Pesto Pasta

Submitted by Liliane Reis


Pesto sauce


2 cups of fresh basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of walnuts

1 cup of olive oil

6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

1 cube of ice (helps to maintain the color of the leaves)

salt as you like



Mix everything together in the blender. Add to cooked pasta. Separate some walnuts and Parmesan cheese to cover the pasta when it is ready. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Submitted by Rachel Mecham



Ingredients:

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) (drained and rinsed)

1 can vegetarian baked beans and sauce

1 can diced tomatoes and juice

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

1 can tomato paste

1 cup water

1 small onion, chopped

½ - 1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together well in a large crock pot. Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Stew

Submitted by Laura Hintze
Ingredients

Veggies

¨ 1 lb. cauliflower

¨ 1 lb. celery

¨ 1 lb. potatoes

¨ 1 lb. broccoli

¨ 1 lb. carrots

¨ ½ lb. onion



Sauce

¨ 1 qt. milk

¨ 1 qt. half & half

¨ 1 lb. Velveeta cheese

¨ ¼ lb. butter or margarine

¨ ¼ C. flour

¨ ¼ C. cornstarch



Instructions

Veggies

Chop cauliflower, celery, broccoli, and onions. Peel and cube potatoes and carrots.  Cook vegetables together in the minimum amount of water necessary (to conserve vitamins) until tender.


Sauce

Combine milk, half & half, cheese, and butter or margarine. Thicken with flour and cornstarch. Season to taste.

Drain most of the water from the veggies and combine with sauce.

Greek Spinach and Cheese Pie

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

Filling

1 10oz. pkg. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

½ lb. feta cheese, crumbled

¼ lb. Swiss cheese, grated

¼ c. Parmesan cheese, grated

12 green onions, chopped

¼ c. fresh parsley or 1 heaping T. dried parsley

4 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ c. butter, melted

3 T. olive oil

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper





Crust:

12 sheets filo pastry OR Pie crust dough (enough for 2 pies)

¼ c. butter, melted



Combine all the filling ingredients.



Filo Method:

Brush the bottom of a 9X13 pan with melted butter. Then, brushing each with melted butter, place 6 sheets of filo in the bottom of the pan. Add the spinach-cheese mixture to the pan. Again, buttering between each layer, add 6 more sheets of filo to serve as a top crust. Score through the top crust only, lengthwise, to vent pita. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.



Pie Crust Method:

Roll out pie-crust very thin and line the bottom and sides of a 9x13” baking dish. Place the spinach-cheese mixture into the crust. Roll out remaining dough and make a cover. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Split Pea and Lentil Stew

Submitted by Mandi Cooper

8 oz split peas

8 oz lentils

1 1/2 cups carrots (cut into bite size pieces)

2 stalks celery (cut into small slices)

2 large tomatoes (chopped)

1 large onion (chopped)

4 chopped garlic cloves

10 basil leaves (chopped)

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 bunch of baby spinach (I used A LOT more than this- like 2 bunches)

1 (12 oz) can V-8 juice



1) Rinse the lentils and split peas well then add to boiling water & simmer until done, about 40 min. Keep checking water before this adding if water goes below beans, drain.

2) Heat olive oil in large pot, saute onions & garlic over medium heat until onions are clean(5 min)

3) Add celery, carrots, & 1 cup of water, simmer until al dente

4) Add 4 cups water & cooked lentils and split peas

5) Squeeze tomatoes and juice in the pot. Chop up the pulp of the tomatoes.

6) Add v8 juice, pepper, paprika, & basil to the pot.

7) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add spinach & simmer about 30 min.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley

2 cups chicken broth


2 cups milk

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

½ a medium onion, finely chopped

1-2 cups broccoli

1-2 cups uncooked macaroni

1 tsp. salt

dash pepper

dash curry

dash powdered mustard

1-2 cups cheddar cheese, finely grated sharp


Start by cooking broccoli and macaroni, then set those aside for later. In a 5 quart pot melt butter and sautee in onions. Add flour to make a paste. Slowly whisk in milk to make a sauce. Whisk in cheese until it melts in. Add in chicken broth and seasonings. Add in broccoli and macaroni.

Homemade Pasta

For our January Cooking Club party we got together for pasta night!  Christina Bailey demonstrated how to make your own pasta and the rest of us brought sauces to share.  The food was fantastic and the company sublime.  Thanks, Christina!

Homemade Pasta recipe:

2 cups flour


1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs (beaten)

If using a food processor, use the dough blade and have it running with the dry ingredients in it. Pour in the beaten eggs while it runs and wait for it to make a ball. If it's too dry you can add a little water or olive oil, or finish kneading it by hand. If you don't have a processor, mix together the flour and salt, put it on a floured counter or cutting board, make a well in the center and pour in the beaten eggs, mix in the flour little by little until it's all incorporated and knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough rest wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for at least a half hour.
 

Use the dough as you like (roll it out with a pasta roller, or with a rolling pin: with the rolling pin, you'll need to fold and roll, fold and roll).

Eat and enjoy!

Michelle and Matt's Asparagus

Submitted by Michelle Ricks


Ingredients:

Asparagus


Red pepper

Carrots

Hazelnuts

Shallots

Sun dried tomatoes

White wine vinegar

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Garlic salt

Fresh parmesan





Ok so first I grabbed the hazelnuts & sun dried tomatoes carrots & shallots and diced those babies up tossed it in a heated pan with olive oil till the shallots were transparent. I pulled it off the heat and then steamed the beefy asparagus for 5 minutes. I combined the asparagus with everything else and splashed it with lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Sprinkled with parmesan on top to finish.

Creamy Light Pasta

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell
Recipe by Pam Anderson

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup 2% evaporated milk
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 T. butter
3 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

Microwave broth, milk, and garlic in small bowl until steamy hot (3-4 minutes).  Let stand a couple of minutes.

Place butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over lowe heat.  When butter melts, whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture all at once, whisking constantly until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan, along with add ins.  Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer to blend flavors (about 5 minutes).

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.  Return pasta to pot.

Pour cream sauce over pasta, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.  Toss and serve immediately.

Add ins:
3 cups asparagus pieces, 12 oz. salmon (cut into 2-inch chunks), 1 tsp. lemon zest, 1/4 cup fresh dill

12 oz. cooked shrimp (cut into 1/2-inch pieces), 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, 1/2 cup drained petite diced tomatoes (canned), 1 tsp. dried oregano

3 cups broccoli florets, 2 cups shredded chicken, 1/2 cup drained petite diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, 1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes