Zucchini Alfredo

Recipe & Photo Courtesy AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Mix in zucchini, and cook 10 minutes, until some of the moisture has evaporated.

Pour the milk into the skillet, and stir in cream cheese until melted. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Bob's Salsa

Recipe Courtesy Bob Kelley, Photo Courtesy Google.com
This is a base recipe to add to. If you like it spicy, add some peppers. If you want more tomatoes, add more. You get the point.

INGREDIENTS:
20-ish tomatoes
5 onions (I like red)
7 jalapenos/other hot pepper (optional, of course)
5 carrots (the better to see you with)
2 stalks celery
1/4 cup salt
1/8 cup sugar (neither Bob nor I use that)
3 cloves garlic (I used about 6)

DIRECTIONS:
A few options here:
1) Bosch it
2) Cuisinart it
3) Chop it (if you don't have the previously mentioned awesome kitchens appliances).
Size does matter. The smaller the better.

Simmer it all for 20 minutes. Pack into hot, sterilized jars.

If you have a pressure canner, process for 15 minutes. If you don't, water bath it for 25 minutes. If you aren't going to can it, refrigerate it and eat it within 2-3 weeks.

Red Lentils & Rice

Recipe & Photo Courtesy RobbingPeter Blog
Perfect for when you need a cheap meal or need to make something quick with pantry items.
By the way, Garam Masala is now a normal spice in grocery stores. Keep it on hand, it's wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:
2 T Canola Oil
1 lg Onion, chopped
1 T Garam Masala
3 C Water
3/4 C dried red lentils (rinsed & picked)
1 C long-grain rice
2 T Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil over medium high heat, add onions and stir frequently until they start to get brown around the edges. Add garam masala and stir for another minute or so. Dump in 3 cups of water carefully (water & hot oil you know – spatter city) and bring to a boil.

Add rice & lentils and return to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. I pulled mine with about 3 minutes to spare and it was still overcooked. But then again I cook on a gas range and managing a simmer on a gas range is as about as easy as juggling rabbits.

Stir in butter and add salt & pepper in increments until it tastes good to you.

Eggplant Bake

Photo and Recipe courtesy AllRecipes.com










INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
salt to taste
1/2 - 1 cup pasta sauce
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
Dried basil
Dried oregano
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese -or- shredded mozzarella
4 slices Muenster cheese, torn into strips (optional)
1 lb sweet Italian sausage (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place eggs and bread crumbs in 2 separate bowls. Dip eggplant slices in eggs, then in bread crumbs to coat. Fry coated eggplant slices in the skillet until golden brown. Season with salt, and drain on paper towels. (Alternately, if you prefer to stay away from the grease, bread the eggplant slices as directed, then place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray, and bake 14 minutes on each side.)

In the prepared baking dish, spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce. Layer eggplant, sausage (if using), onion, additional 1/2 cup pasta sauce (if desired) , tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and feta/mozzarella cheese. Top with strips of Muenster (optional).

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Strawberry Avocado Salad

Recipe and photo courtesy AllRecipes.com











INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
(if available in your area, use Pompeian Acai Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups torn salad greens
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
10 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl, and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over everything, then sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Courtesy AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
3/4 cup water
4 green bell peppers
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces textured vegetable protein
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups tomato sauce
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Combine rice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

Cut tops off peppers, seed insides, and arrange peppers in a large baking dish. Chop usable portion of the tops.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chopped peppers and onions in oil until soft. Stir in textured vegetable protein and parsley.

Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Mix in cooked rice and 1 1/5 cups tomato sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the peppers, and top each with remaining tomato sauce.

Cover, and bake about 45 minutes. Uncover, top each pepper with mozzarella cheese, and bake until cheese is melted.