flavor)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup chopped red or yellow onion (to preference)
2 cloves garlic, grated into pan
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 medium or large head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 bunch kale, leaves removed from stems, and broken into bite size pieces
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, for garnish
lemon juice, if desired

Directions:
1. Cook the quinoa in a medium pot to package directions, until tender and liquid is absorbed
2. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple minutes until translucent (don't let burn), and add the garlic grating it straight into the pan. Stir for a minute, not allowing to burn, and add in the broth.

3. Rinse off the broccoli and kale and add them both to the pan with onions, garlic and broth. Reduce heat slightly and cover. Let cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the broccoli is tender and kale has shrunk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add quinoa and veggie mix to a serving bowl and mix together. Garnish with parmesan cheese and eat warm.

Recipe Credit:
http://www.carlasconfections.com/2013/02/kale-broccoli-quinoa_12.html

Tomato, Lemon, and Parmesan Pasta (Ann Pasta)

This is a recipe that one of Chris' bosses used to make and bring into work for everyone to eat.  He loved it so much that he got the recipe from her.

I have been making it and loving it ever since!  One of my favorite dishes.

Oh, her name is Ann, so we have grown to call it Ann Pasta.

Recipe for Tomato, Lemon, and Parmesan Pasta (Ann Pasta)

Ingredients:
1 Box Bow-Tie Pasta, boiled until soft, cooled under running cold water
1 Box Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 Small Box Fresh Basil, basil separated from stems and chopped
1 Carton Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.  Chill and serve!

Recipe Credit:
Chris' ex-boss, Ann

Chickpea and Date Tagine

This recipe sounds a little strange, but wow... it was great!  Plus it was really easy to make.  I would encourage you to give it a try.

I added a little goat cheese to add some zip.  Other than that, I followed the recipe step by step and ingredient by ingredient.  

Recipe for Chickpea and Date Tagine

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cup pitted dates, halved
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 10 minutes, or until starting to brown, stirring often. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon, and sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and 1/4 cup water; simmer 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast couscous in small saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add 1 3/4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.

3. Stir dates and lemon juice into tagine, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve over couscous, sprinkled with cilantro.

Recipe Credit: 

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/chickpea-and-date-tagine/

Barley and Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

I want to start making more salads that are pretty hearty and can be used as a whole dinner.

This one was a pretty good start.  It was hearty because it had lentils and barley in it, but still delicious!

I used feta cheese in place of the goat cheese because they are very similar, but I can usually get feta cheaper... and I love feta cheese.

Enjoy!

Recipe for Barley and Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients: 

3/4 Cup Quick-Cooking Barley

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

1 Medium Head Romaine Lettuce, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces

1 15oz Can Lentils (I couldn't find canned lentils, used dry lentils and boiled them for a while)

1 Large Carrot, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 Small Red Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped, Pitted Kalamata Olives

2 Ounces Goat Cheese

Directions: 

- Cook the barley according to the package directions.  Drain and run under cold water to cool.  

- Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper

- In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce with half the lemon dressing.  In a second medium bowl, toss the barley, lentils, carrot, onion and olives with the remaining lemon dressing.  Serve the barley mixture over the lettuce and sprinkle with the goat cheese.  

Recipe Credit: 

Real Simple Magazine, March 2012 Edition

Zucchini-Tomato Gratin

This is a very interesting recipe.  I really liked the end product, and Chris raved about it... the only thing I didn't like was how labor-intensive it was to make.

I will have to experiment to see if some of the steps can be cut down.  I will keep you posted.

Recipe for Zucchini-Tomato Gratin

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 lb Tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 Medium Zucchini, cut diagonal into slices

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Olive Oil, divided

4 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. Roughly Chopped Kalamata Olives

1/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Basil Leaves 

3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions: 

1. Drape tomato slices over colander, sprinkle with salt and let drain 45 minutes. 

2. Spread Zucchini on baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt.  Let stand 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture.  Rinse well and pat dry. 

3. Preheat oven to 375.  Heat 1 tsp. oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute zucchini 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden.  Transfer to plate.  Do this in 2 batches if necessary, adding more oil between batches. 

4. Layer half of zucchini slices in 1.3 quart oval baking pan.  Top with half of tomatoes.  Sprinkle with half of garlic, 1 Tbsp. Olives, half of basil and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; season with pepper.  Repeat with remaining zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, olives, and basil.  Drizzle top with 1 Tbsp. oil and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 20 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and gratin is bubbling.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  

Recipe Credit: 

Vegetarian Times Magazine, Readers' Top-Rated Recipe Special Edition, Fall 2012

Corn-Quinoa Salad

In attempt to jump on the Quinoa band-wagon... 

