Val's Sunsugar Salsa

And THIS one is the one I love! I think I realized I haven't really loved recipes because I don't really love salsa. I made this one up and LOVE it. But it isn't spicy at all. It also uses a cherry-like tomato called a Sunsugar. This is an amazingly delicious little tomato I highly recommend you grow. Literally everyone I know who I have try it starts growing it themselves.

Sunsugar Salsa

Sunsugars (I don't know how many)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 green onions (or other onions if you want)
3-5 garlic cloves (we went for 5)
some garlic salt
some sugar

LaDene's Fresh Salsa

LaDene's Fresh Salsa

3-4 chopped tomatoes (10 Roma)
1-2 green onions
2 cans chopped green chilies (6 fresh chilies or 3 garden salsa peppers)
1 T Cider Vinegar
1 T oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 garlic cloves chopped
little sugar
little regular salt 

[from Valerie]

Zesty Fresh Salsa

Zesty Fresh Salsa

 Cucumber

Onion

Tomatoes

Green pepper

garlic

cilantro

fat free Zesty Italian salad dressing (Zesty makes all the difference)

salt & pepper

[from Jenny]

Sue's Salsa

I don't have recipe for this, but here is what I do:

5-6 Roma Tomatoes
Red onion (1/2- whole depending on size and how much onion you like)
A head of clianto- pull off leaves
Cumin, Garlic Salt, and Lime to taste
1 jalapeno (depends on if you like spice or not)

Put it in the food processor and puree until you like the consistance

For a variation: you can add a can of fire roasted romatoes along with the roma tomatoes to make fire roasted salsa. Yummy! Just make sure to add in some extra spices and onion if you add the extra can of fire roasted tomatoes.


[from Sue]

Texas-Style Salsa

Texas-Style Salsa

2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large purple onion, halved
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
2 cans chopped green chiles

Add first 5 ingredients to food processor and process until chopped. Add chiles; pulse once or until mixture is combined.

[from Tracy]

Sweet Potato-Cauliflower Soup

Sweet Potato-Cauliflower Soup

olive oil

1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes (I don’t peel mine, but feel free to do so if you wish)

2 cups cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces

6 cups vegetable stock/broth

1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 stems of kale, deveined and torn into small pieces

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 sea salt

dash cinnamon (optional–I love cinnamon and the subtle sweetness it adds to savory dishes)

In a large soup pot, heat a few swirls of olive oil over medium heat (about 2 tablespoons?  I didn’t measure).  Add your onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the sweet potato and stir so it is coated with some of the oil.  Allow to cook about 5 minutes.  Add the cauliflower, stock, parsley, thyme, and salt and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer about 25-30 minutes.  Add the black beans and kale and cook another 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the dash of cinnamon and serve.

[from Maryea]

Chicken

Here's one that's low fat, easy and tasty (and really adaptable to whatever spices you like or have on hand):

- put 6 chicken pieces (I use boneless skinless thighs), salt and peppered in a casserole dish.

- mix a can of Campbells Half Fat mushroom soup in a bowl (don't add any water) with a minced garlic clove and a generous few scoops of frozen corn or peas (or whatever you like).

- stir and spread over chicken

-cover and cook at around 375/400 for about 45-60 minutes.

Serve over rice, couscous, egg noodles...whatever you have.

voila!

[from busybee74]

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Just made my fav chicken meal tonight for friends.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 (ish) Chicken breasts (flatten w/ meat tenderizer) 

1 package of cream cheese

1 garlic clove

1 palmful of oregano

1 package of deli ham

1 cup (ish) of milk

1 cup of bread crumbs

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese with garlic and oregano. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Put milk in bowl. After you flatten the chicken, place ham on top, and put a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on the ham. Roll up the stuffed chicken, using toothpicks to secure the chicken. Dip the chicken roll into the milk then dip into the bread crumb mixture. Place onto greased (spray) baking pan. Bake for 30 mins or until it's done. *Note that the chicken may have a pink color from the ham even though it may be done. 

I usually serve it with rice and green beans (tonight I also made squash - yum!) Enjoy!

[from Rene']

BAKED TERIYAKI CHICKEN

This is a good one

BAKED TERIYAKI CHICKEN ****

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar (I use about 1/4)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar (I used vinegar and a 1/4 of a cider drink packet!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

3. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish (lined with foil). Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

5. Reserve 3/4 cup sauce for stir fry veggies.

6. Serve with rice (OF COURSE!)

[from improvingmama]

Butternut Squash with Polenta

Tonight we had butternut squash w/ polenta (the butternut squash alone is a great side dish if you want meat as your main course)


Here's the squash recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced (depending on the size of the squash)
• olive oil (enough to coat)
• parm cheese (as much as you like!)

