Quinoa and Black Beans

Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients
Serves 8

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

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Baja Black Beans, Corn and Rice

Baja Black Beans, Corn and Rice

Ingredients
Serves 5-6

6 cups cooked brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
4 fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 dashes hot sauce

Directions

Cook brown rice.

In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
To serve, Place a scoop of hot rice in a bowl or on a plate, top with a generous scoop of the black bean mixture.
Stir together before eating.

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Curried Rice

Curried Rice

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
1 tablespoon ground curry powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup uncooked white rice

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sweat the garlic; when the garlic becomes aromatic, slowly stir in pepper, cumin, curry powder and chili powder. When spices begin to fry and become fragrant, stir in the bouillon cube and a little water.
Increase heat to high and add the rest of the water and the soy sauce. Just before the mixture comes to a boil, stir in rice. Bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

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Fries with Garlic Sauce and Parmesan

Fries with Garlic Sauce and Parmesan

Ingredients
Serves 2

2 Large Russet Potatoes
1 Large Garlic Clove
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, chopped
Oil, for frying

Directions
Wash your potatoes and cut into strips that resemble french fries. Place your fries in a bowl and add a drizzle of oil over them and cover with a microwave safe lid or plastic wrap and steam in the microwave for 3:00 minutes.

While your fries are steaming, heat up your oil on medium high, it should fill a large pot about halfway full. Carefully place your steamed fries in your oil and fry until golden brown and then transfer to a paper towel lined cookie sheet or plate to soak up excess grease, and also season with salt immediately.

Unpeel your garlic clover and slice it in half and put it into a bowl with your butter and microwave until melted, then remove the garlic clove. Place fries in a large bowl and pout butter over them and then the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Toss fries to make sure everything is coated evenly. Serve.

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Caprese Skewers

Caprese Skewers

Ingredients
Makes 10 Servings

20 grape tomatoes
10 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
20 toothpicks

Directions

Toss tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until well coated. Skewer one tomato and one piece of mozzarella cheese on each toothpick.

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Naan Bread

Naan Bread

Ingredients
Makes 6 pieces

2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

Put warm water in a small bowl, add sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Set aside for 5-10 minutes or until it foams.
Blend in the warm milk, yogurt and melted margarine. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and poppy seeds. Pour in the yeast/milk mixture all at once and work it into the flour, using your hands. Continue mixing, adding flour or water as needed, until the mixture leaves the sides of the bowl.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand in a warm place to rise for about 4 hours or until doubled in volume.
Preheat oven to 550 degrees F (285 degrees C) or your oven's highest setting and set a rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a large pizza pan or iron griddle on the rack and preheat. Also preheat the broiler.
Punch the dough down and knead briefly. Divide into six pieces and shape them into balls. Place them on an oiled plate and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let balls rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll out and stretch each ball until it is about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide. Remove the pizza pan from the oven, brush with oil and place one of pieces of bread on it.
Bake at 550 degrees F (285 degrees C) for about 4 to 5 minutes until bread is puffed and has brown spots, then transfer to a wire rack, returning pizza pan to oven to keep hot. Place bread under broiler until 'charcoal' dots appear on the surface. Wrap finished bread in a towel while baking the remaining loaves. (If your pizza pan is big enough, try baking two loaves at the time.)

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Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad

Easily multiplied this macaroni salad is great for family get together's or simply a quick snack!

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 (16 ounce) package macaroni
4 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives
1/4 cup chopped sweet pickle
2 carrots, grated
1 green bell pepper, chopped

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain; rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place eggs in a saucepan, and fill with enough cold water to cover eggs completely by about 1 inch. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 20 minutes. Immediately remove from hot water and cool in an ice water bath. When cool enough to handle, peel and chop eggs.
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, dry mustard, sweet pickle juice, and celery seed. Season with salt and black pepper.
In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, celery, onion, olives, sweet pickles, carrots, green pepper, and chopped eggs. Stir in dressing, and mix well. Refrigerate before serving.

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Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 12 servings

8 ounces whole wheat orzo pasta

12 large orange bell peppers

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh white mushrooms

1 (8 ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 (28 ounce) can diced Italian paste tomatoes (such as San Marzano)

1 (14 ounce) can whole Italian paste tomatoes (such as San Marzano), drained and torn into large chunks

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 zucchini, shredded

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

salt and ground black pepper to taste

4 cups vegetable broth

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain orzo and transfer to a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Cut a 1-inch slice from tops of orange bell peppers, discard tops, and remove seeds from peppers. Set peppers upright into a roasting pan, fitting them tightly so they stay in place.

Melt butter and olive oil over medium-low heat; cook and stir 10 cloves of garlic in the hot butter mixture until garlic is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir white and cremini mushrooms and balsamic vinegar into garlic. Cook and stir until mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Drain liquid and mix mushrooms and garlic into orzo.

Mix diced tomatoes and their juice, torn whole tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, zucchini, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 8 cloves garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper into orzo mixture. Scoop into bell peppers. Pour vegetable broth into bottom of roasting pan and cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until peppers are tender and filling is cooked through, about 50 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle each pepper with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered until Parmesan cheese topping is golden and bubbly, about 15 more minutes.

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Hummus

Hummus

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 2.5 cups

1 clove garlic

1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, half the liquid reserved

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a blender, chop the garlic. Pour garbanzo beans into blender, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish. Place lemon juice, tahini, chopped garlic and salt in blender. Blend until creamy and well mixed.

Transfer the mixture to a medium serving bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and pour olive oil over the top. Garnish with reserved garbanzo beans.

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