Recipe for Corn-Quinoa Salad

Ingredients: 

Salad

1 Cup Quinoa

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 Cups Frozen Corn Kernels

1 1/2 Cups halved Cherry (or Grape) Tomatoes

1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Cabbage

1 Cup Diced Cucumber

Dressing

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

3 Tbsp. Pure Maple Syrup

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. Salt

Directions: 

1. To make salad: Bring Quinoa, salt, and 1 1/2 Cups water to a boil in saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.  

2. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in separate saucepan.  Add corn, and cook 1 minute.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Drain again.  Stir together corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, and quinoa in bowl.  

3. To make dressing: Mix all ingredients together in blender until smooth.  Stir into salad.  

Recipe Credit: 

Vegetarian Times Magazine, Readers Top-Rated Recipe Special Edition, Fall 2012

Black Bean Spaghetti

This is literally one of the fastest and cheapest meals that could ever be made.

Check out this approximate cost breakdown:

spaghetti: $0.50 (half a box)
pasta sauce $2.50
black beans $0.80

total cost: $3.80   cheaper than a Little Caesar's Hot n'Ready... and it even fills Chris up!

Recipe for Black Bean Spaghetti

Ingredients:
1 Can Black Beans
1 Jar Pasta Sauce
1/2 Box of spaghetti (or 4 servings), prepared per directions on package

Directions:
Prepare spaghetti.  While spaghetti is cooking, combine beans and pasta sauce in saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until completely warmed.  Serve sauce over spaghetti.


Recipe Credit:
Adapted from recipe in "Dinner on a Dime" cookbook

Easy Cheese Ball

I admit it... I was really craving a cheese ball during the super-bowl weekend.  I don't know if it's the time of year, or just because the Super-bowl is another excuse to eat junk food, but I really felt like I needed a cheese ball.  So, I dug up an old recipe and made a couple of cheese balls.  Yippie Skippy.

This is an old recipe that is incredibly easy and makes a decent cheese ball.  Hope you enjoy it!

Easy Cheese Ball Recipe

Ingredients: 

8oz Cream Cheese

1 Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix

8ox shredded cheddar

1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Directions: 

Slightly soften the cream cheese in the microwave (for 30 seconds or so).  Put cheeses and ranch dressing powder in a bowl, mix with hand mixer until combined.  Shape into ball(s).  Roll in chopped pecans.  Let sit for a few hours, or overnight.  Serve (over crackers) and enjoy! 

Rigatoni Gratin

Here is another old favorite!

Recipe for Rigatoni Gratin

Ingredients: 

1 box Rigatoni Gratin

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 medium eggplant, chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 small zucchini thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced

13oz. can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. Oregano

pinch of Cayenne pepper

1 can sliced black olives

12 oz. mozzarella cheese

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Cook rigatoni according to package directions.  Heat olive oil in large frying pan and saute the eggplant, zucchini and onion until soft.  Add tomato, oregano, cayenne pepper, and olives and simmer for 5 minutes.  Put rigatoni in greased 13x9in pan.  Pour vegetables and 1/3 of the cheese over the rigatoni and mix together.  Sprinkle with parmesan and remaining cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  

Recipe Credit: 

I have no idea.  I have had this recipe for a long time and love it every time.  

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

One word.... YUM!

Chris requested that I add some black olives to the bean and sweet potato mixture, so I did that this time.  It was a good addition to consider if you like olives.  This is a very delicious and HEARTY vegetarian meal.

Recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas:

Enchilada Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 Cups vegetable broth
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Whisk to combine, then remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.


Enchiladas:
Ingredients:
Prepared enchilada sauce from recipe above (or approximately 2 cans of store-bought enchilada sauce)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Small onion, diced
1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (or 1 - 40oz can sweet potatoes)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
1/2 Cup water (only add water if using raw sweet potatoes, if sweet potatoes are canned, skip the water step)
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
12-oz. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
10 8-inch flour tortillas

Directions:
Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, and saute 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.  Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and water, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.  Mash mixture with potato masher until combined.  Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in half of mozzarella cheese and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.  Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of dish.  Fill tortillas with 2 spoonfuls of sweet potato mixture.  Roll tortilla and pack close together in baking dish.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes, or until browned on top.


Recipe Credit:
Vegetarian Times Magazine (Special Issue) 

Black Bean and Spinach Pizza

Yummmm.

