Dry lasagna noodles

Submitted by Kimberly Felix 

Ingredients: 

1 jar spaghetti sauce (or equivalent homemade sauce)

3 C cottage cheese

2 eggs

1 T parsley flakes

2-3 C mixed cheese (mozarella, parmesan, cheddar, your favorite)

What to Do:

Beat the eggs into the cottage cheese. Mix in parsley flakes.

Layer 3 times--

Noodles broken to fit bottom of pot

1/3 of your sauce

1 C cottage cheese mixture

1/3 of your cheese

Cook on high 1 hour, then turn to low for 3 hours, or leave on medium setting whole time.

Optional: Add in any extra lasagna favorites you might have. I have done spinach and olives, but I'm sure mushrooms or sausage would also be good.

Creamy cauliflower bisque

Submitted by Dede Russo

 Ingredients:

2 cans vegetable broth

1 pound cauliflower florets

1 pound white potatoes

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 ground red pepper

1 cup evaporated milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

Shredded cheddar cheese

Italian parsley

Green onions

In a crock pot combine all top ingredients and once cooked add with evaporated milk and blend until creamy. Top with topping when served.

Sexton Spinach Balls

submitted by Allie Jones

Ingredients:

2 packages chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 cups Pepperidge Farm (or similar) Herb Stuffing Mix
2 onions (chopped fine)
3/4 cup (yes 1.5 sticks) butter, melted
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp minced garlic
(shouldn't need salt but you can add a dash or 2 if you like)

What you do:

mix all ingredients and chill for a while.  Form small balls and put in container and freeze.  When needed, bake at 375 degrees , turning once.  When done, let cool and serve.

Arugula Salad Dressing

posted by Kimberly Felix

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. white wine vinegar

1/2 t. dijon mustard

1/2 t. honey

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 T. olive oil

Whisk together everything but the olive oil.  Then, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while you whisk.  Adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve over arugula with parmesan shavings.

* Optionally, you can use all lemon juice and no vinegar if you want a more lemony dressing.

This makes enough for probably around six servings? I'm not sure. I doubled it for that huge bowl at the party.

Allie’s sweet/yam/parsnip mash/fry/bake

Submitted by Allie Jones

Ingredients

·         1 stick butter J

·         2 large-ish red onions, thinly sliced

·         4 cloves garlic. minced

·         2 tablespoons (loose!, or could do 2 tsp packed) brown sugar

·         2  sweet potatoes, cubed (skins stay on)

·         2 yams, cubed (skins on)

·         2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices or pieces

·         1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or veggie broth, heated

·         2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (or ~ 1.5 to 2 tsp, dried)

·         Parmesan cheese

What to do:

In a large skillet over med-high heat, cook onions and garlic with ½ of the butter and all the sugar, stirring occasionally, until onions brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If you need to, you can add a few tablespoons of water as you cook to keep onions from sticking or burning. Take about 1/3 of your parsnips and yams/potatoes and put them in a separate skillet with the other half of the butter, and also cook over med-high heat (uncovered), for also about 20-25 min until they are nicely fried (brown) in butter.  Fill a medium stockpot ¾ full with water. Add the rest of the yams, potatoes and parsnips; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes and parsnips are fork-tender (also 20 to 25 minutes), then drain. Put the parsnips/tatoes into a large bowl and mash with a masher.  Have the warm broth nearby and use as needed to get a nice creamy consistency (but you shouldn’t use all of it). Add thyme, additional salt if you want (to taste) and some pepper.  Now fold in the caramelized onions and the fried up potatoes, yams and parsnips.  Resist temptation to mash any more.  Put it all in a large casserole dish.  Grate parmesan on the top, and put in broiler long enough to crust/brown the cheese on top.  Serve.  Should serve at least 8 if not 12 I think.

Cajun Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by Kimberly Faerber

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Brush each half with olive oil. Rub the seasoning mix over the cut surface of each half. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, or in a shallow pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven until tender, or about 1 hour.

