Tammy's squash casserole

Tammy gave me this recipe over the phone so I hope it's correct:) I can edit it if it's not.

6 c. assorted squash, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 c. carrots, sliced
1/4 c. onion, chopped

1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. stove top stuffing

Method:
1. Stir fry the squash, carrots and onion, then mix with cream of chicken and sour cream and place in a baking dish.
2. Mix the stuffing with the butter and sprinkle on top. Bake until hot.

Steak for stir fry

Note: When dealing with flank steak or round steak, I like to cut it thin and stir fry it. The easiest way I found to cut it thin is to freeze it slightly and then use the slicer attatchment on the food processor. In this recipe, I used the food processor to blend the marinade and then I switched to the slicer attatchment for the steak.

Blend together:

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I used one clove)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds flank steak or round steak, thinly sliced

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and vegetable oil.

Lay steak in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pour marinade over steak, then turn and coat the other side. Cover, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with homemade frosting

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Frosting

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 c. milk to consistency to spread
3/4 c. plus 2 TBLS baking cocoa

Puffed Brie

1 Brie Round, edges removed

1 pkg. Puff Pastry

1/4 c. Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Honey

Sliced Almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry in a pie dish and place the brie in the middle, Sprinkle the brown sugar and almonds on brie. Drizzle honey on top. Pull corners of puff pastry up to the center to cover the brie. Bake until the top is browned. Serve with apple and pear slices, also good with crackers.

Cheesy Zucchini Flatbread

1 10-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 cup garlic-and-herb cheese spread (such as Alouette), divided
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1 small red onion
1 7- to 8-inch-long zucchini (yellow or green), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds, divided
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with nonstick spray. Unroll dough onto parchment. Spread half of herb cheese over 1 long half of dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Sprinkle with half of Parmesan and 2 tablespoons parsley. Using parchment as aid, fold plain half of dough over filled half (do not seal edges). Spread remaining herb cheese over top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Remove enough outer layers of onion to yield 2-inch-diameter core; cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Arrange 1 row of zucchini down 1 long side of dough. Arrange onion rounds in row alongside zucchini. Arrange 1 more row of zucchini alongside onion. Brush vegetables with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake bread until puffed and deep brown at edges, about 24 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Asian Flank Steak

1/2 unpeeled Asian pear, halved, cored, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 pounds Flank Steak
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Puree first 7 ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into large bowl. Add beef; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and salt and cook until seeds are deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool in skillet. Divide sesame mixture among 6 very small bowls and place 1 bowl on each of 6 plates.
Prepare barbecue (high heat). Using tongs, remove beef, 1 slice at a time, from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into bowl; place on grill. Cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Divide beef among plates alongside sesame salt.

Winter Squash Rolls

1 1/2 cups cubed winter squash
1 cup scalded milk
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup shortening

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small saucepan, cover squash cubes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine 5 cups flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture, shortening, squash and milk. Mix well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rounds in a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pear Upside-Down Cake

This is a variation of a Mark Bittman recipe. I changed the amount of flour because I think there is a misprint and I added the cranberries for decoration and the ginger and chocolate because they are my favorite flavors. If you use the cranberries, you may want to use a more substantial cake batter (add more flour) because they float. I have a different cake recipe that is thicker if you don't like to experiment. If you want the cranberry/pear flavor to be more prominent, leave off the chocolate. I couldn't figure out how to do it the other night, but definitely served warm with ice cream would be excellent. I also have variations for plums, apples, blackberries, pitted cherries, cranberries, pineapple, and green tomatoes.

8 TBL unsalted butter, melted and divided in 1/2
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds
3-4 small ripe pears, peeled, cored, and halved (if using large you can cut them into 4 or 8 pieces)
a handful of cranberries
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBL finely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz. dark chocolate
2 TBL cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease a 9" round cake pan or cast-iron skillet with half of the butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar and almonds evenly over the bottom of the pan and spread the pears in the pan in a single layer. If using cranberries, place a cranberry in the core of each of the pear halves or slices.

Whisk the remaining melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, ginger, and sugar together until foamy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well incorporated.

