Baigan Bhartha by Heather

Here's the eggplant recipe I mentioned. DH grew up eating it and loves this recipe.

1 pound eggplant
1 1/2 TBS ghee or oil
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
2 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chilies, seeded and chopped
salt to taste
2 1/2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro

Masala:
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne1
/2 tsp garam masala

Rub the eggplant with a little oil and blacken the skins over the grill or broil in oven.
Peel and chop the flesh coarsley. Heat the ghee and saute the onions until light brown. Add masala ingredients and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and green chilies and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add eggplant and salt and saute until dry. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro leaves.**I don't use green chilies or cayenne, I use crushed red pepper flakes (super hot ones from an Indian grocer) and Indian (super hot) chili powder and just eyeball it. Mine always comes out hotter than intended and sometimes I can't even eat it. If you're not crazy about spice, I would be pretty conservative compared to this recipe.

Grilled Eggplant, from Stephanie

I heart eggplant. It's great grilled too.

Wash, cut off ends, peel, slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices and spread out on a pan.

Sprinkle with salt and ignore for a while.

Dab off liquid, flip and salt.

Ignore, dab, apply italian dressing, ignore, grill.

MMMMMMMM.

Stuffed Green Peppers, from Carrie

So tonight's dinner is going to be stuffed green peppers.

4 medium to large green peppers
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 cup frozen or canned corn (or more if you like)
Italian seasoning to taste
Mozzarella cheese

Slice tops of peppers off and set aside, de-seed peppers. Brown ground beef, drain. In a large bowl, mix sauce, seasoning to taste, beef, diced onion and corn.....throw in a little cheese for good measure.

Fill peppers, top with mozzarella cheese, re-top with pepper stem (just for looks, really), place in baking dish, cover with foil or glass lid and bake 375 for 45 minutes.

Serve with a side of Parmesan noodles. Hmmmm.

Some people like to add rice to the recipe (ok, most people) but I'm not one of them so I leave it out.

Scallops and Pasta Florentine, an idea from Amy

Dinner:

frozen scallops (sorry all you seafood purists...it's hard to come by here in this landlocked state, and expensive as hell)

garlic (smushed. what? that's an official cooking term, no?)

green onions-chopped

spinach--cooked so it's wilty

angel hair pasta

defrost scallops

*saute scallops in evoo with garlic, season with salt and pepper and whatever else you want. it's a free country!

*while sauteing, cook angel hair. i used a combo of whole grain (it scares me) and regular. the whole grain, not so bad!

*when scallops are almost done, toss in spinach and onions

*for a sauce, i melted some butter and squeezed in some lemon juice. it was meh. it needed more butter.

*pour drained pasta into pan w/scallops and toss w/lemon butter

I served it with some cheesy bread.

It wasn't too bad. I'd do more butter, spinach and onions next time.

Basil Oil & Avocado Bruschetta, from Sue

Basil oil & Avocado Bruschetta:

mix olive oil w/ fresh minced basil, salt, pepper, blue cheese. Spread over slices of toasted french baguette. Mash avocado on top and serve. YUMMMYYY!!

Suggested by Allison - White Bean and Pasta Soup with Greens

White Bean and Pasta Soup with Greens
by Deborah Madison: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
amended slightly

2 cups dry cannellini, navy beans, or a mixture
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned, with their juices
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dried small pasta
1 bunch chard, spinach, mustard greens, or kale sauteed in olive oil with a tough of garlic and red pepper flakes

Soak the beans overnight, or I cover well with water, boil them about ten minutes and then let them sit at least an hour.

Heat the oil with the rosemary in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and parsley and cook a few minutes more. Drain the beans and add them to the pot along with the tomatoes and 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the beans have begun to soften, about an hour. Add salt and pepper and continue cooking until the beans are nice and tender, about another half hour. Just before serving, add the greens to the soup.

Cook the pasta, then drain. Portion some of it into the soup bowls and ladle soup over top. If you want, grate a little parmesan over top.

note: This makes more than our family can eat in one sitting unless we have guests. I make the whole thing and put the pasta we didn't use into the leftover soup for later.

Crock Pot Jumbalaya, from Rachael

Tonight we are having crock pot Jambalaya.

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 oz. smoked sausage, chopped

8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped

2 cups beef broth

1 cup cooked rice

Combine all ingredients except rice in crock pot. Cook on low 9-10 hours.

