Category: Vegetables

Categories
Bell Pepper Eggplant Pasta Vegetables Vegetarian

Red Pesto and Vegetable Penne

1/4 cup olive oil
1 eggplant, cubed
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
12 ounces dry penne pasta
3 tablespoons red pesto sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces feta cheese
basil leaves (to garnish)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the eggplant and peppers, and sauté over a moderate heat for 10 minutes until the eggplant is golden and the peppers softened and browned at the edges.
While the vegetables are sautéing, cook the penne in a large pan of boiling water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and add the red pesto, stirring until the penne is coated. Add the rice vinegar to the eggplant and pepper mix, and season with black pepper. Spoon the penne on to warm plates and pile the vegetables on top. Crumble over the feta cheese and serve garnished with basil leaves.

4 Servings

Categories
Bell Pepper Mexican Tortillas

Red Pepper Quesadillas

Eight 8-in. flour tortillas
1 cup preshredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1 cup frozen chopped red bell peppers, thawed
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
4 tsp vegetable oil

Note: Next time you make bean soup, serve these Mexican “grilled cheese” sandwiches on the side.

Sprinkle 4 tortillas with 1/2 cup of the cheese, the red peppers, scallions and cilantro. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and tortillas.
Heat 1 tsp oil in each of two nonstick skillets over medium heat. Cook a quesadilla in each about 2 minutes per side, turning once, until tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted; repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut in wedges.

4 Servings

Categories
Eggplant Mushrooms Tomatoes Vegetables

Ratatouille

Debbie’s Mom’s recipe

1 1/2 cups eggplants, peeled and diced
1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced
1 16 oz. can tomatoes, stewed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (7 3/4 oz.) can mushrooms
dash pepper

Place eggplant, onion, garlic and oil in a 2 quart casserole. Cook in microwave oven 5 minutes.
Cut peppers into 1/2 strips. Mix peppers and zucchini with eggplant mixture.
Add seasonings to tomatoes. Mix with vegetables. Cook in microwave oven 8-10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

*You can use vegetable soup in place of tomatoes and cut corn off the cob and add to the casserole.

Categories
Casseroles Main Dish Potatoes Seafood

Potato Surimi Casserole

1 package au gratin potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 eggs, large
1 8 oz. can corn, creamed
1/2 pound Surimi seafood, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 scallion tops, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 450. Prepare potatoes in 8x8x2″ baking dish. follow package directions for milk and butter. Bake for only 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in bowl, combine eggs, corn, surimi, flour, scallions, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Pour over potatoes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake until set, 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into 6 squares.

6 Servings

Categories
Steak Tomatoes

Pot Roast Style Steak with Tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sirloin or lean steak of choice, all visible fat removed, cut into serving-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Black pepper to taste
Pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear the steaks until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for rare. Transfer the meat to a serving platter and cover with foil or a lid to keep warm. Set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet and sauti over low heat until golden, about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add the rest of the ingredients except the meat. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes are tender but still have texture, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet, along with any juices, and cook gently for a few minutes to combine flavors.
Transfer meat and sauce to the platter and serve immediately.
Cook’s Tip: Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook slightly both when covered on the platter and when returned to the sauce. If you like your steak on the pink side, you might want to undercook it a bit to ensure desired doneness.

Categories
Chicken Hash Brown Potatoes Pork Stew

Pork, Chicken and Potato Stew in Peanut Sauce

1-1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
5-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 small purple Peruvian or red potatoes (about 1 pound), quartered
1 large onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen corn, thawed
1-1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle in adobo
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Rinse pork and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add pork, in 3 batches, and cook, turning, until golden brown, about 6 minutes per batch (adding oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Transfer, as cooked, with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving fat in pot.
Rinse chicken and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons oil to fat in pot and heat over moderately high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to bowl with pork. Add potatoes, onion and garlic to pot; cook over moderately high heat until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth, corn, adobo sauce and peanut butter. Return pork and chicken to pot with any drippings and push into liquid. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, meat is cooked through and potatoes are fork-tender, 35 minutes; salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle stew into bowls and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

6 Servings

Categories
Asian Carrots Ethnic - Regional Main Dish Peas Pork Rice

Pork Fried Rice

2 cups pork tenderloin, cooked, diced
2 cups rice, cooked
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup scallion tops, sliced
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 eggs
dash soy sauce
dash sesame oil
dash ginger
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet. add 2 cups each of diced pork and rice, carrots, peas and scallions. Stir fry until hot. Add 2 beaten eggs and remaining ingredients.

Stir until eggs are set.

4 Servings

Categories
Main Dish Salmon Seafood Spinach

Poached Salmon with Spinach

1 pound salmon fillets
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
2 green onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 of a 10-ounce package frozen no-salt-added chopped spinach
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon slices (optional)

Cut salmon into 4 pieces, rinse, and pat dry. Set aside. In a large skillet, combine water, wine, green onions and bay leaf. Over high heat, bring just to a boil. Carefully add salmon and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove fish and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut each salmon steak in half, removing as much of the bone, cartilage and skin as possible.
Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well, squeezing out moisture. Stir in nutmeg.
Preheat broiler. Place fish on a broiler-proof serving platter or on the rack of an unheated broiler pan. Top with spinach mixture, sprinkle with cheese and season with pepper. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Serves 4

Categories
Beef Mushrooms Steak

Pepper Rubbed Beef Dijon

1-pound flank steak, all visible fat removed
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup (about 3 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup evaporated skim milk or skim milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat broiler.
To prevent meat from curling as it cooks, make 6 shallow slashes on each side of the meat in a crisscross fashion (three slashes in each direction).
Rub cracked pepper onto each side of the steak. Place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 5 inches from the heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and broil meat about 5 minutes more, or until desired doneness.
Meanwhile, spray a medium saucepan with vegetable oil. Place over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, green onions and garlic in skillet until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add milk and mustard all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
To serve, thinly slice steak diagonally across the grain. Serve with mustard sauce.

Categories
Bacon Mushrooms Pasta Spinach

Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms & Bacon

12 oz fettucine pasta

Sauce:

4 strips bacon, cut in 2-in. pieces
1 medium onion, cut in thin wedges
1 pkg (8 oz) presliced mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, cut in slivers
1 bag (10 oz) prewashed fresh baby spinach

Nice to add:

Diced tomato and grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs.
Meanwhile cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Place on a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 Tbsp fat from skillet.
Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Sauté 4 minutes or until onion has browned. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach; cook until wilted.
Scoop 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta pot; stir into spinach mixture. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add Sauce and bacon; toss to mix. Sprinkle with tomato and cheese.

4 Servings