Carefully spread the batter over the pears, using a spatula to make sure it's evenly distributed. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for just 5 minutes.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Put the serving plate on the top of the cake pan and flip the pan so that the serving plate is now on the bottom and the cake pan upside down and on top. The cake should fall out onto the serving plate. If the cake sticks, turn it right side up and run the knife along the edge again, then use a spatula to lift gently around the edge. Invert the cake again and tap on the bottom of the pan. If any of the fruit sticks to the pan, don't worry; simply use a knife to remove the pieces and fill in any gaps on the top of the cake. Serve warm with ice cream.

Pear & Feta Cheese Pizza

Pizza Dough

2 c. water

2 T. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. rosemary

5½ c. flour +

1 T. yeast

Pear & Feta Cheese Pizza Toppings (For 1 pizza)

6 oz. sliced provolone cheese

2 pears, thinly sliced

2 oz. roasted pecans

2½ oz. feta cheese, crumbled

2 T. chopped fresh chives

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Place pizza dough ingredients in a large mixer and mix well. Let dough rise for 30-40 minutes. When dough is ready, knead it on a floured surface. Dough may need additional flour to make it workable. Roll dough into a pizza crust (there is enough dough for 2 or 3 crusts). Place dough on a greased pizza stone and brush topside of crust with olive oil. Let rise 5-10 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and add pizza toppings. Return to oven and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Ratatouille

1-2 large chicken breast

1 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

2 zucchini, sliced or chopped

1 yellow squash, sliced or chopped

2 large mushrooms, sliced 

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

salt to taste

basil to taste

2 T. parsley

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

couscous

Cook chicken and cut into bite size pieces.  

Pour olive oil into large frying pan and add minced garlic and chopped onion.  Cook until onion is barely translucent.  Add zucchini, squash, mushrooms, green pepper, tomatoes, salt and basil.  Cook until veggies are tender and they begin to juice out.  Add chicken and stir until warm then remove from heat.  Stir in parsley and parmesan cheese and serve over couscous.

Four Cheese Lasagna with Italian Sausage

1 pound Italian Sausage
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 large (26.5 oz) can Italian Sausage pasta sauce
6 oven-ready lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or whatever temperature the box of noodles says). Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a cake pan. Cook the Italian sausage, drain, then add pasta sauce. Spread ricotta cheese on the six lasagna noodles, then place three in the cake pan. Cover with sausage/sauce mixture, then sprinkle layer of cheese (half of mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses--can be mixed together or separate). Repeat layers, noodles with Ricotta, sausage/sauce, then remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until noodles are soft, about 45 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter, room temperature
2 c powdered sugar
2-4 T cream
1 t vanilla extract

Combine peanut butter and butter in a large mixing bowl, mixing together until light and fluffy. Stop mixer before adding sugar.
Add sugar, 3 T cream, and vanilla. Start slowly and mix together, gradually increasing the speed. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add more cream if frosting is too thick.

Mascarpone Pavlovas

1 1/2 C. Strawberries, stemmed and quartered
3 C. Assorted Berries
3 Tbs. Orange Marmalade
1 Tbs. Water
1 C. Mascarpone Cheese
1/4 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Whipping Cream

Meringues
4 Egg Whites at room temp for 30 mins
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 C. Sugar
2 tsps. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla

Mint leaves for garnish(optional)

Preheat oven to 200 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

For the meringues, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electic mixer at med-high speed to soft peaks. With the mixer running, add 1 C. of the sugar, a Tbs. at a time, and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Add the conrstarch and vanilla and beat 1 min. longer. Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2in. plain tip. Pipe a 2 1/2-inch diamater ring or heart shape on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, and then pipe another on top of hte first to form a 2-level rim. Pipe more meringue inside the shape to make a thin, solid base. Repeat, forming 6 meringue shells total. Bake the meringues for 1 1/2 hrs (they will not color), then turn offf the oven and leave the meringues in the closed oven for 1 1/2 hrs longer.

Toss all the berries in a large bowl. Combine the marmalade and water in a small saucepan over med. heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by about one quarter. Let cool, then pour the mixture over the berries and toss together gently with a rubber spatula to evenly coat the berries.