1. Peel, seed, and cut the squash into 1-inch pieces
2. In a large bowl, toss the squash with enough olive oil to coat to squash, then add garlic and toss to mix well.
3. Put squash mixture into a baking dish (I use 9X13) and sprinkle with parm cheese. (Use more if you like a crunchy top, less if not)
4. Bake uncovered for 45 min.-1 hour, until soft but not mushy.

I serve it on top of a bed of polenta, but again it's great alone as a side dish.

 
[from Maryea]

tenderloin with broccoli and sweet potatoes

mmmmm tonight we had tenderloin with broccoli and sweet potatoes.




Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar or red wine vinegar (I usually use red wine), 8 garlic cloves, and 4 tsp of rosemary. Marinate for a couple hrs.



Instead of broiling it, I put it in a 9X9 pan with all the sauce and bake it at 450 until a meat thermometer registers 145ish (med rare-med).



Its really really easy and SO good!

 
 
[from Kristin]

Spaghetti Pie

tonight we had spaghetti pie (recipe from my MIL) which is a family favorite. mmm.




8 oz spagetti, broken into 2 inch pieces and boiled



20-24 oz sauce



1 lb ground beef browned with 1 chopped onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves ~ season with Italian seasoning or oregano and salt and pepper. mix with sauce



mix the spagetti noodles with:



1 beaten egg, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, and 2 T butter.



place in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.



cover with 12 oz cottage cheese



cover with meat/sauce mix



cook for 30 min at 350. also freezes well unbaked. yum! it's like lasagna, but i think it's easier to make. i don't even make regular spaghetti anymore.

 
[from Rochelle]

Rochelle, I make a similar spaghetti dish, but it's spaghetti casserole. Instead of ricotta, I melt a block of cream cheese in with the ground beef and use cheddar cheese instead of parm. Then bake. It's soooooo good!

[from ChasCHAS]

stuffed crepes with roasted red pepper sauce

I love this idea. Any herbivores out there? I'm always looking for new vegetarian or vegan recipes.


Tonight we had stuffed crepes with roasted red pepper sauce.


Ingredients

8 crepes

Filling:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed, crushed
• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into sixths and thinly sliced
• goat cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

• 1 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, well drained and patted dry
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 minced garlic clove
• dash of cayenne
• salt

To make the filling:

1. saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for 5 min.
2. add tomato and fennel, cook 1 min.
3. add zucchini, cook 10 more min.
4. season w/ salt and pepper to taste

To make the sauce:

1. combine all ingredients in blender and puree. Heat in a sauce pan.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Assemble the crepes:

lightly butter a baking dish

spoon in some of the zucchini mixture along the center of a crepe and top it with some goat cheese

roll the crepe to make a log and place it seam side down in the baking dish and repeat with all crepes.

lay a lightly buttered sheet of wax aper on the crepes, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Serve with sauce.


Very yummy dish.



*This recipe comes from Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures*

 
[from Maryea]

Taco Soup

We had Taco Soup tonight (leftover from Sunday) which is so yummy:




Ingrediants: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion (diced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 30 oz kidney beans, 30 oz canned corn, 30 oz canned diced tomatoes (all with juices), 2 cups chicken or veggie broth, season with 1 T chili powder and 1 package taco seasoning (I just looked up what is in the seasoning online and put in the individual spices/herbs since I didn't have the mix).



Brown meat and onion in large dutch oven or stock pot. Add garlic and stir. Drain meat.



Add in all cans (I used 2 14.5 oz cans of each) with juice.



Add broth and seasonings. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 min or so to let flavors meld. Great with Fresh Mex. Salad or rolls. We were in a hurry so just ate it on it's own. Mmmm. I've had 3 bowls today (lunch 1, dinner 2). :D

 
 
[from Rochelle]

Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping

Last week's thread made me crave pumpkin, so this is a great vegan recipe that I made last night (and will have leftovers tonight):




Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping



Ingredients:



3/4 lb. uncooked ziti or penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
2 onions, sliced very thinly (I forgot onions at the grocery store--oops! It was good without so if you don't like onions omit)
3 tbs olive oil
1 recipe Cashew Ricotta (recipe to follow)
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
white pepper and cayenne
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Sage Bread Crumbs

2 1/2 cups bread crumbs, preferable fresh and homemade (made from about half a baguette or 4 dinner rolls)

1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped in food processor until resembling coarse crumbs

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

2 tsp dried, rubbed sage

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp ground paprika

salt and freshly ground black pepper



PREHEAT the oven to 375. Lightly greatse a 9X11 baking pan



Prepare ziti according to package directions, set aside.



While the pasta is cooking make the caramelized onion:



Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute the onions in oil until some onion bits are very brown and caramelized, 12-15 minutes. Set aside.



Place the Cashew Ricotta (recipe to follow) in a large bowl and fold in teh pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmet, white pepper, cayenne, and vegetable broth and mix. Add the cooked ziti and caramelized onions, stirring to coat the pasta. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and pres lightly with a rubber spatula to level it.