This is another favorite of ours.  I have always made it with frozen spinach, but this time the idea to make it with fresh spinach popped into my head.  It is definitely good with frozen spinach, but I hate thawing out the spinach and then trying to strain all of the water out of it.  It seems to be the most time consuming part of making this dish.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Black Bean and Spinach Pizza

(Recipe makes one pizza)

Ingredients:
1 pre-baked pizza crust (like Dijorno)
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed, drained and mashed (with fork or with potato masher)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed-dry)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup monteray jack cheese (or mozzarella)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese


Directions:
Place the crust on an un-greased pan.  Combine the beans, onion, chili powder, cumin and garlic; spread over the crust.  On top of bean combination, spread a layer of salsa, a layer of spinach and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Lentil and Kale Soup

Can you tell that I have been loving Kale lately? Almost every other meal that I have made includes Kale.

Chris is a professional scrambled-egg maker and he has been using fried Kale in his eggs every morning. So if you're looking for a healthier option for breakfast, you could always add some Kale to your eggs!

Anyways, this is a SUPER-BUDGET-FRIENDLY and delicious recipe! The website that it is from calculated it to be $0.91 per serving! Now thats a deal!  It's worth a try just because it is so cheap!

Lentil & Kale Soup 

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of brown rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
One bunch of kale, washed and stems cut out (fold in half, and cut the stem right out). Cut into bite sized pieces.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Directions:
The night before, soak the lentils and rice in plenty of water at room temperature. Drain and rinse.  In a large pot, heat the oil/ghee until hot. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.  Add 8 cups of water, the lentils and rice, and the thyme and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are tender and cooked all the way. Add the kale, vinegar and salt to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the kale is cooked to your preference. I like mine to be soft, but not too mushy.  Serve and enjoy!  

Recipe credit: 

My wonderful sister-in-law, Amanda, gave me this recipe, so thank you!  

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/11/the-healthy-1-menu-peasant-lentil-kale-soup.html

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas

I tried a new recipe this week, and it was great! I have been loving things with coconut milk, so this was a fun dish to make.

I served this over mashed sweet potatoes as was recommended on the website, but I would recommend it over rice. This dish is delicious and rich, and with the already delicious and rick sweet potatoes, it was a little too much flavor. Next time, I will make it with rice.

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas 

serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 dash of red pepper flakes
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 pound spinach (1 large bag)
14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 oz. cream cheese
1 small onion

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture. Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through. Stir in cream cheese until it melts. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.



Recipe Credit:

http://mycommunaltable.com/budget-meals/braised-coconut-spinach-and-chickpeas-over-sweet-potato/

Butternut Squash Pasta

This recipe has been a fall-back recipe for several years now.  It is relatively easy to make, except for peeling and chopping the squash, but it is worth the effort in the end.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Pasta:

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled, gutted, and chopped into bite-sized cubes (preparing the squash is the hardest part of this meal)
1 carton grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
2 cups asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I substitute with frozen green beans when asparagus is not in season)
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 box penne pasta, prepared per directions on box


Directions:
Prepare all ingredients as directed.  In large frying pan, heat olive oil with medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and let saute for 2 minutes.  Add squash, asparagus, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cover and saute for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until squash is tender and can be easily speared with fork.  Server over prepared penne pasta.

Recipe Credit:
I'm not sure where this recipe came from, I have been making it for so long that I don't remember!  

Garbanzo Beans and Greens

Another great meal tonight!  I made this recipe and served it over homemade mashed potatoes.  I didn't love the way that the garbanzo beans tasted with the mashed potatoes, but other than that... this meal was great!

The Kale tasted really good after being cooked in the vegetable broth, and the hint of crushed red pepper added just the right amount of spice.

Recipe for Garbanzo Beans and Greens

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
4 lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:
1. Add 1 cup carrot and chopped onion to olive oil in pan, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in vegetable broth, 1 cup water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add 4 cups kale to bean mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with 2 tablespoons yogurt and lemon wedges, if desired.

Recipe Credit: 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garbanzo-beans-greens-50400000109639/

Avocado and Tomato Salad

I love avocados.

I eat them plain, I eat them in guacamole, or I eat them like this:

Avocado and Tomato Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Small Avocados, peeled, pit removed and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 carton of grape tomatoes, cut in halves
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients listed above and stir until covered with oil and salt and pepper is mixed in.



I make this as a side-dish sometimes... but once it is made, it rarely lasts until dinner is actually ready to eat.  It's GONE.  (Especially when your husband loves avocados as much as you do)

Stir-Fried Bok Choy

I bought a whole bunch of bok choy the other day so that I could juice it.  It has been in the refrigerator for a while now, and I just can't bring myself to juice it!  I think that I don't want to juice it because I want to make something new and awesome with it! 

I spent a month in China while on the World Race and we ate a lot of bok choy.  We would go to this one little restaurant on the side of the street that had tarps for walls and they made us bok choy soup.  It was quite spicy, but after a month it was one of my favorite places to eat.  Thinking about bok choy reminds me about that month.   