Just before serving, beat together the mascarpone cheese, cream and sugar with an electric mixer at med-high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Spoon the cream into the cooled meringue shells and spread it evenly. Mound the berries decoratively on tip, with a drizzle of the berry juices as well. Garnish with the mint leaves and serve.

Cream Cheese Tarts

Tart Shells

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, softened

4 tbsp. sugar

2 cup flour

Blend cream cheese, butter and sugar. Stir in flour just until blended. Chill about 1 hour to make dough easier to handle.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Shape dough into 48 one-inch balls and press into mini muffin cups. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until very light brown on edges. Remove from oven and let set in pan to finish cooking. When cool, remove from pan. This recipe makes a lot of tarts, but they are easy to make, and they disappear fast!

*I don't have a mini muffin cup pan so I used my regular cupcake pan.


Easy Fruit Tarts

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (about 20-25 seconds per side in microwave)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 (3oz.) lemon jello
1 cup ice
Fruit of choice
Beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Spoon or pipe cream into tart shells. Place fruit on top of cream. In large glass bowl, heat 3/4 cup water in microwave until boiling- about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Remove from microwave and slowly pour in jello powder. Stir until blended and return to microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir well until jello is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup ice and stir until ice is completely dissolved. Spoon gelatin over tarts. Chill in fridge for a little while. I chilled them for an hour, but it would probably be fine for a shorter time, the glaze sets up fast.

Indian-Spiced Red Lentils

serves 6- from America's Test Kitchen cookbook

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp garam masala
3 C water
1 1/4 C red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 C coconut milk
1/4 C minced cilantro
3 medium plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
salt
pepper

1. heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. add the onion and 1 tsp of salt and cook until softened (about 5 min).


2. stir in garlic, ginger, and garam masala and cook until fragrant (about 15 sec).


3. stir in water, lentils, and coconut milk. bring to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the lentils break down to form a thick puree (20-30 min).


4. season with salt and pepper to taste. add cilantro and tomatoes right before serving.

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free!)

* I used 1/2 semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 milk Chocolate. Everything else I followed the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


• 1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained


• 4 eggs


• 3/4 cup white sugar


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan.


2. Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.


3. Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.


4. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Simple Turkey Chili

Makes about 3 quarts, serving 8 to 10. Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

Good choices for condiments include diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. If you are a fan of spicy food, consider using a little more of the red pepper flakes or cayenne—or both.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable, corn or canola oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound sweet italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes , with juice
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt
2 limes , cut into wedges

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add turkey sausage; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Pat remaining 1 pound turkey together into ball, then pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces of meat (I used a small cookie scoop) and stir into chili, also add the beans at this time. Continue to simmer about 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until turkey is tender and chili is dark and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.

Soy Sauce noodles

This is a recipe that I don't think you can mess up, but I don't really have a recipe for it.

Wide rice noodles
Sweet soy sauce
Regular soy sauce
Any kind of vegetables you want, I like to add onions, red and green peppers, zucchini and bean sprouts.

Boil the noodles until they are soft. Stir fry the vegetables in a little bit of oil, add the noodles and add soy sauce to taste.

Bacon Man stand in Sushi Flower

Sushi wraps (green sea weed squares with salt)
Cooked Bacon strips
Cooked rice
Carrots, sliced thin like little sticks
Eggs, fried and sliced
Red Bean Paste (in my opinion, this totally ruined the sushi, it was way too hot. Avoid it or use very little, unless you are angry with the person you are serving this to. Then slather it on… and watch their head explode.)

To make Bacon sushi:

Layer all ingredients in a line on one side of the sushi square. Get the opposite end wet and roll the whole thing like a pig in a blanket. Slice the log into 6 pieces, about ¾ of an inch thick. Put a scoop of rice in the middle of a circular plate. Place little sushi circles around the rice, to make it look like a weird Asian flower. Using much too much time and effort, magically make a man out of fried bacon and stand him in the middle of the flower.