Corn Okra Creole Recipe

Submitted by Joe and Dede Russo

YIELD: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped green pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn or 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole-kernel corn

• 1-1/2 cups fresh sliced okra or 1 package (16 ounces) frozen okra

• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (1-1/2 cups)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• Salt to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional Directions In a large skillet, saute green pepper and onion in oil until tender. Add corn and okra; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, salt, pepper and pepper sauce if desired. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Fried  Green Tomatoes (From Allrecipies.com)

Brought to Blog by Allie Jones

Original recipe makes 4 servings

4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Plenty of olive oil

Directions

1.    Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.

2.    Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate (note to RED group – for our southern/Cajuun night I added some Cayenne and paprika to the plate). Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture on plate to completely coat.

3.    In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is ¼ to 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium/high heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side till that side ia also brown. Drain them on paper towels.

Allie's  cream cheese stuffed grilled peppers

Submitted by Allie Jones

I don't really have a recipe - I just finely chop up some white onion (so
like a 'handfull worth shopped) and garlic (Maybe one big clove? Or 2?),
sauté them in olive oil, and then mix them into a chunk of (block, but not
cold) softened cream cheese, with a healthy dash of cumin and salt.  Then
cut tops of chiles - Anaheim best -  and gets seeds out, then use a narrow                                                           spoon or small cheese spreader to get the stuff in there, cap them with tinfoil                                                           held with a toothpick, and grill both sides on med high grill till blackened on both
sides

Grilled Corn with Spicy Miso Butter

Submitted by Joe Russo

serves serves 4, active time 35 minutes, total time 40 minutes

• For the Miso Butter:
• 8 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 tablespoon white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 4 ears corn
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

(Joe didn't include cooking instructions, so assume you mix up the sauce and serve it with however you like to cook your corn - boiled or on grill)

Sarah's energy bars

Put into a cuisanart:

2 cups dried cherries
2 cups halved cashews (can be salted or not - I use a blend of both kinds.  If you go with unsalted I would throw in a few dashes of salt)
3 tblsp coconut oil
3 scoops protein powder
a healthy dash of cinnamon

Cuise.  scoop mixture into a pan or baking dish and press into it till flat.  Freeze for a little while.  Then cut into squares and "roll them" in a plate of powdered sugar (or half powdered sugar half flour).  Then put squares into a container in the freezer and store there until you're ready to take them out for your exercise bouts.

Black Bean & Feta Dep

Submitted by Becca, but I took it from here...http://dainty-chef.com/2012/02/black-bean-feta-dip.html


Ingredients:
2 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans shoe peg corn (drained)
8 oz. feta cheese
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped) – optional
½ cup sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup vegetable oil
Garlic – to taste
Salt – to taste
Pepper – to taste

What you’ll do:
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Source: Patty Jarnigan

Buddha Balls

Submitted by Allie Jones

Actually, in the Moosewood cookbook – it is called “Buddha’s jewels”

Ingredients

Dumplings:
36 ounces firm tofu , mashed 
2 tablespoons peanut butter 
3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos 
8 scallions , chopped 
1 green pepper , diced 
1 1/2 cups mushrooms , chopped 
1/4 cup water chestnuts , diced 
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups juice , see note 
1/4 cup cider vinegar 
1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos 
1 garlic clove , minced 
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

-Preheat oven to 375.
-In a large bowl mix all dumpling ingredients. Shape into 2 dozen 2-in balls and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed generously with non-stick cooking spray.
-Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until golden and firm. 
-Combine all the sauce ingredients except corn starch and cold water in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water and then stir in and simmer. Continue to stir until thickened and clear. Pour over dumplings and serve immediately. 
-Can serve with rice and steamed veggies. 
-Makes four generous servings (6 meatballs in a serving)

NOTES:
-For the juice: You can use orange, pineapple, or apple (or a combination) I use straight pineapple juice.
-The tofu should be firm or extra firm and water-packed. Silken tofu is too soft for the meatballs to keep their shape.
-Braggs Liquid Aminos: can be found at a health food store. It’s a wheat free version of soy sauce

Tofu/Vegis Teriyaki Kabobs

Submitted by Allie Jones

(NOTE: Either night before or morning of get things soaking in the terriyaki marinade for best results!)

about a dozen kabob skewers

1 rather large or 2 smaller containers tofu (maybe a pound total?)