I looked around for a recipe that uses bok choy and this is one that looked good to me, Chris and I made it tonight, and we both really liked it.  It has a very nice ginger flavor.  Plus, there was very little preparation work and it was a pretty quick meal to make.

Recipe for Stir-Fried Bok Choy Over Rice

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
8 cups chopped fresh bok choy (I used 2 heads/bunches)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
4 servings of instant rice prepared according to package directions


Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add bok choy and soy sauce cook 3 to 5 minutes, until greens are wilted and stalks are crisp-tender. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Serve over prepared rice.


Recipe Credit:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robin-miller/stir-fried-bok-choy-with-ginger-and-garlic-recipe/index.html

Vegetable Lasagna I

I have two awesome vegetable lasagna recipes that are AMAZING!

This one is fun to make because you essentially make your own pasta sauce and then use it in the lasagna.  It has a lot of fresh vegetables in it and is great in late summer when all of these things are fresh and on sale or home-grown.

My friend Angie found this recipe in a magazine at work and told me I should try making it.  It turned out great, so thanks Angie!

Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

(serves 4-6 people, makes one 8x8in pan of lasagna)

Sauce Ingredients:
5 tomatoes, chopped
1-1/2 Cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional - I don't typically include mushrooms)
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1 small yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can (12oz.) tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper

Other Lasagna Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup ricotta (or cottage) cheese
6 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Sauce Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the tomatoes, mushrooms, red pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, carrot, onion and garlic in oil until crisp-tender.  Stir in the tomato paste, broth, brown sugar, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Lasagna Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl, combine egg and ricotta cheese.  Spread 1 cup of sauce mixture in a greased 8x8in baking dish.  Layer with two noodles, trimming to fit and using remaining noodle ends to  make a third row of lasagna noodles in the pan.  On top of noodles, spread half of the ricotta mixture and then top with approximately 1-1/2 cups of sauce mixture.  Layer two more noodles over the sauce and repeat layering with ricotta, sauce and noodles until the pan is full.  Be sure to cover noodles with sauce before baking.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Credit: From article titled, "Men Who Run the Range," in "Taste of Home" magazine, August/September 2003 edition.  

Gourmet Frozen Pizza

Yes, I know that frozen pizza in and of itself is not healthy, but hear me out on this one.

Chris and I were pressed for time and we needed something to eat for dinner.  We had decided on a very gourmet meal consisting of eggs/toast with peanut butter and jelly on the side... but then we opened up the freezer and saw a very frozen, cheesy pizza.

I had already started sautéing some kale to put in my eggs, so when we decided to eat the pizza instead, I thought wow, we should put the kale on the pizza!

This started a rampage.  Before I knew it, Chris was chopping onion, garlic, and tomatoes to put on the pizza as well.  We topped the frozen cheese pizza with the sautéed veggies and cooked it, and wha-la, a very delicious, gourmet frozen pizza... and probably about as healthy as a frozen pizza can get.

Gourmet Frozen Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Frozen Cheese Pizza

1 large handful chopped kale

1 large handful spinach

1/2 carton of grape tomatoes cut in half

1 clove garlic, diced

1/2 large onion, diced

1 tomato, sliced

1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to the temperature indicated on the pizza box.  In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add kale, spinach, grape tomatoes, garlic, and onion.  Sautée until all veggies are soft.  Remove pizza from box/wrapper and distribute the vegetable mixture evenly over the top of the pizza.  Cook pizza in oven per the directions on the pizza box, or until it looks done.

The Beginning

I want to create a food blog.

I have been cooking for several years now, so why when I go to plan our meals for the week am I always starving for ideas of what we could have?  I scour my recipe box, cooking blogs, and magazines every week looking for something to make.  Since I put so much work into looking for recipes, I want to create a food blog to keep track of the things that I cook and to record our reviews of the meal so that I have ideas for next time.

My food style:

Vegetarian, well actually a Pescatarian who doesn't really eat too much fish and would like to someday stop eating fish.  I enjoy whole foods and altogether healthy things.  I want to reduce the amount of dairy that I consume, so will probably use some Vegan recipes.  I currently eat WAY too many sweets and desserts because those are the most fun to make, so I will have to find recipes for baking things that are healthier (and just generally consume fewer sweets/desserts).

I am excited to take on this new venture of creating a food blog.  I have followed many food blogs and enjoy the recipes that I get from them.  I am excited to have a record of the things that I have made so that I can recall easily if we enjoyed the dish, how long it took to prepare and how much work was involved with the preparation.  I want to share the recipes that I find my family and friends in hopes that they will enjoy the food too!