Oat Crepes

2 c whole milk
1 c. oat flour
1 c. all purpose flour
4 large eggs
¾ c. water
1/3 c. melted butter (plus extra for the crepe pan)
1 tsp. salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until mixed. Chill for a couple of hours. To cook crepes, bust out your 8 inch skillet. Put it on medium heat. Put a pat of butter and swish it around the pan. Remove pan from heat and pour about ¼ cup batter into the pan. Swish around until the pan is covered and then return to the heat. When it looks set, carefully flip and cook the other side for about 20 more seconds. The first few will turn out crummy, but then you’ll get your groove on and the rest will turn out perfectly. Any filling will work for crepes, but apple is especially delicious.


Apple Crepe filling:

6 Apples, peeled and sliced thin, sautéed in a little bit of butter and a dash of cinnamon, cooked till soft. I used granny smith, brauburn, gala, and fuji.

Whipped cream blended with cream cheese frosting.

Nutella, melted.

Almonds, chopped and toasted.

Huge Oatmeal Cookies

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 Teaspoons Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 1/4 Cups Flour
2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1(11 1/2 oz) Package Milk Chocolate Chips

Cream together butter and Sugars. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add salt, soda, powder and flour and mix. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Roll into balls with a cookie scoop and bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes at 350.

Spicy Oat Crusted Chicken with Sunshine Salsa

I fail at using blogs. So...here is the link. I can't figure out how to post it. http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeid=11833 Super easy!

Turos Csusza

This is one of the recipes that I did for bacon night.  It's the one that I did for no vote.  The potato one I just made it up as I went along so I really have no idea other than it was potatoes, butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon.  Maybe I threw in some other stuff but I really can't remember.  Anyway here is the noodle one.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package egg noodles
• 3 1/2 slices smoked bacon
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 (12 ounce) container cottage cheese
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain well.
3. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; drain, crumble, and set aside.
4. Place the drained noodles in a large baking dish. Stir the sour cream into the noodles. Spoon the cottage cheese evenly over the top of the noodle mixture. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top; season with salt.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the cottage cheese softens, 3 to 5 minutes.

Fake meatloaf

I thought I would post this just in case you need a good idea for april fools.  This is the fake meatloaf that I made with the Cupcake meatloaves.

Here is the link to that recipe http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/rice-cereal-meat-loaf-714999/

Meatloaf cupcakes

I used this recipe for the meatloaf, instead of making mini meatloaf shapes I put the meat in cupcake wrappers.  It didn't take 45 mins. to bake them, I'm just not sure how long they will take because I had Helen put them in the oven while I was at a soccer game and when I got home they were too done.
*This is a picture from when I made them last year for April fools, I think they looked better that day because they didn't get over cooked.  

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. 

Veggie Burgers with Garlic and Lemon Aioli

Ingredients
* 2 ounces olive oil
* 3 tablespoons diced red onion
* 2 tablespoons diced black olives
* 2 tablespoons diced red bell peppers
* 1 1/2 tablespoons diced garlic
* 1 tablespoon diced artichoke
* 4 ounces black beans, drained
* 4 ounces chickpeas, drained
* 4 ounces white beans, drained
* 6 ounces rolled oats
* 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
* 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
* 1 egg

Directions

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1-ounce olive oil and all raw vegetables except beans. Saute until translucent. Remove and cool.

Add veggies to beans and mix thoroughly mashing the beans somewhat to add moisture. Add all dry ingredients along with the egg. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 4 patties. I used a cookie cutter to make them more uniform and then wrapped them individually in saran wrap so that I could cook them the next day. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. They will also freeze well.

In saute pan add 1-ounce olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with *Garlic and Lemon Aioli on a bun with tomato and lettuce. They are also great with any of your favorite hamburger fixins.

Garlic and Lemon Aioli:

* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 lemon, zested
* 4 tablespoons finely minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* Salt

Ham-N

Thick Cut Bacon
Brown Sugar
Fresh Ground Pepper

Pre-Heat oven to 350. Dredge bacon in brown sugar and place on wire rack on a cookie sheet. When bacon is covered sprinkle with pepper. Cook for 30 minutes. My new favorite way to eat bacon!!

