Category: Vegetarian

Categories
Sandwiches Vegetarian

Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Panini

These grilled sandwiches contain peanut butter, chocolate chips and chopped banana between slices of rich egg bread.

8 slices egg bread, about 1/4-1/2″ thick
2 tablespoons (unsalted) butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 or 2 ripe, firm bananas, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preheat a panini iron according to manufacturers directions. Brush one side of 4 of the bread slices with some of the melted butter. Place bread slices, buttered side down, on a smooth dry surface. Spread 1/4 of the peanut butter on each slice of bread. Sprinkle 1/4 of the chocolate chips over peanut butter on each bread slice. Press chips gently to adhere. Sprinkle 1/4 of the banana pieces over chocolate chips on each bread slice. Cover each with a plain bread slice. Brush each bread slice with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place sandwiches in heated panini iron and grill, according to directions, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the panini to a cutting board and slice each sandwich diagonally in half. (If you do not have a panini iron, these sandwiches may be made using a griddle or a cast iron or other heavy skillet, turning panini halfway through cooking. Be sure to press the sandwiches with a metal spatula to flatten them as they cook.)

Number of Servings: 4 (8 panini halves) Notes: Kids love this as a dessert or snack. Grown-ups love them, too. Takes only a few minutes from start to finish.

Categories
Sandwiches Vegetarian

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
2 slices sour dough bread
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled

Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.  Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.  Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.  Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily “pinch” off.  Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Categories
Breakfast Eggs Vegetarian

Breakfast Burrito

1 high fiber whole grain wrap
1 scrambled egg or egg substitute
1 oz low-fat cheese, shredded
1 Tbs. salsa

Heat wrap in microwave for 20 seconds. Fill with eggs, cheese and top with salsa; roll up.

Categories
Appetizers Vegetarian

Spinach Souffle Stuffed Mushrooms

1 -10 oz. package cottage cheese, small curd
3 eggs
1 cup cheese, shredded
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
24 mushroom caps

Mix cottage cheese, eggs and cheese in food processor until smooth.  Mix in spinach.  Place in baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Mix baked souffle with next 4 ingredients.  Fill each mushroom cap with spinach mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

12  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Dips Vegetarian

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 -10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1 -8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 -12 oz. jar marinated artichoke bottoms or hearts
1 -7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Thaw spinach as package directs, squeeze out any excess liquid.  Set aside.

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream and undrained artichoke hearts.  Pulse until blended.  Add drained peppers and Parmesan cheese; pulse until fairly smooth.
Transfer mixture to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Stir in drained thawed spinach.

Microwave at high power for 7 minutes, until heated through and bubbly around edges.  Stir and serve with crackers.

14  Servings

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:5]

Categories
Desserts Dips Pumpkin Vegetarian

Silky Pumpkin Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar or 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.

Serve with gingersnap cookies & vanilla wafers.

It’s a nice idea to seve this dip in bowl that sits in a bowl of ice.

Categories
Cheese Dips Vegetarian

Pimento Cheese

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 -3 oz. package cream cheese
3 tablespoons pimientos, chopped
1 teaspoon onions, grated
cracked black pepper

Blend cheeses and mayonnaise.  Stir in seasonings, onion and pimentos.  Chill.

12  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Snacks Vegetarian

Pepper – Cheese Crackers

1 cup bread flour
1 cup corn meal, or instant polenta
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cheddar cheese, sharp, finely grated
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut small
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.

Place bread flour, polenta, salt, baking soda, paprika, pepper, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add buttermilk. Continue processing until dough just forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few seconds. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Cut dough into quarters. Using 1 piece at a time, roll out dough 1/16 inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour. Keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap.

Using a 1 3/4-inch fluted round cookie cutter or a small fluted pastry wheel, cut out crackers and place on prepared baking sheet at least 1/2 inch apart. Roll out a second piece of dough 1/16 inch thick and repeat cutting process; place on second prepared baking sheet. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until crackers are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking. Transfer crackers immediately to a wire cooling rack; let cool completely. Repeat process with remaining dough.

10  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Dips Vegetarian

Onion Dip

3 large onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
dash cayenne
dash salt

Saute onions in butter and olive oil until caramelized.  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed.  Pour into serving dish, cover with plastic wrap or lid and chill overnight.

Serve with potato chips or crackers.

10  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Mexican Vegetarian

Mushroom Quesadillas

Vegetable oil spray
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas
6 tablespoons shredded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeqo peppers or low-fat cheddar cheese
Salsa (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large skillet with vegetable oil. Cook mushrooms, onion and garlic in skillet over medium heat until onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

Arrange one-third of the mushroom mixture on half of one tortilla. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 3 quesadillas total.

Bake quesadillas about 5 minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese melts. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve warm with salsa if desired.

Microwave Method:

Spray a microwave-safe casserole with vegetable oil. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is tender, stirring twice.  Stir in cilantro.

Assemble quesadillas as directed above and arrange them on a microwave-safe plate or platter. Cook, rotating plate once, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 to 2 minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese melts.