Make the sage bread crumbs:



Melt the margarine in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir int eh bread crumbs, walnuts, dried erbs, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the mixture is lightly coated, 3 to 4 min. Remove from the heat and sprinkle evenly over the ziti.



Bake for 28-30 minutes, until the top of the ziti is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.



Cashew Ricotta Recipe



This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or you can incorporate this step into the recipe. This is also great as a stand-in for ricotta in lasagna recipes if you are trying to avoid dairy.



1/2 cup raw cashew pieces



1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (I used lime because I didn't have a lemon)



2 tbs. olive oil



2 cloves garlic



1 pd. firm tofu, drained and crumbled



1 1/2 tsp. dried basil



1 1/2 tsp salt



In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic until a thick creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor, working in two or more batches if necessary, until the mixture is thick and well blended. Blend in the basil and salt.







I love this dish! So delish!



ETA: This recipe comes from a cookbook called "Veganomicon The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook"

 
 
[from Maryea]

Fall Pasta with Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage

(If you don't eat pork, which we rarely do, I use chicken sausage and and add extra sage)




It's a Rachael Ray recipe, but this is a great place to get the perfect instructions...



http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/fall-pasta-with-pumpking-sausage-and.html

 
[from Raegan]

Slowcooker Lasagna

This is the best lasagna recipe I have ever had. It is in the slow cooker. It isn't necessarily any easier than regular lasagna, but it tastes really good.




1 lb ground beef

2 cloves of garlic minced (but we use 3-4. We like garlic)

1 cup water

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. no-cook lasagna noodles

4 cups shredded mozarella cheese

1 onion, chopped

1 can (~29 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 tsp. oregano

1.5 cups cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesean



-in a skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, salt, and oregano (this does not need to be heated up). Mix well.



-in a bowl, mix cheeses together



-in an ungreased slow cooker, spread 1/4 of meat sauce. Arrange 1/3 of noodles over sauce. Spread 1/3 cheese mix over noodles. Repeat twice. Top with remaining meat sauce. We also add a layer of mozarella cheese.



-Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender. I have found that in my slow cooker, 4 is actually too long. 3.5 is perfect.



With this recipe, you can add as much of whatever you like. We usually add extra cheese. Also, a nice thing is you can use broken up noodles.


[from Valerie]

Sauteed Spinach

Here is simple sautéed spinach, but super yummy!




INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds baby spinach leaves

2 TBS oil

2 TBS chopped garlic (6 cloves)

2 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 TBS unsalted butter

Lemon



DIRECTIONS

Rinse spinach well in cold water and dry. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for about a minute. Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper. Toss with the garlic and oil. Cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover, turning the heat on high and cook for another minute, stirring until completely wilted. Using a slotted spoon, put spinach in a serving bowl and top with butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a dusting of sea salt.



I save this as the last thing to prepare before serving dinner and it's yummy! I just love the garlic.

 
[from Tracy]

Caramelized Walnut and Pear Salad

Made a salad and sandwiches last night. The salad was so good I could have rolled in it.




It kind of grossed me out to read breakfast recipes and then savory dinner recipes, but I couldn't refrain from sharing. This little concoction is based on a salad I ate at the Nordstrom Cafe. Oh, and I'm not usually a fan of fruit on my salad either, so even if you don't like it, the salad is worth a shot.



Caramelized Walnut and Pear Salad

Salad greens (I used spring mix)
1 C caramelized walnuts (I used pecans, recipe to follow)
1 C crumbled bleu cheese (I used gorgonzola)
2 pears, sliced
1/2 cup vinaigrette (recipe to follow)
Toss salad, walnuts, cheese and pears with the dressing.

Caramelized Walnuts
1/2 pound walnuts or pecans (about 2 cups)
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix walnuts, egg whites, and sugar together in bowl. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool, then break apart if necessary.


Vinaigrette

1 T chopped shallots
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup of champagne wine or white wine vinegar (champagne is better, but white is fine)
1 1/2 cups of salad oil
3/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp pepper



Whisk all ingredients together. Makes 2 cups. I half the recipe and have dressing for salads for dinner for the family and a few days for lunch for me.

[from Raegan]

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 medium Mushrooms
3 tbs Butter
2 tbs finely chopped Onions
2 tbs finely chopped Red Bell Pepper
14 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
½ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbs Pepper Sauce
Dash Garlic powder
2-3 cloves fresh minced Garlic
¼ Frozen Spinach, thawed and warmed
OPTIONAL: ¼ cup Mozzarella cheese



*Preheat oven to 400. Remove stems from mushrooms. Finely chop enough of the stems to measure ¼ cup; set aside. Cover and refrigerate remaining stems for later use.

*Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add chopped stems, onions and peppers; cook until veggies are tender. Thaw and heat the spinach.

*Stir in cracker crumbs, cheeses and seasoning. Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

*Can be stuffed several hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Baking time is 20 minutes.

[from doodiebug30]