1 red bell pepper

1 gr bell pepper

1 can pineapple (already chopped into cubes best)

one white onion

veg oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup mirin

2 cloves garlic 

ginger root (frozen), grated enough to make about 1 tsp, packed

Start with tofu - (don't need to press for this recipe) cut into about 1 inch cubes.  you need to firm it up to make sure it doesn't disintegrate from the skewers on the grill.  The best way to do this is to fry it.  Start tofu simmering in a generous splash of oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.  You might want to cover to keep oil from splattering, but not necessary.  Only need to fry two sides of cubes  (but try to make those sides be the ones with most surface area, if the cubes are not perfect cubes).  Flip when underside is a light golden brown (remove when both sides of all cubes are light golden brown).  

While tofu is cooking you can chop rest of veggies and prep the terriyaki sauce.  Chop all veggies into ~ 1 inch pieces so will fit on skewers The basic terriyaki recipe is 3 parts soy sauce to 2 parts white sugar to 1 part mirin.  For this recipe I would use a 1/4 cup for those parts (see exact measurements above).  Put these 3 ingredients in a sauce pan on low heat to melt sugar.  While that's happening finely mince the garlic and grate the frozen ginger and stir those in - as soon as sugar is melted its done.  Put in a glass jar and put in freezer for a bit, b/c you don't want to immediately add the boiling sauce to your veggies to marinade b/c it will start cooking them.

Put all veggies (but I would hold off on the pineapple for now) into one large ziploc, put all tofu cubes in another.  Add enough of the cooled T. sauce to each baggie so the veggies/tofu are more-or-less covered up with sauce (you will have extra T. sauce - which is good to have around - especially for marinating salmon for the grill - FYI).  I reckon you will use between 1/2 to 2/3 of all your sauce for this recipe between the two bags.  Place bags in fridge until time to assemble kabobs

When time to assemble kabobs, add pineapple to the marinating veggie bag and start soaking the skewers and give both things about 15-30 minutes.  Then pre-heat your grill to med heat.  If you forget to soak the skewers or only have a minute to soak them, its OK just line the top and bottom of the grill with aluminum foil to keep the very top and bottom (exposed, without veggies) parts of the skewer from burning.  Grill for about 6-8 minutes, flip over once to grill other side for same amt of time, and serve (for people who like extra sauce on their kabobs you can use the extra terriyaki sauce to drizzle on them, or even a sweet thai chili sauce for a nice compliment, but they shouldn't really need either)

Edamame Succotosh

Submitted by Becca Leeper via Cooking Light

My notes:  Because I didn't have fresh ingredients available, so I used frozen white and yellow corn, a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, and dried basil not fresh.  I used olive oil instead of butter and to keep it a vegetarian meal I omitted the bacon.  Otherwise I followed the instructions.  Enjoy!!!

Edamame Succotash

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro

Worthy of a special occasion

Rate and Review | Read Reviews (18)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Total: 30 Minutes

Cost per Serving: $2.47

Recipe from

Ingredients

• 1 slice center-cut bacon 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 cups chopped sweet onion 
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 
• 3 tablespoons torn basil

1. Preparation
2. 1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.
3. 2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil.

Mushrooms Berkeley from 'The Vegetarian Epicure'

Submitted by Allie Jones

This one actually holds a special place in my heart – someone gave me the great cookbook – “the Vegetarian Epicure” in college (this is also where that  great tomato-eggplant casserole recipe I made for RED came from), and sophomore year my room-mate Kathy decided to make the mushrooms Berkeley (b/c she is from Berkeley), and also Sophomore year we started the community cooking thing, where each of the 4 girls we lived with cooked for the rest one night a week.  Though the other room-mates changed over time, I lived with Kathy for 3 years, and at least once a month – sometimes twice, she would make the mushrooms Berkeley with brown rice, broccoli with Hollandaise and garlic bread – a standard ritual all the way through senior year…so whenever I make it I think of her! 

