Mutabal Kousa - Zucchini Dip

 2 large or 3 smaller zucchini 

Olive oil

3 tbsp. Plain yogurt 

2 tbsp. Tahini

Juice of 1 lemon 

1tbsp. Chopped mint

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pinch of salt

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Char zucchini over a grill or under the broiler until very soft. Put zucchini, yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice, mint, garlic, and salt into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Let sit for 15 minutes before adjusting seasonings to taste. Serve with vegetables or pitas.

Note: If I hadn’t made this myself, I wouldn’t have been able to tell that it was mostly zucchini.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

2 tsp. oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. sliced garlic
6 oz. baby spinach
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup milk
3 oz. provolone cheese, torn into pieces
1-1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 – 20 oz. butternut squash
1 cup ricotta cheese
1-1/2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

Yield: 1 - 8x8 glass baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and garlic; sauté for 4 minutes.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted; remove from heat.

Place yogurt, milk, and provolone in a blend, blend for 20 seconds.  Add flour, salt and eggs; blend 1 minute.

Peel the neck of the squash.  Cut the neck from the bulb; and slice the neck into 24 long slices 1/8 inch thick.  Place squash slices in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes or until almost tender.

Remove the squash from the baking dish.  Coat the dish with cooking spray; spread ½ cup of the yogurt mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Shingle 1/3 of the squash over the yogurt mixture.  Top with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the spinach mixture, and 1/3 of the remaining yogurt mixture.  Repeat twice ending with the yogurt mixture.

Sprinkle lasagna with Gruyere.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 minutes.  Remove foil and broil until lightly browned.  Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
A double recipe will fit in a 9x13 pan.
You could certainly add some cooked italian sausage.

One-Pot Creamy French Onion Pasta Bake

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
2-3 sweet onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (omit if vegetarian)
1 cup red wine
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
salt + pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 cups low sodium chicken broth + 3/4 cups water
1 pound of your favorite short cut pasta (use gluten free if needed)
2 bay leaves
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
pinch of cayenne pepper
6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions"

Heat a large high-sided dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the onions + brown sugar and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. At this point you want to slowly add the Worcestershire sauce and the wine, let them cook into the onions, add more and continue to cook. Do this until the the wine is gone or the onions are caramelized to your liking. Make sure the wine has evaporated.

Preheat the the broiler to high.

Toss the mushroom and garlic in with the caramelized onions, season with salt + pepper, cook another 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.

Pour in the chicken broth + water and bring to a boil. Add your pasta, bay leaves and thyme, cook, stirring often until most of the liquid has been soaked up by the pasta and the pasta is al dente. If you feel your pasta needs more water to continue cooking, add around 1/2 cup.

Stir in the cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir in half the gruyere cheese and the gorgonzola cheese. Cook 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Top with the remaining cheese and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve warm, top with fresh thyme and parsley if desired.

Notes:

• Nice flavor profiles
• I skipped the broiling step, but put it in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
• There's a slight kick, depending on how much cayenne you use. (I probably used a little more than a pinch.)
• Serves ~6
• Source

Black Bean Soup

I don't know if this was the best soup I've ever eaten, but we did like it and it was easy enough to finish up the cooking when I got home from work.

1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
6 cups chicken broth
4 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed (you can also make your own recipe-ready black beans)
Salt and pepper
Saute onion, garlic, pepper, carrots, and celery in oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and cook until softened. Add chili powder and cumin and saute for a few more minutes.

Stir in broth and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove a few cups of the soup and puree in a blender. Stir pureed soup back into the soup, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Serves 6.

NOTES:

• This could easily be an "all Aldi" recipe and if you started with dried beans the cost per serving would be pennies for a very hearty soup.
• I had turkey stock in the freezer from last Thanksgiving and used that instead of the broth.
• I did the saute step this morning and reheated for the last 25 minutes when I got home later in the day.  
• Guessing it would freeze well.
• Easy and good.

Basic Lentils with Carrots

I don't know when we became Lentil People, but they seem to have become a Friday go-to for us. No photo, because they're lentils and not very attractive, but trust me, they're good. This is also a very versatile recipe: add more water/chicken stock for soup, add ham or bacon on a non-Friday, etc.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  1 medium yellow onion, chopped

  1 carrot, chopped

  3 cups water

  1 cup French green lentils, rinsed

  1 bay leaf

  1 teaspoon dried thyme

  Sea salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add carrot, water, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning and serve.

