Feature Recipe: Toasted Seasoned Nuts (sarah d.)

Toasted Seasoned Nuts

* 3 cups of nuts

* 1 1/2 Tb Olive Oil

* 1/2 ts Garlic Salt

* 1 ts Rosemary dried/crushed

* 1/2 ts Thyme dried/crushed

* 1-2 pinches Cayenne Pepper

* 1/4 ts Salt

Preparation

* Preheat oven to 350 deg F

* Place nuts on roasting pan or cookie sheet and place on mid rack; If using cashews, keep separate and place on top rack; toast nuts until golden, about 7-10 min.

* Remove pan from overn and place foil over top of nuts (while preparing herbs).

* Reduce oven to 320 deg-F.

* Heat olive oil in pan on low-med heat and stir in garlic, herbs, and Cayenne until simmering.

* Toss the toasted nuts in a bowl with the herb mixture and salt.

* Place nuts back on a cookie sheet/roasting pan and heat in oven for few minutes.

* Remove, cool uncovered; the nuts will get their snap back in few min so you can serve.

December Theme: cooking with nuts (sarah d.)

Vegan Chili with Cashews

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 2 large red peppers, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 16 ounces chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups cashews
• 15 ounces black beans
• 15 ounces kidney beans

1. 1In large pot, heat olive oil. Add peppers, celery, and half of the onions and cook over medium heat until onions are cooked.
2. 2Stir in garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, cumin, black pepper.
3. 3Add tomatoes (in juice), vinegar, and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking 2-3 minute.
4. 4Stir in cashews, cook over low heat 16-17 minutes.
5. 5Add beans and cook another 25 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. 6Chili is done when all ingredients are well blended and soft and chili is thick and bubbling.
7. 7Top with remaining cashews once served in bowls.

December Theme: cooking with nuts (sarah m.)

Spicy Chipotle-Peanut Noodles

1) 1/2 cup peanut butter
2) 1/2 cup apple juice
3) 2 Tbs soy sauce
4) 2 chipotle chili's in adobo sauce
5) 1 tsp adobo sauce
6) 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
7) 2 medium carrots, julienned
8) 1 red pepper, julienned
9) 8-10 oz rice noodles
10) Snow peas
11) Red onion (chopped)
12) 2 Tbs chopped peanuts

Mix # 1- 6 in a bowl and set aside. Boil pot of water put in #7,8,10 for 1-2 min remove with slotted spoon. Cook rice noodles (about 5 min). Mix sauce, noodles, cooked veggies, raw onions, together, sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

December Theme: cooking with nuts (heidi)

Almond Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

* optional: add some oats or rice to help them stick together *

makes enough for 6 burgers

Directions

1. Preheat the oven broiler. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the almonds, onion, carrot, tahini, tamari sauce, and lemon juice. Form into 6 patties and place on baking sheet.
3. Broil burgers 5 minutes, then turn and broil the other side another 5 minutes. Watch to make sure the burgers don't burn. Remove, and garnish as desired.

November Theme: cooking with squash (sarah d.)

Acorn Squash with Creamy Tofu, Thyme and Walnut Stuffing

1 medium acorn squash (can also use butternut)
1 14-oz. block firm organic tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 onion, diced small
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons sweet vermouth
1/2 cup soy milk (I used vanilla)
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut stem from squash. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place both halves in a roasting pan, skin side down. Fill the pan with just enough water to cover bottom of pan. Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil and put in oven for 45-60 minutes, or until squash is tender. You can remove the foil during the last few minutes to let any water left in the pan evaporate (I wasn't too concerned with this). When cooked, remove the squash from oven and tent with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet over medium heat, saute the onions and mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil until they are very soft. Add garlic, thyme, cinnamon and cayenne and stir for a few minutes more. Add tofu and gently stir until heated through (avoid breaking up the cubes). Pour in the vermouth and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates (not too concerned with this either). Add walnuts. Pour in soy milk and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Mound spoonful into squash cavity. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.