**Ham-N is just what my kids call Bacon**

Turnip Souffle

Ingredients

1.5 pounds turnips, peeled and sliced (I used 5 turnips)
1.5 tsp salt, divided
0.5 tsp sugar
0.5 cup butter
2 TBL flour
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs separated
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

1. Place turnips in a saucepan with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp sugar, cover with water and boil for 15-20 minutes, until tender; drain well and mash then set aside.
2. In another saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and 1 tsp salt until smooth; add milk; bring to a boil; Beat egg yolks in a small bowl and add to the milk mixture. Cook and stir for 1 minute, then add the turnips and remove from heat. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into turnips. Stir into a greased glass baking dish (11X7 or similar). Sprinkle with bacon. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes at 350º F, or until golden brown.

Basboosa

2 c. semolina flour

½ tsp. baking powder

1 c. white sugar

1 c. sweetened flaked coconut

¼ c. butter, melted

1 c. plain yogurt

¼ c. milk, or as needed

¼ c. sliced almonds

1 c. water

1 c. white sugar

1 lemon, juiced & zested

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square baking dish.  In a large bowl, mix together the semolina flour, baking powder, 1 cup sugar, coconut and butter. Add the yogurt and milk; mix until moistened but not runny or liquid. If you see that it is too dry, add more milk. Spread into a greased 8 inch square baking dish, smoothing the top as much as possible.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown.  Sprinkle sliced almonds on top 15 minutes before basboosa is done.  While the basboosa is baking, combine the water, 1 cup of sugar and the juice from one lemon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for at least 5 minutes.  Add lemon zest.  When the basboosa has finished baking, cut it into squares, pour the syrup over it as evenly as possible. Place it back in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the syrup has been fully absorbed. Let it rest for about 20 minutes before serving.

Raspberry-Yogurt Cake

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract, divided
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (two 6-ounce containers)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon (or more)water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12-cup Bundt pan. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Beat in orange juice, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and orange peel. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in yogurt.

Add dry ingredients to batter and beat just until blended. Toss 1/2 cup flour and raspberries in large bowl. Fold berry mixture into batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake cake until wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Invert cake onto plate and cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Whisk powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in medium bowl. Add more water by 1/2 teaspoonfuls as needed for thick glaze. Drizzle over cake. Let stand until glaze sets.

Berries with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

* 7 ounces Greek yogurt
* 1/3 cup good bottled lemon curd or use your favorite recipe
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)
* 1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)
* 1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* Fresh mint springs

Directions

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and sugar. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar.

Serve bowls of fruit with a dollop of lemon yogurt on top. Top each with a sprig of fresh mint.

Chicken Tikka masala

Ingredients

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers
•  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

*I didn't put the chicken on skewers.  And I cooked the chicken on broil in the oven, instead of the grill, I didn't have time to get the grill going.

Cheesy Bean Dip

1 can Frito bean dip (9 oz.)
7 oz. diced green chilies
4 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sour cream (or substitute plain yogurt - drain using cheesecloth for 30 min. in refrigerator)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 - 1 1/2 T taco seasoning
Dash of paprika and cayenne pepper
3-ish cups shredded cheddar cheese, separated.

Mix ingredients with 2 cups of cheese and spread into a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Crab and Cucumber Rolls with Sesame Vinaigrette and Cilantro Oil

Cilantro Oil:

* 1 bunches cilantro

* Salt and sugar to taste
* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 1 Tb. toasted coriander seeds

* 1 tsp. lemon zest

Bring a pot over water to a rapid boil. Season the boiling water with salt and sugar. It should taste salty like the sea and sweet like cola. Season and ice bath similarly. Rinse the cilantro and cut away the large heavy stems at the bottom. Blanch the cilantro for 30 seconds and shock in the ice bath. Gather the blanched cilantro and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Place the cilantro in a blender with the vegetable oil, coriander seed, and lemon zest. Blend on high for 3 minutes. Pour the oil into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a grease filter, or a coffee filter and allow to drip for several hours. Discard the solids left behind.

Sesame Vinaigrette:

* 2 tsp chinese spicy mustard

* 2 tsp. pickled ginger

* 2 Tb. mirin

* 2 Tb. soy sauce

* 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

* 1/2 c. vegetable oil

* 1/4 c. sesame oil

Place the mustard, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a blender. Blend on high while slowly adding vegetable oil. After the vegetable oil, drizzle in the sesame oil. If the oil is not emulsified add a bit more mustard or some mayonnaise and blend once more.