Via Whole Foods

 

Teriyaki Stir Fry

I'm a little embarrassed to post this right after Holly's pasta masterpiece, but here goes.

Teriyaki stir fry mix from Aldi

• I bought this product at Aldi and we thought it was pretty good.
• It required the same basic skill level as boxed macaroni and cheese, but there were lots of actual vegetables involved and the sauce was not over salted or sweet.
• This version is vegetarian and 37 ounces.  It says 8 servings, but I'd guess closer to 5 or 6.
• I added shrimp, but it would also be good as is or with leftover pork or chicken.
• Anyway, not gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but a perfectly acceptable meal when a quick one is needed.

Pasta and Red Pepper Tuna Sauce with Anchovies, Garlic, and Basil

Pasta so good I took a picture!  From Cook's Illustrated Italian Classics.  The sauce comes together very quickly; start the pasta water first.

Serves 4-6.

6 Tbsp olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 Tbsp)

1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes

2 anchovy fillets, minced (no really - go for it!)

1 cup (about 7 oz.) jarred roasted red peppers, cut into 1/2" pieces (these weren't too expensive at the grocery store, but if you anticipate using a quantity, they were a better price at Costco)

1/2 c dry white wine

2 (6 oz.) cans solid white tuna in water, drained well and chunks broken up with fingers (We prefer tuna in olive oil, so that's what I used - better texture and flavor, IMO)

Salt

1 lb. pasta

1 Tbsp lemon juice (I subbed vinegar)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley

Ground black pepper

1. Bring pasta water to a rolling boil.
2. Heat 3 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp garlic, and the red pepper flakes in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and sizzling but not browned (1-2 minutes).  Add the anchovies and roasted red peppers and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly dry (about 30 seconds).  Add the wine and bring to a simmer; simmer until the aroma bears no trace of alcohol (about 1 minute).  Add the tuna and 2 tsp. of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the tuna is heated through (about 1 minute).
3. Cook pasta to al dente.  Drain, reserving 1/4 c. cooking water.  Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the tuna mixture, remaining oil and garlic, lemon juice, basil, and reserved pasta water as needed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Also excellent as leftovers.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Pasta

• 2 c flour
• 3 eggs (or 2 eggs and 2 yolks, if rollling by hand)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 T olive oil

Filling

• 1 c pumpkin puree
• 1 c grated Parmesan (grated on a Microplane)
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼–½ c bread crumbs
• salt to taste

Sauce

• 4 T butter
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 2 tsp. fresh sage

Place flour on countertop, create a large well in the middle. Add the other ingredients to the well and beat with a fork, slowly incorporating flour. Knead until smooth and well-combined, and shape into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest on counter, 15 minutes if rolling by machine, and 1–4 hours if rolling by hand.

For filling, combine pumpkin, cheese, egg, and nutmeg. Add bread crumbs a couple tablespoons at a time, until mixture is thick enough to stand in coherent spoonfuls.

To shape pasta, divide into six pieces and roll out, on an unfloured surface, one at a time to approximately 6"x18", and see-through, about 1/32" thick. (If rolling by hand, alternate rolling and stretching for best results.) Place four or five scant tablespoons along one side of the sheet, a couple of inches apart, and trace around each with a fingertip dipped in water. Fold the sheet in half, cut in between the scoops of filling, and press edges around each to seal.

To make sauce, melt butter over medium heat in a shallow pan or skillet, until it just begins to brown (it's easiest to see this in a light colored pan. Add shallot and cook until softened (butter will continue to brown). Remove from heat, add sage and set aside while pasta cooks.

Cook pasta four or six at a time in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Toss with sauce and serve immediately with plenty of extra Parmesan. 

Notes: I ended up with 24 ravioli, with about 1/3 of the filling left over. I think if I were using a pasta machine, I would have been able to get the pasta rolled thinner, and probably used all the filling on 36 ravioli. 

To freeze, place uncooked ravioli on a baking rack for half an hour or so, until surface is slightly dry. Freeze with parchment or wax paper between layers.

Everyone loved these, including Linus. It was a great Friday dinner.

Baked Salmon

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons light olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

NOTES:

• Good and easy.
• I used dried parsley.
• Source

Macaroni and Cheese 2

8 oz. elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (I omitted this because I didn’t have any)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1) Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3) Melt 2 T. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and salt and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in dry mustard. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly.

4) Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

5) Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheddar, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the swiss. Mix cheese sauce and macaroni in a large bowl. Spoon into a 9 x 7 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar, mozzarella and swiss.