If you want to add shrimp (I'm allergic) throw it in the last 30 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice.

Suggested by Allison - Red Beans and Rice with Turkey Andouille

Red Beans and Rice with Turkey Andouille

Ground Beef Vegetable Soup, from Amy

Last night I made a pasta/veggie/ground beef soup. I actually got the recipe off the pasta package, but, true to form, I improvised.

8 oz of small uncooked pasta (I use little stars)
1 lb ground beef
4 C tomato juice (I used spicy V-8)
4 C water
2 tbsp instant beef or veggie bullion
10 oz pkg frozen mixed veggies
salt, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaf, whatever you feel like throwing in there...

-brown the ground beef, (I like to use my mini-stock pot for it) drain and return to pot
-add all other ingredients to pot, except for pasta
-bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
-then add pasta and cook for additional 7 minutes

I made some of the Pilsbury (in a can) dinner rolls. I always add too much pasta, so after it sits for a bit, it absorbs the rest of the liquid and it's more of a casseroleish thing, but it's still pretty good!

Suggested by Heather - Mint-Cilantro and Coconut Rice

Mint-Cilantro and Coconut Rice
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

Basmati rice has a naturally nutty flavor that is delicious with the herbs. This recipe can easily be doubled.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup sliced green onion
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice; sauté 3 minutes. Add onion; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, milk, salt, and pepper; stir. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 17 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring once after 10 minutes. Stir in mint and cilantro; cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 4 cups (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 218(15% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 1.3g,mono 2g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 4.6g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 10mg; SODIUM 326mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 0.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.1g


**Notes: Definitely use basmati rice. One night I tried it with jasmine because I couldn't be asked to take my lazy asses down to the basement to get my mondo bag 'o basmati that won't fit in my kitchen. It just wasn't good without the basmati.

Suggested by Heather - Seasoned Spinach

Seasoned Spinach
Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

You will need to steam the raw spinach in two batches, since there is so much of it. Combining the cool ingredients with your hands is easiest.
2 (10-ounce) packages fresh spinach, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Steam half of spinach, covered, for 5 minutes or until the spinach wilts; place steamed spinach in a colander. Repeat procedure with remaining spinach. Cool slightly, and squeeze dry.

Place spinach in a bowl. Add onions and remaining ingredients; toss mixture well to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 31(26% from fat); FAT 0.9g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.9g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 96mg; SODIUM 214mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.2g


**Notes: I don't know why they say to serve chilled or room temp, it's better hot. It's hard to serve hot because you have to have everything ready before hand and then basically cook the spinach like 20 seconds before the rest of your meal is done cooking or else it will go cold. Also, I use chili sesame oil in this. I didn't add the sesame seeds tonight because I forgot to toast them beforehand, but I really think they're worth it.

Suggested by Heather - Stuffed Bok Choy

I'll post the recipe, but basically you remove the stem and big center vein so you're left with just leaf, then you wilt it in chicken stock (like just for a few seconds), let it cool, then stuff it. The stuffed leaves simmer in the same chicken stock to cook.

Stuffed Bok Choy
Cooking Light, MAY 2002

Bok choy:
28 bok choy leaves (about 2 heads bok choy)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Stuffing:
1 pound ground turkey
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dipping sauce:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced

To prepare bok choy, remove stems and center ribs from bok choy; cut large leaves in half lengthwise. Heat 1 can of broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer. Place 3 bok choy leaves in broth; cook 15 seconds or until wilted. Remove leaves from pan; cool. Repeat procedure with remaining leaves. Reserve broth in pan.

To prepare stuffing, combine turkey and next 10 ingredients (turkey through black pepper) in a large bowl. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon turkey mixture onto center of each leaf. Bring 2 opposite points of leaf to center; fold over filling. Beginning at 1 short side, roll up leaf tightly, jelly roll fashion.

Carefully arrange stuffed leaves, seam sides down, in a single layer in broth. Repeat procedure with remaining turkey mixture and leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 30 minutes.

To prepare dipping sauce, combine soy sauce and remaining ingredients. Serve with stuffed leaves.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 4 stuffed leaves and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 248(29% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 18.8g; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 283mg; SODIUM 1034mg; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 3.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.1g

**Things I will probably mess around with next time.... for the filling, I think I'll use chili sesame oil rather than plain, plus instead of using curry powder, I'll probably use individual spices (at least cumin, chili, maybe some coriander, I have to think about this one), and I have to figure out what the directions on wrapping them mean - mine ending up looking just like stuffed grape leaves.