Anyhow, here it is – 

Mushrooms Berkeley (from “the Vegetarian Epicure”)

1 lb fresh mushrooms (any kind but the standard, white “button” shrooms work great)

2 sm-med bell peppers

1 very large white onion

1/2 cup butter

(sauce) :

2 Tbs Dijon mustard

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

½ cup brown sugar

Fresh-ground black pepper and salt

¾ cup mellow red table wine (when I don’t have red wine around  but do have some sort of dark, hearty beer - like a Porter – this substitution works great.  Also for people who prefer to cook alcohol free – non-alcoholic beer also works well.  But remember the alcohol all cooks off in the process, so really the end result is alcohol free for those that are curious about that)

Wash the shrooms and, unless, they are super small, cut them in either halves or quarters, depending on size.  Stem and seed the bell peppers and cut them into 1-inch squares.  Also chop onion into about 1-inch pieces.  Melt the butter in large sauce pan or skillet over med-high heat and sauté onion until transparent.  Then add peppers and shrooms and let it all simmer in the butter.

Then  make sauce – mix the mustard, sugar, and W. sauce into a paste.  Then add wine, lots of pepper, and maybe just a little salt.  Add sauce to sauté, and simmer over medium heat for at least 45 minutes, until sauce is reduced and thickened, and the mushrooms begin to look very dark and evil looking.  This dish works well alone or over brown rice, and is a nice compliment to turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

Cucumber Salad

Submitted by Russos

2 Cucumbers diced

3 Tomatoes diced

1 Zucchini diced

1 large green pepper diced

3 oz. Feta cheese

1 cup Greek salad dressing

 

Toss together and serve cold.

Coconut Rice

Submitted by Kimberly Felix
via http://allrecipes.com/recipe/asian-coconut-rice/detail.aspx

Ingredients:
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice

Directions:

• In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt.  
• Stir until sugar is dissolved.  
• Stir in rice.  
• Bring to a boil over medium heat.  
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18-20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Red Bell Pepper Sauce

Submitted by Allie Jones

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Red bell peppers
• Pat of butter, and/or olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• Fresh rosemary and thyme (preferably – but dried is also OK)
• One small container shipping cream (or about ¼ - 1/3 cup ½ & ½ , if you want to go lower cal
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• salt

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  
• Roast Peppers:  line a cookie sheet with Alum. foil to make clean-up easier.  Drizzle foil with some olive oil.  Cut all the peppers in half, but leave stems and everything on them.  Put them face-down on the cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes (or until the skins begin to blacken and blister – just keep checking – you want to make sure they are pretty thoroughly roasted).  
• While peppers are roasting heat some butter and/or olive oil in a small skillet and chop up the rosemary & thyme and mince garlic and sauté it all until garlic JUST begins to brown then remove from heat.  
• When peppers are done, stem and seed them, and put them into the blender or cuisanart, along with the butter/garlic/herb sauté, the red pepper flakes, cream (use as much of the small container of whipping cream as you dare…usually you don’t want to go over about 1/3 of a cup I think), and salt to taste.  
• Blend it all up and serve immediately, while still hot, over your favorite just-drained pasta (linguine or spaghetti is my favorite with this sauce)

Orzo with Fava Beans and Carrots

Submitted by Kimberly Felix

Ingredients:
1 C shredded carrot
1/2-1 C shelled fava beans
2 T butter
1 C orzo pasta
1 1/2 C water
1 1/4 C chicken broth
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
2 T green onion tops (whoops, forgot these!)

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo and carrots. Saute until orzo is golden, about 5 minutes. A wather, and broth. Cook uncovered over medium heat until all liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 15-20 minutes. Add fava beans for the last 5 minutes of cook time. When orzo is finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.