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| Tomato Basil Pasta 5 cups bow tie pasta 1/3 cup olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. Dijon mustard salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 2 cups lightly packed basil leaves, snipped 3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped ½ cup toasted pine nuts ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and cool. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, basil, and tomatoes. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss together. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Add the pine nuts and cheese just before serving. Italian Acorn Squash 2 medium acorn squash ½ cup thinly sliced onion 2 tsp. olive oil 1 (1 ½ x ½ inch) strip orange rind 1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil ½ tsp freshly ground pepper 1 garlic clove, minced 2-3 tomatoes, chopped ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese Cut each squash crosswise in 4 rings; discard seeds and end pieces. Set squash aside. Combine onion, oil, and orange rind in a 13x9 inch baking dish; toss well. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until onion is golden; discard the orange rind. Arrange the squash in the dish, slightly overlapping the rings. Combine basil, pepper, garlic, and tomatoes; spoon over the squash rings. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender, Top with cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Butternut Squash Gratin 1 whole butternut squash 2 tbsp. olive oil 3 cups halved and sliced onions 3 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples 3 tbsp. flour ½ cup vegetable broth ¾ cup breadcrumbs ¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and strings, and then slice thinly. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 10 minutes. Combine the apples and flour, toss well to coat. Place half of the squash into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange half of the apples in a layer on top of the squash, place the remaining squash on top of the apples, and the place the remaining apples on top of the squash. Top with the sautéed onions. Pour the vegetable broth over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until squash is tender. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and the cheese. Spread the mixture over the gratin. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving, about 5 minutes. Butternut Squash and Mashed Potatoes 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ¾ inch chunks 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided 8-10 fresh parsley sprigs, chopped ½ cup milk fresh ground black pepper to taste In a 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes and squash with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the parsley to a small skillet over medium heat. Tilting the pan and watching it closely, cook about 2 minutes. Keep warm. Thoroughly drain the potatoes and squash. Return to the pan and shake for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat. Roughly mash with a hand masher, leaving mixture chunky. Over low heat, gently mix in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and enough milk to reach the desired consistency; season with black pepper to taste, then spoon into serving bowl and drizzle with the parsley. Cabbage Lasagna 1 medium to large head of cabbage 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped ¾ lb. ground beef (optional) 1-6 oz. can tomato paste 1 tsp. dried oregano salt and pepper to taste 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese ½ cup ricotta cheese ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese 1 large can tomato sauce Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the cabbage and remove the tough outer leaves. Cut the head in half and carefully peel back the leaves, trying to keep them intact; these will serve as the lasagna noodles. Arrange the individual leaves on a steamer basket or tray and steam until nearly tender, about 3 to 5 minutes; set aside. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic, onion, and bell pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the ground beef if you are using it, and brown thoroughly. Add the tomato paste and the tomato sauce, along with the seasoning to the mixture and combine well. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with a little olive oil. Line the bottom of the dish with a layer of cabbage leaves (they can be cut into 2 inch strips, so they will lie flatter). Top with half of the meat mixture. Add 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and half of the ricotta cheese. Add another layer of the cabbage leaves, remaining half of the meat mixture, another third of the mozzarella and the remaining ricotta cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and finish by scattering the parmesan on top. Bake covered for about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more. Rainbow Chard Enchiladas 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 medium onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch rainbow chard 1 cup water 1 16oz. can kidney beans 1 cup tomato sauce 1 cup shredded jack cheese 2 tbsp. cumin salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp. coriander dash cayenne 8 whole wheat tortillas Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dice the onion and sauté to soften, about 2 minutes, then add the minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute more. Rinse the chard well and trim ends to remove the stems. Finely chop the stems and add them to the onions. Add ½ cup of water. Meanwhile, rinse the beans and add them to the pan. Chiffonade the chard leaves and sprinkle the spices over the top. Toss the chard leaves into the skillet, adding the remaining water, keeping the mixture just moist. Taste to adjust seasoning and remove everything from the heat once the chard stems are soft and the leaves are tender. In a long oven proof dish, spread half of the tomatoes. Shred the cheese and build the enchiladas, starting with the tortillas. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chard mixture across the center of each tortilla, sprinkle lightly with the cheese and roll the tortilla to close. Place on top of the tomatoes in the pan. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining tomato sauce, Sprinkle the last of the cheese over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Chard 1 package whole wheat spaghetti 1 bunch chard, chopped into ½ inch wide strips 1 yellow onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1 pepper, chopped 3 tbsp. olive oil ½ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 tomatoes, diced 2 tbsp. yogurt ½ cup coarsely crushed walnuts ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese Cook spaghetti according to package direction. In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the paprika and the chard. Cook for 8 minutes; add the yogurt and stir for 1 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Simmer until the tomatoes are slightly cooked. Mix the sauce with the spaghetti in a casserole dish. Sprinkle the crushed walnuts over the top as well as the parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees until the cheese is slightly browned. |