Black Beans and Mango with Rice, an idea from Sue

Black Beans and Mango w/ Rice.

Ingredients:

Garlic, Onions, Olive Oil, Chicken Stock, White Wine, Mango, Mushrooms, Fresh Basil, Fresh Sage, Can of Goya Frijoles Negros, Jasmine Rice.

Preheat Olive Oil in skillet and add Garlic & Onions. Cook until soft. Add splash of White Wine, Mango and Mushrooms and cover ingredients w/ Chicken Stock. Boil down for a few minutes. Tear Basil and Sage leaves into little pieces and add to mixture. Simmer for a few more minutes. Drain can of beans. Add beans to mixture. In the mean time cook Jasmine Rice.

When mixture is no longer liquidy it is ready to serve. Put some rice in a bowl and spoon beans on top. Enjoy!!!

Chicken and Water Chestnut Casserole, an idea from Amy

Tonight is a chicken and water chesnuts casserole served with rice.
Since I vary the amounts of ingredients dependent on how big of a dish I'm making, use your best judgement on this one.
Use canned chicken (which kinds grosses me out) or cubed or shredded cooked chicken.
Mix with:
1 or 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
chopped celery
chopped onion
1 or 2 cans of water chesnuts
season to taste with salt and pepper
cover with shredded cheese (I like cheddar)
put in a pan and bake at350 until it's bubbly and the cheese has melted.

Sometimes I put croutons on the top just prior to serving for added crunch and you can add frozen veggies to it to add more green.
Serve with rice or by itself.

Suggested by Rachael, Rachael Ray's Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwiches

Tonight we are having Sausage, Pepper, & Onion Sandwiches. This one is Rachael Ray's too. Hey, don't blame me, I got 6 of her cookbooks for Xmas. I guess I am supposed to love her because we have the same name?

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage

3/4 pound hot Italian sausage

3 tablespoons evoo

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 to 3 hot cherry peppers, banana peppers, or pepperoncini, finely chopped

3 tablespoons hot pepper juice from the jar

4 crusty sub rolls

1 tablespoon evoo

3 tablespoons butter

1 large clove garlic

1.5 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

Place the sausages in large nonstick skillet. Pierce the casings with a fork. Add 1 inch water to the pan. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover sausages, reduce heat and simmer, 10 minutes.

Heat a second skillet over med-high heat. Add two tablespoons evoo. Add garlic, onion, cubanelle, and red peppers. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain sausages and return pan to stove, raising heat back to med-high. Add the remaining tablespoon evoo to the skillet; brown and crisp the casings. Remove sausages, slice into 2 inch pieces on an angle and set pieces back in the pan to sear.

Prepare the bread: Preheat the broiler to high. Split the bread and toast under the broiler. Melt evoo and butter together in a small pan over med heat. Add garlic and let sizzle a minute or two. Brush rolls with garlic butter and sprinkle with a little Italian seasoning.

Combine the cooked peppers and onions with the sausages. Add hot peppers and hot pepper juice to the skillet. Toss and turn the sausage, peppers, and onions.

Pile the mixture onto the rolls and serve.

Suggested by Rachael, Rachael Ray's Mac-n-Cheese

The mac-n-cheese is Rachael Ray's.

1lb of your preferred pasta, I use twists

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons evoo

(She calls for parsley and rosemary, but I leave it out)

Boil pasta in salted water, slightly undercook.

Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in flour. Whisk in milk. Bring to a bubble. Cook to thicken milk, 2-3 minutes. Add cheeses and black pepper. Stir to melt cheeses. Drain pasta and combine with cheese sauce, transfer to a baking dish. Place bread crumbs in a bowl, add evoo (and herbs if desired). Stir to combine and top pasta and cheese. Place under broiler to brown bread crumbs.

Of course I improvise on this recipe too, and use other cheeses depending on what I have available. Tonight I am using mild cheddar, a package of shredded "Italian" cheese (Asiago, Romano, Provolone, etc), and some fresh grated Parm.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches, from Rachael

Sauce:

Ketchup

Dijon Mustard

Brown Sugar

Garlic

Worcestershire Sauce

Red-Wine Vinegar

Liquid Smoke

Garlic Pepper

The ratio of ingredients kind of changes on my mood, I usually don't use much sugar because I like a tangy sauce. Dh likes sweet sauce so if I'm feeling generous I'll add a bit more of the brown sugar. Obviously ketchup is the base. This time I added some finely chopped onion.