To Assemble:

* 2 English cucumbers

* kosher salt

* 2 large carrots, fine julienne

* 1 Tb. mirin

* 1 tsp. soy sauce

* 1 avocado

* Crab

* Cream Cheese

* Cilantro oil

* Sesame vinaigrette

* Cilantro and black sesame seeds for garnish

Cut the ends from each cucumber and wash well. Cut each cucumber in half and, using a mandolin, slice 1/16′’ thick planks from the cucumber, stopping when you reach the seedy middle. Repeat on the other side of the cucumber. Lay the slices out of a piece of paper towel and salt lightly.
Toss the julienne carrot with the mirin and soy sauce and slice the avocado into long pieces. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface and lay 4-5 cucumber slices on top, overlapping slightly. Place some carrots, a few pieces of avocado, some cream cheese, and a few pieces of crab at the end of the sheet of cucumber. Carefully roll the cucumber around the filling using the plastic wrap. Wrap the roll tightly in the plastic wrap and twist the ends. Using a sharp knife cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Pour some sesame vinaigrette on a plate, place the rolls on top, and drizzle with cilantro oil. Garnish with cilantro and black sesame seeds.

Chicken Souvlaki Gyros

Homemade Pita Pockets:

1⅛ c. warm water

1 tsp. salt

1 T. olive oil

1½ tsp. white sugar

3 c. flour

1½ tsp. yeast

Place ingredients in a large mixer and mix well. Dough should form into a smooth ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl. More flour can be added if necessary. Let dough raise until doubled in size. (Or place ingredients in bread maker and run a dough cycle.) Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll dough out on a floured surface- as thin as possible without being ridiculous. Dough should be just less than 1/4” thick. Allow dough to rest for 5 minutes. Using a round cutter (5”-6” in diameter) cut as many rounds as you can. Pick up scraps, knead, re-roll and repeat process. Place dough rounds onto a lightly greased pizza stone. Place in oven for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas are softened, cut in half and cut pocket. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days.

Chicken Souvlaki Marinade:

⅓ c. olive oil

⅔ c. balsamic vinegar

3 T. lemon juice

½ tsp. ground pepper

½ tsp. salt

2 T. oregano, dried

4 chicken breast, (boneless, skinless)

In gallon size ziplock bag mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and oregano together. Add chicken breasts, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in glass baking dish with a little of the marinade. Bake for 50 minutes. Allow chicken to sit for 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 c. cucumber, seeded & shredded

1 tsp. salt

1 c. yogurt, plain

¼ c. sour cream

1 T. lemon juice

½ T. vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 T. fresh dill, chopped

¼ tsp. Greek seasoning

Mix shredded cucumber with 1 tsp. salt and allow it sit for at least 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Season with garlic, fresh dill and greek seasoning. Squeeze the cucumber to remove any excess water; stir into sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Gyros:

2 c. lettuce, torn into small pieces

½ sweet onion, thinly sliced

1-2 tomatoes, chopped & drained

1 green pepper, diced

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

chicken strips

tzatziki sauce

pita pockets

Mix lettuce, onion, tomatoes, green pepper and feta cheese together like a salad. Place chicken strips in the bottom of the pita pocket, add a spoonful of salad mixture and top with a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce.

Cucumber Cups With Creamy Salmon Whip

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
* 1 tablespoon nonfat or 1% milk
* 4 scallions, white parts only, sliced
* 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
* 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* Freshly ground white pepper
* 2 large English cucumbers
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions

Process the cottage cheese and milk in a food processor until smooth. Add the scallions, salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice and a pinch of white pepper and process until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Cut the cucumbers into 3/4-inch-thick rounds, discarding the ends. Using a small spoon, scoop the seeds and some of the flesh out of each round to form a small cup.

Fill each cup with about 2 teaspoons of the salmon whip and sprinkle with the chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 hour.

Vietnamese Rice-Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce
• 1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 4 leaves napa cabbage
• 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
• 4 sprigs fresh mint

Directions

1. Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.
3. Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.