**To reheat, pop squash in oven until heated through. Nuke stuffing mixture in microwave. If you're not a big fan of thyme or red pepper, add a little sour cream to the mixture after you heat it up.

November Theme: cooking with squash (sarah m.)

Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

1/2 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely
6 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
4 cups chicken broth or 4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste
2 tsp ginger
1 Tbs curry powder
2 ripe bartlette pears

Put in a large pot and cook until pears and squash are squishy, then run through a blender and serve!

November Theme: cooking with squash (heidi)

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

2 cups spaghetti sauce (or you can make your own)

2 T chopped fresh basil

parmesan cheese for topping (or nutritional yeast flakes for a dairy free alternative)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the outside of the squash and carefully puncture it with a fork in 5 different places. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool. Do not turn off the oven.
Cut the cooled squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Remove the spaghetti-like threads with a fork and place them in a 9-inch round or similar baking dish. Add the spaghetti sauce and toss until it is evenly distributed. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Sprinkle with the basil and parm cheese/nutritional yeast, if desired.

October.

October was busy crazy so we skipped a month. Catch us in November for some amazing squash recipes.

Congrats to Amanda and her husband on the birth of their new baby boy!

sept Theme: cooking with FRUIT (sarah d.)

Peaches

Peach and Snow Pea Stir Fry

8 oz. water chestnuts
2 oz. teriyaki-flavored baked tofu
4 oz. round or flat rice stick noodles
2 T vegetable oil
1 peach, peeled and sliced
3 oz. snow pea pods, trimmed
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Place water chestnuts and tofu in teriyaki sauce and set aside. Boil large pot of water and cook noodles about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and set aside. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add water chestnuts, tofu and sauce. Stir fry for 2 min. Add peach slices and pea pods, stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Serve over noodles

Sept Theme: cooking with FRUIT (amanda)

Apples

Homemade Applesauce and Pork Chops

--4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters
--juice from 1 lemon
--1/2 tsp cinnamon
--1 tsp vanilla
--1 T brown sugar
--1/4 cup H20

The Directions

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your crockpot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork.

Grill or cook pork and serve alongside applesauce.

Sept Theme: cooking with FRUIT (sarah m.)

Apples

Quinoa Fruit and Chicken Salad

1 1/2 cup quinoa (cooked in water)
1 bunch green onions chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup craisins
3 tart apples chopped
Pinch of cayenne
2 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs mayo
4 Tbs plain yogurt
1/4 tsp celery seed
3/4 cup nuts of choice

Mix above ingredients, eat, smile, eat more.

Sept Theme: cooking with FRUIT (heidi)

PLUMS

Chicken, Red Onion and Plum Kabobs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, quartered
• 8 plums (about 2 pounds), quartered lengthwise
• 1 red onion, quartered lengthwise and halved crosswise

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, jam, vinegar and soy sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Transfer the marinated chicken to a bowl. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, boil for 2 minutes, then let cool.

3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. Thread the chicken, plums and onion onto 8 skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally and basting frequently with the marinade during the first 6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

   
   

   
   

August Theme: cooking with ZUCCHINI (sarah d.)

Zucchini Egg Casserole

5 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil leaves
1 cup white or brown rice
1 1/2 cup water

Mix and pour into greased casserole dish. Beat 6 eggs (a little milk and butter
too if you want) and pour on top of mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. A
little cheese on top is nice, I used parmesan. *Since rice is not cooked, make
sure it is drenched. You could even let mixture marinate before pouring into
dish.

August Theme: cooking with ZUCCHINI (amanda)

Roasted Summer Veggies

8-10 C fresh vegetables cut into pieces for even cooking time (i.e. cut potatoes smaller but squash larger). Toss with the seasoning of your choice and at least 1T olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 20 minutes, stirring every 5.