I am using a 2.5 pound chuck roast. We are feeding my grandparents tonight. I just stick it in the crock pot, cover with sauce and let it cook on low for 8 hours. When it's done I shred it with two forks and throw it on some rolls (with slaw for those who like it).

Buffalo Chicken Dip, from Shelli

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

• 2 large chicken breasts, poached and shredded (or roasted, doesn't matter so long as it's cooked)
• Texas Pete's Hot Sauce (or other buffalo sauce). I found great Safeway brand buffalo marinade that I use
• 1-8oz block cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup ranch dressing

Coat shredded chicken in sauce, let marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. Mix chicken with softened cream cheese, half of cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, place in 8x8 square baking dish, or some other type of baking dish...top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes until bubbly and delicious. Great with bread, fritos, corn chips, plain, you name it!

Empanada Frito Casserole, from Rachael

Tonight is my favorite casserole (better not make too many, I might drive Dh away). It's basically my empanada filling covered in cheese and fritos.

I don't measure anything anymore and the ingredients are contingent upon what happens to be in my fridge when I prepare it but here is a rough outline:

1 pound ground sirloin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 15 ounce can black beans (sometimes pinto), drained

1 can diced tomatoes, whatever the normal size is, 12 oz I think

Cumin to taste

Chili powder to taste

1 medium onion, chopped

Pickled Jalapenos, as many as you like, chopped

Cilantro, to taste and chopped I use about 1/3 cup.

Garlic, to tase, I use quite a bit

Fritos

Monteray Jack or Cheddar or absolutely any package of shredded cheese

Brown ground sirloin in olive oil in large, deep pot, I use a stock pot. As beef is browning throw in garlic, onion, jalapenos. When beef is cooked through add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cilantro and beans. Season with cumin and chili powder. Simmer about 5 minutes, until heated through.

Preheat broiler to low.

Transfer beef mixture to casserole pan, top with half of the cheese, top with a layer of fritos, add remaining cheese and sprinkle with more chopped cilantro.

Broil until cheese is bubbly.

Dh likes to have salsa on his.

Chicken Legs in Apple-Peach Gravy, from Sue

I made chicken legs in an apple/peach gravy w/ morels;
Ingredients:

garlic, onions, leeks, olive oil, Kosher salt, apple, dried apricot, potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, celery flakes, sherry vinegar, sugar, cornstarch.

First I grilled the chick legs to seal in the juice (I don't know if this was actually necessary, but I did it anyway. The more dishes I dirty, the more proficient I feel)

In a large saute pan cook the garlic/onions/leeks in olive oil w/ a little Kosher salt. Add stock and bay leaf and simmer. Add the rest of the ingredients except the sugar. Let simmer until the apples start to get soft. Place sauce and chick legs in large pan and place in oven set to 375*. Cook until chick is done. Remove chick from pan and strain remaining liquid (arrange the solid pieces on serving plate) reserving it in a sauce pan. Place taters in a pan and bake a little while longer until done (you may want to broil them for a couple of minutes so they get crispy). In the mean time heat up sauce and slowly add corn starch (that has already been diluted in icewater) until you reach the gravy consistency you desire. Add sugar if you need it and then drizzle over chick & everything else.

Summer Pasta, an idea from Heather

Here's a great thing to do with jarred artichokes (this is non-dairy if you skip the cheese):
- cook some ziti & keep it warm
- in a saute pan coated with olive oil, throw jarred artichokes (I use the marinated ones) & kalamata olives; after a couple of minutes add halved grape or cherry tomatoes & saute until the tomatoes are throroughly hot.... I like to let them get just a tiny bit mushy & saucy
- put the pasta in a large bowl & add some basil & fresh grated parmesan cheese, then stir in the sauteed vegetables.
This is the best summer pasta I've ever had. I usually make some corn on the cob on the side.

Dijon-crusted Chicken, from Allison

Dinner tonight was chicken breasts with a dijon crust, roasted tomatoes, brussels sprouts with mustard butter, and mashed potatoes.

