Artichoke and Olive Pasta

Here is another recipe from my ward newsletter.

8 oz very thin pasta, cooked and drained

Sauce

1TB olive oil
1 can (13.5 oz) artichoke hearts, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp italian seasoning blend
2 cans (14.5 oz) italian style stewed tomatoes
1 can sliced black olives

Chop artichokes and saute in oil. Add garlic and seasoning. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Add olives and serve over pasta.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 chopped onion
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil over medium heat, add vegetables. Cook about 10 min or until onions are translucent. Add:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Cook for a couple more minutes. Add:

• 1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
• 6 cups water
• 1 can chicken broth (can use water)
• 2 cups dried lentils
• 1 tsp salt

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Suggestion: Corn bread

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

An updated version of the classic comfort food dish, our Fresh Green Bean Casserole boasts plenty of flavor (thanks to garlic and breadcrumbs) and minimal fat and calories.


2 pound(s) green beans trimmed
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
6 clove(s) garlic finely chopped
2 cup(s) fresh bread crumbs made from 5 slices country bread
2 tablespoon(s) butter melted
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper


Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water, and set aside. Bring a large stockpot with water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender -- about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer beans to the ice water to cool. Strain and blot dry. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until soft. Remove from heat, toss in the bread crumbs, butter, salt, pepper, and the blanched beans. Transfer to a 6-cup baking dish.
Bake until the beans are tender and the bread crumbs are golden -- 18 to 20 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Cornbread Casserole

6 Servings

It takes 5 minutes to combine the butter, cream-style corn, whole corn kernels and sour cream, and one hour to bake this side dish to serve with ham or turkey.


1/4 pound butter, melted
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn bread mix
1 ounce sour cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a mixing bowl, combine butter, whole corn, cream corn, corn muffin mix and sour cream. Fold all ingredients together, pour into 2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour.

Bow Ties with Sun-Dried Tomato & Scallion Cream Sauce

5 Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), white & light green parts only
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes ( I like to add more)
1 cup light cream , half & half or evaporated milk
1 pound bow ties
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
3 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley--optional

1) In a blender or food processor, puree the scallions & sun-dried tomates with 1/2 cup of the cream.
2) Cook the pasta until tender and ******RESERVE 1/2 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER!!!******. Drain the pasta & toss with the puree, the remaining 1/2 cup cream, 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water, the salt, pepper & parsley. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it by adding more of the reserved pasta water.

This is sooooo easy! So when you want something quick and yummy give it a try. Be sure to get your pasta cooking first...it's that fast.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 onion diced
2 (10 ¾ oz.) cans chicken broth
2 teaspoons or 2 cubes chicken bouillon
¼ cup butter
½ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp dry mustard (I don't think you'd miss it, if it's not in your cupboard)
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, combine diced vegetables, butter, bouillon, and broth together. Simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In a medium bowl, gradually mix milk with flour; blend until smooth. Gradually add milk mixture to vegetables, stirring constantly. Add grated cheese and dry mustard. Simmer and stir until cheese melts.

Saag

(Indian spiced spinach)

Serving suggestions: white rice and Naan
Drink suggestion: mango lassi

Yield: 4-6 servings

1 chopped Onion
6 cloves Garlic minced
1 TBL fresh Gingerroot,minced
1 tsp Coriander seed, ground
1/2-1 tsp Turmeric
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper (try Korean pepper opt. to desired spiceyness)
2 TBL Oil or ghee

1 lb Spinach, chopped
1 cup Water
1 tsp Salt
1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 cup Yogurt
1/4 cup Cream (opt.)


Basic Steps: Sauté → Simmer → Puree → Lighten with yogurt
If making saag aloo, peel, dice and put potatoes on to boil.
Put rice on to cook.
1. Sauté onions in oil or ghee till translucent. Add garlic, ginger and spices and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add spinach, tomatoes, water and salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat.
3. Remove from heat, allow to cool a bit, then use a blender or food processor to break into small pieces (not quite puree) in batches.
4. Return puree to the pan. Add a little water if necessary. Simmer another 5-10 minutes.
5. Stir in yogurt and return to brief simmer. Do not boil. Stir in the optional cream. Season to taste and serve.


VARIATIONS
* You may use frozen or fresh spinach. Try substituting mustard or other greens.
* A squeeze of lemon added at the end will brighten the flavor of this dish.
* Saag Paneer, or Palak Paneer (Spinach with fresh cheese): add 1/2 pound of paneer, cut into cubes, after pureeing the spinach. You may substitute tofu for the paneer if you would like. Tofu has a similar texture and flavor. You could try blending it in with the spinach too.
* Chana Saag (Spinach with chickpeas): add 1/2 pound cooked chickpeas after pureeing the spinach.
* Saag Aloo (Spinach with potatoes): add 1/2 pound cooked, cubed potatoes after pureeing the spinach.
* You can add any meat you like to this, just cook it partially and add after pureeing the spinach. I don't think chicken goes well with it, but you can try it if you want.

