December 2009--Baked Ziti

I don't know what it is about cold weather and comfort food, but this recipe always satisfies my need for a warm, hearty meal. The other bonus about this dish is that it makes a lot--a good option for feeding guests.

* 1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
* 2 (28 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
* 6 oz. (about 6 deli slices) provolone cheese
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 1/2 cups sour cream
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of provolone. Spread the sour cream over the provolone slices. Top with half the mozarella.
4. Cover with remaining pasta, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese over the top
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

November 2009--Spinach Artichoke Calzones

I got this recipe from an Italian cooking class I took at church (technically it is a Rachael Ray recipe). So wonderful...We've made them several times. This makes about 8 calzones--you can use your own pizza dough recipe if you are opposed to canned dough. (I've done both, depending on how much time I have).

2 cups part skim rocotta
A few pinches of nutmeg
1/2 cup Parmigian cheese (freshly grated is wonderful!)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 (15 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Olive Oil
2 cups tomato sauce, marinara, or pizza sauce for dipping
4 (10 oz) tubes refrigerated pizza dough

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine first 7 ingredients into a bowl. Roll each pizza dough out on a cookie sheet, and halve each cross-wise. Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 cup of filling on each rectangle. Work on just half of the surface of each rectangle of dough, then fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges to firmly seal. Brush tops of calzones with olive oil.Bake calzones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato or pizza sauce for dunking.

October 2009--Applesauce Muffins

I got this recipe from Lindsay's blog. I've lost count of how many times I have made them. They are so simple and can be made with items I usually have around anyway. Did I mention they are seriously yummy?

Applesauce Muffins
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (16 oz) applesauce (or about 1 1/2 cups)
nuts, chopped (optional)
Cinnamon

Mix together all ingredients except nuts. Grease or line muffin tins. Fill 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops of muffins with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
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September 2009--Tamale Pie

I nervously made this for the missionaries the other day and they loved it! (Or said they did, they are kind of obligated to be polite.) I love this recipe too. It's from this great cookbook called The New Laurel's Kitchen--it's a great book if you are looking for meatless recipes.

TAMALE PIE
The New Laurel’s Kitchen
Tamale Pie is a satisfying main dish that can take a lot of variation. If you have a double boiler, you can start the polenta cooking first, stirring it only occasionally. (In a regular pan it is likely to burn if left to itself while you prepare the filling.)

FILLING
1 onion, chopped
2 T tomato paste
1 clove garlic
1 T oil
½ cup fresh corn (I defrosted some frozen corn)
2 t chili powder
½ green pepper, chopped
½ t cumin
½ cup chopped celery
2 cups cooked pinto or kidney beans ( I used one can kidney beans)
1 t salt (less if beans were salted)

CRUST
3 cups boiling water
1 t salt
1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal or 1 1/2 cups regular cornmeal
½ t chili powder
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or more (I used more, mmmm)

Saute onion and garlic in oil. When nearly soft, add chili powder (and cumin, if desired) and crush garlic with a fork. Continue to cook and stir until spices are fragrant. Meantime, mash beans and mix them and the tomato paste into the onion, along with the other filling ingredients. When hot, adjust seasonings and set aside.
Stir cornmeal slowly into boiling water. (If you use regular cornmeal instead of coarse it is likely to lump: stir it first into 1 cup cold water, then into 2 cups boiling water.) Cook and stir until thick, adding the salt and chili powder once the mixture come to a boil.
Grease an 8"x8" pan and spread two thirds of the cornmeal mixture over the bottom and sides; then pour the bean mixture into this cornmeal crust and drop and spread the remaining third of the cornmeal on the top. (Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover completely.) Sprinkle the top crust with grated cheddar cheese and cook in a 350F oven for half an hour. Serves 4 generously.

AUGUST 2009--Red Pepper Pasta

So fast, so heavenly.....Satisfies my obsession with red peppers and Kam's obsession with sour cream and Parmesan cheese.

Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
2 red bell peppers, julienned
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.Meanwhile, spray cooking oil in a large skillet and saute red bell peppers and garlic over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and broth; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
5. Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Yield: Four servings

July 2009--Vegetarian Taco Soup

This is my favorite quick dinner--so fast it feels like I didn't make it. And so yummy!

VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP

1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can corn
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 packet taco seasoning
Baked Tostidos
Sour cream and cheddar cheese to garnish

These are the time consuming directions:
Open all the cans and pour into a pot (I drain almost all the liquid off the beans but keep a little to make it more "soupy"). Add the taco seasoning. Warm it up. Put Baked Tostidos into individual serving bowls. Ladle the soup over the chips and top with sour cream and cheese.

Viola! Dinner is done. (And yes, for you carnivores, you can add a pound of beef or chicken).

June 2009--Oatmeal Waffles and Pancakes

I got this amazing oatmeal waffle recipe from Erin's blog and have made them over and over. I went to a healthy breakfast class and got a recipe for oatmeal pancakes that was almost identical to the waffle recipe, but nice to have if I want pancakes instead. Top with berries and whip cream, or some good ol' Mrs. Butterworth's.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Waffles

1 c. oats
1 1/8 c. milk
1 heaping TB brown sugar
2 eggs
2TB canola oil
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

In a medium sized bowl, pour milk over oats. Let soften for 5 minutes. Add sugar, eggs, and oil. Mix well. Add dry ingredients, stir. Pour over lightly buttered waffle iron and cook until golden brown.