I cut the boneless chicken breasts in half and salt and pepper them. Then I mix equal parts dijon mustard and sour cream (a couple tablespoons of each) and spread the mixture over top. To turn it into a crust, I buzz a slice or two of bread in the blender, mix that with salt, pepper, thyme or some other herb that strikes my fancy at the moment, drizzle on some olive oil and mix it all together, then press that on top of the chicken breasts. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes.

You can do it with the bread crumbs you buy at the grocery store, but they don't soak up the mustard mixture as nicely and the texure ends up a bit different.

The sauce for the brussels sprouts was butter, mustard, garlic powder, I think some onion powder, and a bit of champagne vinegar.

Alternative Sloppy Joes, an idea from Dani

My husband likes his sloppy joes weird. He hates manwich or any other sloppy joe stuff. Here is his stuff

Cayenne pepper
Salt
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Chili powder
(I keep all that mixed up in one bottle)

ground beef
ketchup

Put spices on meat(however much looks good) and brown. Pour on ketchup to coat all meat, and let simmer until it turns dark brown.

It's not really as terrible as it sounds, but I don't eat it, lol.

Suggested by Heather - Cuban Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice

Cuban Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice
Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

You can prepare the patties in advance up to the point of dredging them in cornmeal; cover and refrigerate. Purchase precut, fresh pineapple in the produce section to save time.

Rice:
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Patties:
2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans (1 [15-ounce] can), divided
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cooking spray
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To prepare rice, cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place rice in a large bowl. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; sauté 4 minutes or just until pineapple begins to brown. Add pineapple mixture, cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to rice in bowl; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.

To prepare patties, place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Spoon about 1/2 cup rice onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 patty and 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Yield: 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 294(27% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 5.4g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 10.2g; CHOLESTEROL 28mg; CALCIUM 155mg; SODIUM 532mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g

Suggested by Heather - Chicken Salad with Mint and Feta

Chicken Salad with Mint and Feta
Cooking Light, MAY 2005

This simple chicken salad is zesty with the flavors of mint, feta cheese, and lemon juice. It's great as is and also good served in a pita or on a bed of greens.

3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup cubed peeled English cucumber
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mint sprigs (optional)

Combine all ingredients except mint sprigs in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 233(28% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 36.9g; CHOLESTEROL 105mg; CALCIUM 75mg; SODIUM 289mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.9g

Black-Eyed Peas, from Allison

Black-Eyed Peas

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbp. butter
1 onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 celery rib, diced
3 bay leaves
a bit of fresh thyme (I put in several sprigs)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 quart water (less in a crockpot)
salt to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the ingredients up to and including the garlic for about 15 minutes. Add the allspice and red pepper flakes and saute a couple minutes more to blend the flavors. Cook with the beans and water. About 1/2 hour from the end of cooking, throw in the salt.

Suggested by Rachael - Cheesy Chicken Pepper Pasta

We are having Cheesy Chicken Pepper Pasta tonight. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. This is the first time I am making it so I will have to let you know if I would add/change anything. Here is their recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 16 ounces shredded Muenster cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 pound linguine pasta

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and add chicken; saute until it begins to turn golden brown. Add red bell peppers and cook until they become limp; cover and simmer.
2. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine milk, butter, cheese and garlic; stir constantly for about 10 minutes to avoid burning. Sauce should now have a thickened sauce-like consistency; if not, add cornstarch in 1 teaspoon increments until desired consistency is reached.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
4. Once the sauce is complete, combine it with the chicken and peppers mixture; add garlic powder to taste.
5. Pour sauce over hot pasta; serve.

Avgolemono, from Nastia

Fish soup for us to day with special Greek sauce called Avgolemono and its yuuuummyy.

You will need

Two big or three small fish for soup (cod is good, scorpaenid also good)

Two or three carrots peled and cut in rounds

two big potatoes cut in cubes

One celery root with the leaves chopped

two big onions chopped

one tea cup of white rice (not the yellow one)

Juice from three lemons

Three eggs

olive oil

salt pepper

Boil the fish in some salty water and remove them, add the veggies and the olive oil in the wather and boil for 5 mins, add the rice and boil until the veggies and rice are soft add some water if necessary. Take all the bones of the fish and put the flesh back to the pot.

Beat the eggs until foamish, add lemon juice slowly and keep beating until it takes a light yellow color. Add two big soup spoons from the pot to the mix, stir and add the mixture in the soup. Be carefull when adding the eggs the soup must be hot but not boiling, cause then the eggs will harden and the soup will be junk. It can replace chicken soup when someone is sick.