Serve as is for a main dish, side dish with meat, topping on pizza, pasta, rice, polenta, cous-cous, in sandwiches, etc. Also good cooked in an Italian dressing or vinaigrette and cooled and served as a salad with fresh tomatoes, feta cheese and additional dressing

August Theme: cooking with ZUCCHINI (sarah m.)

1 large can diced tomatoes
2-6 squash and zucchini
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
butter
sald
pepper
basil

Saute onion and garlic in 1 T oil + 1 T butter. Drain oil and butter
Combine all ingredient, add salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Simmer on low to medium heat until squash and zucchini are desired tenderness. Remove from heat and serve.

August Theme: cooking with ZUCCHINI (heidi)

Stuffed Zucchini with Brown Rice, Ground Beef, and Red Pepper

1 very large zucchini or several small ones
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. very lean ground beef (less than 10% fat)
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 cup cooked brown rice
3/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chicken stock

seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, etc.)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut stem and flower ends off zucchini, trimming off the smallest possible amount of the skin and taking care to cut it off evenly, since this will show. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then using a pointed teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out and discard most of the zucchini flesh and seeds, leaving an even 1/2 inch of flesh attached to the skin. If your zucchini are rolling around a lot, you can cut a thin slice on the bottom side of each to make them sit up.

Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan and saute chopped onions and peppers until they are just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. (They will cook more in the oven, so they don't need to be fully cooked at this point.) Remove onions and peppers to large mixing bowl, then add ground beef to hot pan and cook until starting to brown. When meat is about half cooked, season with salt and peppers and add garlic, and continue to cook until meat is well browned, breaking it into small, pieces with the side of your turner. Remove cooked ground beef to mixing bowl.

Add cooked brown rice, parmesan cheese, and chicken stock to meat and vegetable mixture, and gently combine.

Choose a roasting pan with slight sides, just big enough to hold the zucchini. Spray pan with nonstick spray or a light misting of olive oil. Stuff zucchini with stuffing mixture, packing in as much as you can into each zucchini, and mounding it up as high as you can, until all stuffing is used.

Put zucchini into roasting pan, putting them close together so they hold each other stuffing-side up. Roast uncovered 20-30 minutes, until zucchini is tender-crisp, and filling is hot and slightly browned. Serve hot.

NEW MEMBER!

We would like to welcome Sarah D. to our cooking club! Sarah D. and her boyfriend have moved to Colorado recently and have been joining in with our husbands and our group of friends! We are excited to have her with us!

Watch for posts from Sarah M. (formally just Sarah) and now Sarah D. too!

July Theme: cooking with BASIL (sarah)

Basil Potato Salad

2 lbs. sm. red or white potatoes
1 c. shredded basil leaves
1/2 c. sour cream
2/3 c. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Scrub and quarter potatoes. Boil until tender. Drain and cool. Blend together the mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (1/2 and 1/2 of each is good, too), basil, sour cream, milk, mustard, salt and pepper until combined well. Spoon over potatoes and toss lightly to coat. Chill. Makes 8 servings.

July Theme: cooking with BASIL (sarah)

Roasted Lemon-Basil Chicken

1/4 cup apple jelly
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
6 bone-in chicken breast halves, about 5 lbs.
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
1 lg lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In bowl, combine apple jelly and vinegar, reserve. Dividing evenly, layer basil, garlic, and lemon slices over meat.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in shallow roasting pan.

Roast 45-50 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Brush with jelly mix several times during last 10 minutes of cook time.

July Theme: cooking with BASIL (amanda)

Spinach Basil Pesto

1 C packed basil leaves
1 C spinach leaves
1/3 C pine nuts
3 T Parmesan or Romano cheese
salt to taste
Finely chop above ingredients in food processor and gradually add about 1/3-1/2 C olive oil until it forms a thick paste.

July Theme: cooking with BASIL (heidi)

Caprese Salad

4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Coarse salt and pepper

Directions

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.