March Theme: cooking with GREEN (heidi)

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
• 1 meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
• 1 1/2 qts. hot water

Preparation:

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
Serves 8.

February Theme: cooking with SEAFOOD (sarah)

Crab Quiche

6oz crab meat (drained)
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups eggs (about 6 eggs I think)
12 fluid oz. fat-free evaporated milk
3/4 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning (if your lemon pepper has salt in it, just omit the plain salt)
Dash of paprika

In a bowl combine the crabe, cheese, zucchini, and onions. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9in pie pan (or 8in square baking dish), coated with non-stick spray. In another bowl mix eggs, milk, mustard, salt, lemon-pepper. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered for 25-30 min at 400, or until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 10 min before cutting.

February Theme: cooking with SEAFOOD (amanda)

Capers and Halibut

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 (8 ounce) steaks halibut

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup butter

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons capers, with liquid

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the halibut steaks on all sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan, and set aside.
2. Pour the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce to almost nothing, then stir in the garlic, butter and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a minute to blend the flavors.
3. Return the steaks to the pan, and coat them with sauce. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish immediately with the sauce from the pan poured over it.

February Theme: cooking with SEAFOOD (heidi)

SHRIMP TACOS with FRESH MANGO SALSA

Shrimp: cook in a little bit of olive oil and add pepper and salt if you want - the shrimp will be done when they turn pink

Tortillas: heat each one over a burner to warm up

Fresh Mango Salsa: (Qdoba's recipe)

2 cups mango

3/4 cup red pepper

1 cucumber (scrape out seeds and discard)

1/2 cup red onion

1 1/4 tablespoon jalapeno

1/4 cup cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

* chop everything - mix together - and refrigerate

Place salsa and shrimp in tortilla - roll up and enjoy!

January Theme: cooking with Alcohol (sarah)

Stir-fry

3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. dry sherry
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 sm. onion
1 sm bag snow peas or snap peas
2 boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 carrot, pared and thinly sliced

Combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, garlic and 1/4 cup water; set aside. In wok or large skillet, stir-fry chicken in hot oil 2 minutes. Add vegetables; stir-fry 4 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture; cook and stir until slightly thickened. 4 servings.

In this recipe I think I doubled the liquid portions because we like more sauce. Serve over rice.

January Theme: cooking with Alcohol (amanda)

Romanian Chicken Ciulama

*Place chicken in a large kettle and add cold water to about 2 inches above meat. Salt as desired. Heat over high until water begins to boil. Skim scum off several times. Lower heat to medium-low. Add 1/2 lb sliced carrots, 1 quartered onion, 1 peeled and sliced parsnip, 2 sliced celery stalks, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp thyme, 1 T dill. Simmer, partly covered, until chicken is tender- about 40 minutes.

*When chicken is done, remove and set aside
*Strain broth. Place veggies to the side and save. Set 2 cupfuls of broth aside to cool.
*Prepare roux- Heat 3 T butter over medium in a saucepan. When melted slowly blend in 3 T flour, stirring continually until it is a nice buttery yellow color. Remove from heat and let stand about 1 min or until no longer bubbling
*Prepare- ciulama Return roux to medium-low heat and slowly add cooled chicken broth and stir continually until creamy. Then add 1 t sweet paprika, 1 t salt, and 1/4 dry while wine. Cook 2 more minutes- stirring constantly.

*Serve chicken with ciulama spooned over the top with veggies. Serve with rice or parsley mashed potatoes.
*Save additional broth for chicken noodle soup!

January Theme: cooking with Alcohol (amanda)

GUINNESS CUPCAKES

*Preheat over to 350
*Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat
*Remove from heat and add 1 C Guinness (it may bubble up a lot- don't worry!)
*Whisk in 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 C sugar- stir until sugar is dissolved
*Beat 3/4 C sour cream, 2 eggs and 1 T vanilla in a small bowl and slowly whisk in
*Whisk in 2 C flour and 2 1/2 t baking soda

Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 45 minutes (25 minutes for cupcakes) or until toothpick comes out clean (you'll want to pour it in quickly after whisking in the flour or it won't come out quite right)

While baking soften 8 oz sour cream.
Beat sour cream, 1 1/4 C powdered sugar and 1/2 C sour cream together for frosting. Frost after cake has cooled.