Veggie Skewers

Zucchini, sliced
Yellow Summer Squash
Fresh Mushrooms
Peppers
Red Onion
1/3 C. Olive Oil
2 T. Lemon Juice
1 1/2 t. Dried Basil
1 1/2 t. Dried Parsley Flakes
3/4 t. Garlic Powder
3/4 t. Dried Oregano
1/2 t. Salt
1/8 t. Pepper

Place veggies and remainder of the ingredients in a ziplock bag and marinate for 1 or more hours. (I usually like to marinate overnight.) Place on skewers and barbeque.

*This recipe is great to use in tin-foil dinners too.

Lipton Vegetables

6-8 potatoes
bell peppers
carrots
celery
onion

Cut up whatever combination of vegetables you like. Mix 1 packet Lipton herb and garlic soup mix with 1/3 c. olive oil. Pour over vegetables and stir well to coat. Bake @ 425 for 35 minutes or Bake @ 350 for 1 ½ hours.

Creole Red Beans and Rice

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings

Put rice on if you don't have some already made. I use rice a lot in our meals so I make all the rice I am going to use for the week the first time I need it. Then it just takes a few minutes to heat it up instead of getting to the end of my cooking and realizing I should have put the rice on because now if I put it one it will be done after everyone is finished eating.

3 Tbl olive oil
1 lg onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c chopped bell pepper
1 stalk celery, with leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbl chili powder
1/2 tsp thyme
two 15 oz cans red kidney beans rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
4 1/2 c cooked rice

In large skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook the onions, garlic, pepper and celery in the oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the salt, cumin, chili powder, and thyme and stir to combine.

Add the beans and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for several minutes until the beans are hot, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Add the rice to the bean mixture and mix all the ingredients together well. Cook for about 5 min to heat the rice through before serving.

Pasta Primavera

Prep time: 15 min
Cook tome: less then 15 min
Yield: 6 servings

1 Tbl olive oil
1 med onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally in 1/4 in pieces
1 med zucchini, sliced
1 med carrot, sliced very thin
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 Tbl chopped fresh basil
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb hot cooked fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

In a large skillet,heat olive oil. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.

Add the asparagus, zucchini, carrot and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add the milk, broth, and basil and cook over high heat until the liquid boils. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add the peas and green onions. Simmer for 1 minute.

Add the salt and black pepper and then add the pasta, cheese and nuts, tossing until the ingredients are well mixed. Serve immediately.

Colossal Chopped Salad

1 package 16 oz, Cooked Penne pasta
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
(About 6 cups)
1 small head broccoli chopped (1 cup)
1 large carrot, cut into julienne strips (½ cup)
½ cup sliced red onion
2 plum tomatoes
1 can pitted ripe olives
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (not the green can!)
1 cup Italian or ranch salad dressing (I like Olive Garden Italian Dressing!)

Cooking Dried Beans

The Presoak: Soak your beans in cold water over night, without salt. In the morning give them a rinse and put fresh water in the pot for cooking.

The Salting: Wait until your beans are completely tender before adding salt. Salt can make the tenderizing process not happen.

The Water: If you have hard water, your beans may not soften. Used bottled water if that is the case, or add some baking soda (1 tsp per quart).

The Age: Old beans mean tough beans. Make sure you buy your beans fresh and that they're from a market with a good turnover. Otherwise those beans may stay as hard as granit- even if you diligently apply all these fine steps.

I cook 2 pounds of beans at a time and then separate about 2 cups into each bag and freeze them. Just pull them out the night before you need them and put them in the fridge. Or you can quick thaw it in cold water for 15 minutes.

Veggie Chili

Time 14 min or less

2 Tbl oil
2 lg onions diced
1-3 cloves garlic crushed
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 lg can kidney beans (not drained)
2 carrots diced
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen diced green peppers
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 Tbl water
2 cups cooked pasta (elbow, little shells, etc.)

Put pasta water on to boil and cook pasta as soon as it boils. It can sit and wait for the chili if necessary.

In a big skillet or soup pot, fry onion and garlic in oil. Add carrots, tomatoes and some of the liquid from the beans, cook 2-3 min to get carrots softening, add beans and cook until carrots are just soft... a little firm is fine. Add everything else and heat to bubbling hot- watch it now, this is when it is likely to stick! Lower heat if necessary but try not to add any more liquid.

Put the drained pasta in a bowl and add chili to liked proportions (we like 1/3 pasta, 2/3 chili). The rest of the chili can be used as leftovers. Can add cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc for topping.