6) Melt remaining butter in saucepan over medium heat. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle on top of the cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

MY NOTES:

• This is almost identical to my go-to recipe, but the variety of cheeses makes it a lot better.
• I added a small amount of ham - a good choice.  (Bacon would also be pretty outstanding, but I didn't have any thawed.)
• Instead of bread crumbs, I just sprinkled garlic croutons on top of it all.  Very good!
• Recipe source.

Broccoli-Corn Casserole

1 (16 ounce) can creamed corn
10 ounces broccoli, cooked and drained
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs (12)
1 tbls. instant onion (or equivalent)
2 tbls. melted butter
pepper

Topping:
1 tbls. melted butter, mixed with
1/4 c cracker crumbs

Mix, add topping, bake in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

Source: Pine to Prairie Cookbook

Mushroom-Cheddar Quiche

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion; about 1 medium onion

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme; use more or less to taste

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

8 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

One 9" pie crust.

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Heat the butter.
• Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to lose their juices, about 10 minutes.
• Mix in the garlic, thyme, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Stir to combine; remove from the heat.
• Combine the eggs, milk, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Line the bottom of the crust with the cheese, top with the mushrooms, and pour in the egg mixture.
• Bake the quiche for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edge of the crust is brown, and the filling appears set.
• Remove the quiche from the oven, and serve warm.

Puffy Apple Oven Pancake

2 tbls. butter

2 tbls. packed brown sugar

1/4 ts. cinnamon

1 med. apple, peeled and sliced thin

2 large eggs

1/2 c flour

1/2 c milk

1/4 tsp salt

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a 9 inch pie plate, melt butter (in microwave or oven) and brush it over the bottom and sides.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the bottom.
4. Arrange apples over sugar.
5. Mix eggs, flour, milk, and salt. Do not overbeat or the pancake may not puff.
6. Pour into pie plate.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes until puffy and golden brown.
8. Loosen sides and turn upside down on a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Fusilli With Spinach, Ricotta, and Raisins

Inspired by Jen's account of pasta with golden raisins, I went off searching for recipes. This was awesome, and the whole thing (including thawing spinach) only took as long as cooking the pasta.

• 12 ounces fusilli pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 10-ounce box box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess moisture
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup whole or part-skim ricotta
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain and return to the pot.
Add the olive oil, spinach, scallions, raisins, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine.
Fold in the ricotta, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, and pine nuts.

Notes: I was working with what I had, and subbed a healthy splash (for one serving) of cream for the ricotta, and cashews for the pignoli. I also forgot to drain the spinach, and it didn't seem to hurt anything. I used a kitchen scissor to slice the basil and scallions right into the bowl, which saved on effort and dishes. A seriously simple Friday meal!

Spicy Black Bean and Sour Cream Enchiladas

2 cans Black Beans, Drained (15 Oz Each)

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

½ cups Chopped Onion, Divided

½ whole Lime, Juice And Zest

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

½ teaspoons Cinnamon

½ cups Sour Cream

1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, Divided

1 can Green Enchilada Sauce (16 Oz)

1 can Mild Green Chilies (small, 4 Oz Can)

1 package Small Corn Tortillas (10 To 12 Tortillas Per Package)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine black beans, garlic and about half the chopped onions.
• Next, add the lime (juice and zest), cumin, onion powder, chili powder, cinnamon, sour cream and about one third of the shredded cheese to the mixture. Combine well.
• Spoon the filling into the corn tortillas (one at a time) and roll them by hand. Try to get them as tight as you can and then place them in a baking dish, seam side down.
• Pour the green enchilada sauce on top so that it coats each tortilla.
• Top with the remaining cheese, onions, and here is where you’ll add the super spice! I topped mine with a handful of the pickled jalapeno slices but if you’d prefer milder spice, use the mild green chilies listed in the ingredients list instead. Add as much as you want to suite your taste. This is your meal so make it however you like.
• Bake in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish (or anything you have that’s long and rectangular) for 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is melted and tortilla edges look crispy and brown.

NOTES:

• The flavors in the filling were great! I loved the lime and cinnamon together.
• I didn't use a couple ingredients from the original recipe (cilantro and jalapenos). See the original recipe if you want to know where to put them.
• Corn tortillas are annoying. Even though we warmed them a little in the microwave, they tended to crack when rolling. Great flavor, but if I wanted this dish to look better, I'd go for flour tortillas.
• Be sure to drain the beans well. The sour cream tends to make it a little runny as it is.

