|
| Parmesan and Chive Potato Gratin 3 pounds cubed, unpeeled potatoes 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 1 cup nonfat milk 2 tbsp. butter ½ tsp salt, or to taste ½ tsp. black pepper Crust topping 1 cup grated parmesan cheese ¼ cup dry breadcrumbs ¼ cup fresh chives or green onions Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife (about 20 minutes). Drain; return to pot over low heat. Add milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency. Preheat broiler. Transfer potatoes to a shallow 1 ½ quart ovenproof casserole or baking dish. Combine the cheese, breadcrumbs, and chives; sprinkle over the potatoes. Broil 4-5 inches from heat source until cheese melts and starts to brown (3-4 minutes). Strawberry Mousse 4 cups sliced strawberries 6 tbsp. cornstarch 2/3 cup sugar ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. grated lemon rind ½ pint heavy cream, whipped Place the strawberries in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until it looks like soup. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Without washing it first, use the same saucepan for this step. Combine the cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice in the pan, and whisk until uniform. Pour the still-hot strawberry soup back into the cornstarch mixture, sugar, and lemon juice in the pan, and whisk until uniform. Pour the still-hot strawberry soup back into the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Return the pan to the stove, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. (This should take about 5 minutes). Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon rind. Transfer back to the same bowl the strawberries had been in, and cool to room temperature. Puree until smooth in a food processor or blender, and return to the bowl. Cover tightly and chill until cold. Fold in the whipped cream and serve. Potato Leek Soup 2tbsp. olive oil 3 cups chopped leeks 4 medium potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and diced 4 cups water 2 cups milk salt and pepper to taste Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the leeks and sauté about 15 minutes, or until they are very soft and beginning to brown. Add the potatoes and water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 10 to 15 minutes). Puree until very smooth in a blender or food processor, and transfer to a medium-large container. Stir in the milk, and season to taste. Carrot Cookies ½ cup carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ cup oil ¼ cup sugar 1 egg white ¼ tsp. vanilla ½ cup flour ½ tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt Cook carrots in a saucepan with water until tender, drain, mash, and let cool. In a bowl, mix together the oil and sugar. Stir in the carrots. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt; blend into carrot mixture. Drop by spoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 to 12 minutes. Rigatoni with Chard and Bell Peppers 12 oz. rigatoni pasta 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch long strips ¼ cup coarsely copped onions 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup vegetable broth 8 cups coarsely chopped chard salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Boil the rigatoni until al dente. While the rigatoni is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until the bell pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; stir in the vegetable broth, chard, and pepper to taste; cover and cook until the chard and the bell pepper are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the balsamic vinegar. When the rigatoni is done, drain well and return to the pot. Add the chard mixture and toss to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and toss again. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Parsley Spread 1 bunch parsley 1 small onion ¼ cup heavy cream ½ cup cream cheese 1 tbsp. lemon juice black pepper to taste 2 tomatoes cayenne pepper to taste Wash parsley and strip leaves from stalks; then coarsely chop. Peel and dice the onion; mix together in a medium bowl. Then mix in the heavy cream, cream cheese, and lemon juice; season with pepper to taste. Dice the tomato and add to the mixture, then add the cayenne pepper to taste. Spread over pieces of French bread or homemade pita chips. Tomato Basil Mahi Mahi 2 mahi mahi fillets 2 ½ cups diced tomatoes ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped 1/3 cup small red onion, sliced ¼ cup yellow onions, diced ¼ cup garlic, chopped 2/3 cup vegetable stock 2 tbsp. tomato paste 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. sugar In a 350 degree oven, cook mahi mahi until done. In a pan, sauté the garlic and red onion in a pan; add the onion, tomato paste, and chopped tomatoes, soy sauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir in the vegetable stock and simmer until sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the basil. To serve, top the mahi mahi fillets with a generous amount of the tomato basil sauce. |