Serve with salad and a handful of tortilla chips if you have them on hand.

Mexican-Style Pasta Bake

Salsa, cumin, and cilantro give this one-dish meal south-of-the-border flair. You can make it in individual servings or in a 3-quart baking dish, depending on the size of your dinner crowd.

Prep: 35 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes

Ingredients

12 ounces dried bow tie pasta (about 5 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried cilantro, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups milk
6 ounces Colby cheese, cubed
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz.)
1 cup bottled salsa
2/3 cup halved pitted green and/or ripe olives
Chili powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Butter six 12- to 16-ounce individual casserole dishes (or one 3-quart baking dish); set aside. In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pan. In a large saucepan cook onion and sweet pepper in butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, salt, cilantro, and cumin. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Colby cheese and 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Pour over drained pasta; stir to combine.
2. Layer half of the pasta mixture, all of the salsa, and the remaining pasta mixture in the prepared casseroles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and olives. Sprinkle lightly with chili powder. Bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly around edges and heated through. (If using large casserole, bake in a 400 degree F oven about 20 minutes.) Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

This ultra-hearty spin on classic mac 'n' cheese features blue and mozzarella cheeses, bacon, and onion. Try it with cavatelli or campanelle for a change of pace from elbow macaroni.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 strips bacon
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
6 oz. dry elbow macaroni
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 to 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.
2. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings for 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and golden brown. Set aside.
3. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and place in a 1-1/2-quart casserole. Add the crumbled bacon, onions, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the blue cheese, half-and half, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir gently. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until top of casserole is brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

Summer Succotash

Here is another one from our ward newsletter.

2 Cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 Can butter beans
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/2 Cup red onion, diced
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 Tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix veggies together, add vinegar and oil along with the salt and pepper to taste.

Spanakopita

This recipe is by no means easy but definitely worth it. It is always the center of attention at get-togethers or parties!

SPANAKOPITA

A delicious Greek Pastry

1 clove Garlic
¼ cup butter (for garlic, spinach mixture)
1 cup butter (melted on low for basting)
1 package spinach
1 package phyllo dough—found in the freezer section of your grocery store. (needs to be fully thawed before starting)
1-2 packages feta cheese

Finely chop garlic, then sauté on Medium Heat with ¼ cup butter. Once garlic begins to brown, add spinach. Cook until spinach is done, approximately 7 minutes. Leave spinach mix on stove on Low Heat. Melt 1 cup butter in a separate pan on low heat. Keep heat on low and move on to dough.

Keep the phyllo dough in the fridge until ready to use because once it is open, it will begin to dry out. Keep your unused strips covered with a damp towel or cloth. Phyllo dough is very thin so when you work with it you will need to be careful not to tear it. Pull one layer of Phyllo dough apart
from the pack and lay it flat across the counter. With a basting brush, baste dough with the melted butter from the stove. Do this with two more layers so you've formed a 3 layer sheet. Cut dough into 2-3 inch strips.
Add spoonful of spinach mix at the top of the phyllo strip. Then continue folding in triangles down to the bottom of the strip in a triangle shape. (See image) The closing edge should stick to seal the triangle; if it doesn't, just apply a little of the melted butter to the edge and seal it up.

Place on cookie sheet, then baste with butter after the strip is formed. Check them at about 15-20 minutes. Use a wooden toothpick to test the center. Essentially, what you're after is for the cheese to be melted and the layers of phyllo cooked. This is delicious warm, but many prefer it at room temperature. (Personally I like it a few minutes out of the oven!)

Stuffed Avocados

This is kind of like an aggrandized version of guacamole but more filling. It tastes good by itself or you can serve it as a dip with tortilla chips, which go really well with it. You can make it in advance just mix everything together but not the avocados, leave them whole until right before serving.

Difficulty level: easy
Total preparation time: 10 min if you use precooked chicken

2 Avocados
1 onion diced
2 tomatoes diced
4 oz cooked chicken diced (the cans, rotisserie, or leftover chicken works great)
2 boiled eggs diced
2 Tbl Mayo

Cut the avacados in half and take out the pit. Then scrap out all of the avacado into a bowl, save the shells. Add the rest of the incredients and mix well till it all creams together. For individual servings, dish the "stuffing" back into the avacado shells. Serve on a plate with a spoon and tortilla chips. You can also serve the hole thing together without the shells in a bowl for buffet style.

Veggitarian: leave out chicken

Black bean soup

1 can GOYA black bean soup (its the red can.)
cumin or chili powder

Heat soup and seasonings till hot, (the more cumin the spicier it gets :)) serve over rice with sour cream on top. We like fresh tortillas on the side or as a wrap. Goes well with a salad or veggies and dip.

Prep time: abt 2 min, Cook time: abt 5-10 min --depending on your stove.