Tomato, Provolone, and Fresh Basil Pizza

I adore fresh basil and was thrilled to find this pot full at Trader Joe's for only $3.99! I gave it a couple weeks to acclimate to its new home before I traumatized it by plucking off bunches of leaves, but yesterday was the day! We needed Friday food and the Provolone I just got at Costco (2 lbs. sliced/$6.99) had a yummy looking recipe on the back.

Homemade pizza crust (thanks, KitchenAid!)

3 Tbsp. olive oil (or less)

Provolone cheese

Parmesan cheese

Roma tomatoes, sliced

salt and pepper

Fresh basil leaves

Spray pizza pan and spread dough out evenly. Brush unbaked crust with olive oil; top with freshly ground pepper, sliced provolone, tomatoes, basil and finally, grated Parmesan. Perfect.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until done.

Lasagna Primavera

8 ounces Lasagna Noodles, cooked and drained
2 T Olive Oil
1 whole medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 whole bell pepper, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 zucchini, cut up
1 carrot, grated or thinly sliced
1 stem of broccoli, cut into very small pieces
1 can diced tomatoes
½ cup white wine
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
1 (15oz) tub ricoota
1 egg
½ cup grated parmesan
1 pound mozzerella

Saute onions and garlic in oil for a minute. Add diced pepper, carrots, and broccoli and saute for another minute or so. Add squash and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Pour in wine, add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir. Pour in tomatoes and liquid. Stir to combine and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Spread a little of the vegetable/tomato sauce in a lasagna pan. Layer noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and about 1/3 of the vegetables. Repeat twice more, ending with vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan or mozzarella .

Bake at 350 degrees, covered in foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until browning and bubbly. Allow to set up before serving.

Aztec Quiche

1 1/4 c grated Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 c grated mild cheddar cheese

1 9-inch deep dish frozen pie shell

1 4 ounce can diced green chilies

1 c half and half

3 eggs beaten lightly

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cumin

Spread Monterey Jack cheese and half of cheddar over bottom of pie shell. Sprinkle chilies over cheeses. Stir together in a bowl the half-and-half, eggs, and seasonings. Pour carefully into pie shell. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Cover pie with foil, and put in freezer. To prepare for serving, thaw pie and remove foil. Bake uncovered in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. 6-8 servings.

NOTES: This froze well in a 5-liter Rubbermaid container. In fact, after it was frozen, I could stack another pie on top and they'd both fit nicely.

Served nicely and would be good for brunch.

Source: Once-a-Month Cooking

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

1 c. cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrot, grated

1/2 can of bean sprouts

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 c. mushrooms, cut into thin pieces

(snow peas and shrimp would also be good)

2 T. sesame oil

2 T. soy sauce

2 tsp. lime juice

garlic, ginger, and cayenne to taste

1/3 pkg. Rice or cellophane noodles

1 pkg. spring roll wrappers*

Set the rice noodles to soak in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, stir fry all other ingredients (except for wrappers) until done. Drain the noodles thoroughly, then assemble as follows:

Set a wrapper to soak in a shallow dish of hot water (make sure it's submerged). When it is soft, remove and let drip dry for a few seconds, then set on a plate and immediately put the next wrapper to soak.

Break off a small handful of noodles and place towards the bottom of the wrapper.

Add about 2T. of vegetables, well drained (I just squeezed them out in my hand).

Fold up the bottom and press to seal, then the sides, then roll up.

Place on waxed paper, making sure they don't touch. At this point, you can eat them as is, or deep fry them in hot oil for about a minute per side. I actually found it easier to keep one submerged with my spatula and cook for around a minute total.

Makes 20 rolls. (I fried 10, and froze the other 10 between layers of waxed paper.)

Serve with dipping sauces such as Hoisin or sweet and sour.

*I used Vietnamese (rice) spring roll wrappers. This recipe would also work with Thai (wheat) wrappers, but obviously you wouldn't soak them; just wet the edge to seal.

Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cupcakes:

4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

8 large eggs

2 cups granulated white sugar

2 cups canola or vegetable oil

4 cups finely grated raw carrots

1 cup grated apple(approximately 2 large)

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup raisins or currants(optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another, fold gently together until just combined.  Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, bake for 20 minutes.

Adapted from Joy of Baking.  Theirs was sadly lacking pineapple.

For frosting:

Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp maple flavoring

In a mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy.

Note: If you don't have maple syrup you could use milk instead and just add extra maple flavoring.