Mexican Lasagna II, from Karli

Tonight we had Mexican Lasagna. I didn't have a recipe, so this is what I used.

• 2lbs ground meat (I used turkey)
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup water
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can tomato soup
• 4 cups cheddar cheese (I use LOTS!)
• tortillas

Brown gound meat and then add salsa, water, seasoning and soup. Simmer for a couple minutes. Cover bottom of lasagna pan with tortillas (you may have to tear them in funny shapes to cover the entire bottom. Top with meat mixture and then half of the cheese. Repeat all layers and bake at 350° until cheese is melted.

We topped it with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sour cream. I also made some spanish style rice to go along with it. I turned out very yummy. (with all that cheese how could it not? )

Chocolate Mousse, from Cara

Two-ingredient Chocolate Mousse... 1/2 pint of whipping cream, ummm, whipped. about 1/4 pound of good bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate, shaved and melted. slowly fold the melted chocolate into the whipped cream. tonight we served it with fresh sliced strawberries, but raspberries would be yummy as well.

Pasta with Meat Sauce and Garlic Bread, from Cara

Pasta with Meat sauce:
1 whole boneless chicken breast
1 pound ground beef
1/4 pound pepperoni
Italian seasoning
S & P
fresh basil and garlic
olive oil
2 cans crushed tomatoes

I cover the bottom of my stock pot with the olive oil, just a thin layer. Once it is warm, I add the minced garlic (3 cloves), Italian seasoning (who knows how much), and some fresh chopped basil (you decide how much you want, I guess I used about 1/4 cup). Then I put in the chicken (which I have sprinkled with the S & P) and beef, and cook that thoroughly. Remove the chicken and add the cans of tomato. Shred up semi-cooled chicken with fingers and add back to the pot, add pepperoni and additional 1/4 cup of basil or so and more Italian seasoning and S & P as needed. Tonight it cooked for about 2 hours on the stove on low. It was yummy served with campanelle type pasta noodles, they are cute.

Garlic bread... 1 softened stick of butter mixed up with 3 minced cloves of garlic and some parsley. Spread over sliced store-bought Italian bread and broiled in the toaster oven.

Link: Frozen Meals

Carrie thoughtfully provided this link to a compilation of frozen meals.

http://geocities.com/decemberbabies2002/Recipes.html

Beef Stir-Fry, from Amy

I'm making this ground beef stir-fry thing. It's pretty good, or at least I like it. I based it off of a recipe I found on allrecipes.com, but I don't know how to measure ingredients, so it's become my very own creation.

ground beef--you can use turkey or tofu crumbles too
peppers
onions
carrots
and any other veggies you feel like
*I like the baby corn and sliced water chesnuts too
smashed garlic cloves--I like 2 or 3
ground ginger--you can use fresh or the stuff in the spice section about 1 tbsp
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp beef broth (or you can make broth w/veggie bullion too)
chili oil--I always add a lot, since I like it SPICY!
olive oil (about 1 turn of the pan)

brown the ground beef and drain/rinse and set aside
stir fry the veggies, ginger, and garlic until done to your preference
return the beef to the pan
add broth, soy sauce, and chili oil to pan heat on med. and stir until thickened and heated through
-if you like a thicker sauce, wisk in some corn starch to the broth before adding
serve over rice, I like jasmine rice with it

Two Takes on Sloppy Joes, from Carolyn

Tintin requested my sloppy joe recipe. I will post 2 versions, the one my mom always made (and I did prior to this attempt), and the one I made yesterday. I never measure anything, so I'm sorry that I can't be more precise.

Mom's recipe
1 lb ground beef
ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder
onion powder

Brown and drain beef and return to heat. Add enough ketchup until it is saucy and a few (?) t of Worcestershire sauce. Add garlic and onion to taste. Serve on hamburger buns with lots of napkins.


My new recipe
1/2 medium onion, diced
oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 T ketchup
1 t vinegar
2-3 t (?) Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder
pepper

Add oil to skillet and saute onion until translucent. Remove from pan. Brown and drain turkey with 1 t of garlic powder and return to heat. Add onion. Mix in tomato sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and worcestershire sauce. Add garlic and pepper to taste. Serve on hamburger buns with lots of napkins.