Oatmeal Pancakes

1 1/4 c. milk
1 c. rolled oats
1 TB oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 TB brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine milk and oats in a bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes. Add the oil and beaten eggs, mixing well; stir in flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cook on griddle using 1/4 c. batter for each pancake. Makes 8-10 4" pancakes

May 2009- Black Bean Lasagna

I make this dish a lot when I have guests over. I'm always nervous that people will think my food is "weird" so I stick to the tried and true when company comes. This is a recipe that people always say they like (and it seems sincere). It is also one of the first vegetarian recipes I started making. Give it a try--you won't be sorry.

Black Bean Lasagna 10 no-cook lasagna noodles 2 cups spaghetti sauce 1 cup salsa 1 tsp. EACH cumin & minced garlic 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 15 oz. ricotta cheese, lowfat 1 egg 1/4 c. skim milk 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese Directions: Combine sauce, salsa, cumin, garlic and beans. Combine ricotta, egg, milk and Parmesan. Layer in a 9x13 pan, starting with a thin layer of sauce, noodles, ricotta, more sauce, then cheese. Repeat to make 3 layers. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. You can also use regular noodles, simply cook before proceeding with recipe.

April 2009--Three Cheese Calzones

THREE CHEESE CALZONES

I love recipes that look fancy but are super fast and easy to make. Kameron loves these calzones; he asks me to make them all the time.

Yield: 4 Calzones

1 (10 oz) can refrigerated pizza dough

1 (15 oz) can pizza sauce

1 c. (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. (4 oz) non-fat or part skim ricotta cheese

1/4 c. (1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese

Any vegetables you would like to add. I usually dice up some green pepper, mushrooms, and onion.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Unroll pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four equal portions. Press or roll out each portion into a 6" or 7" circle.

Spread 2 TB of the pizza sauce onto each circle within 1/2" of the edge. Favoring one side, top each with 1/4 c. mozzarella, 2 TB ricotta, 1 TB Parmesan, and vegetables. Fold over the other side, pressing edges tightly to seal. Cut three slits in the dough on top of each calzone. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. While the calzones are baking, warm the rest of the pizza sauce and serve over the calzones.

March 2009--Granola and Granola Bars

I recently went to a cooking class about making your own healthy breakfast foods. I loved this recipe for granola--especially because honey was used as the sweetener and there was no oil. It was also dirt cheap to make and Kameron loved it. Give it a try!

Granola

8 cups rolled oats (I used half quick oats and half rolled oats)
1/2 bag coconut (about 7-8 oz)
1 cup nuts (I use pecans--yum!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup honey (you can use less if you want less clumps--about 1/2 cup)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1-2 cups raisins or dried cranberries (don't add raisins until after granola is baked)

Combine all ingredients except the raisins or cranberries. Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly toasted brown on top. Let it cool completely then spread raisins or cranberries over the top. They will get mixed in as you use a spatula to put granola into an airtight container. There are many ingredients that you can add to the basic recipe above for more protein or fiber such as: oat bran, wheat bran, whole or ground flax seeds, sesame seeds, dry milk powder, etc.



Granola Bars




I got this recipe for granola bars from Jenny in my ward who taught a class this month on food storage. We were able to sample some recipes that were made from food storage items. I made these granola bars for the class and then made another batch tonight--I highly recommend these. They taste like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but I feel better about eating them because they're labeled "granola bars." It's gotta be healthy, right?

Granola Bars

• 2 cups oats
• 1 cup brown sugar--you can reduce the amount of sugar; I usually use a 1/2 c.
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup honey
• Mix-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc. I used 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup coconut, 1/2 c. sunflower seeds, and 1/4 c. wheat germ.
  

Mix all the ingredients and press into greased 11x13 pan. Dough will be very dry and crumbly, but press until dough forms with pan. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes or until edges are browned. Take out and let cool entirely. Hint: Cut the granola bars before they are completely cool. They get stiffer as they cool and harder to cut! I made this mistake the first time and was trying the chisel the granola bars into strips.

February 2009--Vegetarian Korma

For Christmas Eve, the Barnett side of the family ordered Indian food. It was absolutely amazing and I have been craving korma ever since. I found this great recipe for vegetarian korma. It is wonderful. Please try:

Vegetarian Korma (serve over rice)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, cubed
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish


DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, and cashews. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and coconut milk into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro to serve.

Recipe and picture came from allrecipes.com

January 2009

My brother got me a great cookbook for Christmas called Quick Fix Vegetarian. Here is my favorite recipe from it so far. It is fast and easy to make. We have made them twice this week. Think mashed potatoes, peas, curry, mmm...

Potato "Dosadillas"

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced scallions or onion
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry paste or powder, plus additional to taste
4 large whole wheat tortillas

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the scallions and cook until softened. Add the potatoes, peas, and curry paste and cook until well mixed and hot. If you like spicy food, add a little more curry to taste.

Divide the mixture evenly over half of each of the tortillas. Fold the tortillas over and place them, two at a time, in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Keep them warm while you cook the remaining dosadillas. Serve them whole to be cut with a knife and fork, or cut them into wedges to eat out of hand.

Note: If you don't have cooked potatoes on hand, you can quickly microwave them and then simply mash them with a potato masher, adding salt and pepper and a little margarine. In a pinch, instant mashed potatoes can also be used (the curry flavor will mask the "instant potato" taste.